Have you ever wondered why we don’t see dinosaurs roaming around today? That’s because they are extinct! Extinct means that a type of plant or animal that used to live on Earth is no longer alive. We only have their bones, called fossils, to learn about them. Let’s explore why some animals and plants disappear forever!
A species is a group of living things that are similar and can have babies together. When a species can’t have babies anymore, it becomes extinct. Extinction can happen slowly over many years or very quickly. When it happens quickly, it’s called mass extinction. This is what happened to the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago when a giant asteroid hit the Earth!
There are many reasons why species go extinct. Sometimes, they can’t adapt to changes in their environment, or they face new predators. Other times, they can’t find enough food to survive. These changes usually happen slowly.
Humans can also cause extinction. When people hunt too much, destroy habitats, or bring new animals to places they don’t belong, it can harm other species. For example, the dodo bird became extinct because animals like pigs and cats, brought by humans, ate them.
Some animals and plants are in danger of becoming extinct. We call them endangered species. Some examples are the giant panda, mountain gorilla, black rhinoceros, and Bengal tiger. Even plants can be endangered, and they disappear faster than animals because of things like deforestation, which means cutting down trees.
Even though extinction is a natural part of life, there are ways we can help protect endangered species. Here are some simple things you can do:
Now that you know more about extinction, let’s see what you’ve learned:
True or False: Mass extinction happens slowly over a long period of time.
Answer: False. Mass extinction happens quickly, like with the dinosaurs.
Fill in the blank: One simple way you can help prevent animal extinction is by planting a ______ garden.
Answer: Planting a garden.
Which has a higher rate of extinction, plants or animals?
Answer: Plants.
True or False: Climate change can be a cause of extinction.
Answer: True.
What is a species called if it is in danger of becoming extinct?
Answer: Endangered species.
Great job! Remember, extinction is a part of life, but we can all do small things to help protect the amazing plants and animals on our planet. Share what you’ve learned with your friends and family, and let’s make the world a better place for all living things!
Fossil Hunt: Go on a mini fossil hunt in your backyard or a nearby park. Look for interesting rocks and imagine what kind of ancient creatures might have left their marks on them. Draw a picture of what you think the creature looked like and share your story with your family or friends.
Endangered Species Art Project: Choose an endangered animal or plant and create a piece of art to represent it. You can draw, paint, or even make a collage using materials you find around the house. Share your artwork with your class and explain why it’s important to protect this species.
Observation Walk: Take a walk in your neighborhood or a local park and observe the different plants and animals you see. Make a list of the species you find and think about what might happen if they were to become extinct. Discuss with a parent or teacher how you can help protect these species in your area.
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**Extinction for Kids**
There are many kinds of plants and animals that used to exist on Earth but are no longer alive today; they are extinct, like dinosaurs. Today, the only things we have left of dinosaurs are bones or fossils, and the same is true for thousands of other species.
So, what happened to them, and why do plants and animals go extinct in the first place? Let’s find out!
The world is full of different plant and animal species. A species is a certain group of living organisms that share common traits and can reproduce or create more members with each other. When a species is no longer able to reproduce, it becomes extinct.
Extinction is usually something that happens slowly over a long period of time, but sometimes it can happen very quickly over a short period of time. This is called mass extinction, and that is what happened to the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago. Most scientists believe that nearly all of the species that had been alive on Earth, including the dinosaurs, disappeared at the same time because of a large asteroid that collided with the Earth.
There are also species that have become extinct when they lose their ability to adapt to changes in the environment, face new predators, or no longer have access to the food they need to survive. This is the kind of extinction mentioned earlier that takes place slowly over a long period of time.
Here’s a fascinating fact: humans can be a direct cause of extinction. Behaviors like overhunting, habitat destruction, and moving non-native species into an area where they are not usually found are the main ways this happens. For example, let us take a look at the dodo bird. The dodo bird died out because it became food for non-native species like pigs and cats, which were moved by humans into the dodo’s habitat.
Today, blue whales are facing extinction because humans are overhunting them. Polar bears too are threatened with dying out because climate change is affecting their habitat. Plants also face extinction at a much faster rate than animals. In fact, more than eight plant species have disappeared every three years on average since the year 1900. That is a much faster extinction rate than that of animals. Human activities like cutting down forests or deforestation contribute to these plants dying out.
The types of animals and plants in danger of becoming extinct are also called endangered species. When a species is endangered, they may soon die out and no longer exist. Some endangered species today include the giant panda, mountain gorilla, black rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, and many others.
Even though there will always be animals and plants that become extinct, there are definitely some ways that you can help prevent it. Simple things like recycling, saving energy, planting a garden, or sponsoring an endangered animal can help prevent the extinction of some of the species in the world.
Now that you know more about extinction and its causes, let’s review:
**True or False:** Mass extinction happens slowly over a long period of time.
**False:** Mass extinction happens quickly over a short period of time, like what happened to the dinosaurs.
**Fill in the blank:** One simple way you can help prevent animal extinction is by planting a ______ garden.
**Which has a higher rate of extinction, plants or animals?**
**Plants.**
**True or False:** Climate change can be a cause of extinction.
**True.**
**What is a species called if it is in danger of becoming extinct?**
**Endangered species.**
Great job, friends! Extinction will always be a part of life on Earth, but there are small, simple things you can do every day to help prevent the extinction of some species. The next time you admire the plants outside or visit animals at the zoo, remember what you have learned and share it with your friends. Together, we can make the world a better, happier place for every living thing.
Hope you had fun learning with us! Visit us at learnbrite.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.
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