All living things need certain things to stay alive. Animals need food, water, air, and shelter. Plants need water, air, sunlight, and soil. Without these things, living things cannot grow or survive.
Care for a classroom plant and a classroom pet. Notice what happens when the plant does not get water for a few days. Talk about what you need every day to feel good and stay healthy.
Think about your own day. You eat breakfast, drink water, breathe air all day long, and sleep in a warm house at night. These are your needs — the things you must have to stay alive and healthy. Every living thing has needs like these.
Animals need four main things: food to give them energy, water to drink, air to breathe, and shelter to keep them safe. A bird eats seeds, drinks from a puddle, breathes air, and sleeps in a nest. A fish eats smaller creatures, takes in water, gets air from the water through its gills, and hides among rocks.
Plants have needs too, but they are a little different. Plants do not eat food the way animals do. Instead, they use sunlight to make their own food inside their leaves. They also need water, which they drink up through their roots, and air, which they take in through tiny holes in their leaves. Plants need soil too, because soil holds water and has minerals that help them grow.
If any living thing does not get what it needs, it gets weak and can die. That is why we water our gardens, feed our pets, and make sure there is fresh air in our homes. Taking care of living things means making sure they have everything they need.