A frog lays eggs in a pond and a bird lays eggs in a nest. Why do they lay their eggs in different places?
ABecause frogs are messy
BBecause frog eggs need water to keep them moist, and bird eggs have hard shells that protect them on land
CBecause birds are afraid of water
DBecause frogs cannot build nests
Frog eggs have a soft, jelly-like coating that would dry out on land, so they must be laid in water. Bird eggs have hard shells that protect the developing chick and keep it moist inside, so they can be laid on land in nests. Each type of egg is designed for where it will develop.
Question 2 True / False
Most baby animals look like tiny versions of their parents when they hatch.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
Some do — a baby chick looks like a tiny, fluffy version of a chicken. But others look completely different from their parents. A tadpole looks nothing like a frog. A caterpillar looks nothing like a butterfly. These animals go through metamorphosis and change their body shape dramatically as they grow.
Question 3 Short Answer
A sea turtle lays about 100 eggs at once, but a bald eagle usually lays only 1-3 eggs. Why might there be such a big difference?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: The sea turtle does not take care of her eggs or babies, so most will not survive — she needs to lay many for a few to make it. The eagle sits on her eggs, feeds her chicks, and protects them, so more of her few babies survive.
There is a trade-off between the number of offspring and the care given to each one. Animals that provide a lot of parental care can afford to have fewer offspring because each one has a good chance of surviving. Animals that provide no care must produce many offspring to ensure that at least some survive on their own.