This 23-minute videotape for grades 5-8, presents the myriad of animal life that exists on the planet. Students can view and perform experiments and investigations that help explain animal traits and habits. The stages of life that animals pass through--birth, growth, maturation, reproduction, and death--make up the life cycle. Students learn about the role of reproduction in the cycle and why it is critical to the survival of every species. A hands-on experiment is included that examines the stages that the larvae of a milkweed bug undergoes on its way to becoming an adult insect, while a visit to the San Diego Wild Animal Park focuses on their captive breeding program for endangered cats. This program is based on the concepts outlined in the National Science Education Standards for Life Science: (1) structure and function in living systems; (2) reproduction and heredity; (3) regulation and behavior; (4) populations and ecosystems; and (5) diversity and adaptations of organisms. A teacher's guide is also included. (ASK)