Year 1 Science: Beaks and shells
Part of the Year 1 Science what animals eat chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Beaks and shells
Birds do not have teeth. They have a beak instead. A beak picks up food and holds it.
Beaks come in different shapes. A hooked beak, like an eagle’s, helps it to tear meat. A flat beak, like a duck’s, helps it to pick up food from water. A thin, pointed beak, like a robin’s, helps it to pick up insects and worms.
Some animals have a shell. A shell protects the animal’s body. A snail can pull its soft body into its shell. A tortoise has a hard shell. A crab has a hard shell on the outside of its body.
Key ideas
- Birds have beaks, not teeth.
- A hooked beak helps a bird to tear meat.
- A flat beak helps a duck to pick up food from water.
- A shell protects an animal’s body.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about what each beak does.
- Look at the question. We want a beak for tearing meat.tear meat
- Think about each beak. A hooked beak tears food. A flat beak picks up food from water.hooked = tear
- Write the answer. hooked
Check. An eagle has a hooked beak for tearing. ✓
Watch out. A flat beak is for picking up food from water.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about which animal has a shell.
- Look at the snail. A snail has a shell on its back.snail has a shell
- Look at the shark. A shark has fins, not a shell.shark has fins
- Write the answer. snail
Check. The shell keeps the snail safe. ✓
Watch out. Fins and shells are different body parts.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the job of a flat beak.
- Look at the beak. A duck’s beak is wide and flat.flat beak
- Think about the job. A flat beak helps a duck to pick up food from water.pick up food from water
- Write the answer. pick up food from water
Check. A duck uses its beak to find food in water. ✓
Watch out. Flat beaks are good for picking up food from water.
Watch out
Watch out: birds do not have teeth. Their beak does the job of picking up and holding food.
Try it at home
With a grown-up, look for a snail in the garden or on a wall. Do not pick it up. Look at its shell with a magnifying glass, if you have one. Wash your hands after you have been outside.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “What is the shell made of? Is it hard?” Ask your child why a snail might need a shell to keep it safe.
Exercise 5F Beaks and shells
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the mouth of a bird.
- Look at the gap. It asks what birds have instead of teeth.beaks
- Remember the fact. Birds have no teeth. They use their beak to pick up food.beak = mouth
- Write the answer. beaks
Check. Look at a picture of a robin. Its beak is its mouth. ✓
Watch out. Birds do not have teeth.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the shape of a duck’s beak.
- Look at the gap. It asks which beak picks up food from water.water
- Choose the beak. A duck has a wide, flat beak.flat
- Write the answer. flat
Check. A flat beak is good for sifting food from water. ✓
Watch out. A hooked beak is for tearing, not for water.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the beaks.
- Look at the eagle. An eagle has a hooked beak for tearing meat.hooked
- Look at the robin. A robin has a thin, pointed beak.thin
- Write the answer. eagle
Check. Only the eagle has a hooked beak. ✓
Watch out. A thin beak is not a hooked beak.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about which animal has a shell.
- Look at the snail. A snail has a shell on its back.shell
- Look at the shark. A shark has fins and no shell.fins
- Write the answer. snail
Check. A snail can pull its body inside its shell. ✓
Watch out. Sharks swim with fins. Snails carry their shells.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about birds.
- Look at what birds have. Birds have a beak instead of teeth.beak
- Use the fact. A bird does not have teeth.no teeth
- Write the answer. False
Check. A beak does the job of teeth for birds. ✓
Watch out. Birds have beaks, not teeth.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the eagle’s beak.
- Look at the beak. An eagle has a hooked beak.hooked
- Find the job. A hooked beak helps an eagle tear meat.tearing meat
- Write the answer. tearing meat
Check. The hooked shape holds food. ✓
Watch out. A hooked beak is for tearing.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the duck’s beak.
- Look at the beak. A duck has a flat beak.flat
- Find the job. A flat beak helps a duck to pick up food from water.water
- Write the answer. picking up food from water
Check. Ducks eat from water. ✓
Watch out. A duck’s beak is not for tearing.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the robin’s beak.
- Look at the beak. A robin has a thin, pointed beak.thin
- Find the job. A thin beak helps a robin pick up insects and worms.insects
- Write the answer. picking up insects
Check. Robins eat insects and worms. ✓
Watch out. A thin beak is for picking up small food.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Look for a shell on each animal.
- Check each one. The tortoise, snail and crab have shells.shell
- Find the one that is different. A cow does not have a shell, so it is different.no shell
- Write the answer. cow. It does not have a shell.
Check. Three of the four have a shell. ✓
Watch out. A cow has skin and fur, not a shell.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about pets and their body parts.
- Think about each pet. A dog, a cat, a rabbit and a guinea pig do not have shells.no shell
- Find the pet with a shell. A tortoise has a hard shell.tortoise
- Write the answer. tortoise
Check. A tortoise is a pet that eats plants. ✓
Watch out. Pet tortoises need a grown-up to help choose their food.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about what a shell is for.
- Look at the shell. It is hard and covers the tortoise’s body.hard cover
- Think about the job. The shell keeps the tortoise safe from harm.protects
- Write the answer. Its shell protects its body.
Check. Without a shell, the tortoise would be less safe. ✓
Watch out. A shell protects the body. It is not for moving.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Think about the robin’s beak.
- Look at the robin’s beak. A robin has a thin, pointed beak.thin
- Find the beak for tearing. A hooked beak, such as an eagle’s, is for tearing meat.hooked = tear
- Write the answer. No. A robin has a thin beak for picking up insects. A hooked beak tears meat.
Check. Each beak shape fits the food the bird eats. ✓
Watch out. The beak shape fits the food.
Key words. A herbivore eats only plants. A carnivore eats only other animals. An omnivore eats plants and animals.
Method. Look closely and then think about why.
- Look at the shell. Notice its shape, colour and how hard it looks.hard and round
- Think about the job. A shell keeps the soft body of a snail safe.keeps it safe
- Write the answer. Accept sensible answers, such as: it is hard and round. It keeps the snail safe.
Check. Look at the snail from outside only. Do not pick it up. ✓
Watch out. Look at the snail from a safe distance.