Chapter 6: Living Organisms PDF

Chapter 6: The Living Organisms — Characteristics and Habitats This chapter talks about what makes something a living thing and where living things live. 1. What is a Habitat?  A habitat is a place where plants and animals live.  Different plants and animals live in different places l...

Chapter 6: The Living Organisms — Characteristics and Habitats This chapter talks about what makes something a living thing and where living things live. 1. What is a Habitat?  A habitat is a place where plants and animals live.  Different plants and animals live in different places like deserts, forests, oceans, and mountains.  Habitats provide living things with everything they need, like food, water, and shelter. 2. Types of Habitats:  Terrestrial Habitats: These are habitats on land. Examples: o Desert: Very hot and dry. Animals like camels and plants like cactus live here. o Mountains: Cold and snowy. Animals like snow leopards and plants like pine trees are found here. o Grasslands: Open areas with a lot of grass. Animals like lions and deer live here.  Aquatic Habitats: These are habitats in water. Examples: o Oceans: Large bodies of saltwater. Animals like fish, whales, and sharks live here. o Ponds and Lakes: Freshwater habitats. Frogs, fishes, and water plants like lotus grow here. Q. List the common characteristics of the living things? 3. Characteristics of Living Organisms: Living things have special characteristics that make them different from non-living things. 1. They Need Food: All living things need food to get energy. Plants make their own food, while animals eat plants or other animals. 2. They Grow: Living things grow. For example, baby animals grow into adults, and seeds grow into plants. 3. They Move: Animals can move from one place to another, like birds flying or lions running. Even plants move in their own way, like growing towards sunlight. 4. They Respond to Changes: Living things can sense and react to changes in their surroundings. For example, a cat runs away if it feels danger, and plants grow towards sunlight. 5. They Breathe: All living things need air to breathe. Animals breathe in oxygen, and plants take in carbon dioxide during the day. 6. They Reproduce: Living things can have babies or make more of their kind. For example, dogs have puppies, and plants grow from seeds. 7. They Have a Lifespan: All living things are born, grow, and eventually die. 4. Adaptation (What is Adaptation?)  Adaptation is when living things develop special features to survive in their habitats.  o Desert plants like cactus have thick stems to store water and sharp spines to protect themselves. o Aquatic animals like fish have gills to breathe underwater and fins to swim. o Polar animals like penguins have thick fur and fat to keep warm in cold places. 5. Types of Organisms Based on Habitats  Terrestrial organisms: Live on land, like tigers, snakes, and trees.  Aquatic organisms: Live in water, like fish, dolphins, and seaweed Q 2. How are cactus adapted to survive in a desert?  Thick Stem: The cactus has a thick, fleshy stem that stores water. This helps the plant survive long periods without rain.  Spines Instead of Leaves: Cactus plants have sharp spines. These spines help reduce water loss and protect the plant from animals.  Waxy Layer: The stem of the cactus has a waxy layer that helps keep water inside the plant, preventing it from drying out.  Deep Roots : Cactus plants have roots that go very deep into the soil for absorbing water Q. Explain, why speed is important for survival in the grasslands for animals that live there? In the grasslands, speed is important for animals because:  Predators (like lions) need to run fast to catch their prey for food.  Prey (like deer) need to be quick to escape from predators and stay safe. Since there are not many places to hide in the open grasslands, animals have to depend on speed to hunt or to avoid being hunted. Fill up the blanks : (a) The presence of specific features, which enable a plant or an animal to live in a particular habitat, is called adaptation. (b) The habitats of the plants and animals that live on land are called terrestrial habitat. (c) The habitats of plants and animals that live in water are called aquatic habitat. (d) Soil, water and air are the abiotic factors of a habitat. (e) Changes in our surroundings that make us respond to them, are called stimuli.