Adaptations (Flocabulary)

Plants and animals don't change overnight! They change very slowly over hundreds of thousands of years, gradually becoming better able to survive in their environments. In this natural process, they change as a result of their surroundings. That's adaptation!

Which of the following is an example of adaptation?

• penguins growing beaks and wings overnight

• birds eating breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday

• polar bears’ fur turning white over many years

• dogs getting sent to the groomer to be washed

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Plants don't have brains. But some scientists think plants have something very close to what we call a nervous system. The nervous system is your body's way of feeling and reacting to things in the world. For example, some kinds of trees are known for moving rapidly after something touches them. Venus flytraps quickly close around an insect when it touches their leaves. This type of response to things happening in a plant's environment reveals that plants can “feel.”

Which of the following is true about plants?

• Some plants can “feel” and respond to things in the world.

• Venus flytraps are the only plants to have brains.

• All plants have the same nervous systems as humans.

• Plants always shake and move after their leaves are touched.

When someone says the word “desert,” what plant do you picture? You’re probably picturing the saguaro cactus. Saguaros are known for their long, tall branches that look like arms. These branches don't start to grow until the cactus is 50 to 70 years old. The folds along the saguaro's stem and branches are called pleats. What are they for? These pleats store water for the cactus, which is important in the hot, dry desert. A desert plant's spikes aren't just to keep animals away. They also help provide shade during the long hours they spend in the sun.

A saguaro cactus will _________________________.

• store water in its pleats.

• shoot spikes at animals.

• only live up to 70 years.

• grow branches immediately.

Adaptations help animals and plants survive in their environments. For example, one cool plant adaptation is the leaves of the pitcher plant. These plants use their tube-shaped leaves to trap and digest insects. The insects are attracted to the plant's sweet nectar and colorful appearance. Once inside the tube, it's too slippery for insects to climb out. They fall into a pool of water at the bottom of the tube, and the plant digests them.

Which of these best describes another plant adaptation?

• A plant is the same color as a grasshopper, helping the grasshopper blend in.

• A species of butterfly lays its eggs on the leaves of a particular tree.

• A plant dies if it doesn’t get enough water.

• A plant gives off a smell that attracts nearby insects, which it then eats.

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Some animal adaptations are for getting food. These adaptations depend on what kinds of food the animal eats.

Herbivores eat only plants, no meat. Since their food is usually grass and leaves, their teeth are designed for cutting and grinding tough plant material such as grass, leaves and bark. Cows have sharp straight-edged teeth called incisors at the front of their mouths that they use to cut or bite off the tough grasses they eat.

Carnivores eat only meat. That's why carnivores like dogs or wild cats have pointed “canine” teeth that are used to rip and tear meat. Carnivores also have large molars at the back of their jaw to crush bones.

Omnivores eat both meat and plants. Humans are omnivores, so we have incisors, molars and canines. With three different types of teeth, humans are able to eat a wide range of foods.

What would most likely happen if traditional herbivores, like cows, began eating meat instead of grass?

• Humans would have to stop eating cows and start eating wolves.

• Over hundreds of thousands of years, cows would develop canine teeth and large molars.

• Cows would immediately become better suited to survive in their current environments.

• Over hundreds of thousands of years, wolves would start eating only plants, no meat.

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True or False: Plants don't have brains, but they still adapt to their environments.

• True

• False

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Why do plants and animals adapt to their environment?

• to become better at getting food

• to protect themselves against other animals

• to become better able to survive in their surroundings

• all of the above

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What is the main way that being camouflaged helps an animal?

• It helps them store more food and water.

• It helps them blend into their environment so other animals can't attack them.

• It helps keep them cool in a hot climate.

• It makes them look dangerous to other animals.

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Which of the following is an adaptation that helps protect the animal?

• Cows have incisors.

• Cactuses have thick stems.

• A porcupine has sharp quills.

• Hummingbirds have long, skinny beaks.

How have cactuses adapted to the fact that it almost never rains in the desert?

• They're covered in spikes.

• They have thick, pleated stems.

• They have big, waxy leaves.

• They're camouflaged.

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