Every plant and animal looks and acts the way it does because it wants to stay alive!  In the life-or-death world of nature, every single characteristic either contributes to an organism's ability to survive or makes it vulnerable to death.  Enter this coolest of Web sites and click on "Form and Function" to explore animal adaptations.  Be sure to play all the games at all three levels. 

Choose five of the animals on this list.  For each animal, read the question(s) about its special adaptations before clicking on the animal name.  When the Web page opens, look for the answer to the question.  Make an index card about each  animal with the animal name on the front and a description of its special adaptation on the back of the card- INCLUDING THE PURPOSE OF THE ADAPTATION. 

Select two mammals, one bird, one reptile, one arthropod, one amphibian and one other animal of your choice (seven total).  Open each animal's Web page and scroll down to the Adaptations paragraph.  Make an index card about each animal with the animal's name on the front and a description of its special adaptation on the back of the card- INCLUDING THE PURPOSE OF THE ADAPTATION. 

(Note: If this web page does not display immediately, click on link.  Adobe Acrobat Reader required.)
 
Why should we try to keep species from becoming extinct, if extinction is a natural part of life? View this slide show to find out.

When a species is endangered, there are still some individuals living. That means there is hope.  Read for information about how people can help save endangered species.

Find out more about animals that are already extinct.  Read to discover what they were like and why they were not able to adapt fast enough to survive.  Are they extinct because of natural processes?  Did human actions play a role?

Find out more about the effects of air pollution on living organisms.  As you read, imagine characteristics or powers that could help plants or animals survive! (Note:  You can set the reading level at the top of this Web page. Feel free to click on links in the text.  To return to this Web page, just click Frame #7 on the left).

Air pollution is an environmental change that certain organisms may not be able to survive. Thousands of years ago, scientists think meteors crashed into earth, sending up huge dust clouds that floated in the air and made it seem as dark as night, all day long. Plants were unable to make food without light, so a lot of species became extinct. Without those plants to eat, many animals starved. The result was mass extinction. Volcanoes can also produce so much particle pollution that they harm or kill plants and animals.  

Look at the photos of trees before and after a volcanic eruption.  What happened to the trees? How would air pollution from a volcano affect animals?  Animals can sometimes escape an erupting volcano, but trees cannot run away.  When animals come back, how would they be affected if the trees were all dead?

Check out this Web site to discover how two plants adapted in different ways to bad air from volcanic eruptions.  How do the 'ohi'a lehua and the a'ali'i trees survive volcanic air pollution ("vog")?

Human-made air pollution can be as destructive as a volcano.  Find out which is the biggest source of air pollution today.  (Note:  You can set the reading level at the top of this Web page. Feel free to click on links in the text.  To return to this Web page, just click Frame #7 on the left).

Watch this film to find out more about particle pollution. 

In recent years, many species of frogs have become extinct and more species are in decline.  Read this Web page and then click on the links at the bottom to consider possible reasons why frogs are vanishing. What do you think happened?

How can coughing, sneezing, runny eyes and a runny nose be good things?!?   Read this page to find out some ways our bodies protect us from natural and human-made pollutants.

 Click on the factory symbol at the bottom of the Web page to learn about "Pollution and Pepper Moths." Control the slide show with the arrow on the right side of the page.  Next, click on the bird to play a game called "Bird's Eye View." Print out the "Change in Your Forest" results page after each game. Play once in a light forest (with clean air) and then click Site #14 "Survival Story: Pepper Moths" on the far left side of the screen to return to the menu and play the game in a darkened forest (with polluted air). For best results, position bird head over moth and click to eat. Happy moth-crunching!