Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.
Individual organisms and species change over time.
“Throughout time, plants and animals have changed depending on their environment. In learning how organisms have been successful in their habitats, students should observe and record information about plants and animals. They should begin to recognize how differences among individuals within a species can help an organism or population to survive. Students at this level will identify the behaviors and physical adaptations that allow organisms to survive in their environment.” From the Elementary Science Core Curriculum Guidelines
Describe how the structures of plants and animals complement the environment of the plant or
animal.
3.1a Each animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.
• the characteristics of some animals change as seasonal conditions change (e.g., fur grows and is shed to
help regulate body heat; body fat is a form of stored energy and it changes as the seasons change)
