Reading Comprehension · Science
What Is a Habitat? Reading Comprehension Lesson
A reading comprehension lesson about habitats — the places where living things find everything they need to survive.
Subject
Reading
Grade Level
Grades 3–6
Resource Type
Worksheet
Skill Focus
Science Reading Comprehension — Habitats and Ecosystems
What Is a Habitat?
Every living thing has a home. All living things interact with their environment — their surroundings — and with each other. Almost everywhere in the world is a home to at least one type of living thing. The area where a plant or animal lives is called its habitat.
Some habitats are large and easy to think of — a forest, a desert, or an ocean. Other habitats are small — a single pond, a fallen log, or even a crack in a sidewalk where a plant takes root. What matters is that a habitat provides the resources a living thing needs to survive: food, water, shelter, and space.
Different living things need different kinds of habitats. A polar bear needs cold temperatures, ice, and access to seals and fish. A cactus needs dry, sunny conditions and sandy soil. Neither could survive in the other’s habitat. Living things are adapted — physically and behaviorally — to survive in their specific habitat.
Types of Habitats
There are many different types of habitats on Earth. Forests are habitats with dense tree cover. Tropical rainforests near the equator are warm and wet year-round, supporting enormous biodiversity. Temperate forests have four seasons and support different species adapted to changing conditions.
Grasslands are open habitats dominated by grasses, with few trees. They are home to large grazing animals like bison and zebras, and the predators that hunt them. Deserts are dry habitats that receive very little rainfall. Desert plants and animals have adaptations for conserving water and surviving extreme heat or cold.
Aquatic habitats include freshwater (rivers, lakes, and ponds) and saltwater (oceans and seas). Each supports distinct communities of plants and animals. Coral reefs, for example, are some of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor.
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