v9 Adaptations

This Adaptations unit is designed to cover the Biological Sciences content areas for Year 5 students. Students explore the types of adaptations that organisms make in order to survive in their environment. They look at different biomes and the adaptations of the plants and animals in these biomes. They represent their findings through scientific diagrams and annotations. Students investigate the active times of different animals and learn terms including diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular and cathemeral. Students also research plant adaptations and the way that plants mimic the look of other things in order to survive. They explore how carnivorous plants have adapted to trap and digest their food, including pitcher plants. Students explore how plants survive catastrophic events, such as the Australian Banksia and bushfire survival. They look at the common types of seed dispersal and research one of their choice. At the end of the unit, students complete an information report on behavioural and physical adaptations of plants and animals.

6 x 1 hour lessons

Cross curriculum

29x resources/worksheets

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Curriculum content descriptions

Australian Curriculum - (QLD/SA/WA/NT/TAS/ACT)

AC9S5U01

Examine how particular structural features and behaviours of living things enable their survival in specific habitats

AC9S5H01

Examine why advances in science are often the result of collaboration or build on the work of others

AC9S5H02

Investigate how scientific knowledge is used by individuals and communities to identify problems, consider responses and make decisions

AC9S5I01

Pose investigable questions to identify patterns and test relationships and make reasoned predictions

AC9S5I04

Construct and use appropriate representations, including tables, graphs and visual or physical models, to organise and process data and information and describe patterns, trends and relationships

AC9S5I06

Write and create texts to communicate ideas and findings for specific purposes and audiences, including selection of language features, using digital tools as appropriate

ACSSU043

Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment

ACSHE081

Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and reflects historical and cultural contributions

ACSHE083

Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions

ACSIS231

With guidance, pose clarifying questions and make predictions about scientific investigations

ACSIS090

Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate

ACSIS218

Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations

ACSIS093

Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts

NSW

ST3-1WS-S

Plans and conducts scientific investigations to answer testable questions, and collects and summarises data to communicate conclusions

ST3-2DP-T

Plans and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity

ST3-4LW-S

Examines how the environment affects the growth, survival and adaptation of living things

ST3-5LW-T

Explains how food and fibre are produced sustainably in managed environments for health and nutrition

ST3-6MW-S

Explains the effect of heat on the properties and behaviour of materials

ST3-7MW-T

Explains how the properties of materials determines their use for a range of purposes

ST3-8PW-ST

Explains how energy is transformed from one form to another

ST3-9PW-ST

Investigates the effects of increasing or decreasing the strength of a specific contact or non-contact force

ST3-3DP-T

Defines problems, and designs, modifies and follows algorithms to develop solutions

ST3-11DI-T

Explains how digital systems represent data, connect together to form networks and transmit data

ST3-10ES-S

Explains regular events in the solar system and geological events on the Earth’s surface

VIC

VCSSU074

Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment

VCSSU073

Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to inform personal and community decisions and to solve problems that directly affect people’s lives

VCSIS082

With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be based on previous experiences or general rules

VCSIS085

Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to record, represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data

VCSIS086

Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations

VCSIS088

Communicate ideas and processes using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and to identify simple cause-and-effect relationships

Overview

The key concepts in this unit include:

Living things change to better suit their environment.
These changes can be either physical or behavioural.
Fascinating adaptations like camouflage and mimicry allow animals to perfectly suit their surroundings.
Plants also have physical adaptions which help them suit their environment, including methods of seed dispersal and water conservation.

Learning Intention

We are learning to understand that living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment.
We are learning to understand that living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment.