C Curriculum Explorer
Science·Organisms & Life Processes·conceptual

Structures for Survival

Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behaviour, and reproduction

Suggested ages 9–10

Open direct link

Learning journey

Your child is learning how plant and animal body parts help them survive and grow, while exploring the human life cycle and how our senses help us understand and respond to the world.

Evidence of understanding

  • Give examples of external structures and their survival functions (e.g. thorns for protection, claws for catching prey)
  • Give examples of internal structures and their functions (e.g. heart pumps blood, lungs take in air)
  • Construct a reasoned argument linking a specific structure to how it helps the organism survive or reproduce

Assessment prompt

Can Structures for Survival explain how a cactus's thick stem helps it survive in a desert, or how a bird's wings help it find food?

Standards alignment

4-LS1-1US · ngss-k5

4-LS1-1

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) K-5