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3rd grade · Science · Unit 6 of 10

Surviving in a Habitat

Groups, traits and habitats that help animals survive.

What your child practices

Practices why some animals live in groups, how small differences in traits can help some individuals survive, and why some organisms do well in a habitat while others cannot survive there.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 3-LS2-1; 3-LS4-2; 3-LS4-3 · living in groups, trait differences that help survival, and how well organisms survive in a habitat

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Some animals live in groups to survive: bees in a colony, fish in schools.
  2. Groups help find food, share jobs and stay safe from predators.
  3. Small trait differences help some animals survive better in a habitat.

Example: Why do fish swim in schools? Many fish together confuse a predator. Answer: it is harder for predators to catch one

Surviving in a Habitat in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 6 of 10 in 3rd grade Science, after Traits & Variation and before Weather Hazards & Solutions.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A cactus would NOT survive well in…

    • a sandy place
    • a desert
    • a dry hillside
    • a swamp

  2. Question 2

    A white rabbit in a snowy place is…

    • always hungry
    • easy to see
    • hard to see
    • always hot

  3. Question 3

    A moth with coloring that matches tree bark is more likely to…

    • be eaten
    • turn into a bird
    • survive
    • fly away forever

  4. Question 4

    Which trait helps a bird crack hard seeds?

    • Webbed feet
    • Bright feathers
    • A thick, strong beak
    • A thin, long beak

  5. Question 5

    Which habitat suits a salmon?

    • A treetop
    • A dry field
    • A hot desert
    • A cold river and the ocean

  6. Question 6

    In a cold winter, which deer is more likely to survive?

    • One with a thicker coat
    • One that never eats
    • One with a thinner coat
    • One with no coat

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