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Primary Science · Year 2Chapter 7 · Animals and their young
Year 2 · Chapter 7

Animals and their young

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Say that animals, including humans, have young that grow into adults
  • Name the young of some common animals, such as a kitten, a lamb or a tadpole
  • Name the adult that each young animal grows into
  • Put the stages of a chicken, butterfly or frog life cycle in order
  • Say how a baby grows into a child, and then into an adult

You should already know

  • Living, dead and never alive (Year 2, Chapter 2)
  • Seeds and bulbs (Year 2, Chapter 5)
  • Animal groups (Year 1 Science, Chapter 4)

Where this leads

  • Staying healthy (Year 2, Chapter 8)
  • Plant life cycles (Year 3 Science, Chapter 4)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 1 science, Year 2. Content: Notice that animals, including humans, have young which grow into adults, Name the young of common animals and the names of their adults, Describe the simple life cycles of a chicken, a butterfly and a frog, Describe how humans grow from babies to children to adults.

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FIs a dead leaf living, dead or never alive? Write one word.
2
FWhat part of a plant takes in water from the soil? Write one word.
3
FWhat does a seed grow into? Write one word.
4
FHow many fish are in the tank? Count each fish once.
5
FWhat does a rabbit eat: plants or other animals? Write one word.
7.1

Animals have young

Year 2
Notice that animals, including humans, have young, Young animals grow into adults
Video lesson: Animals have youngComing soon
On a farm, a sheep and her young lamb stand in the grass.

Animals have young. A young animal is a baby, or a young one. It is not yet an adult.

A young animal grows. It gets bigger and changes, until it is an adult.

Humans have young too. A human baby grows into a child, and then into an adult.

Some young animals look very different from their adults. Others look a lot like them.

adult sheep
young lamb
An adult sheep and its young, a lamb.

Key ideas

  • Animals have young.
  • A young animal grows into an adult.
  • Humans have young too: babies.
  • Young animals keep growing and changing.
Worked example 7.1.1
Does a lamb grow into an adult sheep? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about what a young animal does.

  1. Look at the lamb. A lamb is a young sheep.
    young sheep
  2. Think about growth. A young animal grows into an adult.
    grows up
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. A lamb grows into a sheep. ✓

Watch out. A lamb is still growing.

Worked example 7.1.2
Do humans have young? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about human babies.

  1. Look at the picture. A baby is a young human.
    baby = young
  2. Think about families. So humans have young, which are babies.
    humans have young
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. Humans have young, and the young are babies. ✓

Watch out. Babies grow into children, then adults.

Worked example 7.1.3
Does a young animal change as it grows? Write yes or no.

Method. Look at the young animal in the picture.

  1. Look at the caterpillar. A caterpillar is the young of a butterfly.
    young butterfly
  2. Think about growing. As it grows, the young animal gets bigger and changes.
    gets bigger
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. A young animal changes as it grows. ✓

Watch out. Young animals do not stay the same.

Watch out

Watch out: a young animal does not stay young. It keeps growing until it is an adult.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at a picture book or photos of animals and their young. Find three young animals. Say the name of each young animal out loud.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What will this young animal grow into?” Let your child point to the young one, and then to the adult.

Exercise 7A  Animals have young

1
FDo animals have young? Write yes or no.
adult sheep
young lamb
2
FDoes a young animal grow into an adult? Write yes or no.
3
FFill the gap: A young animal grows into an ______. Write one word.
4
FTrue or false: a young animal stays young for ever. Write true or false.
5
FDo humans have young? Write yes or no.
6
FHow many lambs are in the field? Count each lamb once.
7
FWhich picture shows the young animal: A or B? Write the letter.
A
B
8
RSam says a lamb is a young goat. Is Sam right? Write yes or no.
9
RElla says a young animal can never grow into an adult. Is Ella right? Write yes or no.
10
PSWorking scientifically. Predict: a young lamb is fed and kept safe. Will it grow bigger? Write yes or no.
11
PSTwo fields have lambs. Field A has 3 lambs. Field B has 4 lambs. How many lambs in all? Write the number.
Field A
Field B
12
RA baby is a young human. Does a baby stay a baby for ever? Write yes or no.
13
RExplain why a young animal needs to grow. Write one reason in a few words.
7.2

Young animals and their adults

Year 2
Name the young of common animals, Name the adult that each young animal grows into
Video lesson: Young animals and their adultsComing soon
In a bedroom, a child looks at pictures of a kitten and a puppy.

Each young animal has its own name. Its adult has a different name.

A kitten is a young cat. A puppy is a young dog. A lamb is a young sheep. A calf is a young cow.

A chick is a young chicken. A duckling is a young duck. A tadpole is a young frog. A caterpillar is a young butterfly.

A tadpole and a caterpillar look very different from their adults.

kitten
puppy
lamb
calf
chick
duckling
tadpole
caterpillar
The young animals, each with its name.
Young animalGrows into
kittencat
puppydog
lambsheep
calfcow
chickchicken
ducklingduck
tadpolefrog
caterpillarbutterfly
Each young animal and the adult it grows into.

Key ideas

  • A kitten grows into a cat.
  • A puppy grows into a dog.
  • A lamb grows into a sheep.
  • A chick grows into an adult chicken.
Worked example 7.2.1
What is the young of a cat? Write the word.

Method. Look at the adult, then find its young.

  1. Look at the cat. A cat is an adult animal.
    adult cat
  2. Find its young. The young of a cat is a kitten.
    kitten
  3. Write the answer.
    kitten

Check. A kitten is a young cat. ✓

Watch out. A kitten is the young of a cat, not a different animal.

Worked example 7.2.2
What does a lamb grow into? Write the word.

Method. Look at the young animal, then find its adult.

  1. Look at the lamb. A lamb is a young animal.
    young
  2. Find the adult. A lamb grows into an adult sheep.
    sheep
  3. Write the answer.
    sheep

Check. A lamb grows into a sheep. ✓

Watch out. Lambs grow into sheep.

Worked example 7.2.3
Which young animal grows into a frog: a tadpole or a chick? Write the word.

Method. Think about which young animal belongs to a frog.

  1. Check tadpole. A tadpole is the young of a frog.
    tadpole
  2. Check chick. A chick is the young of a chicken, not a frog.
    chick
  3. Write the answer.
    tadpole

Check. A tadpole grows into a frog. ✓

Watch out. A chick is a young chicken.

Watch out

Watch out: a chick is a young chicken, not a different kind of animal. A hen is an adult, not a chick.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at a picture book about pets and farm animals. Find one young animal and its adult. Say the sentence out loud: “A ___ grows into a ___.”

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to finish the sentence: “A puppy grows into a ___.” Let them say the word out loud.

Exercise 7B  Young animals and their adults

1
FWhat is the young of a dog? Write the word.
2
FWhat is the young of a sheep? Write the word.
3
FWhat is the young of a cow? Write the word.
4
FWhat is the young of a chicken? Write the word.
5
FWhat is the young of a duck? Write the word.
6
FWhat is the young of a frog? Write the word.
7
FWrite the adult that each young animal grows into.
(a)a puppy grows into a ______
(b)a calf grows into a ______
(c)a caterpillar grows into a ______
8
PSWorking scientifically. Predict: a calf is fed well and kept safe. Will it grow into a cow? Write yes or no.
9
PSWhich young animal grows into a chicken: a lamb or a chick? Write the word.
10
PSThe bar chart shows young animals on a farm. How many more lambs than calves are there? Write the number.
02468Lambs6Calves2Young animals on a farm
11
RSam says a calf grows into a sheep. Is Sam right? Write yes or no.
12
RElla says a puppy and a kitten grow into the same animal. Is Ella right? Write yes or no.
13
RExplain why a caterpillar is called the young of a butterfly. Write one reason in a few words.
7.3

The life cycle of a chicken

Year 2
Describe the simple life cycle of a chicken: egg, chick, adult hen, Put the stages of the life cycle in order
Video lesson: The life cycle of a chickenComing soon
In a garden, a hen walks with her chicks across the grass.

A life cycle shows the stages a living thing goes through, in order, from the start.

A chicken starts life as an egg. A chick hatches from the egg. To hatch means to come out of the egg.

The chick grows into an adult hen. A hen is an adult female chicken. A male chicken is a cockerel.

The three stages go in order: egg, chick, hen.

egg
→
chick
→
hen (adult)
The life cycle of a chicken, from the egg to the adult hen.

Key ideas

  • A chicken starts life as an egg.
  • A chick hatches from an egg.
  • A chick grows into an adult hen.
  • The stages go in order: egg, chick, hen.
Worked example 7.3.1
What is the first stage of a chicken life cycle? Write the word.

Method. Look at the life cycle in order.

  1. Look at the first picture. The life cycle starts with the egg.
    egg first
  2. Check the order. Egg, then chick, then hen.
    egg, chick, hen
  3. Write the answer.
    egg

Check. The first stage is the egg. ✓

Watch out. The egg comes before the chick.

Worked example 7.3.2
Which stage comes after the chick? Write the word.

Method. Look at the chick, then find the next stage.

  1. Look at the chick. A chick is a young chicken.
    young chicken
  2. Find the next stage. The next stage is the adult hen.
    hen
  3. Write the answer.
    hen

Check. After the chick comes the adult hen. ✓

Watch out. A hen is an adult chicken.

Worked example 7.3.3
How many stages are in a chicken life cycle? Write the number.
egg
→
chick
→
hen (adult)

Method. Count the stages in the life cycle.

  1. Count the pictures. Each picture is one stage.
    egg, chick, hen
  2. Count them all. There are three stages.
    3 stages
  3. Write the answer.
    3

Check. There are 3 stages in the life cycle. ✓

Watch out. Count each picture once.

Watch out

Watch out: the stages go in order. A chick comes before the hen, not after it.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at pictures of a hen and her chicks in a picture book. Count the chicks in the picture. Do not touch real hens or chicks.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What comes first? What comes next?” Let your child put the three pictures in order, out loud.

Exercise 7C  The life cycle of a chicken

1
FFill the gap: A chick hatches from an ______. Write one word.
2
FIs a chick an adult chicken? Write yes or no.
3
FWhich stage is the adult female chicken? Write the word.
4
FTrue or false: a hen comes before the egg. Write true or false.
A
B
5
PSPut the stages in order. A is the hen, B is the egg, C is the chick. Write the letters in order, first to last.
A
B
C
6
FHow many eggs are in the nest? Count each egg once.
7
PSSam has 2 chicks. Ali has 3 chicks. How many chicks in all? Write the number.
Sam
Ali
8
RBen says an egg turns into a hen straight away. Is Ben right? Write yes or no.
9
RElla says a chick is the first stage of a chicken life cycle. Is Ella right? Write yes or no.
10
RExplain why an egg comes before a chick. Write one reason in a few words.
11
PSWorking scientifically. Predict: a chick is kept warm and fed. Will it grow into an adult chicken? Write yes or no.
12
FTrue or false: a chick grows into an adult chicken. Write true or false.
13
RExplain why we call a chick young. Write one reason in a few words.
7.4

Life cycles of a butterfly and a frog

Year 2
Describe the simple life cycle of a butterfly, Describe the simple life cycle of a frog
Video lesson: Life cycles of a butterfly and a frogComing soon
In the woods, a frog sits by a pond, and a butterfly rests on a leaf.

A butterfly goes through four stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly.

A butterfly lays its eggs on a leaf. A caterpillar hatches from the egg and eats leaves. It grows bigger.

The caterpillar goes into a chrysalis, a hard case. Inside it, the caterpillar changes into a butterfly.

A frog starts life as frogspawn, a clump of eggs in water. A tadpole hatches from each egg. A tadpole lives in water and breathes through gills.

The tadpole grows back legs, then front legs. It loses its tail, and it becomes an adult frog.

egg
→
caterpillar
→
chrysalis
→
butterfly
The life cycle of a butterfly, from the egg to the butterfly.
frogspawn
→
tadpole
→
frog
The life cycle of a frog, from frogspawn to the adult frog.

Key ideas

  • A butterfly starts as an egg on a leaf.
  • A caterpillar eats leaves and grows.
  • A chrysalis is where the caterpillar changes.
  • A frog starts as frogspawn in water.
  • A tadpole grows legs and loses its tail.
Worked example 7.4.1
What is the first stage of a butterfly? Write the word.

Method. Look at the butterfly life cycle in order.

  1. Look at the first picture. The life cycle starts with an egg on a leaf.
    egg on leaf
  2. Check the order. Egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly.
    egg first
  3. Write the answer.
    egg

Check. The first stage of a butterfly is the egg. ✓

Watch out. The egg is laid on a leaf.

Worked example 7.4.2
What is the young stage of a frog that lives in water? Write the word.

Method. Think about the young stage of a frog.

  1. Look at the picture. A tadpole is the young stage, and it lives in water.
    in water
  2. Write the word. So the young stage of a frog is a tadpole.
    tadpole
  3. Write the answer.
    tadpole

Check. A tadpole is the young stage of a frog. ✓

Watch out. A frog egg is frogspawn, not a tadpole.

Worked example 7.4.3
A tadpole grows legs and loses its tail. Does it become a frog? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about the changes the tadpole goes through.

  1. Read the changes. A tadpole grows legs and loses its tail.
    legs, no tail
  2. Think about the end of the life cycle. The changed tadpole is an adult frog.
    adult frog
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. A tadpole changes into an adult frog. ✓

Watch out. The frog is the adult of the tadpole.

Watch out

Watch out: a caterpillar is not a butterfly yet. It must change inside the chrysalis first.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at a book or a website with pictures of a frog or a butterfly life cycle. Point to each stage in order and say its name. Do not collect real caterpillars, frogspawn or tadpoles.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What does the tadpole turn into?” Let your child tell the stages in order, from the start.

Exercise 7D  Life cycles of a butterfly and a frog

1
FWhat comes after the egg in a butterfly life cycle? Write the word.
2
FWhat is the hard case that the caterpillar goes into? Write the word.
3
FWhat is the last stage of a butterfly life cycle? Write the word.
4
FFill the gap: A frog starts life as ______ in water. Write one word.
5
FWhat does a tadpole grow? Write one word: legs or wings.
6
FTrue or false: a tadpole breathes in water. Write true or false.
7
FFill the gap: A caterpillar grows bigger by eating ______. Write one word.
8
FHow many tadpoles are in the pond? Count each tadpole once.
9
PSPut the butterfly stages in order. A is the butterfly, B is the egg, C is the chrysalis, D is the caterpillar. Write the letters in order, first to last.
A
B
C
D
10
PSA pond has 6 tadpoles and 3 frogs. How many animals are in the pond in all? Write the number.
tadpoles
frogs
11
PSWorking scientifically. Predict: a caterpillar eats leaves every day. Will it grow bigger? Write yes or no.
12
RAli says a tadpole is a small frog that can live on land. Is Ali right? Write yes or no.
13
RExplain why a butterfly is not the same as a caterpillar. Write one reason in a few words.
A
B
7.5

Humans grow from babies to adults

Year 2
Describe how humans grow from babies to children to adults
Video lesson: Humans grow from babies to adultsComing soon
At school, children and grown-ups work together.

Humans have babies. A baby is a young human.

A baby grows into a child. A child is still growing and learning.

A child grows into an adult. An adult is fully grown.

Babies cannot walk or talk at first. They learn slowly, with help from grown-ups.

Every human grows through these stages, from a baby to a child to an adult.

baby
→
child
→
adult
The stages of human growth, in order.

Key ideas

  • Humans have babies.
  • A baby grows into a child.
  • A child grows into an adult.
  • Babies need help from grown-ups.
Worked example 7.5.1
A baby grows into a child. What does a child grow into? Write the word.

Method. Follow the human stages in order.

  1. Find the child. A child is the stage after the baby.
    after baby
  2. Find the next stage. A child grows into an adult.
    adult
  3. Write the answer.
    adult

Check. A child grows into an adult. ✓

Watch out. An adult is the last stage.

Worked example 7.5.2
Can a new baby walk? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about what babies can do.

  1. Look at the baby. A new baby is still very small and young.
    very young
  2. Think about walking. Babies cannot walk at first.
    cannot walk
  3. Write the answer.
    no

Check. A new baby cannot walk yet. ✓

Watch out. Babies learn to walk as they grow.

Worked example 7.5.3
Which is the youngest: a child, an adult or a baby? Write the word.
child
adult
baby

Method. Put the three stages in order.

  1. Look at the stages. A baby is the first stage of a human life.
    first
  2. Find the youngest. So the baby is the youngest.
    youngest
  3. Write the answer.
    baby

Check. The baby is the youngest. ✓

Watch out. The adult is the oldest of the three.

Watch out

Watch out: a child is not a small adult. A child is still growing and learning.

Try it at home (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, look at photos of yourself as a baby and now. Say one thing you can do now that you could not do as a baby.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What could you not do when you were a baby?” Keep the talk happy and simple, and let your child lead.

Exercise 7E  Humans grow from babies to adults

1
FWhat is a young human called? Write the word.
2
FFill the gap: A ______ is still growing and learning. Write one word.
3
FAre adults fully grown? Write yes or no.
4
FTrue or false: babies can talk well. Write true or false.
5
FTrue or false: children are still growing. Write true or false.
6
FPut the human stages in order. A is the adult, B is the baby, C is the child. Write the letters in order, first to last.
A
B
C
7
PSHere are two children and two adults. How many people in all? Write the number.
children
adults
8
PSThe bar chart shows Lily’s height. Last year she was 110 cm. This year she is 118 cm. How many cm taller is she? Write the number.
050100150Last year110This year118Height of Lily (cm)
9
PSWorking scientifically. Record and predict: Sam measures his height each year. Will he be taller next year? Write yes or no.
10
RBen says a child can do everything an adult can do. Is Ben right? Write yes or no.
11
RSam says babies grow into children. Is Sam right? Write yes or no.
12
RExplain why a baby needs help from a grown-up. Write one reason in a few words.
13
RExplain how you know you have grown since you were a baby. Write one reason in a few words.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Young animalsAnimals, including humans, have young. A young animal grows into an adult.
NamesKitten, puppy, lamb, calf, chick, duckling, tadpole and caterpillar are the young of a cat, dog, sheep, cow, chicken, duck, frog and butterfly.
ChickenEgg, then chick, then adult hen.
ButterflyEgg, then caterpillar, then chrysalis, then butterfly.
FrogFrogspawn, then tadpole, then adult frog.
HumansBaby, then child, then adult.
SafetyLook at animals and their young from a distance. Do not handle wild young animals. Wash your hands after touching soil or pond water.

Can you…?

  • I can say that animals, including humans, have young that grow into adults
  • I can name the young of a cat, dog, sheep, cow, chicken, duck, frog and butterfly
  • I can put the stages of a chicken, butterfly or frog life cycle in order
  • I can say how a baby grows into a child, and then into an adult
  • I never handle wild young animals, and I wash my hands after touching soil or pond water

Key terms

young
an animal that is not yet an adult, such as a lamb or a chick
adult
a fully grown animal
life cycle
the stages a living thing goes through, in order, from the start
hatch
to come out of an egg
frogspawn
a clump of frog eggs in water
tadpole
the young of a frog, which lives in water
caterpillar
the young of a butterfly, which eats leaves
chrysalis
the hard case where a caterpillar changes into a butterfly
baby
a very young human
child
a young human who is still growing and learning

Exercise 7Z  Check-up

1
Fill the gap: A kitten grows into a ______. Write one word.
2
What is the young of a sheep? Write one word.
3
How many chicks are in the picture? Count each chick once.
4
Put the chicken stages in order. A is the chick, B is the hen, C is the egg. Write the letters in order, first to last.
A
B
C
5
What does a caterpillar grow into? Write one word.
6
True or false: a tadpole grows legs as it grows. Write true or false.
7
True or false: a baby grows into a child. Write true or false.
8
Ella has 4 lambs. Sam has 5 lambs. How many lambs in all? Write the number.
Ella
Sam
9
Sam says a chick is a baby chicken. Is Sam right? Write yes or no.
10
Ali says a duckling grows into a hen. Is Ali right? Write yes or no.

Total 14 marks. Allow about 14 minutes.

Exercise 7X  End-of-chapter quiz

1
FWhat is the young of a cow? Write one word.[1 mark]
2
FWhich is the last stage of a frog life cycle: the frog or the tadpole? Write the word.[1 mark]
3
FTrue or false: a baby cannot walk at first. Write true or false.[1 mark]
4
FHow many caterpillars are on the leaves? Count each caterpillar once.[1 mark]
5
FA lamb grows into a ______. Write one word.[1 mark]
6
PSPut the frog stages in order. A is the frog, B is the frogspawn, C is the tadpole. Write the letters in order, first to last.[2 marks]
A
B
C
7
PSPat has 2 chicks in one box and 3 chicks in another. How many chicks in all? Write the number.[2 marks]
box 1
box 2
8
RBen says a butterfly is a young caterpillar. Is Ben right? Write yes or no.[2 marks]
9
RExplain why a tadpole needs water. Write one reason in a few words.[2 marks]
10
FLook at the three chicken pictures. Which picture shows the last stage? Write the letter.[1 mark]
A
B
C
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