ADAPTING TO SURVIVE

•  Living things have certain adaptations that allow them to survive in a specific environment. An organism adapts to conditions in the environment when it develops a behavior   that makes survival more likely, or has a physical characteristic or body part that helps it survive.

• In a forest biome, some trees grow taller than the other plants around them so that they can reach the sunlight. For the trees, growing taller is an adaptation that helps them survive. Shorter plants have adapted with their behavior, learning to live in the shade with less sunlight. Animals in the forest have a wide variety of adaptations. Monkeys have long tails that they can use almost like another hang. This helps them swing quickly through the tops of trees, often while holding their babies, or gathering food. Giraffes need to reach leaves at the tops of tall trees, so their long neck is an adaptation that allows them to do this.

• Some animals’ adaptations prevent other animals from wanting to eat them. A skunk’s horrible smell makes larger animals choose something else to eat. Even plants sometimes protect themselves in this way. Roses and Acacia trees both have dangerous thorns that prevent animals from eating their leaves. Physical and behavior adaptations both help living things survive.

Name:__________________________________

Answer the following questions based on the reading passage. Do not forget to go back to the passage whenever necessary to find or confirm your answers.

1)  What are the two main ways that an organism adapts? 

2) Name one animal adaptation you read   about in the passage:

3)  Is the animal adaptation you chose a physical or behavioral adaptation?

4) Name one plant adaptation you read about  in the passage:

5)  Is the plant adaptation you chose a physical or behavioral adaptation?