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amphibian
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A cold blooded animal
that lives in the water and breathes with its gills
during its early life. It develops lungs and
breathes air as an adult. Frogs, toads and
salamanders are amphibians.
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animal
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A living being that
is not a plant. Unlike plants, most animals move
from place to place, having sense organs, and eat
food rather than make it. Human beings, horses,
fish and ants are all animals.
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annelid
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Any group of
worm-like animals that are usually long, shaped
like a tube and have a body made up of segments.
Earthworms and leeches are annelids.
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arachnid
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A kind of arthropod,
such as mites and ticks, that usually have four
pairs of legs and a body that is divided into two
regions.
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arthropod
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Any group of animals,
such as spiders and lobsters, that have jointed
legs and a body made up of segments.
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bird
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A warm-blooded animal
that lays eggs and has two wings and a body covered
with feathers.
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birdbaths
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A round bowl filled
with water for birds to drink and bathe
in.
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blubber
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A thick layer of fat
under the skin of certain sea animals, such as
seals and whales.
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bog
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Soft, water soaked
ground; marsh
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burrow
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A hole dug in the
ground by a small animal, such as a rabbit or a
mole.
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camouflage
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The disguise of
people, animals or things, especially in order to
make them look like what is around them.
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canyon
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A deep valley with
steep walls on both sides that was formed by
running water; gorge
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carnivore
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Feeding on the flesh
of animals.
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city
park
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Many people live
close to one another in a city and the park is an
area of land used for recreation.
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crustacean
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Any group of animals
that live mostly in water and have a hard outer
covering. Lobsters, crabs and shrimps are
crustaceans.
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elderberries
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Small purplish-black
fruit which are safe to eat. Elderberries are
sometimes used to make wine or jellies.
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endangered
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To expose to danger;
threaten: The oil spill endangered hundreds of
birds.
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estuaries
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An arm of the sea
that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river.
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evergreens
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Having leaves or
needles that stay green all year; Pines, firs
and hollies are evergreen trees.
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extinct
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No longer existing in
living form.
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forest
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A dense growth of
trees covering a large area.
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fungus
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Any of a group of
plantlike living things that have no flowers and
leaves and no green coloring. Mushrooms, mold and
mildew are fungi.
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grubs
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The thick, worm-like
larva of certain beetles and other insects.
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habitat
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A place where an
animal or plant naturally lives and
grows.
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hatch
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To come or cause to
come out of an egg or eggs.
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herbivore
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An animal that feeds
chiefly on plants.
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hibernate
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To spend the winter
in a state of rest resembling sleep.
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insect
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Any of a large group
of animals that have six legs, a body with three
main divisions and usually wings. Flies, bees,
grasshoppers, butterflies and moths are
insects.
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insectivore
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An organism that
feeds mainly on insects.
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larvae
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The plural of larva.
Larva are the wingless, often wormlike form of a
newly hatched insect. Caterpillars and grubs are
insect larvae.
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lichen
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A plant that consists
of a fungus and a kind of algae growing together.
Lichens form a scaly or branching growth on rocks
and trees.
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mammal
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A warm-blooded
animal, such as a human being, cat or whale, that
has a backbone and usually some hair or fur on its
body. Mammals produce milk for feeding their
young.
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marshes
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Low, wet-land;
swamp
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marsupial
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An animal, such as a
kangaroo or an opossum, that carries its newborn
young in a pouch outside the mother’s body.
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meadows
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An area of grassy
ground, as one used in a pasture.
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migrate
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To move from one
country or region and settle in another.
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mollusk
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Any of a large group
of animals, such as clams or snails, that usually
live in water and have a hard outer
shell.
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moss
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Any of a group of
small green plants that do not produce flowers and
that often form a dense growth on damp ground,
rocks or tree trunks.
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native
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An animal or a plant
that originated in a particular place or region.
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nectar
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A sweet liquid found
in many flowers. Bees gather nectar to make
honey.
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nests
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A container or
shelter made by birds for holding their eggs and
raising their young.
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nocturnal
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Of or happening at
night.
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nymphs
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Graceful, legendary
female spirit or goddess that lives in the woods or
in the water.
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obnoxious
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Extremely unpleasant
or offensive.
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omnivore
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Eating both animal
and vegetable foods.
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parasites
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A plant or animal
that lives in or on a different kind of plant or
animal and gets its food from that plant or
animal.
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pastures
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Plants eaten by
grazing animals.
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pine
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An evergreen tree
that has cones, leaves that look like needles, and
wood used for lumber.
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piscivore
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An animal that feeds
chiefly on fish.
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poisonous
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Containing or having
the effects like that of poison.
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poisons
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A substance that,
when swallowed or breathed, causes injury,
sickness, or death, especially by chemical
means.
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pollen
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Tiny, usually yellow
grains that fertilize the female cells of a plant
to produce seeds. Some pollens cause
allergies.
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population
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The people, plants,
or animals living in a certain place,
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predators
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An animal that lives
by preying on other animals.
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prey
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An animal hunted or
caught by another for food.
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provoked
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To bring on;
cause
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reproduce
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To produce
offspring.
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reptile
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Any of a group of
cold-blooded animals that creep or crawl on the
ground. Reptiles have backbones and are usually
covered with scaly skin. Snakes, turtles, and
lizards are reptiles.
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scavenge
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To feed on dead or
decaying matter.
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sedge
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Any number of
grasslike plants that have solid stems and leaves
that grow in three rows.
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soil
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The loose top layer
of the earth’s surface in which plant life can
grow.
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species
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A group of animals or
plants that are similar and are able to mate and
have offspring.
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spruce
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An evergreen tree
with short needles, drooping cones, and soft wood
often used for paper pulp.
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suburbs
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A town or district
that is close to a city.
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swamps
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An area of spongy,
muddy land that is often filled with
water.
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vibration
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Rapid movement back
and forth.
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wetlands
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A lowland area, such
as a marsh or swamp, that is soaked with moisture,
and is often looked at as the natural habitat of
wildlife.
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