Vocabulary
Habitats & Organisms
Newsletter
Volume 2, Issue 3.4
Dear Parents,
The purpose of this newsletter is to give you an overview of what your child will be learning during our current unit of
study in science. Please take a moment to look over the different sections of this newsletter. You will see example
questions, important terms to know, and some extension activities you can do at home.
Parent Background:
Think about where you live in Georgia right now. Now imagine what plants and animals
you might have seen there 500 years ago. Some things would definitely have changes while
others would remain the same. That is because the habitat, or a place where a given species lives,
has gone through several stages of change called successions. Some plants and animals would
have been able to survive despite these changing conditions because of their adaptability. One
mighty adaptable insect is the roach! Others, like the cockaded wood pecker, have become
endangered species because their habitats have been reduced or destroyed.
Now, expand your lens to the whole state of Georgia. Georgia has several regions the
mountains, marsh/swamp, coast, Piedmont, and Atlantic Ocean. Within each region is a multitude
of habitats ranging from tiny to large. Within each habitat exist living organisms. Some plants
and animals live in multiple physiographic regions of Georgia, while others can only find their
habitat in one physiographic region.
Students will know…
Students will be able to…
 key vocabulary terms
 the difference between a physiographic
region and a habitat
 different types of habitats in Georgia
 features that allow plants and animals to
thrive in different regions of Georgia
 how humans affect habitats
 the relationship between organisms and
their habitat
 what causes organisms to become
endangered
 identify the elements of habitats
 identify features of plants and animals that
allow them to thrive in different regions of
Georgia
 tell how human activities affect habitats
 tell why organisms become endangered
Ways Parents Can Help
Here are some activities you and your 3rd grader can do together:
1. Plan a trip to Chattahoochee Nature Center. See
http://chattnaturecenter.org for more information.
2. Take an overnight field trip to Zoo Atlanta for their Family Fun
experiences.
3. Take a nature walk with your child-look at both native and non
native plants and animals. Kennesaw Mountain Park has great trails
for this activity.
Try these links:
http://www.lilburnes.org/Students/Habitats/index.htm Enjoy the song &
then navigate through the habitats to learn more!
http://dromus.nhm.uga.edu/~GMNH/gawildlife/index.php has all the
information you could possibly need about Georgia habitats and organisms
adaptation
a structure or
behavior that helps an
organism survive in its
surroundings
endangered
species
a species that could
become extinct very
soon if it is not helped
by people
the plants of a
particular area
flora
fauna
of the animals of a
particular area or
region
habitat
The environment where
an organism lives
Which conclusion can be made from the pictures?
A. It is better to water a plant two times a day than only
once a day.
B. Plants that are watered every other day do not live as
long as plants watered more often.
C. The plant that was watered and given food every day
the gradual
replacement of one
grew tallest.
type of ecological
D. It does not matter how often plants are watered
community by another
as long as they have plant food.
in the same area,
involving a series of
changes, especially in
the dominant plants
Sample Test Prep Question #2
succession
Which animal would NOT be found in or near a small
lake in the Georgia Mountains?
Habitat Humor
Question:
What do you call a penguin
in the desert?
Answer:
Lost!
Sample Test Prep Question #1
A. a frog
B. a shark
C. a sunfish
D. a duck
Answers:
1) C- Students must be able to decipher information on the
chart and use their knowledge of plant needs to determine
that watering and food help plants grow best.
2) B- A shark is not a species found in ponds or lakes in
Georgia Mountains