Living in Groups
- Biology
- Ages 8–11 · Grades 3–5
What you’ll find out
- Many animals live in groups because groups improve their chances of survival.
- Groups help animals avoid predators, find food and hunt larger prey.
- In colonies of ants and bees, members divide up the work.
No sign-up and no real names. In the lesson you check your understanding as you read, and practise until it sticks.
Safety in numbers
Some animals live alone, but many live in groups, and being part of a group can help them survive. Small fish swim together in a large school, which makes it hard for a hungry shark to pick out just one. Zebras graze together in herds, so many eyes are watching for lions. Wolves hunt as a pack, working together to catch animals far larger than a single wolf could manage.
Jobs in a colony
Ants and honeybees live in large groups called colonies, where every member has a job. The queen lays the eggs. Worker ants search for food, carry it home, dig tunnels and care for the young, while soldier ants guard the nest. A single ant cannot survive for long on its own, but by working together, a colony of thousands can build an enormous nest, gather plenty of food and defend itself.
Curriculum links: NGSS 3-LS2-1 · Cambridge Primary Stages 4–6: Biology · NCERT Environmental Studies, Classes 3–5