Lesson Title: Adaptations of Animals and Plants
Connector: Questions on prior Answers:
learning linked to todays
lesson: 1. Population: is the number of a particular
1. Define the terms: population,
distribution and abundance.
2. How might abiotic factors be
measured?
3. What do the words: range, mean,
median and mode mean?
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species living in a habitat
Abundance: is the measure of how common or
rare a particular type of organism is in a given
environment
Distribution is where particular types of
organisms are found within an environment
2. thermometer, temperature/pH probe, light
meter, satellites
3. Range is the maximum and minimum values
for the independent or dependent variables.
Mean is the arithmetical average of a series of
numbers
Median is the middle value in a list of numbers
Mode is the value which occurs most often in a
set of data
 Learning Outcomes
Aiming for Grade 8
• Suggest structural, behavioural or functional adaptations.

• Explain and illustrate how surface area to volume ratio is linked to maintaining the correct body temperature.

• Discuss how and why climate change is affecting the distribution of animals.

• Explain how an unfamiliar plant is adapted and give reasons for its adaptations.

• Link and explain rate of transpiration to leaf surface.

• Suggest and explain why a cactus would not survive in a cold climate.

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The section of your Checklist we are
covering today

03/26/2021
 Key Adaptations in Animals
Facts
• Organisms have features (adaptations) that enable them to survive
in the conditions which they normally live. These adaptations may
be structural, behavioural or functional.

• Animal structural adaptations may be: the shape or colour of the

organism.

• Animal behavioural adaptations may be: migration patterns,

basking to absorb energy and tool use.

• Animal functional adaptations may be related to processes such as

reproduction or metabolism; such as antifreeze in cells or delayed
implantation.
 PR EPA RE Adaptations
• IDENTIFY the habitats these
animals live in.
1
• DESCRIBE an adaptation they
have.

• EXPLAIN how their adaptation

helps survival.
2 3
 SH AR E Animal Adaptations
• Animals can survive in a variety of
different habitats (arctic, desert, ocean,
etc).

• Animals can do these because they have

specific adaptations that help them
survive.

• Depending on their natural habitat,

animals display a wide variety of physical
features that help their survival.

• One of the easiest comparisons to make is

desert animals vs. arctic animals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX8VQIJVpTg
 SH AR E Animal Adaptations
• Adaptations fall into one of three categories.
1. Structural
Features of an organisms body structure – such as
shape or colour.

2. Behavioural
The ways the organism behaves – such as migration
or hibernation to avoid the conditions of cold
climates.

3. Functional
These are the things that go on inside an organisms
body that are related to processes like reproduction
and metabolism – such as enzymes with high
optimum temperatures for organisms that live in
deserts.
SH AR E Animal Adaptations
Surface Area to Volume Ratio
 TA S K 1 Animal Adaptations
• Complete your sheet and
treasury-tag it in your books.

• Identify the habitat the animal

lives in (e.g. Arctic, desert,
ocean, etc). Habitat:
Grasslands / desert (hot)

• Describe a feature that makes Adaptation:

Large ears – this helps elephants
them adapted to that habitat. lose heat from the body quickly
(larger surface area).

• Explain how it makes them Trunk – allows elephant to suck up

water and spray water over body to
adapted to the habitat. cool down.
 TA S K 1 Answers

Camel (desert, hot)

Sand colour, to camouflage Use rocks and sticks to open Wings are fin-shaped to
fruits and get to insects allow them to swim.
Wide flat feet, to prevent
them from sinking into the Flexible toes and joints to Have large fat-stores to
sand help them climb trees. protect from the cold.
TA S K 1
Spotted pattern allows
camouflage in foliage.
Long legs allow for fast running
to escape predators.
Answers
Long necks allow them to reach
fresh new leaves at the top of
trees.
Long legs allow for fast running
to escape predators.
 TA S K 1 Answers

Have really good eye sight to Have really good sense of

White fur allows them to be
track and hunt prey. smell to track and hunt
camouflaged in the snow.
prey.
Have powerful legs muscles
Have large fat-stores to
that lets them pounce on Are streamlined in shape to
protect from the cold.
their prey. help them swim quickly.
DISC
U SS Animal Adaptations
Back2Back Game
• 6 images will come up.

• Person 1 - without saying the name of the animal or

the habitat – you need to explain how it is adapted.

• Person 2 must guess the animal and habitat.

• Hands up when finished.

Polar Bear
Camel
Penguin
Leopard
Arctic Fox
Giraffe
 EX A M Animal Adaptations
HINT
• The exam will ask you about an
unfamiliar animal.

• Just because you haven’t been taught

about every animal (axolotl) that might
come up – it doesn’t mean you can’t
answer the question.

• Apply the understanding of HABITAT

and ADAPTATIONS.
TAS K 2 Animal Adaptations
REV I EW Animal Adaptations
• In pairs, answer the different level of challenge
practice exam questions on animal adaptations.

• 9 questions.

• Think… WHY does a certain habitat require

certain adaptations?
 Key Adaptations in Plants
Facts
• Organisms have features (adaptations) that enable them to
survive in the conditions which they normally live. These
adaptations may be structural, behavioural or functional.

• Surface area to volume ratio in the leaves of plants is very

important when it comes to stopping water loss through the
leaves.

• Root systems adapt depending on the environment – these can

be shallow and extensive roots in dry conditions.

• Storing water is also essential for plants in dry conditions.

 SH AR E Plant Adaptations
• Plants adapt to different
conditions.

• Plants can survive in many

different conditions over the
world. (Arctic tundra, grasslands,
in water, woodlands and deserts).

• Understanding how plants reduce

water loss is essential for your
exams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6L3korqXb4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/plant-adaptations-extreme-cold/5506.html
 SH AR E Plant Adaptations
• The rate at which a plant loses water is linked to
the conditions in which it grows.

• Plants in hot dry conditions photosynthesise and

respire quickly – resulting in quick loss of water
vapour.

• Adaptations to survive involve reducing their

surface area to minimise water loss or storing
water in their tissues (cacti).

• Read page 272 – 273 and make notes on changing

surface area, collecting water and storing water.
 TA S K 3 Plant Adaptations
• Draw this table and complete it to describe how plants
are adapted to 5 different habitats.

• Use the information booklet to help you.

Habitat Description of How is the Drawing of
Habitat plant the plant.
adapted?
 SH AR E Plant Adaptations
• Transpiration: the loss of water
vapour from the leaves of plants
through the stomata. It involves
evaporation from the surface of the
cells and diffusion through the
stomata.

• A potometer is used to measure the

uptake of water by the roots (water
replaces what evaporates). It can
be used to measure the rate of
transpiration.

• Different plants in different habitats

have different rates of transpiration.
TA S K 4 Plant Adaptations
• Draw a graph and compare the transpiration rates of
the three plants.
• Suggest how the rate of transpiration links to their
habitat.
 EX A M Plant Adaptations
HINT
• The exam will ask you about an
unfamiliar plant.

• Just because you haven’t been taught

about every plant (Joshua tree) that
might come up– it doesn’t mean you
can’t answer the question.

• Apply the understanding of HABITAT and

ADAPTATIONS.
TA S K 5 Plant Adaptations
 Key Adapted to Survive
Facts
• Organisms have features (adaptations) that enable them to
survive in the conditions which they normally live. These
adaptations may be structural, behavioural or functional.

• Some organisms live in environments that are extreme, such

as at high temperatures, pressure or salt concentration.
These organisms are called extremophiles. Bacteria living in
deep sea vents are extremophiles.
TH I N K Adapt and Survive

Make a list of the extreme environments

humans can survive in.
 SH AR E Adapt and Survive
• The Earth has a wide range of
environmental conditions – hot, arid deserts
to Arctic tundra's.

• Everywhere on Earth you will find living

organisms capable of surviving and
reproducing in the most hostile of
environments.

• Organisms need specific things to survive.

Plants need to photosynthesise (carbon
dioxide, water, light), animals need to
obtain food and find a mate.
 SH AR E Adapt and Survive

• Extremophiles are micro-

organisms that live in extreme
habitats.

• They have specific adaptations that

make them suited to an extreme
habitat.

• They have different names

depending on the habitat they live
in e.g. halophiles thrive in salty
environments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3GF3PFNx8Y
 TA S K 6 Adapt and Survive
• Complete the table matching the type of extremophile to
the habitat they live in and specific adaptations.

• Use page 269 to help if needed.

• Once matched up – use an image to help you remember

each extremophile.
 TAS K 4 Answers
Name of Habitat it lives in How it is adapted for its
extremophile environment
Thermophile Hot environments e.g. hot Has proteins that are thermal
springs, volcanoes stable i.e. proteins can withstand
high temperatures.
Cryophile Extremely cold Has a cell membrane rich in lipids
environments (fats) that stops them stiffening in
the cold.
Halophile Salty environments Has a special cell wall and can
control the movement of salts into
it.
Acidophile Acidic environments Can pump out H+ ions back into the
environment.
Metallotolerant Environments rich in heavy Bacteria pump out heavy metals or
metals turn them into less dangerous
forms.
Radioresistant Radioactive environments Has several copies of its DNA and
e.g Chernobyl has lots of DNA-repairing enzymes
DISC
U SS Adapt and Survive
• Each card has the name of a
certain extremophile on.

• Find out about the

extremophile using the prompt
questions on the card.

• Produce a simple fact sheet

with an image and stick in your
books.
 TA S K 7 Adapt and Survive

• Watch the BBC clip on ‘The Life of the

Blister Beetle’ – an example of an
extremophile.

Answer the following questions:

1. Why is the habitat extreme?
2. Why is getting food difficult?
3. How are the larvae adapted to find
food?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ8h1YBTSvE
 A PP LY Adapt and Survive
• Organisms live in lots of extreme
environments: inside a volcano, top of
Mt. Everest, bottom of the ocean, surface
of Mars.

• Pick any extreme habitat and apply your

understand of adaptations to….

• TASK: Design an organism to survive

there, label the adaptations and explain
how they help it survive.
REV I E W Key Word Scrabble

• Come up with a key

word you can relate to
today’s lesson.

• Aim to have the highest

score for a small prize!!

• Extension – write a
definition of your key
word.