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Subject Matter:
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Science
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Grade Levels:
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4-6, but may be adapted to other grade
levels
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Time Allotment:
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Two 45-minute class sessions
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Overview
Why do animals look a certain way? How do the features of an animal
help it survive? Through activities presented in this lesson, students
will gain an understanding of adaptation, why animals look the way
they do and how adaptation helps animals to survive.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Define the term "adaptation."
- Complete a field study of an animal.
- Describe how adaptations help an organism survive in its environment.
Oregon Standards Available at:
http://www.ode.state.or.us/cifs
Science - Diversity/Interdependence
- Describe how adaptations help species survive.
Media Components
Video
Check the link at http://www.opb.org/edmedia/trs/
to find access to the video(s) from unitedstreaming™ referenced
in this lesson plan.
- "Animals Around Us: Animal Adaptations: What Are They?"
(14:00)
- Clip: "Adaptations: Features that Help Animals
Survive" (02:26)
- Clip: "Examples of Animal Adaptations"
(04:38)
- "American Deserts: Life in the Desert" (10:00)
- Clip: "Animal Adaptations to Desert Conditions"
(02:24)
- "Junior Oceanographer: The Life in the Sea" (17:06)
- Clip: "What are Some Special Ocean Adaptations?"
(04:50)
Web
- American Field Guide: Animal Index
This site contains an index of animal video clips, including amphibians,
birds, fish, insects, mammals and reptiles. Students can use these
video clips to complete field observations of animals to which
they may not normally have access.
http://www.pbs.org/americanfieldguide/topics/animals/../index.html
- NOVA Online: Leopards of the Night: Seeing Through Camouflage
This is an interactive site that offers a camouflage category
matching game. The game has a grid with four categories of camouflage
(concealing coloration, disruptive coloration, disguise and mimicry).
As students drag a photo of an animal to its correct camouflage
category, a description of how the animal uses that type of camouflage
is given.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/leopards/seeinggame.html
- Family Education Network: Animal Adaptations E-Safaris
This is an interactive site that offers features of animal adaptations
in clue format; students then try to guess which animal is described.
They then click on a link that displays a picture of the animal.
As of March 1, 2003, animals #1, 4 and 5 have links that function
correctly.
http://www.fen.com/studentactivities/CCCNet/sciencelab/Animals/AnimalAdapts.html
Materials
For Introductory Activity:
- Scissors, cups and other tools you want students to try to use
without their thumbs
For Each Student:
- An Animal Adaptation Field Observation Sheet (located at end
of lesson plan)
- Notebook paper
- Pencil or pen
Prep for Teachers
Prior to teaching this lesson, bookmark all of the Web sites used
in the lesson on each computer in your classroom.
Make enough copies of the Animal Adaptation Field Observation Sheet
for each student in the class.
Download the video clips onto the computer you will use to project
the clips for the classroom presentation. Be certain each computer
in the classroom has a copy of the free Windows Media Player installed
(some clips aren't available for use with QuickTime Player).
When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction,
a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during
or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia
elements.
Introductory Activity
Step 1: Ask students to study their own hands. Ask them
what features of their hands help them in everyday living. (Students
should mention fingers and thumb.) Explain to the students that
humans have an opposable thumb, and such thumbs are an adaptation
that helps humans with survival skills.
Step 2: Ask students to try to perform tasks without using
their thumbs. (Tasks may include writing, opening the door and window,
using scissors, drinking from a cup and tying shoes. You may wish
to divide the class, and have half try the tasks with one hand and
the other half with both hands.) Have students tell which tasks
were difficult to complete and explain how they managed to complete
these tasks without their thumbs. (Student answers will vary; some
tasks they can complete with fingers only and others they may not
have been able to complete at all.)
Step 3: Tell students that, as was mentioned earlier, the
opposable thumb is an adaptation that helps humans complete tasks.
Ask students if they can define the term "adaptation."
(Answers will vary. If your students cannot define the term, explain
to the students that adaptations are the special characteristics
or features that help living things survive in the area in which
they live.)
Step 4: Explain to the students that in this lesson they
will be examining animal adaptations. They will explore why animals
look the way they do.
Learning Activities
Step 1: Explain to the students that they will be examining
the concept of animal adaptations by watching video clips. Provide
students with a Focus for Media Interaction, asking them
to watch for the definition of adaptation and what adaptation features
are mentioned for the turtle. Play the video clip, "Adaptation
Features that Help Animals Survive" (02:26), from the video,
"Animals Around Us: Animal Adaptations: What Are They?"
(14:00)
Step 2: Ask students to recall the definition for adaptation.
(Students should say adaptations are the special features that help
animals survive.) Ask students for some examples of how the turtle
in the video had adapted. (Students should mention that the turtle
has paddle feet to help move through the water, and the turtle's
eyes and nostrils are on the top of its head to help it breathe
and see with only a small part of its body out of the water.)
Step 3: Tell students they are going to watch another video
clip. Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction,
asking them to take note of physical adaptations (how animals look)
and behavioral adaptations (how animals act). Play the video
clip, "Examples of Animal Adaptations" (04:38), from the
video, "Animals Around Us: Animal Adaptations: What Are They?"
(14:00)
Step 4: Ask students for the examples of physical adaptations
from the video clip. (Students will mention camouflage, blending
and teeth.) Have students tell how these adaptations help animals.
(Answers will vary, but students should mention that the color helps
animals hide from predators and the teeth help animals get the food
they need.)
Step 5: Ask students for examples of how behavior is influenced
by adaptation. (Students will mention that some animals stay together
in large groups, herds, to keep safe.)
Step 6: Tell students they are going to watch another video
of animal adaptations in the desert. Ask students to predict what
adaptations they think desert animals might need. (Answers will
vary, but should include information about staying cool, and getting
food and water.) Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction,
asking them to watch for special features of desert animals that
help them survive. Play the video clip, "Animal Adaptations
to Desert Conditions" (02:24), from the video, "American
Deserts: Life in the Desert" (10:00).
Step 7: Ask students to tell what special features desert
animals have that help them adapt to their surroundings. (Students
will point out the activity level, activity times, mobility and
homes of the animals.)
Step 8: Tell students they are going to watch one more video
clip that shows how animals adapt to ocean life. Ask students to
predict what features ocean creatures need to survive. (Answers
will vary, but should include information about breathing, color/camouflage
and behavior.) Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction,
asking them to watch for adaptation features of ocean creatures.
Play the video clip, "What are Some Special Ocean Adaptations?
(04:50), from the video, "Junior Oceanographer: The Life of
the Sea" (17:06).
Step 9: Ask students to tell some of the adaptation features
ocean animals have. (Answers will vary, but should include body
shape, color/camouflage and body functions.)
Culminating Activity
Step 1: Review with the students some main adaptation features
of animals and make a list of these features on the overhead or
chalkboard. (The list should include color/camouflage, body shape
and body functions.)
Step 2: Have students log on to the NOVA Online Web site
at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/leopards/seeinggame.html.
As a Focus for Media Interaction, ask students to complete
the activity of matching the animal pictures to their correct categories
of camouflage. Tell students to think about how each form of camouflage
helps the animals to adapt and survive in their environments. Challenge
students to time themselves and see how quickly they can put the
animals in the correct camouflage categories.
Step 3: Tell students that they will have the opportunity
to complete a field observation of an animal, noting special features
of that animal. Hand out the Animal Adaptation Field Observation
Sheet to each student.
Step 4: Have students log on to the American Field Guide:
Animal Index Web site at http://www.pbs.org/americanfieldguide/topics/animals/../index.html.
Tell students that they can choose one of the following links for
their field study:
- Mammals - Oregon mountain lions
- Reptiles - rattlesnake
- Birds - peregrine falcon
As a Focus for Media Interaction, explain to the students
that they need to watch the clip of their animal and fill out as
much information about the animal's adaptations as possible. Allow
students time to complete the field study.
Step 5: As an assessment, have students write a paragraph
summary of their field study. Their summary should include both
physical and behavioral characteristics of their animal's adaptations
and an explanation of how the adaptations helped this animal.
Cross-Curricular Extensions
Writing/Language Arts
Art/Language Arts
- Have students create a new animal using ink pens or paint. Then
have students write an essay describing where this animal lives
and what special features help it to adapt to its environment.
Community Connections
- Have students complete a field observation of an animal they
can see at home. They may choose domestic pets, insects, birds,
etc.
- Invite a speaker from the local zoo or aquarium to come talk
to the class about how enclosures are designed to meet the needs
of the species' adaptations.
Animal Adaptation Field Observation
Animal Observed: _____________________________________________________________
Date: ________________ Time: ____________________
Location: ____________________________________________________________________
Weather Conditions: ___________________________________________________________
Adaptations You Observed (include information on color, body shape,
body functions and animal activity):
How the Adaptations Help This Animal:
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