Living things and our environment

3rd Grade Science and Social StudiesTEKS §112.14 and §113.14

Physical Environment

Characteristics of our environment:climate, landforms, natural resources, and natural hazards.

Image “Great Aletsch Glacier by Vichie81 from www.freedigitalphotos.net

Climate • The general or average weather conditions of a certain region,

including temperature, rainfall, and wind. On Earth, climate is most affected by latitude, the tilt of the Earth's axis, the movements of the Earth's wind belts, the difference in temperatures of land and sea, and topography. Human activity, especially relating to actions relating to the depletion of the ozone layer, is also an important factor.

Image “Thunderstorm” by Worradmu found at www.freedigitalphotos.net . Definition found at www.thefreedictionary.com.

Let’s think about it…

• Why is the climate important to people?• Do people that live in different climates live in

different ways?

• Why is the climate important to animals?• Do animals have different characteristics that

help them survive in different climates?

Landforms

• Landforms: A recognizable, naturally formed feature on the Earth's surface. Landforms have a characteristic shape and can include such large features as plains, plateaus, mountains, and valleys, as well as smaller features such as hills, eskers, and canyons.

Image “Pistyll Rhaeader” Matt Banks found at www.freedigitalphotos.net. Definition found at www.thefreedictionary.com.

Let’s think about it…

• Do landforms affect how people live?

• Do they affect how animals live? Do the animals have special characteristics that help them live in or around the landform?

Natural Resources

• A material source of wealth, such as timber, fresh water, or a mineral deposit, that occurs in a natural state and has economic value.

Image “Hoover Dam” by Kaddy64 found at www.freedigitalphots.net . Definition found at www.thefreedictionary.com.

Let’s think about it…

• Do natural resources affect how people live?

• Do they affect how animals live? Do the animals have special characteristics that help them adjust to the natural resources available or unavailable?

Natural Hazards• A natural hazard is a threat of a naturally occurring

event that will have a negative effect on people or the environment. Many natural hazards are interrelated. For example an earthquake can cause a tsunami and a drought can lead to famine.

• Image “Apocalypse” by Danilo Rizzuti from www.freedigitalphotos.net. Definition found at www.thefreedictionary.com.

Let’s think about it….

• Do natural hazards affect how people live?

• Do they affect how animals live? Do the animals have special characteristics that help them survive a natural hazard?

Plano

• What are the characteristics of Plano?• Climate• Landforms• Natural resources• Natural hazards

Animals

• What animals live in the city?• Where do they live? • Does the environment here affect how

animals live? • Do they have special characteristics that help

them live in the city?

The Rainforest

• What are the physical characteristics of a rainforest?

• What animals live there?• How do the people live?

Image “Lush Rain Forest” by Portibal found at www.freedigitalphotos.net

The Desert• What are the physical characteristics of a desert?

• What animals live there?• How do the people live?

Image “Camels in Desert” by Think4photop found at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Antarctica• What are the physical characteristics of Antarctica?

• What animals are there?• How do the people live?

Image “Polar Bear” by Nokhoobuchanon found at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Let’s think about it…

• Different environments require different ways of living.

• Different animals survive in different environments.

• What are some other environments and characteristics that affect people? Animals?

How do we change our environment?

Images “Times Square” by Damian Brandon and “New York City” by Bill Longshaw found at www.freedigitalphotos.net

How do people affect our environment?

Image “Smog” by Danilo Rizzuti found at www.freedigitalphotos.net

What are some things that you can do to protect our environment?

Image “Recycle” by Renjith Krishnan found at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Be an advocate…

• Check out this website for information on how to get involved and protect the places we live in!

Sierra Club for kids• http://www.sierraclub.org/education/newslett

er/