Animal Groups & Habitats — Answer Key
Part A: Sort the Words
Sort each word or number into the correct category box.
1. Read each animal name. Sort it into the correct habitat: desert or ocean.
Desert
scorpionrattlesnakeroadrunner Ocean
sea turtleoctopusjellyfish Scorpions, rattlesnakes, and roadrunners can all survive in hot, dry sand, so they live in the desert. Sea turtles, octopuses, and jellyfish need salty water to live, so they belong in the ocean.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A desert is a very hot and dry habitat.
Deserts get very little rain, so the ground and air are dry. Animals that live there have special ways to save water.
2. An octopus lives in the ocean and has eight arms.
Octopuses are sea creatures that hide in rocks and swim through salty water, so their home is the ocean.
3. A rattlesnake shakes its tail to warn other animals.
The rattlesnake's tail has small rattles at the tip, and shaking it makes a buzzing sound that tells enemies to stay away.
4. Sea turtles swim using their large front flippers.
Flippers are like paddles. A sea turtle sweeps its big front flippers through the water to push itself forward.
5. Desert animals often hide during the day to escape the heat.
The desert sun makes the sand very hot during the day, so animals rest in burrows or under rocks where it is cooler.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. Jellyfish live in the ocean.
True False
Jellyfish have soft, squishy bodies that float through salty seawater, which is why the ocean is their home.
2. Scorpions need a lot of water to survive.
True False
Scorpions live in the dry desert and can go a long time with almost no water, getting most of it from the food they eat.
3. A roadrunner is a fast bird that lives in the desert.
True False
The roadrunner is a long-legged desert bird that can run very quickly on the hot sand to catch lizards and bugs.
4. An octopus lives in the desert under the sand.
True False
An octopus needs to be in saltwater to breathe, so it lives in the ocean — not in a hot, dry desert.