Local Plants & Animals
Identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including microhabitats such as under a log or in a pond
What a learner can do afterwards
- Name at least three animals and plants found in a specific local habitat
- Explain what a microhabitat is (a very small habitat within a larger one)
- Describe conditions in a microhabitat (e.g. 'under a stone is damp and dark, woodlice like that')
The lesson
A garden, a park, or a stream near your home is a habitat. Habitats are full of plants and animals living together. Look closely and you will spot tiny worlds hidden inside the big one.
A microhabitat is a very small habitat inside a bigger one. Under a stone, inside a rotting log, or in a puddle are all microhabitats. Each one has its own damp, dark, wet, or sunny conditions that suit certain plants and animals.
Zara lifts an old log in her garden. Underneath she finds three woodlice, a shiny black beetle, and a curled-up worm. It is damp and dark under the log, and these animals need that dampness so their bodies do not dry out.
Lift logs and stones gently, look for a moment, then put them back exactly where they were. That keeps the microhabitat safe for the animals living there.
A microhabitat is a tiny space inside a bigger habitat, and its damp, dark, or wet conditions decide which plants and animals live there.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.