Local Environment
Elementary School
Definition
The natural surroundings of a particular area, including its living things (plants, animals) and non-living parts (soil, water, air, climate). Studying the local environment helps learners understand the relationships between organisms and their surroundings.
Worked examples
A schoolyard's local environment includes grass, trees, insects, birds, soil type, shade patterns, and weather conditions.
All the living organisms and non-living factors in that specific area make up its local environment.
A pond's local environment has fish, frogs, algae, water plants, plus the water itself, sunlight reaching it, and surrounding air temperature.
Both aquatic life and physical conditions together form the pond's complete local environment.
Common mistakes
- local environment means only the animals and plants in an area → local environment includes both living things AND non-living parts like soil, water, air, and climate Students often forget that non-living factors are just as important as the organisms.
- all environments are the same everywhere → each local environment is unique to its particular area The word 'local' emphasizes that different places have different combinations of organisms and conditions.
Where you'll use it next
Understanding local environments prepares you for studying ecosystems, food webs, habitat adaptations, and how human activities affect nature in later science units and environmental science courses.
See also
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026