Students are introduced to the classification of animals and animal interactions. Students also learn why engineers need to know about animals and how they use that knowledge to design technologies that help other animals and/or humans. This lesson is part of a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.

Biology 2e is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes various types of practice and homework questions that help students understand—and apply—key concepts. The 2nd edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Art and illustrations have been substantially improved, and the textbook features additional assessments and related resources.

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Explain the processes of digestion and absorption
Compare and contrast different types of digestive systems
Explain the specialized functions of the organs involved in processing food in the body
Describe the ways in which organs work together to digest food and absorb nutrients

A site on the disorders of the digestive system and on the similarities and differences between the digestion of birds and ruminants.

Describes the different roles in an ecosystem.

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Students explore various habitats (forest, desert, water, rainforest, and wetland), investigating how plants and animals survive within them, and compare and contrast the information that they gather.

Students learn about energy and nutrient flow in various biosphere climates and environments. They learn about herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, food chains and food webs, seeing the interdependence between producers, consumers and decomposers. Students are introduced to the roles of the hydrologic (water), carbon, and nitrogen cycles in sustaining the worlds' ecosystems so living organisms survive. This lesson is part of a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.

Learn the difference between consumers and decomposers in the ecosystem.

A free CK-12 account is required to view all materials.

This animation discusses the food chain in a storybook format. The chain is described as a cycle and both herbivores and carnivores are discussed.

This site takes a very brief look at the muskox as an arctic creature. Several photographs are also provided.

Why do cows chew their cud? This video segment from Secret of Life: "Accidents of Creation" describes the physical adaptations that have made ruminants some of the most important, and certainly the most efficient, plant eaters on earth.

This resource presents detailed information about the hippotpotamus, including several photos and an audio clip.

This resource provides detailed information about the rhinoceros, as well as several pictures and audio clips.

Do you eat like a horse? Or more like a bird? As you might expect, different animals eat different things. Some animals specialize in eating one particularly rich food source, while others eat whatever they can find. This video segment samples the diversity of feeding habits among some of the world's creatures.
Recommended for: Grades K-5

Some animals -- like some children -- are notoriously picky eaters. Others will eat whatever they can find. This video segment explores the diversity of feeding habits among some of the world's creatures. [1:10]