4th Grade Science : Plant and Animal Structures
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for 4th Grade Science
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Argue That Animals Have Structures For Survival
Tiffany, Adam, and Jacob were arguing about how animals survive. Tiffany says that animals have external structures (or features) that allow them to survive. Adam says that animals have internal structures (or features) that will enable them to survive. Jacob said they have both.
Who is correct, and why?
Tiffany, Adam, and Jacob are all incorrect. Animals do not have internal or external structures that help them survive.
Adam is correct because animals only have interior structures that help them survive, like the lungs we use to breathe.
Tiffany is correct because animals only have exterior structures that help them survive, like an elephant's trunk.
Jacob is correct because animals have both exterior and interior structures that help them survive, like lungs and a trunk.
Jacob is correct because animals have both exterior and interior structures that help them survive, like lungs and a trunk.
Animal structures, both internal and external, are essential features to keep animals alive. Jacob is correct in this argument. Animals have both types of structures to help them survive. Animals like the elephant have trunks that they use as a tool to grab food or spray water and internally they lungs, hearts, and other organs that keep them alive. Without both sets of structures, animals would not be able to live.
Example Question #2 : Argue That Animals Have Structures For Survival
What structures does an owl have that allow it to hunt so well?
A tail, legs, and a good sense of taste
A sharp beak, toes, and feathers
Feathers, legs, and good hearing
Talons, a sharp beak, and good eyesight
Talons, a sharp beak, and good eyesight
Owls are excellent hunters and have unique structures that allow them to excel. They have keen eyesight, a sharp beak, and sharp talons on their toes. They hunt at dusk and night when there is low light, and their eyes are suited to see well in the setting. Owls will swoop down on small mammals in the grass and grab them with their sharp talons. Their beaks are sharp and pointed to eat meat. They are built to hunt and are a top predator in their environments.
Example Question #3 : Argue That Animals Have Structures For Survival
Which argument best explains why a giraffe's structures help it to survive in its habitat?
Giraffes have features like spots and long necks. The dark spots on a giraffe's body look attractive in the sunlight and on the plains of Africa. Each giraffe's spots are unique, so they stand out and can be individuals. A giraffe also has a long neck that allows it to see high above the other animals and exhibit its superiority. The giraffe can get the best food that is exclusive to only tall animals. The giraffe survives well because it is one of the most well-liked animals and so unique.
Giraffes have features like spots and long necks. The dark spots on a giraffe's body hide an intricate network of blood vessels and glands. These dark patches allow blood to flow through them, releasing heat and cooling the body. A giraffe's long neck helps them reach leaves far up in the treetops where other animals cannot reach. The tallest trees usually have the deepest roots and can reach water in the soil that other trees cannot, so the long neck allows giraffes to reach food sources that last through extended droughts.
Giraffes are survivors in their environment because they are so determined and hard-working. Giraffes have a difficult life in the African plains with predators and droughts, but because of their mental determination, they can withstand anything that nature throws at them. Their ability to find food in droughts, care for their young, and live in social groups is an advantage to the giraffe's survival.
Giraffes are survivors and do so well in their habitats because of the structures they are born with. They have features lungs and hearts, which are exclusive to giraffes. They are the only African animal that has these internal structures to aid in their survival. Their lungs help them to breathe, and their hearts pump blood through their bodies. Without their hearts and lungs, giraffes would not be able to survive.
Giraffes have features like spots and long necks. The dark spots on a giraffe's body hide an intricate network of blood vessels and glands. These dark patches allow blood to flow through them, releasing heat and cooling the body. A giraffe's long neck helps them reach leaves far up in the treetops where other animals cannot reach. The tallest trees usually have the deepest roots and can reach water in the soil that other trees cannot, so the long neck allows giraffes to reach food sources that last through extended droughts.
All of the answer choices are arguments for giraffes being survivors in their habitats, but only one correctly explains why internal or external structures assist them. "Giraffes have features like spots and long necks. The dark spots on a giraffe's body hide an intricate network of blood vessels and glands. These dark patches allow blood to flow through them, releasing heat and cooling the body. A giraffe's long neck helps them reach leaves far up in the treetops where other animals cannot reach. The tallest trees usually have the deepest roots and can reach water in the soil that other trees cannot, so the long neck allows giraffes to reach food sources that last through extended droughts." The structures highlighted in this answer choice are spots and long necks, which are both external features. The choice explains why the spots and long necks are an advantage for the giraffe. This argument includes the necessary information, is accurate, and focuses on the animal structures.
Example Question #4 : Argue That Animals Have Structures For Survival
Julie states that an animal's fur helps it to survive by protecting it from predators. Addy says that the animal's coat has no survival properties and is just for appearance.
Who (if anyone) is correct, and why?
Addy is correct. An animal's fur is only used for appearance and looking attractive. Animals' spots and stripes are to help them stand out and look unique.
Julie is correct. Some animals have thick fur to keep them protected in cold weather or from other animals when they attempt to bite them. Some animals have fur that camouflages them with their surroundings.
There is no way to tell who is correct about animal fur. There is not enough information or research about their hair to make a decision.
Neither of them is correct because animal fur is not for either purpose.
Julie is correct. Some animals have thick fur to keep them protected in cold weather or from other animals when they attempt to bite them. Some animals have fur that camouflages them with their surroundings.
Animals have internal and external structures that help them to survive. Their coats are an example of these types of structures. The fur of an animal can help it hide if it has camouflaging characteristics (tigers), it can look like a warning to predators (skunks), or be thick for warmth and protecting organs from bites (bears). They may have a pretty appearance, but it is not the primary function of the fur.
Example Question #41 : Life Science
Which structure(s) on a rattlesnake help it to survive?
All of the answer choices are correct
Tongue for taking in sensory information
Scales for camouflage
Rattle for warning predators
All of the answer choices are correct
The rattlesnake pictured has all three of the structures listed for survival and more! Snakes use their tongues as a way to "taste" or "touch" the air to receive sensory information; they have colored scales that can act as a warning to other predators or even as camouflage in their habitat. Rattlesnakes are unique in that they have a rattle on the ends of their chair that they can shake and vibrate as a warning to predators to stay away. These structures help snakes to survive in challenging places.
Example Question #51 : 4th Grade Science
Andy says that animals have structures that help them survive, but the skin is not one of those structures. Which of the following arguments DISPROVES Andy’s statement?
Mollusks, like snails, have calcified shells that protect them from predators and rough seas.
Arthropods have exoskeletons that they molt as their bodies grow.
None of these arguments disprove Andy’s statement.
Armadillos, hedgehogs, and porcupines all have armor-like skin, which protects them from predators and harsh environments.
Armadillos, hedgehogs, and porcupines all have armor-like skin, which protects them from predators and harsh environments.
Andy is arguing that skin cannot help an animal survive, but he can be proven wrong. Many mammals, such as armadillos, hedgehogs, and porcupines, have protective skin features, such as quills and bony plates. These features of skin not only protect the animals from predators but also harsh habitats.
Example Question #7 : Argue That Animals Have Structures For Survival
Animals rely solely on external structures to help them survive.
True
False
False
Animals have many internal structures which they rely on for survival. For example, the lungs, brain, and heart are all internal structures necessary for survival. Some animals have less common internal structures, too, like antifreeze proteins in the blood of Antarctic fish.
Example Question #8 : Argue That Animals Have Structures For Survival
Which of the following is NOT a structure that helps an animal survive?
Fur Patterns
Lungs
Antlers
All of these are structures that help animals survive.
All of these are structures that help animals survive.
Antlers are an example of an external structure that animals may use for protection or fighting. Fur patterns can help animals camouflage themselves as protection. Lungs help an animal breathe in its environment.
Example Question #3 : Argue That Animals Have Structures For Survival
Darrell says that elephants’ size is the only thing that helps them survive in their habitats. Why is Darrell’s argument wrong?
Elephants have large ears and wrinkly skin, which helps them stay cool.
All of these arguments are reasons why Darrell’s argument is wrong.
Elephants have long trunks that can pick up food and suck up water.
Elephants have tusks that they can use to protect themselves.
All of these arguments are reasons why Darrell’s argument is wrong.
While animals’ size can undoubtedly assist them in their efforts to survive, elephants have several other structures that they rely on for survival, including their ears and skin, which keep them cool, their trunks which they use to eat and drink, and their tusks that they use for protection.
Example Question #6 : Argue That Animals Have Structures For Survival
Platypus have a "sixth-sense" that allows them to hunt underwater: electroreception. To find meals in the mud, it uses its bill to detect movements and subtle electric fields produced by its prey. Receptors on the bill detect changes in pressure and motion. Two types of receptors track the electrical signals produced by small prey when they contract their muscles. The platypus moves its head side-to-side to determine the direction and distance of its next meal by collecting and processing this sensory information. The platypus has about 40,000 of these special receptors.
Electroreception is an example of an ______________ structure.
Internal
External
Internal
Electroreception is an internal structure. Internal structures are the inner pieces and parts which keep animals alive. A platypus cannot survive without electroreception, or, the ability to perceive electrical stimuli.
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