Life Science Vocabulary 5Th Grade

Front 1

Adaptation

Back 1

A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce. It can be related to its body or its actions.

Front 2

camouflage

Back 2

A physical adaptation in which animals blend with or are hidden by the environment.

Front 3

carnivore

Back 3

an animal that only eats meat.

Front 4

herbivore

Back 4

An animal that only eats plants.

Front 5

omnivore

Back 5

An animal that eats both plants and animals.

Front 6

decomposer

Back 6

An organism in the food chain that breaks down the remains of dead organisms.

Front 7

community

Back 7

All the living things in an ecosystem.

Front 8

ecosystem

Back 8

An area where living organisms interact with each other and non living things in the environment.

Front 9

extinct

Back 9

A species that is no longer in existence.

Front 10

habitat

Back 10

The environment in which an animal or plant lives.

Front 11

instinct

Back 11

A behavioral trait passed from parent to offspring through genes. Instincts are not taught.

Front 12

larva

Back 12

The early, worm-like stage in the cycle of an insect.

Front 13

consumer

Back 13

Feed on other organisms, including plants and animals.

Front 14

Inherited Trait

Back 14

Features passed on from parent to offspring through genes.

Front 15

Learned/ Acquired
Behavior

Back 15

Actions that develop as an organism interacts with the environment. These actions are learned.

Front 16

Life Cycle

Back 16

The stages of development an organism goes through as it grows and develops.

Front 17

Metamorphosis

Back 17

The change in shape and form some organisms go through during their life cycles.

Front 18

Migration

Back 18

An adaptation in which animals move from one place to another for the purpose of survival.

Front 19

Hibernation

Back 19

An adaptation in which animals sleep through the winter as a means of survival.

Front 20

photosynthesis

Back 20

The process by which plants use sunlight to change carbon dioxide and water to food.

Front 21

Population

Back 21

The number of organisms of a particular species in a community.

Front 22

Predator

Back 22

An animal that hunts down other animals.

Front 23

prey

Back 23

An animal that is hunted down and eaten by other animals.

Front 24

niche

Back 24

The role that each species plays within its particular ecosystem.

Front 25

species

Back 25

A group of similar organisms that can reproduce more individuals like themselves.

Front 26

producer

Back 26

An organism that can make its own food, such as a plant.