Science Update

We've been exploring animal ADAPTATIONS - physical features or behaviors that help the animal get food, protect itself, move, or reproduce. We learned that all animals need FOOD, WATER, OXYGEN, and SHELTER to survive. The better the animal's adaptation, the better it's chance for survival. We learned about many fascinating adaptations. For example, did you know that Rock ptarmigan (bird) has feathers that change with the season? In summer, its dark, colorful feathers blend in with its surroundings and help protect it from predators; In summer, it sheds its dark feathers and blends in with the snow!

We discussed the difference between an inherited trait (physical feature like brown fur, sharp beak), and an inherited instinct (a behavior the animal is born with, such as MIGRATION, HIBERNATION). We learned that not all behaviors are inherited; some are LEARNED. Animals can learn by trial and error, or by observation. The class was especially interested in the fact that not only can offspring learn from their parents, but parents can actually learn from their offspring (like the case of the monkeys that learned to wash sweet potatoes in the river by watching their offspring's example)!

(The cub learns to pounce on its prey by practicing on the mother's tail)