Animal body parts have jobs — Biology, 4–6 years
Notice how animal body parts help animals move, find food, sense the world and stay safe. Biology, 4–6 years.
A body part does a job
Animal bodies have parts that help with particular jobs. Eyes help many animals notice light and movement, legs can carry them, and teeth or beaks help them handle food. The parts are not decorations: they work together so the animal can live in its place.
Why do animals look different?
Animals live in different places and have different ways of finding food and avoiding danger. A duck has webbed feet for pushing through water, while a cat has padded feet for quiet steps. Their bodies are different because different jobs and places call for different useful parts.
How a bird eats
Watch a blackbird pick up a berry. First, its eyes help it spot the berry. Next, its legs take it close, and its beak grips the fruit. Finally, its mouth swallows the food. Each part has a job, and the jobs happen together rather than one at a time in isolation.
One part can have more than one job
It is tempting to match one body part with only one job, such as saying that ears are only for hearing. That seems neat because we often learn labels one at a time. In many animals, ears also help with balance, and eyes can help with finding food, avoiding danger and sending signals.
Looking closely outside
You can use this idea when watching a pigeon, dog, insect or fish. Ask what a part helps the animal do, then look for evidence: wings and feathers may help a bird fly, while whiskers help a cat feel nearby objects. Careful watching is better than guessing from a picture alone.
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