Life In A Shell

1. Life In A Shell Written by Claire Craig

2. Life In A Shell

3. Creatures in Shells Some creatures have shells. Their shells protect them.

4. Snails A snail has a shell on its back. When there is danger, a snail pulls its whole body inside its shell.

5. Sea Snails • Do you know? • As a snail grows, its shell grows bigger, too.

6. Turtles and Tortoises A turtle has a shell on its back and under its body. When there is danger, a turtle pulls its head and legs inside its shell. • Do you know? • A tortoise is a kind of turtle. Tortoises live on the land.

7. Turtles Tortoises • Do you know? • Turtles and tortoises have patterns on their shells. No two shells have exactly the same pattern.

8. Crabs and Lobsters Lobsters have shells that cover them all over. So do most crabs. • Do you know? • The shell of a crab or a lobster is called an exoskeleton. This means it is a skeleton outside the creature’s body. Crab

9. Lobster

10. Hermit Crabs A hermit crab does not have a shell on its body. Hermit crabs live in other creatures’ empty shells. • Do you know? • When a hermit crab grows bigger, it moves to a bigger shell.

11. Open and Shut Some shellfish have shells that can open and shut. When the shellfish is in danger, it snaps its shell shut! • Do you know? • Sea otters eat shellfish. They use a rock to open the shell.

13. On the Beach Some shells on the beach still have creatures living in them. They need to be under water for several hours a day. This happens when the tide comes in.

14. Notice Do not take shells from this beach. Living creatures may still be inside!

15. THE END