Learn on PengiScience: A Closer Look (Grade 3)Chapter 1: A Look at Living Things

Lesson 2: Animals and Their Parts

In this Grade 3 lesson from Science: A Closer Look, students explore how animals use structures such as lungs, gills, legs, wings, and fins to move, find food, and stay safe in their environments. Through hands-on observation of a snail, learners compare and contrast animal structures across different species and investigate how animals respond to their environments. The lesson builds foundational life science vocabulary and scientific inquiry skills aligned with Chapter 1: A Look at Living Things.

Section 1

Animals Use Special Body Parts to Move

Animals move in different ways using specialized structures. Wolves run on strong legs, snakes slither using their entire bodies, snails slide on slime trails, and birds fly with wings.

Section 2

Animals Gather Food and Water With Specialized Structures

Animals use different body parts to obtain necessities. Lions lap water with rough tongues, birds scoop with beaks, and elephants use trunks. These same structures often help with gathering food too.

Section 3

Animals Breathe Through Different Structures

Animals get oxygen in various ways. Many breathe using lungs to take oxygen from air, while fish use gills to extract oxygen from water. Some creatures like worms absorb oxygen directly through their skin.

Section 4

Animals Find Shelter or Use Protective Structures

To stay safe, animals either find shelter or have protective body parts. Groundhogs dig holes, birds build nests, porcupines have sharp quills, and snails use hard shells to protect themselves.

Book overview

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Chapter 1: A Look at Living Things

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: Living Things and Their Needs

  2. Lesson 2Current

    Lesson 2: Animals and Their Parts

  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Classifying Animals

  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Animal Life Cycles

Lesson overview

Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.

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Section 1

Animals Use Special Body Parts to Move

Animals move in different ways using specialized structures. Wolves run on strong legs, snakes slither using their entire bodies, snails slide on slime trails, and birds fly with wings.

Section 2

Animals Gather Food and Water With Specialized Structures

Animals use different body parts to obtain necessities. Lions lap water with rough tongues, birds scoop with beaks, and elephants use trunks. These same structures often help with gathering food too.

Section 3

Animals Breathe Through Different Structures

Animals get oxygen in various ways. Many breathe using lungs to take oxygen from air, while fish use gills to extract oxygen from water. Some creatures like worms absorb oxygen directly through their skin.

Section 4

Animals Find Shelter or Use Protective Structures

To stay safe, animals either find shelter or have protective body parts. Groundhogs dig holes, birds build nests, porcupines have sharp quills, and snails use hard shells to protect themselves.

Book overview

Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.

Continue this chapter

Chapter 1: A Look at Living Things

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: Living Things and Their Needs

  2. Lesson 2Current

    Lesson 2: Animals and Their Parts

  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Classifying Animals

  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Animal Life Cycles