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3rd Grade Animal Adaptations worksheets

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Animal Adaptations

Grade 3 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Write body or behavior.

  1. A seal has flippers that help it swim fast. Adaptation:

  2. Ostriches run away from danger. Adaptation:

  3. A walrus has long tusks. Adaptation:

  4. Monarch butterflies travel to Mexico each fall. Adaptation:

  5. An owl has soft feathers that let it fly quietly. Adaptation:

  6. A seal slides onto an ice floe to rest. Adaptation:

  7. A frog has a sticky tongue for catching flies. Adaptation:

  8. A beaver builds a dam across a stream. Adaptation:

  9. Hummingbirds visit hundreds of flowers each day. Adaptation:

  10. A mole has strong front claws for digging tunnels. Adaptation:

  11. A frog buries itself in mud during a dry summer. Adaptation:

  12. A mole has tiny eyes and strong paws for life underground. Adaptation:

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3rd Grade Animal Adaptations worksheet 1 – printable PDF
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About this worksheet

An adaptation is a trait that helps an animal live in its home. Some adaptations are parts of the body: a giraffe's long neck, a duck's webbed feet, a polar bear's thick fur. Others are behaviors, things an animal does: a bear sleeping through the winter, geese flying south, wolves hunting in a pack. On this worksheet your child reads twelve sentences about animals and writes body or behavior for each adaptation; the two words are in the instruction.

Building Confidence uses the most familiar animals, On Level adds less familiar ones, and Challenge Me uses cases where the reason needs more thought, such as an elephant's ears or a frog buried in mud. Ask your child whether the animal has it or does it.

What your child will learn

  • Say what an adaptation is
  • Tell a body adaptation from a behavior adaptation
  • Explain how an adaptation helps an animal survive

NGSS standard: 3-LS4-2

Worked example

A duck has webbed feet for swimming. Feet are part of its body, so it is a body adaptation. Geese flying south is something they do, so it is a behavior.

Common mistake

Calling an adaptation a behavior because it helps the animal move: webbed feet help it swim, but they are a body part.

Helpful hint

Ask: is it a part the animal has, or something the animal does?

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with animal adaptations?

Calling an adaptation a behavior because it helps the animal move: webbed feet help it swim, but they are a body part.

How can I help my child with animal adaptations?

Ask: is it a part the animal has, or something the animal does?

Are these 3rd grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: Plant Life Cycles · Animal Life Cycles

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