Animal Homes
FoundationBirds live in trees, rabbits in burrows and fish in water; an animal's home is its habitat, and we must protect it.
- Animal homes shelter from weather and raise the young.
- Birds build nests, rabbits dig burrows, fish hide in water plants.
- The place an animal lives is called its habitat.
文體小知識：說明文帶我們走進樹林、地底和池塘，看看動物把家安在哪裏，又為什麼要保護牠們的家。
§Text Passage
1People have homes, and so do animals. An animal's home shelters it from wind and rain, stores food and raises the young. Different animals choose different places to live, according to their own skills and needs.
2Sparrows and turtle doves build bowl-shaped nests on branches out of twigs and grass stems; bees make neat six-sided cells in the hive; ants dig winding burrows underground; rabbits dig holes in the soil with hidden entrances that enemies cannot easily find.
3Some animals live in the water: fish lay their eggs hidden among water plants, hermit crabs carry shells about and use them as portable homes, and squirrels line tree hollows with leaves and sleep inside in winter. Animals that cannot build for themselves must find another way to shelter.
4The place where an animal lives is called its habitat. When trees are felled or ponds filled in, animals lose their homes. Loving nature — not breaking branches, not dropping litter — is how we protect the homes of animals.
1Summary 重點摘要
Birds live in trees, rabbits in burrows and fish in water; an animal's home is its habitat, and we must protect it.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The natural place where an animal lives and finds food.
The home birds build from twigs and grass for laying eggs and raising chicks.
The bees' home and honey store, made of many six-sided cells.
The tunnels and chambers ants dig underground.
The hole animals such as rabbits dig in the soil.
A hollow in a trunk where animals such as squirrels live.
Concealed so it is hard to find.
The place where people or animals live their lives.
Cutting trees down, which destroys animals' habitats.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know the homes in treesA tree is like a busy apartment block, home to many small animals. Sparrows build bowl-shaped nests of twigs and dry grass on the branches; squirrels live in tree hollows lined with soft leaves. Some people think a nest is where birds sleep, but it is chiefly for hatching eggs and raising chicks. Built high on the tree, these homes avoid dangers on the ground and give animals safe places to rest and rear their young — clever design indeed.
- Step 2: Know the homes undergroundSome animals live under the ground. Rabbits dig long burrows with rooms for sleeping and several exits, so they can escape by another hole in an emergency; ants dig many joined rooms underground where the whole colony lives together. Some people think the dark, cold underground suits no one, but burrows stay cool in summer and warm in winter and hide the animals from enemies such as foxes — a safe, comfortable, well-chosen home.
- Step 3: Know the homes in waterAnimals have homes in the water too. Fish lay their eggs among water plants, and the young hide there to escape bigger fish; mussels and snails carry hard shells as portable homes, drawing their bodies inside when danger comes. Some people think water animals need no homes, yet water plants block the view of enemies and serve as fine spawning grounds, giving young lives a safe start — a role not to be underestimated.
- Step 4: Observe without disturbingWhen we find an animal's home outdoors, we should be polite visitors. Watch quietly with our eyes only; do not touch it, and never take the eggs or chicks. Some people think taking chicks home to rear is kindness, but the parent birds know best how to care for them; away from their parents the chicks hardly survive, and too much disturbance may even make the parents abandon the nest. Keeping a distance and staying quiet lets the animals come home and care for their young.
- Step 5: Compare what homes doDifferent homes do different jobs. Nests hatch eggs and raise chicks; rabbit burrows are for sleeping and hiding from enemies; the neat six-sided cells in a hive store honey and raise young bees. Some people think all animal homes serve one purpose, but comparing them shows that each is designed to protect the young and store food, matching the animal's way of life — ingenious and fascinating.
- Step 6: Protect the habitatAn animal that loses its home can hardly survive, so we must protect habitats. Take your litter home on country walks, do not carve on trees, and do not break branches; if you find an injured animal, tell an adult or contact an animal-care group. Some people think one snapped branch or one dropped wrapper matters little, but if everyone does it, forests and streams suffer. When each of us helps a little, animals keep their warm homes for good.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: a big tree in the park is to be removed, and a nest of chicks lives on it. How can we help the birds?
- First tell the park staff that there is a nest in the tree, and ask them not to remove it at once.
- Ask adults to contact bird-watching societies for professional advice and help.
- Cord off the area near the nest for now, and remind passers-by to keep away and stay quiet.
- Discuss how to move the tree with the staff only after the chicks have grown and left the nest.
- Answer: Tell the park staff and bird groups at once so the nest is not disturbed; deal with the tree only after the chicks have fledged, so the mother bird can raise her young in peace.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Where does a sparrow usually build its home?
Q2What is a rabbit's home like?
Q3What is a habitat?
Q4What should we do when we find a nest?
Q5How can we protect animals' homes?
8Recap Recap
- Animal homes shelter from weather and raise the young.
- Birds build nests, rabbits dig burrows, fish hide in water plants.
- The place an animal lives is called its habitat.
- Watch animals quietly — no touching, no taking away.
- Caring for trees and the environment protects animals' homes.