Observe plants and animals to identify what they need to live. - Kindergarten Science

SECTION 1

Why Do We Wonder About Living Things?

People have always watched living things. That means plants, animals, and people!

Long ago, people grew food in gardens. They learned what plants need to grow big and strong.

Long Ago • First Farmers

People planted seeds. They saw plants need water and sunlight to grow.

Later • Caring for Animals

People kept animals like dogs and chickens. They learned animals need food and water every day.

Today • Scientists Observe

Scientists watch living things closely. They ask questions about what plants and animals need.

Here is the big question we will explore: What do plants and animals need to live?

SECTION 2

What Do Living Things Need?

All living things have needs. That means things they must have to stay alive and grow.

Water

All living things need water. You drink water every day. Plants drink water too!

Food

Animals eat food to get energy. Plants are different. They make their own food using sunlight!

Air

You breathe air in and out. Plants need air too. Even fish need oxygen, which they get from water using their gills.

Sunlight

Plants need sunlight to make food. Animals need sunlight to stay warm and healthy too.

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Think about your own body. You need food when you are hungry. You need water when you are thirsty. You need air every time you breathe. Plants and animals have needs just like you!

SECTION 3

A Picture of What Living Things Need

Look at this picture. It shows a plant and a dog. Both are living things. Can you see what they each need?

This picture shows a plant and a dog. Both need water and air. The plant also needs sunlight to make its own food. The dog eats food instead.

Did you notice? Both the plant and the dog need water. That is something all living things share!

SECTION 4

How Do Plants and Animals Get What They Need?

How Do Plants Get What They Need?

Plants stay in one place. Their roots drink up water from the ground. That means the parts under the dirt pull in water.

Their leaves catch sunlight. Plants use sunlight to make their own food. That is pretty amazing!

How Do Animals Get What They Need?

Animals can move around! They walk, swim, or fly to find food and water.

Animals cannot make their own food. They have to eat food like fruit, bugs, or seeds.

Most animals breathe air using lungs. Fish are special. They use gills to get oxygen from the water. That means gills do the same job as lungs, but underwater!

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Did You Know?

A sunflower turns its face to follow the sun! It is reaching for the sunlight it needs to make food.

SECTION 5

Plants vs. Animals: Same or Different?

Let us compare! What do plants and animals share? What is different about them?

This chart compares plants and animals. The middle column shows what they both need: water and oxygen. Plants use sunlight to make food. Animals eat food instead.

The biggest difference is about food. Plants make their own food using sunlight. Animals eat food instead. But both need water and oxygen!

SECTION 6

Let's Observe Like a Scientist!

Scientists observe things. That means they look closely and notice what is happening. Let us try it!

Observing a Classroom Plant

1
Step 1 — Look Closely

We see a green plant on the windowsill. Its leaves look green and perky. It is in a pot of dirt.
2
Step 2 — Ask a Question

What does this plant need to live? Let us think about what we see around it.
3
Step 3 — Notice the Clues

The pot has wet dirt. Someone gave it water! The window lets in sunlight. The air in the room is all around it.

The plant gets water, sunlight, and air.
4
Step 4 — Draw a Conclusion

The plant looks healthy! It has everything it needs. We observed like real scientists!

Plants need water, sunlight, and air to live and grow.

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Your Turn!

Look around your room. Do you see a plant or a pet? What does it need to be healthy? You are being a scientist right now!

SECTION 7

How Plants and Animals Are the Same and Different

Let us make a chart. We can compare what plants and animals need side by side!

What They Need	🌱 Plant	🐾 Animal
💧 Water	Yes ✅	Yes ✅
💨 Oxygen	Yes ✅	Yes ✅
🍖 Eats Food	No ❌ (makes its own!)	Yes ✅
☀️ Needs Sunlight to Make Food	Yes ✅	No ❌ (eats food instead)

Plants and animals need some of the same things, but they get food in different ways.

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of it like this: a plant is like a chef who cooks its own meals using sunlight. An animal is like someone who goes to a restaurant to eat. Both need to eat, but they get food in different ways!

SECTION 8

What Happens If Needs Are Not Met?

What happens when a plant does not get water? What if an animal does not get food?

If This Need Is Missing	What Could Happen
No water for a plant	Leaves droop and turn brown. The plant could die.
No sunlight for a plant	The plant cannot make food. It gets weak.
No food for an animal	The animal gets hungry and weak.
No water for an animal	The animal gets very sick. It needs water to live.

Living things cannot stay healthy without their needs being met.

This is why we take care of our pets and plants. When we give them what they need, they grow and stay healthy!

In first grade, you will learn even more. You will find out how baby animals and their parents are alike!

SECTION 9

Practice Problems

A girl named Mia has a pet rabbit named Clover and a tomato plant on her porch. Let us answer questions about them!

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Scientist Skill

When you answer these questions, you are observing and asking questions — just like a real scientist! Look for patterns. That means things that are the same across different living things.

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

Mia gives Clover the rabbit a bowl of water every morning. Why does Clover need water? (A) To play with. (B) To stay alive and healthy. (C) To keep clean.

Show answer

The answer is (B). Clover needs water to stay alive and healthy. All living things need water. Without water, Clover would get very sick. Water is one of the most important needs for every living thing.

Question 2: BASIC

Mia's tomato plant sits on the sunny porch. What does the tomato plant need from the sun? (A) The sun keeps bugs away. (B) The plant uses sunlight to make its own food. (C) The sun makes the plant turn red.

Show answer

The answer is (B). The tomato plant uses sunlight to make its own food. Plants do not eat food like animals do. Instead, plants use sunlight, water, and air to make the food they need. That is why Mia put the plant on the sunny porch!

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

Remember: Plants make their own food using sunlight. Animals eat food instead. What is one big difference between what Clover needs and what the tomato plant needs? (A) Only Clover needs water. (B) The plant needs sunlight to make food, but Clover eats food instead. (C) Only the plant needs air.

Show answer

The answer is (B). The plant needs sunlight to make its own food. Clover gets food by eating vegetables and hay instead. That is one big difference between plants and animals. Both need water, but they get food in very different ways!

Question 4: APPLIED

Mia goes on a trip for three days. Nobody gives Clover food or water. Nobody waters the tomato plant. What might happen? (A) Nothing will change. (B) Both Clover and the plant could get very sick. (C) Only the plant will be fine.

Show answer

The answer is (B). Clover needs fresh water and food every day to stay healthy. Without care, Clover could get very sick. The tomato plant also needs water to survive. Without water, its leaves may droop and it will not be healthy. Living things need their needs met to grow and stay healthy. This is why we must take good care of our pets and plants!

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

Think and share: Mia sees a wild bird outside her window. What do you think the bird needs to live? How does it get those things? Talk about what you think with a friend or grown-up.

Show answer

Great thinking! The bird needs water, food, and air to live. The bird can fly around to find food like seeds, berries, or bugs. It can drink water from puddles or streams. It breathes air just like you do. The bird finds what it needs by moving around in nature. All animals need food, water, and air to live.

SUMMARY

What We Learned

Summary

All living things need certain things to live and grow. Both plants and animals need water and air. Plants use sunlight to make their own food. Animals eat food instead.

We can learn about living things by observing them closely and asking questions. When we notice patterns, like how all living things need water, we are thinking like scientists. Keep watching and wondering!