Subject: Humanities

Topic: Ecosystems

Standard: VII

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 Learning Objective
To learn how different plants and animals have adapted to the
extreme climatic conditions.

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 Success Criteria

ALL OF YOU will be able to give some examples

ALL MUST of plants and animal adaptations.

Most should MOST OF YOU will be to list some of the

adaptations by those plants and animals.

SOME OF YOU will be able to design an

Some could animal that has adapted to live in a specific
ecosystem.

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 Starter

What is the link between these animals?

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 Habitats and adaptations

A habitat:
The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or
other organism.

Adaptation:
Each animal has a body and a life-style which helps it
live where it does.
Each is adapted to its habitat – their special features are
called adaptations.

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 Today, we will look at
some of adaptations of
plants and animals in
Desert Biome and Tundra
Biome

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 Camel’s adaptations

How many
adaptations can
you think of for a
camel?

There are at least

eight!

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 Two rows of eye
lashes to protect
against blowing sand
and the sun.

Nostrils can be
closed tight to
prevent
blowing sand.

Thick leathery patches

on its knees to protect
it from getting burnt
when it kneels on hot
sand.

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 Fat stored in
hump to allow it
to survive for
many days
without food and
water. Starving
camels may lose
their humps as
they use up the Long, strong
reserves of fat! legs to carry
it across the
desert and
Broad flat keep body
leathery pads on away from
its feet to prevent hot sand.
it sinking into the
sand.

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 Thick fur and
under wool to
prevent loss of
heat at night
and insulates
against the
extreme heat of
the day.

Camels are good at preventing

water loss from their bodies:
• they only begin to sweat when
their bodies reach 40ºC
• their kidneys produce urine with
low water content
• their dung is also very dry

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 Let’s watch video
https://
www.youtube.com/embe
d/LBqWlr6v6r8

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 Individual work: Look at these plants and animals. Describe
how it is adapted to living in the desert. (Guess work)

1.
2. 3.

Long-eared Jerboa: Gobi Desert

The Thorny Devil:
Great Victoria Desert
4.
5.
Saguaro Cactus:
Sonoran Desert

Old Man Cactus: Chichuahuan

Desert Bactrian Camel: Gobi Desert
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 Individual work: Look at these plants and animals. Describe
how it is adapted to living in the desert. (Guess work)

Look at worksheet 2 to
check if your guesses
were right?

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 Polar bear’s adaptations

How many key

features can you
think of for a
Polar Bear?
There are at
least 7!

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 The fine under
hair helps to
provide
insulation for a
polar bear in the
extreme cold of
its Arctic
habitat.

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 The outer hairs form a
layer that protects the
inner fur from getting
wet when the polar
bear is in the ocean.
The outer hairs are
hollow and always
have air trapped inside
them. This helps keep
the polar bear warm.
After a swim they give
a quick shake and
their fur is virtually
dry.

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 Polar bear’s adaptations

Polar bears are

excellent swimmers.
They can spend many
days at sea swimming
long distances in
search of food.
They are fairly
buoyant and float
well with their heads
held above the water
looking for seals.

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 Polar bear’s adaptations

They have large

feet, allowing their
heavy load (weight)
to be spread out
making it easier for
them to walk on
the snow and ice.

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 Polar bear’s adaptations

Polar bears have

an excellent
sense of smell.
Females are able
to smell through
three feet of
snow and over a
half mile away.

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 Polar bear’s adaptations

The white fur of

the polar bear acts
as camouflage
against the snow
and ice, allowing
them to blend into
their environment
and sneak up on
their prey.

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 The skin of the
polar bear is
actually black.
Its white fur
allows light to
reach the skin
underneath and
the dark skin
absorbs the heat
from the sun
keeping the polar
bear warm.

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 Some animals have taken
adaptation to extremes…

Can you guess

the animal?

• Watch video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86vxQdIS4Qo
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 Task:
Design an animal that has adapted to live in a specific ecosystem.
Your animal must:
• have at least five adaptations specific to your environment
• not resemble other existing animals
• have adaptations that are sensible and justifiable.

You will be asked to present your animal to the rest of the class.

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 Can be of any of these ecosystems...

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