South View Primary SchoolScience elearning 2013Day 1

Adaptations in Animals

Adaptations are good for

Getting a meal

Avoid becoming a meal

Keeping warm or cool

Finding a mate

Raising offspring

Structural and Behavioral Adaptations

Structural adaptations are physical features of an organism like the bill on a bird or the fur on a bear.

Behavioral adaptations are the things organisms do to survive. For example, bird calls and migration are behavioral adaptations.

Adaptation in animals - For escaping predators

Hiding - using shells, burrows, holes

Adaptation in animals - For escaping predators

Defending – using spines, puff up

Adaptation in animals- For escaping predators

Body coverings – camouflage

Adaptation in animals - For escaping predators

Other ways – living in groups, have warning colours, move away quickly, appear like another organism

Adaptation in animals Coping with extreme temperatures

Cold environment- Have thick fur or feathers , thick layer of fat under skin

Hot environment – sweat and urinate very little, store fat in body, hide in shade or large trees

Adaptation in animals - for movement in water

May have swim bladder for staying afloat

May have flippers, fins or webbed feet

Streamlined body shape

Adaptation in animals - for movement in air

Feathers – have wings, flight muscles

Streamlined bodyHollow bones

Adaptation in animals – for breathing in water

Have gills, gill chambers, skin, breathing tube, air bubble, special nostril, blowing hole

Adaptation in animals - for breathing on land

Breathing holesNostrilsSkin

Adaptation in animals - for obtaining food

Hunt in pairs Adapted feet – claws

or talons Mouth – sharp

pointed teeth or fangs, hooked beak (eagle), straw like mouth (butterflies)

Keen eyesight

Why do camels have humps?

The camel’s humps help it to:

Stay cool Find water

Store food

energy

Why do zebras have stripes?

Adaptation In Man

Humans artificially adapt to extremes in their environment.

For example, coats in winter, sunglasses, air conditioners, heaters, sunscreen, etc..

Reading:

Adaptation notes.doc

Assignment : Build a Beast

Use the following notes to help you complete (a) and (b) Environment: Hot and dry. Diet: Mainly spiky plants Movement: Non-flying animal

a) Invent an animal that doesn’t exist, but that could survive. Decide where it lives and what it will eat. Draw in the adaptations that it needs to survive.

b) Write out in about 120 words, the characteristics and adaptation features that help the animal to survive in the habitat. You may refer to the drawing to help you.