Curated OER
Animal Adaptations
Animal adaptations, such as camouflage, are high-interest topics that are easily integrated into both reading and math curriculum.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Adaptations – Designs for Survival
What's the difference between behavioral adaptations and physical adaptations? Learn about the various ways that organisms adapt to their environment with a worksheet about the creatures of the Hudson River.
Virginia Department of Education
Heat Loss from a Fur-Insulated Animal
How do animals adapt to weather changes? Provide your class with the ability to understand adaptations and body temperature as they participate in this hands on experiment, using fake fur and hot water. Pupils collect data and analyze...
National Wildlife Federation
Life in the Cold: Climate Challenges
What does it take to make it in the Arctic? Learners examine the cold weather adaptations of a polar bear that help it survive. With everyday objects, they model these characteristics as they become make-shift polar bears. Modeling helps...
Curated OER
Whose Home Is This?
After reading a short and informative paragraph on animals and their environments, learners look at pictures of four animals, and write a short description of how each one has adapted to its environment. A suggested activity is that each...
Curated OER
Animal Adaptations to the Cold
Student's explore the concept of animal adaptations. In this animal science lesson, students create insulated mittens and conduct an investigation with cold water. Students discuss the results and make connections to animals in the wild.
Curated OER
Animal Adaption to Environment
Students explore the concept of adaptation as a means of surviving in varied environments. They discuss human adaptations and then view slideshows and video that present animal adaptations in the following environments: cold regions,...
NOAA
Ocean Zones
How can organisms light up in water? Bioluminescence is light produced in a chemical reaction that can occur in an organism's body. First, learners determine what happens to light/color as you move into the deep ocean. In groups, they...
Umaine Museum of Art
Bony Fish Anatomy Worksheet
Take time to appreciate the beauty in the anatomy of animals with this cross-curricular art and science activity. After viewing examples of fish-themed artwork, children complete the included worksheet by labeling the different parts of...
Curated OER
Blubber Gloves
The ways that animals adapt to their environments is quite remarkable. In this life science lesson plan, fifth graders take a look at some of the ways that aquatic animals that live in Arctic or Antarctic waters survive. They perform an...
Curated OER
Functions of Animal Adaptations
In this animals worksheet, students are given a list of adaptation found in animals and they are to name the animal and give the functions. Students do this for 12 animals.
Curated OER
Academic Raceway: Animals
Race to the finish line with this interactive PowerPoint! Students must answer multiple choice questions about animals to get to the Winners' Circle. Tip: Have students play individually until they can get all of the questions correct.
American Museum of Natural History
What's This? Life at the Limits
There are some amazing ways species evolve to survive. From large ears to sneezing salt, learners read about these interesting adaptations in an interactive lesson. Great to supplement an in-class lesson, it also works well as a remote...
Curated OER
Biomes: Adapting To Deserts & Other Ecosystems
Students examine how animals must be adapted to the conditions of its environment to survive. In this biomes instructional activity students research desert adaptations then discuss how these animals have survived.
Polar Trec
Frozen Fish? Unique Adaptations of Antarctic Fish
Some fish contain proteins that act like antifreeze in order for them to live in the frigid waters of Antarctica! High schoolers determine how much antifreeze a fish needs to lower its body temp to -2.5 degrees. Teachers act as a...
Texas Instruments
How Do Pinnipeds Stay Warm?
Learners experiment to determine ways different types of insulation materials work. In this animal adaptation lesson, they make hand coverings from plastic bags, shortening, feathers, and wool. They observe effects of these insulating...
ARKive
Animal over Winter
Gosh those polar regions can get cold. So, how do the animals that live there survive the long winters? Learners explore how animals adapted to survive harsh wintry conditions by completing a worksheet and comparing animal survival...
American Museum of Natural History
Ocean Creature Feature
From coloring to hard protective shells, ocean creatures have adaptation features that help them survive. An eight-question online quiz highlights different ocean animals and their unique characteristics. The resource then offers pop-up...
Curated OER
Hibernation
Explain the process behind animal hibernation. This text-rich presentation provides clear information related to weather, animal behaviors, and their coping mechanisms.
NOAA
Individual Species in the Deep Sea
A tube worm's outer covering is made of chitin, the same material that makes up the shells of lobsters and crabs. Scholars create tube worms and analyze and discuss the longevity of organisms living near cold seeps. They then discuss and...
Curated OER
What Class Are You In?
Classifying animals has never been this much fun! Pupils discuss the animal groups, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds, and also identify their characteristics. Then, they take pictures of animals and classify them in a group...
Curated OER
Bats: Need Nectar, Will Travel
Beginning wildlife biologists become adult bats, baby bats, snakes, owls, bobcats, or land-clearing developers in a grand role-playing activity. In a large open space, they play a game in which they move to designated areas based on what...
Curated OER
Snug in the Snow
Young scholars explore how snow helps animals survive in the wild. In this animal science lesson, students review key vocabulary words and discuss types of animal adaptations. Young scholars construct shoebox to simulate the snowy...
Curated OER
Woolybear Adaptations
In this animal adaptation worksheet, learners answer three short essay questions about the adaptation of the woolybear caterpillar. This worksheet appears to be related to an unknown short film but may be completed without it.