1. NATURAL SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY GRADE 5
Plants and Animals on Earth
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

2. Many different plants and Animals
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

3. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
Water covers more than two thirds of our planet
This is why it is referred to as the blue planet
This water, together with our sun and air, means that 1000’s of different plants and animals can live on the earth
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

4. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
BIODIVERSITY - short for biological diversity – is the word that we use to describe the variety of all living things, including plants, animals, micro-organisms and their inter-relationships
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

5. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
Like humans animals and plants also need important things to survive Their needs may be very different to each other. For example fish cannot live out of water A springbuck cannot live in a cold climate or in water!
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

6. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
There are many plants & animals on earth and they live in many different places:
In the water (aquatic)
In the desert
In grasslands
In forests
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

7. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
The place where animals and plants choose to live naturally is called their habitat – in other words this is the place they inhabit – their home
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

8. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
Certain plants and animals have existed in some habitats for thousands of years They are known as indigenous or native to this habitat Can you think of some animals and plants that are indigenous to your country?
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

9. 1. Aquatic or Water Habitats
The word ‘aqua’ means water
The Sea (also called marine)
Rivers
Wetlands
Ponds
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

10. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
Different types of animals, plants and organisms live in different types of water habitats
Some live in salt water like the sea
Others need fresh water like rivers
Some need still (or what we call stagnant) water, like ponds
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

11. 2. Deserts or Semi-desert Habitats
In Africa we have a number of deserts:
The Kalahari Desert
The Namib or Namibian Desert
The Sahara Desert
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

12. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
A desert is a very dry habitat which has little water and few trees There are a variety of different plants that grow in deserts These plants are called succulents and store lots of water to keep themselves alive
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

13. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
In the Kalahari desert we find animals such as: Snakes Porcupines Meerkats Gemsbok Hyenas Jackals Ants Scorpions Vultures …..
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

14. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
3. Grasslands
Grasslands have lots of grass and very few trees
When it rains a grassland area the grass will grow a lot, new plants will spout and
there will be lots of food for
the animals that live there
It is also during this time that
new baby animals are born
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

15. Africa has lots of Grasslands In a grassland we find: Giraffes Lions
Rhinos
Grasshoppers
Eagles
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

16. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
Grasslands also have:
Lots of different types of grasses
Wildflowers
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

17. Forests are areas that have lots of trees and other plants
They therefore also have lots of oxygen
A large variety of animals live in forests from elephants to squirrels… and, of course, birds love forests
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

18. NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5
In forests we find:
Chimpanzees & Gorillas
Parrots
Frogs
Snakes
Ferns
Different types of trees
NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5