Animals are adapted for their environment
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe how some animals are adapted to help them survive, and how environmental conditions affect animal biodiversity.
Key learning points
- Animals have adaptations that help them to survive in their environment.
- Some adaptations are physical, such as thick fur.
- Some adaptations are behavioural, such as being nocturnal.
- Changes in the environment can affect animal biodiversity.
Keywords
Biodiversity - Biodiversity is the range of different living species that live in a place.
Adaptation - An adaptation is a feature that organisms have to help them live in a particular place.
Extinction - Extinction is the permanent loss of a species.
Conservation - Conservation is the process of protecting biodiversity and the environment.
Common misconception
Pupils often believe that biodiversity is the number of organisms that live in a place, rather than the number of different species that live in a place.
There is extensive coverage in the lesson around biodiversity being the range of species that are found in an area.
Teacher tip
Pupils can investigate adaptations of different types of animals in different habitats, or research species of animals that have been discovered, or have possibly become extinct. Pupils could be creative and design an animal with adaptations that suit the habitat in which it lives.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the word to its meaning.
Q2.Which of these factors are biotic?
Q3.What do animals need from their environment?
Q4.Who is correct?
Q5.How is this cactus adapted for the desert environment?
Q6.Having waxy leaves in an example of a adaptation.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the physical adaptations with how they help the animal to survive.
Q2.Which of these adaptations are behavioural?
Q3.Animals that are active at night are called?
Q4.Match the word to its meaning?
Q5.Which of the following are causing biodiversity loss?
Q6.How can humans can help to conserve animals?
To help you plan your 8 science lesson on: Animals are adapted for their environment, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 science lesson on: Animals are adapted for their environment, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 science lessons from the Biodiversity unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.