Grades 1–3
What Does an Animal Need?
Pick an animal and draw its habitat, showing where it finds food, water, shelter and space.
Science worksheet · Habitats and adaptations
Animal Habitat Sort
Cut out twelve animals and glue each one under its habitat: ocean, desert, arctic or rainforest.
- Grade level
- Grades 1–3
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Habitats, Adaptations, Animal needs
What kids do
Printed on the sheet:
- Glue each animal under its habitat.
Words on this sheet
OceanDesertArcticarctic foxwalruspoison dartfrogoctopussea turtlepolar bearcameltoucanslothshark
Teacher tip
Talk about why polar bears can’t live in the desert before kids glue.
How to use it
- Show a photo of each habitat and ask kids what an animal would need to live there.
- Have kids name an adaptation they see on an animal in a picture book.
- Start with a two-minute “I notice, I wonder” talk about the picture on the sheet.
Watch for
Animals don’t choose to grow adaptations. They are passed down over many generations.
Talk about it
- How does this animal’s body help it live where it does?
- What did you notice that surprised you?
Take it further
Make a class habitat mural, with each child adding one animal and a label.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More habitats and adaptations worksheets
Grades 2–5
Animal Adaptations Match
Match seven animals to the adaptation that helps them live where they do.
Grades 3–5
Physical or Behavioral?
Sort ten adaptations into physical (body parts) and behavioral (things animals do).
Grades 3–5
Design an Animal
Pick a habitat, invent an animal that could live there, draw it and label three adaptations.
Free for teachers
Get the free Classroom Drawing Kit
12 printable pages: six step-by-step lessons, a grid activity, draw-and-write sheets and teacher notes, sent with your welcome email. After that, new classroom printables by email.