--- title: Living Things in Their Habitat | Explore Forest Ecosystems | KnowAtom description: Explore how living things interact in their habitats through hands-on activities and models, focusing on ecosystems and the needs of plants and animals in forest environments. --- More Lessons for Your State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington DC West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Other NGSS # Living Things in Their Habitat In this unit, students are introduced to living things on Earth. They begin by exploring the differences between living and nonliving things and then investigate what plants and animals need to survive by watching bean plants grow and observing a cricket in its habitat. They then create a model to show how living things depend on other living things and their environment to survive, and can change their environment to help them get what they need. This page provides an overview of lesson seven, which has students creating a forest habitat model to observe how the needs of the plants and animals that live in the forest are met by the living and nonliving things in the forest. 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For this lesson, the topic is focused on animals and what they need in their habitats to survive. An ecosystem is a community of different species that depend on interacting with each other and their physical environment for survival. All ecosystems include living things that must consume nutrients, often eating one another for energy and nutrients, as well as oxygen and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, water, and energy from the sun. An ecosystem can be as large as an ocean or as small as a pond. Regardless of its size, all the parts of an ecosystem work together to make a balanced system. #### Supports Grade k ![Sneak Peek Seal with Arrow](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Sneak%20Peek%20Seal%20with%20Arrow.svg) ## Science Lesson: Understanding Living Things in Their Habitat In this lesson, students learn about animal habitats by creating a model of a forest habitat and analyzing the interaction between living and nonliving things in the model habitat. The goal of this model is for students to explore the relationships between the needs of plants and animals that live in a forest habitat. [Download a Sample Unit ](https://www.knowatom.com/stem-curriculum#state) ## Science Big Ideas - Living things interact with other living things, as well as nonliving things in their habitat to survive. - Plants and animals live in habitats that meet their specific needs. ![sample unit-k8 science curriculum-knowatom](https://www.knowatom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sample%20Unit%20CTA-2.png?width=327&height=264&name=Sample%20Unit%20CTA-2.png) ###### Discover Complete Hands-on Screens-off Core Science Curriculum for K-8 Classrooms Prepared hands-on materials, full year grade-specific curriculum, and personalized live professional development designed to support mastery of current state science standards. [Click Here to Learn More](https://www.knowatom.com/talk-to-knowatom-sales) ## Science Essential Questions - What are the different parts that make up a forest habitat? - What is a forest? - How do forests help the animals that live there survive? - How is an ocean habitat different from a forest habitat? How are they similar? - Why are fish found in both an ocean and a forest habitat? ## Common Science Misconceptions ![close-circle-red](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Icon%20ionic-ios-close-circle-red-1.svg) **Misconception:** Plants are not alive because we cannot see them move. ![checkmark-circle-green](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Icon%20ionic-ios-checkmark-circle-green.svg) **Fact:** Plants are alive because they meet all of the requirements for life. For example, there is movement within plants; we just cannot see it. ## Science Vocabulary **Animal :** a living thing that needs to eat other living things for energy and breathes in oxygen **Habitat :** a place where life grows; provides plants and animals with clean water, air, food, and shelter **Shelter :** a structure that protects animals from other animals and weather ## Lexile(R) Certified Non-Fiction Science Reading (Excerpt) ![image2-1](https://www.knowatom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Grade/image2-1.png?width=264&height=340&name=image2-1.png) ![image3-1](https://www.knowatom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Grade/image3-1.png?width=262&height=340&name=image3-1.png) ## Hands-on Science Activity In this hands-on activity, students explore a forest habitat and discuss their observations of living and nonliving things they notice. For example, they may observe that the fish need a river or lake in their forest habitat to survive. Students connect the needs of the forest animals with all that the forest has to offer (e.g. shelter provided by the trees, water to drink, fruit from the trees for food). Towards the end of the mini-lesson, students discuss some predictions about what would happen if one element from the forest disappears and how this may affect the plants and animals living in the forest habitat. [ Learn More About KnowAtom ](https://www.knowatom.com/stem-curriculum) ## Science Assessments KnowAtom incorporates formative and summative assessments designed to make students thinking visible for deeper student-centered learning. - Vocabulary Check - Lab Checkpoints - Concept Check Assessment  - Concept Map Assessment  - And More... [Download a Sample Unit ](https://www.knowatom.com/stem-curriculum#state) ![image1-1](https://www.knowatom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Grade/image1-1.png?width=876&height=1126&name=image1-1.png) ![alabama state standard](https://www.knowatom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Alabama-State-Standards-Alignment-1.png?width=540&height=402&name=Alabama-State-Standards-Alignment-1.png) ###### See How KnowAtom Aligns to NGSS Science Standards Discover hands-on screens-off core science curriculum for student centered K-8 classrooms. KnowAtom supports classrooms with all hands-on materials, curriculum, and professional development to support mastery of the standards. [Download the Alignment to NGSS](https://www.knowatom.com/stem-curriculum) ** Standards Tags: ** [K-LS1-1](https://www.knowatom.com/k-ls1-1) , [K-ESS3-1](https://www.knowatom.com/k-ess3-1) , [K-ESS2-2](https://www.knowatom.com/k-ess2-2) , [K.2.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.2.1) , [K.2.2](https://www.knowatom.com/k.2.2) , [K.2.3](https://www.knowatom.com/k.2.3) , [K.LS3.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ls3.1) , [K.ESS3.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ess3.1) , [1.LS2.2](https://www.knowatom.com/1.ls2.2) , [1.LS2.3](https://www.knowatom.com/1.ls2.3) , [2.LS3.1](https://www.knowatom.com/2.ls3.1) , [SKL2](https://www.knowatom.com/skl2) , [S1L1](https://www.knowatom.com/s1l1) , [K.L1U1.6](https://www.knowatom.com/k.l1u1.6) , [2.L2U1.9](https://www.knowatom.com/2.l2u1.9) , [0L.1.2.1.2](https://www.knowatom.com/0l.1.2.1.2) , [0L.3.1.1.1](https://www.knowatom.com/0l.3.1.1.1) , [K.ESS2.E.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ess2.e.1) , [K.ESS3.A.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ess3.a.1) , [3.1.K.A](https://www.knowatom.com/3.1.k.a) , [3.3.K.B](https://www.knowatom.com/3.3.k.b) , [3.3.K.C](https://www.knowatom.com/3.3.k.c) , [3.1.2.C](https://www.knowatom.com/3.1.2.c) , [K.LS.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ls.1) , [1.LS.1](https://www.knowatom.com/1.ls.1) , [1.LS.2](https://www.knowatom.com/1.ls.2) , [2.LS.1](https://www.knowatom.com/2.ls.1) , [Asking questions and defining problems](https://www.knowatom.com/asking-questions-and-defining-problems) , [Developing Possible Solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-possible-solutions) , [Analyzing and interpreting data](https://www.knowatom.com/analyzing-and-interpreting-data) , [Constructing explanations and designing solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/constructing-explanations-and-designing-solutions) , [Planning and carrying out investigations](https://www.knowatom.com/planning-and-carrying-out-investigations) , [Engaging in argument from evidence](https://www.knowatom.com/engaging-in-argument-from-evidence) , [Obtaining evaluating and communicating information](https://www.knowatom.com/obtaining-evaluating-and-communicating-information) , [Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms](https://www.knowatom.com/organization-for-matter-and-energy-flow-in-organisms) , [Natural Resources](https://www.knowatom.com/natural-resources) , [Patterns](https://www.knowatom.com/patterns) , [Systems and System Models](https://www.knowatom.com/systems-and-system-models) , [Ecosystems: Interactions Energy and Dynamics 3](https://www.knowatom.com/ecosystems-interactions-energy-and-dynamics-3) , [Ecosystems: Interactions Energy and Dynamics 5](https://www.knowatom.com/ecosystems-interactions-energy-and-dynamics-5) , ### Supports Grade k #### Science Standards - [K-LS1-1](https://www.knowatom.com/k-ls1-1) - [K-ESS3-1](https://www.knowatom.com/k-ess3-1) - [K-ESS2-2](https://www.knowatom.com/k-ess2-2) - [K.2.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.2.1) - [K.2.2](https://www.knowatom.com/k.2.2) - [K.2.3](https://www.knowatom.com/k.2.3) - [K.LS3.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ls3.1) - [K.ESS3.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ess3.1) - [1.LS2.2](https://www.knowatom.com/1.ls2.2) - [1.LS2.3](https://www.knowatom.com/1.ls2.3) - [2.LS3.1](https://www.knowatom.com/2.ls3.1) - [SKL2](https://www.knowatom.com/skl2) - [S1L1](https://www.knowatom.com/s1l1) - [K.L1U1.6](https://www.knowatom.com/k.l1u1.6) - [2.L2U1.9](https://www.knowatom.com/2.l2u1.9) - [0L.1.2.1.2](https://www.knowatom.com/0l.1.2.1.2) - [0L.3.1.1.1](https://www.knowatom.com/0l.3.1.1.1) - [K.ESS2.E.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ess2.e.1) - [K.ESS3.A.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ess3.a.1) - [3.1.K.A](https://www.knowatom.com/3.1.k.a) - [3.3.K.B](https://www.knowatom.com/3.3.k.b) - [3.3.K.C](https://www.knowatom.com/3.3.k.c) - [3.1.2.C](https://www.knowatom.com/3.1.2.c) - [K.LS.1](https://www.knowatom.com/k.ls.1) - [1.LS.1](https://www.knowatom.com/1.ls.1) - [1.LS.2](https://www.knowatom.com/1.ls.2) - [2.LS.1](https://www.knowatom.com/2.ls.1) - [Asking questions and defining problems](https://www.knowatom.com/asking-questions-and-defining-problems) - [Developing Possible Solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-possible-solutions) - [Analyzing and interpreting data](https://www.knowatom.com/analyzing-and-interpreting-data) - [Constructing explanations and designing solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/constructing-explanations-and-designing-solutions) - [Planning and carrying out investigations](https://www.knowatom.com/planning-and-carrying-out-investigations) - [Engaging in argument from evidence](https://www.knowatom.com/engaging-in-argument-from-evidence) - [Obtaining evaluating and communicating information](https://www.knowatom.com/obtaining-evaluating-and-communicating-information) - [Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms](https://www.knowatom.com/organization-for-matter-and-energy-flow-in-organisms) - [Natural Resources](https://www.knowatom.com/natural-resources) - [Patterns](https://www.knowatom.com/patterns) - [Systems and System Models](https://www.knowatom.com/systems-and-system-models) - [Ecosystems: Interactions Energy and Dynamics 3](https://www.knowatom.com/ecosystems-interactions-energy-and-dynamics-3) - [Ecosystems: Interactions Energy and Dynamics 5](https://www.knowatom.com/ecosystems-interactions-energy-and-dynamics-5) [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f) Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it. ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "USA", "addressLocality" : "Salem", "addressRegion" : "MA", "postalCode" : "01970", "streetAddress" : "27 Congress Suite 410" }, "alternateName" : "KA", "areaServed" : { "@type" : "GeoCircle", "geoMidpoint" : { "@type" : "GeoCoordinates", "latitude" : "+42.5182274", "longitude" : "-70.8877569" }, "geoRadius" : "150 km" }, "description" : "Next Generation Science STEM Curriculum", "email" : "fvigeant@knowatom.com", "image" : "https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KA-GSD.png", "logo" : "https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Knowatom-2017/Image/logo-1.png", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-things-in-their-habitat", "@type" : "WebPage", "description" : "Explore how living things interact in their habitats through hands-on activities and models, focusing on ecosystems and the needs of plants and animals in forest environments." }, "name" : "KnowAtom", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/KnowAtom", "https://twitter.com/KnowAtom", "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0rbN0RfqaU1xaISrdVpTA", "https://plus.google.com/110709105138117096940" ], "telephone" : "(617) 475-3475", "url" : "https://www.knowatom.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.knowatom.com", "name" : "Home", "position" : 1 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos", "name" : "Science Phenomena Videos", "position" : 2 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science", "name" : "Kindergarten Science", "position" : 3 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-things-in-their-habitat", "name" : "Living Things In Their Habitat", "position" : 4 } ] } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : [ "WebPage", "LearningResource" ], "description" : "Explore how living things interact in their habitats through hands-on activities and models, focusing on ecosystems and the needs of plants and animals in forest environments.", "educationalLevel" : "Elementary School", "learningResourceType" : [ "lesson plan", "hands-on activity", "phenomena video" ], "name" : "GKU2L7 Living Things in Their Habitat", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "KnowAtom", "url" : "https://www.knowatom.com" }, "teaches" : [ "life cycle", "metamorphosis", "pollination" ], "url" : "https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-things-in-their-habitat" } ```