Study Notes: Survival of the Fittest

Hello, future scientists and planet protectors! Welcome to our notes on "Survival of the Fittest". This sounds like a superpower contest, and in a way, it is! We're going to learn about the amazing tricks plants and animals use to live in their homes, how our actions affect our beautiful planet, and how we can all be heroes for the Earth. It’s super important because we all share one home – Planet Earth!


1. Amazing Adaptations: Nature's Superpowers!

Have you ever wondered why a fish can breathe underwater but a cat can't? Or why a polar bear is happy in the snow while a lizard loves the hot sun? It’s all because of adaptation!

An adaptation is a special body part or a special way of acting that helps a living thing survive in its home, which is called its habitat. Think of it like a built-in superpower!

Cool Examples of Adaptation:

  • The Camel in the Desert
    A camel's habitat is the hot, sandy desert. To survive, it has amazing adaptations:
    - A hump to store fat, which it uses for energy when there's no food.
    - Long eyelashes to keep sand out of its eyes.
    - Wide, flat feet so it doesn't sink in the sand.

  • The Polar Bear in the Arctic
    A polar bear's habitat is the freezing cold Arctic. Its superpowers are:
    - A thick layer of fat (called blubber) and thick fur to stay warm.
    - White fur for camouflage. This means it can hide in the snow to sneak up on its food!
    - Big paws that work like snowshoes to help it walk on snow and ice.

  • The Cactus in the Desert
    Even plants have adaptations! A cactus has special features to live with very little water:
    - Sharp spines instead of leaves. This stops it from losing water and protects it from hungry animals.
    - A thick, waxy stem to store lots of water for a long time.

Did you know?

A fish's gills are an adaptation that lets it breathe underwater. A bird's hollow bones are an adaptation that makes it light enough to fly! Every living thing is perfectly suited for its home.

Key Takeaway

Adaptation means having the right tools (body parts or behaviours) to survive. Every plant and animal has special adaptations for its own habitat.


2. Our Human Footprint: How We Change the World

Humans are amazing, but sometimes the things we do can harm the natural environment. These are called human activities. It’s like leaving footprints wherever we go, and some of our footprints can be a bit messy.

The Effects of Human Activities:

  • Pollution: This is when we make the air, water, or land dirty and unsafe.
    - Air pollution comes from smoke from factories and cars.
    - Water pollution happens when rubbish and harmful liquids get into our rivers and oceans.
    - Land pollution is caused by throwing away too much trash in big piles called landfills.

  • Cutting Down Forests (Deforestation): People cut down trees to get wood or to make space for cities and farms. But when we cut down forests, animals lose their homes, and we lose the trees that help clean our air.

Quick Review Box

Common Mistake Alert!
Sometimes we think throwing one little sweet wrapper on the ground is okay. But imagine if everyone did it! All our small actions add up, so it's important that we all try to keep the environment clean.

Key Takeaway

Our daily activities, like driving cars and throwing away rubbish, can cause pollution and harm the homes of plants and animals. We need to be careful with our actions!


3. A Warmer World: What is Climate Change?

Have you heard grown-ups talking about the weather getting strange or the world getting warmer? They are talking about climate change. Don't worry if this seems tricky at first, we can break it down!

Basically, climate change means the Earth's average weather is changing over a long time. Right now, our planet is getting warmer, a bit like it has a fever. This is because pollution from human activities is trapping the sun's heat, like a big, thick blanket wrapped around the Earth.

How Climate Change Affects Our Lives:

  1. Ice is Melting: The super cold places, like the North and South Poles, are warming up, and their ice is melting into the sea.

  2. Sea Levels are Rising: All that melted ice makes the oceans get higher. This can cause floods in towns and cities near the coast.

  3. More Extreme Weather: Climate change can cause crazier weather, like stronger typhoons, hotter summers, and sometimes, not enough rain for our farms.

Key Takeaway

The Earth is getting warmer because of pollution. This climate change causes ice to melt, seas to rise, and weather to become more extreme, which affects everyone's life.


4. Be a Planet Hero: Practising Green Living!

The great news is that we can all help! Making choices that are good for the environment is called green living. Every single person, including you, can be a hero for our planet. It’s easy to start!

Memory Aid: Remember the 3 R's!

A simple trick to remember how to live green is to think of the 3 R's:

  • Reduce

    This means using less of things.
    - Reduce electricity use by turning off lights and TVs when you're not using them.
    - Reduce water use by turning off the tap when you brush your teeth.

  • Reuse

    This means using things over and over again instead of throwing them away.
    - Reuse shopping bags instead of getting new plastic ones.
    - Reuse old jam jars to hold pencils or paintbrushes.

  • Recycle

    This means putting old items in special bins so they can be turned into something new!
    - Recycle paper, plastic bottles, and metal cans. Look for the recycling bins near your home!

More Hero Actions:

  • Walk, cycle, or take the bus instead of going everywhere by car.

  • Help your family plant a tree or grow some flowers.

  • Don't waste food. Try to eat everything on your plate!

Key Takeaway

We can all practise green living by following the 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Every small action helps protect our planet for the future!