Day 1 Introduction to animal adaptations SOL 4.5 a,d
Materials: interactive notebooks, pencils
Objectives- Students will:
Recognize the importance of adaptations for animal survival
Define structural adaptation
Define behavioral adaptation
Identify behavioral and structural adaptations using several animal examples
To begin the unit on animal adaptations, introduce what an adaptation is why it is important. "Humans make survival look pretty easy. When we're hungry we go to the store and cook food, when we're cold we put on more clothes or blankets, when we want to say dry from the rain, we stay inside, when we want to go somewhere we use a bike, car, or airplane. Other animals don't have these types of things to survive. They have to rely on the way their body is made and how they behave in order to survive. If a zebra is hungry, it can't go to the store. If a polar bear is cold, it can't go put on a sweater. Animals instead have to rely on their adaptations to survive in their habitat. There are 2 main types of adaptations- structural and behavioral. (Write on information on board and have students copy on right side of interactive notebook:) 1. Structural adaptations are the way an animal is built to survive in its environment. 2. Behavioral adaptations are the way an animal behaves in order to survive in its environment." Then, watch the Animal Adaptation video from the Scholastic Study Jam site. Before the students watch the video, write the following questions on the board. Have the students answer the questions on the right side of the interactive notebook while watching the video: (pause the video at times, if needed)
1. What is one structural adaptation of the monarch butterfly?
2. What are three types of animals that migrate?
3. Do animal adaptations occur quickly or slowly over time?
4. Give 2 examples of animals that use camouflage.
Review the answers together after the video.
If time or for homework: On the left side of the notebook, write down three animals that were not in the video. Using prior knowledge, students should list at least 2 adaptations for each animal. They can be structural or behavioral. Illustrate your animals. If needed, students can find the information from books, magazines, internet, etc.
The monarch butterfly uses structural and behavioral adaptations to survive.