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Adaptations of predators and prey
I can describe how predators and prey are adapted to help them survive.
Lesson 3 of 9
New
New
- Year 7
Adaptations of predators and prey
I can describe how predators and prey are adapted to help them survive.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Prey have adaptations to help them avoid being hunted, and predators are adapted to help them capture prey.
- Some common adaptations of prey animals are that they have good camouflage or that they are nocturnal.
- Some common adaptations of predators are big teeth, good eyesight and the ability to run fast.
Keywords
Prey - A prey is an animal that is caught and eaten by another animal.
Predator - A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals.
Adaptation - An adaptation is a feature that organisms have to help them live in a particular place.
Camouflage - Camouflage is a strategy that organisms use to disguise their appearance, usually by blending in with their surroundings.
Common misconception
Organisms are able to adapt to the place where they live.
Referring to inheritance, explain that changes to organisms take time to evolve - responses to any environmental change is not instant.
Engage pupils in thinking about adaptations of different organisms by providing them with the opportunity to 'design' their own organism and label how the features they draw either help it to avoid predation or make the organism an expert hunter.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A is an organism which is hunted as food by a predator.
A is an organism which is hunted as food by a predator.
Q2.The image below shows a food chain diagram. Which organism is the apex predator?
The image below shows a food chain diagram. Which organism is the apex predator?
squid
phytoplankton
zooplankton
shrimp
Q3.How many predators are there in the following food chain diagram?
How many predators are there in the following food chain diagram?
one
two
more than three
Q4.Complete the sentence. A is an organism that makes its own food.
Complete the sentence. A is an organism that makes its own food.
Q5.Look at the food chain diagram from a desert. Match the organism with the correct statement.
Look at the food chain diagram from a desert. Match the organism with the correct statement.
Q6.Blackbirds are predators of slugs. Slugs are prey of blackbirds. What will happen to the population of blackbirds if there is a very large population of slugs?
Blackbirds are predators of slugs. Slugs are prey of blackbirds. What will happen to the population of blackbirds if there is a very large population of slugs?
The blackbird population will stay the same.
The blackbird population will decrease.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The picture shows a lizard. Which of the following are adaptations that help the lizard to avoid being eaten by predators.
The picture shows a lizard. Which of the following are adaptations that help the lizard to avoid being eaten by predators.
warning colouration
eye spots
Q2.How many predators are there in the following food chain diagram?
How many predators are there in the following food chain diagram?
Q3.The insect in the photo is bright red and black. Which adaptations might this insect have to stop predators from eating it?
The insect in the photo is bright red and black. Which adaptations might this insect have to stop predators from eating it?
It may be easily spotted by predators.
It may be camouflaged.
Q4.Match the adaptation to how it helps prey to avoid predators.
Match the adaptation to how it helps prey to avoid predators.
Q5.Use the information to put the following organisms in a food chain. Lettuces produce their own food. Cats are apex predators. Thrushes are predators of slugs. Thrushes are prey of cats.
Use the information to put the following organisms in a food chain. Lettuces produce their own food. Cats are apex predators. Thrushes are predators of slugs. Thrushes are prey of cats.
Q6.Match how the adaptation of predators helps them to catch prey.
Match how the adaptation of predators helps them to catch prey.
