Reproduce & Mate To create offspring (babies) and begin a new generation Mate = a pair of animals that breed together to create offspring

Species A group of living things that can reproduce itself over generations (life cycle of an organism) All species go through a life cycle Life span = time from birth to death

Germination Process Starting to grow from a seed or spore into a new individual plant

Decomposer a living organism that breaks down dead organisms into smaller parts that can be reused by other living organisms mushrooms and bacteria nature’s recyclers, return the food energy from dead organisms back to the ecosystem by making the soil richer for plants

Cultivating Growing plants and raising animals for food Humans learned to adapt to their environment by learning how to grow their own food and store it over the winter

hibernation An adaptation (change) made by an organism Organism slows down during the winter Period of low activity, like sleep

Seasonal Changes Changes in the environment lead to changes in animal behavior: Hibernation Migration – birds travel, polar bear moves to land in spring, ice in winter Put on extra body fat Grow thicker fur Store acorns for winter

Observation Information gathered by the senses or through scientific measurements Scientists observe an event and ask a “Why?” question Scientists do experiments to answer question

Traits Inherited characteristics from parents: Animals: # and kind of limbs, diet, color of skin, fur or feathers Plants: shapes of leaves, kinds of seeds they make, how tall they grow Learned traits: language

metric Most common system in the world for making measurements Length = meter Weight = kilogram Volume (amount of space) = liter

Graduated cylinder A glass or plastic container used to measure an amount of liquid Measures liquid in milliliters (mL0 and normally holds between 10 and 100 mL Can use to find out how much rain fell last night

Lenses Used to see small details on an object Example: look to see the structure of bird feathers Use a microscope for an even closer view

Solar energy solar powered Special form of energy that combines the properties of light and heat and turns it into other energy forms Solar energy is the sun’s energy all around us Solar energy produces little pollution Example: solar panels on rooftops to heat homes Why is solar energy not always reliable?

nutrient A substance, such as vitamins, minerals, or water, needed for the healthy growth of living things Animals = get nutrients by eating the right balance of different foods Plants = get nutrients from the soil by growing roots down into the ground

Energy The ability to make things move or change Energy can change or transfer from one form to another Light energy Heat energy - solar energy sound energy Chemical energy = in the food we eat keeps our bodies running; chemical energy in gasoline moves a car engine Mechanical energy = energy in moving objects Electrical energy = electricity