Animal Adaptations STEM Toolkit Lesson Plan

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Michael Freeborn, Matt Hildebrand, Dana Daisley

Title: Animal Adaptations

Time Frame: 1-2 Weeks

Stage 1 - Desired Results

Big Idea(s)
  1. Being able to identify and create physical and behavioral animal adaptations.


PA Core Standards / Next Generation Science Standards
T & E EducationScience EducationMathematics EducationComputer ScienceCEW

3-LS2-1.        Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.3-LS4-3.        Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.


Essential Questions
  • What are physical and behavioral adaptations?
  • How do adaptations allow an animal to survive in its environment?


Students Will KnowStudents Will Be Doing
  • What are adaptations
  • Physical
  • Behavioral
  • Learned Behaviors
  • Instinctive Behaviors
  • Identify adaptations animals have, that allow them to survive
  • Identify the difference between a physical and behavioral adaptation
  • Create an animal on Switchzoo.com made up of other animals with at least 3 adaptations
  • Create an animal with clay that has 3 adaptations
  • Create a habitat that your animal’s adaptations would allow it to survive in

Stage 2 - Evidence of Understanding

Assessments (Formative and Summative):Performance Task(s)
  • Informal Formative Assessments throughout unit (i.e. classroom observations, questioning)
  • Formal assessments on:
  • Animal Adaptations
  • Individual Course Summative Assessments
  • Clay animal creation project
  • Creating an animal using switch zoo and write a description of the animal
  • Create a diorama of the habitat needed for the animal to survive

Stage 3 - Lesson Learning Targets

Learning Activities:
  • Identify physical and behavioral adaptations
  • Tell the difference between a physical and behavioral adaptation
  • Tell the difference between learned and instinctive behaviors
  • Describe how adaptations allow them to survive

RESOURCES / LINKS

ActivitiesPresentationsAssessments


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