Places
All plants and animals need a place to live.
A habitat is a place where plants and animals live.
A habitat has air. A habitat has food.
A habitat has water.
A habitat has shelter for some animals and plants.
There are different kinds of habitats.
Some habitats are on land.
Some habitats are in water.
Forests
A wetland habitat is covered with water.
Wetlands have what some plants and animals need.
Wetlands Change
Wetlands are different at different times of the year too.
Wetlands get a lot of rain in the summer.
They get less rain in the winter.
Oceans
An ocean is a water habitat. It has salt water.
It is big and deep.
Oceans have what some plants and animals need.
Deserts
A desert is a land habitat. It is very dry.
It gets very little rain.
Deserts have what some plants and animals need.
Living in Habitats
Plants and animals in habitats have ways to live.
Animals in deserts do not need much water.
Living things in deserts have ways to live in sandy, dry places.
Some desert rats can live a long time with no water.
They can get water from seeds. Some plants can grow in sand.
Grasslands
A grassland is a land habitat.
There are grasslands all over the world.
Grasslands have what some plants and animals need.
One kind of grassland is a prairie.
A prairie has tall grasses and other plants.
Grasslands Change
Grasslands can be different at different times of the year.
Prairies can be hot in the summer.
They can be cold in the winter.
Living in a Grassland
Grasslands are big and open.
They do not have much shelter for big animals.
Some animals do not need it.
Some prairie animals stay in large groups.
This helps them stay safe.
Some grasses in grasslands can take lots of water from the ground.
They can get the water they need when it is dry.
Different Places
There are many different habitats.
Different plants and animals live in different habitats.
Habitats have what some plants and animals need.
Glossary
Desert = a dry habitat
Forest = a habitat with many plants and trees
Habitat = a place where plants and animals live
Ocean = a saltwater habitat
Wetland = a habitat that is covered with water
What did you learn?
1. What is a habitat?
2. What are three ways to describe oceans?
3. Writing in Science: Plants and animals have ways to live in their habitats. Write to explain some ways grassland plants and animals live there. Use words from the book as you write.
4. Picture Clues Look at the pictures on pages 4–5. What do they tell you about the forest at different times of the year?
