ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS RESOURCE PACK - (KS1 & KS2)
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS
RESOURCE PACK
(KS1 & KS2)
This pack has been designed to assist educators in teaching students about
animal adaptations. This resource pack includes activities and
worksheets, that can be used to teach or reinforce concepts. Activities and
worksheets can be used individually within lessons, however also
complement one another. The activities in this resource pack are targeted
at students in KS1 & KS2, however can be modified to be used for other
age groups.
1
CONTENTS
CONTENTS PAGE
GLOSSARY 3
LEARN: Why do animals have adaptations? 4
ACTIVITY/ LEARN: Where do wild cats live? 5-7
ACTIVITY: Draw the cats habitat 8-11
ACTIVITY: Wild cat hide and seek 12-14
GROUP ACTIVITY: Camouflaging tiger’s 15
GROUP ACTIVITY: Nocturnal predators 16
LEARN: Wild cat adaptations 17-19
ACTIVITY: Who’s eye’s? 20
ACTIVITY: Who’s ears? 21
ACTIVITY: Who’s paws? 22
ACTIVITY: Who’s tail? 23
GROUP ACTIVITY: Who am I? 24
ACTIVITY: Comparing adaptations 25
ACTIVITY: Cheetah adaptations 26-28
ACTIVITY: Snow Leopard adaptations 29-31
ACTIVITY: Create your own animal! 32
2
GLOSSARY
WORD DEFINITION
Adaptations A feature of an animal (or plant) that helps it survive in a
specific habitat or lifestyle.
Habitat The place an animal lives (e.g. savannah, rainforest, etc.).
Camouflage Colours and patterns that help an animal blend into its
surrounding.
Ecosystem The complex community of interacting plants and animals in
a specific habitat.
Species A group of animals that have similar characteristics and can
produce offspring.
Evolve How animals change over long periods of time by getting
characteristics in their bodies or in the way they behave that
Predator An animal that hunts and eats other animals.
Prey An animal that is eaten by other animals.
Communication The sharing or exchange of information.
Rainforest A dense evergreen forest, mostly found in tropical areas,
that receives a large amount of rain all year long.
Forest An area of land covered mainly with trees.
Savannah A flat plain covered with grass and few trees. Savannahs are
found in Africa and other tropical regions.
Mangrove Forest Important ecosystems that are found on the shorelines of
tropical oceans. A mangrove, is a tree that does not bury its
roots. Instead it sits on top of them above the soil.
Tundra A cold and treeless plain where harsh conditions make it
hard for plants and animals alike to survive.
Wetlands Low-lying land either covered by or saturated with water,
such as a marsh or swamp.
Nocturnal Active at night.
Diurnal Active in the day.
Retractable Claws Claws that can be drawn into the paws or extended.
3
LEARN: Why do animals have adaptations?
Every animal has a unique ecosystem where they live, this is its habitat. Each ecosystem has all
the basic needs for an animal to survive. These basic needs are: food, water, shelter and a safe
space to breed. Animal’s are happiest in their natural habitat as they have adapted to survive
there. An adaptation is a modification or change in an animals body or behaviour that helps it to
survive. Adaptations take a very long time to develop and this is part of how species
evolve-it’s taken many years of new generations of animals being born with characteristics that
have suited their habitat better. Adaptations can be lots of different things, but usually fall into
one of the following groups:
• Structural – parts of animals inner and outer bodies that have helped them adapt to
their environment, for example a leopards long tail to help it balance when climbing.
• Behavioural – things that animals do that make life a lot easier in their habitat, such as
lions living in a pride to help hunt large prey.
Here are some reasons an animal may need to adapt:
• To adjust to the temperature of their environment (hot or cold)
• To help it move around its habitat– will the animal need to climb, swim, fly, burrow, etc.
• To help it hunt or find food
• To prevent it from being hunted by predators or hide from other dangers
• To find a mate
• To adjust to a loss of habitat
Camouflage is one example of how animals adapt to their environment.
Camouflage is an adaptation which allows animals to blend in with certain aspects of their
environment and this is why many big cats have different colours and patterns.
There are two main reasons wild cats need to camouflage:
1. To hide from their prey, allowing them to hunt.
2. To hide from potential threats, such as other large predators.
Here are some examples of the colours and patterns we see in different wild cat species to help
them camouflage with their environment:
TIGER SNOW LEOPARD JAGUAR FISHING CAT
4
ACTIVITY/ LEARN: Where do wild cats live?
Cats have adapted to live on nearly every continent across the globe, illustrated on the
map below. Use this as a guide to help students place wild cats in their natural habitats.
First ask students to place different habitat types around the globe. You may want to first
label the continents on your map, and ask students to colour in the map to show hot and
cold habitats. On the next page are some key habitat types for students to place on the
print out map (page 7). You can use all the habitat types or select a few from the attached
list, dependent on the age and ability of your group. The students can either cut out and
stick each habitat type to the map, or write the habitat type on the map.
Once habitats have been placed on the map, ask students to put the wild cats in their
correct habitat, as well as their correct location on the map. Students may have to think
about where else around the world you might find the same habitat types to
put each wild cat species in the correct location. Ask students to think about what that
animal looks like and any key adaptations whilst they are working out where to place each
species. You may want to show the students a few pictures of each animal so they can
better identify these adaptations. Students may be able to easily place some of the
animals, but struggle with some of the less known wild cats. Ask students research and
find out where each wild cat lives, with older students researching which countries each
animal is found in. Fact files for all wild cats are available to download in the learning
resources section of The Big Cat Sanctuary's website.
LYNX LEOPARD
PUMA
TIGER
SNOW
JAGUAR CHEETAH LEOPARD
LION
5
ACTIVITY: Where do wild cats live?
HABITAT TYPES:
RAINFOREST/ JUNGLE SAVANNAH MOUNTAIN
OCEAN WETLAND FOREST/ WOODLAND
MANGROVE FORESTS CITY TUNDRA
WILD CAT SPECIES
TIGER LION
LEOPARD CHEETAH
SNOW LEOPARD PUMA
JAGUAR
6
ACTIVITY: Where do wild cats live?
WORLD MAP
7
ACTIVITY: Draw the cats habitat
Below is a picture of a Tiger. In the box below, draw the habitat the Tiger is found in and then
draw on the pattern which helps it to camouflage in its habitat.
8
ACTIVITY: Draw the cats habitat
Below is a picture of a Lion. In the box below, draw the habitat the Lion is found in and then
draw on the pattern which helps it to camouflage in its habitat.
9
ACTIVITY: Draw the cats habitat
Below is a picture of a Snow Leopard. In the box below, draw the habitat the Snow Leopard is
found in and then draw on the pattern which helps it to camouflage in its habitat.
10ACTIVITY: Draw the cats habitat
Below is a picture of a Jaguar. In the box below, draw the habitat the Jaguar is found in and
then draw on the pattern which helps it to camouflage in its habitat.
11ACTIVITY: Wild cat hide and seek!
In the image below is a hidden wild cat. Can you find the wild cats hidden in their
natural habitats and win the game of hide and seek?
FIND THE HIDDEN SNOW LEOPARD
12ACTIVITY: Wild cat hide and seek!
In the image below is a hidden wild cat. Can you find the wild cats hidden in their
natural habitats and win the game of hide and seek?
FIND THE HIDDEN AFRICAN LEOPARD
13ACTIVITY: Wild cat hide and seek!
In the image below is a hidden wild cat. Can you find the wild cats hidden in their
natural habitats and win the game of hide and seek?
FIND THE HIDDEN PUMA
14GROUP ACTIVITY: Camouflaging Tiger’s
All wild cats have effective camouflage and each species is unique in the way it looks. Tiger’s have very
obvious markings on their body, however these markings help them to camouflage into their
surroundings, helping them when hunting prey. Before starting this activity ensure your class understands
what the word ‘camouflage’ means. Once you have introduced the topic to your students follow the steps
below:
1) Give each student a blank tiger that they will colour in. You can use our template at the bottom of
the page, or find your own. Students are going to be hiding their tiger in the classroom for
the class to find, however it can not be hidden behind/ inside anything, it must be stuck on or
placed on top of something in the classroom.
2) Ask your students to have a look around the classroom and think about where they could ’hide’ their
tiger. Students will need to camouflage their tiger to make sure it blends in with its
surroundings. Ask students to decorate their tiger so it can be hidden somewhere in the classroom.
They can use any colours available and any pattern that comes to mind.
3) Once all your students have completed their tiger ask them to line up outside of the classroom. One
at a time, let your students into the classroom to place their tiger in a hiding place. Remind students
that you must be able to see their tiger without moving anything.
4) Once every student has hidden their tiger, let the whole class back into the classroom to find the
hidden tigers! Allow students to search for one minute.
5) Remind the students of the following rules:
- Students must not tell each other their hiding places when colouring in their tigers.
- When students are hiding their tiger, remind them that you must be able to see it without
moving anything.
- When students are hiding their tiger they MUST NOT search for other hidden tigers.
6) Once you have allowed the students to search for one minute, gather the class. Discuss the
following points:
- Which tigers weren’t found by the class?
- Why were these tigers still hidden?
- Of the tigers that were found, are there any similarities?
- What other conclusions do students draw about camouflage after trying to hide tigers?
15GROUP ACTIVITY: Nocturnal Predators
A lot of wild cats are nocturnal predators, with very few hunting in the day. Because of this they have to
rely on senses, other than just their sight. Wild cat species have much better hearing than humans, and
can hear different frequencies to what we can. The prey of wild cats have also had to adapt to avoid
becoming prey to these predators. Both predator and prey will communicate to other individuals of their
species in unique ways, another essential adaptation for nocturnal animals.
Before starting this activity ensure your class are familiar with the following keywords: nocturnal, predator,
prey and communication. You can find the definition for these words in the glossary at the beginning of
your resource pack. Next follow the steps below:
1) The students are going to pretend to be animals that communicate through sound. Explain to your
class that they will all be wearing masks so are going to have to rely on their sense of hearing
throughout this activity. Most of your students will be prey animals, but a couple of students will be
predators.
2) Explain to the class that every student who is a prey animal is going to have a secret partner, who is
the same animal as they are. The aim of the activity is for the prey animals to make their unique
sound and find their partner before being caught by a predator.
3) Hand out masks to all of your students. Mark out boundaries of the activity zone and choose ‘safe’
and ‘captured’ areas. Then run through the following rules with the group:
- Everyone can move around the activity zone but no running is allowed.
- No taking off your mask and peeking!
- If you are tagged by a predator you must take off your mask and move to the captured area.
Predators must be certain the prey knows they have been caught.
- If prey animals find their secret partner, they can take off their mask and move to the ‘safe’
area for the rest of that round.
4) To set up the activity ask students to stand in a large circle and hand each an animal card with
animal calls written on, reminding students to not show anyone else their card. Hand a couple of
students a predator card.
5) Ask all students to put their masks on and to start the game shout ‘Sound off’. At this point students
can start making their unique sound to find their partner.
6) Repeat this activity, giving the students new cards at the beginning of each round.
Post Activity Discussion
− Was it easy or difficult to find your partner using only your hearing? Why?
− What two things does communication need to be effective? Giving and receiving of information.
− What could you do to communicate more effectively? Call less frequently, meaning you can hear
the other person call. Set a pattern of calls that could be more easily identified by the other person.
− Was it easy or difficult for the predator to locate his prey? Why?
− What methods did the predator use to locate and catch their prey?
− What other ways do animals communicate without using sound? (tail flash, body gestures/ posi-
tions, odour, mimicry/warning colours, staring/ blinking)
Communication is an important adaptation that helps animals survive. It can help them avoid being eaten
by another animal, it can help them to find prey, and it can help them to reproduce by establishing
territory, finding a mate, and protecting young. Sound is just one of the many
examples of how animals communicate.
16LEARN: Wild cat adaptations
Eye Markings
Wild cats have beautiful markings around their eyes. Although these initially look like they
have no use, the colour surrounding the eye can tell us about the wild cats natural behaviour.
Some wild cats have dark markings around their eyes. These
markings reduce glare when hunting in bright sunlight. One of
the most obvious examples of these dark eye markings is in the
cheetah, who not only have black rings around the eyes but also
dark ‘tear marks’ running down the face. Cheetahs are well
known diurnal (daytime) hunters and these markings help them
to see better when hunting on open plains in bright light.
Alternatively, some wild cats have light markings around their
eyes. These markings reflect light into the eye when hunting in
low light levels. An example of this is seen in the Rusty Spotted
Cat. This small wild cat found in India and Sri Lanka is a
nocturnal (night time) predator and the white rings around their
eyes help them to hunt in the dark.
Paws
Wild cats can be found all around the world, and in many
different climates. Some wild cats are found in very hot
climates and others in freezing habitats. Those found in warmer
climates will have much shorter fur on their paws. Wild cats
found in cold climates will have thicker fur on their paws. Snow
leopards are found in the Himalayan mountains, where
temperatures frequently drop below 0 degrees. They have
adapted fluffy paws to keep them warm in freezing
temperatures. Snow leopards also have extra large paws that act
like snowshoes to keep them from sinking in the snow.
Claws
Most cat species have retractable claws, meaning
they can be withdrawn into the paw when not
needed. The claws are protected most of the time,
keeping them sharp. Cats need sharp claws for
catching and bringing down prey.
Cheetahs, however, have semi– retractable claws,
meaning they can’t be fully withdrawn into the paw.
Cheetahs have blunted claws as they are not as well
protected, which help the cheetah when running.
Blunter claws help the cheetah grip, and act in a
similar way to running spikes!
17LEARN: Wild cat adaptations
Tails
Each wild cat species has a very unique tail, adapted to help it
survive in its natural habitat.
Sometimes a cat has adapted a long
tail for a different reason than for
climbing. A cheetah uses its tail like a
rudder, allowing it to change direction
when it is running at top speeds.
Many wild cat species have adapted
long tails, which are often used to
help them balance when
climbing. An example is the jaguar,
who climb onto branches in the
rainforest and ambush prey from
above.
There are also wild cat species who have
short tails. Cats with short tails do not
use them as much, and these species will
spend most of their time on the ground.
An example is the Lynx, a species who is
found in woodlands and mainly hunts
ground dwelling prey.
Some wild cats have very fluffy tails!
These cats are found in extremely cold
climates and need extra fur to keep
themselves warm. The snow leopard is
found in freezing climates and uses its
tail like a scarf to keep its nose warm.
18LEARN: Wild cat adaptations
Ears
There is a huge variety in ear shape and size in the cat family! Each cat
species have ears adapted to help it survive better in its natural habitat.
Big Ears!
The size of a cats ears can suggest how
useful they are to different species when hunting.
Large ears are likely to mean a species relies on
hearing when hunting. An example of this is in the
Serval. These cats have the largest ears in
comparison to their size of any wild cat! Large
ears allow the serval to pick up the high pitched
communications of rodents, the servals main prey.
Tufted Ears
Some wild cats have tufts of hair on the tips of
their ears. It isn't completely clear why some
wild cats have tufted ears, however the main
theories behind this adaptation are:
• Helping with communication
• Enhancing the cats hearing
• Used in a similar way to whiskers, but to
detect things above the head
Tufted ears are seen on all 4 lynx species as
well as some other small wild cats.
Ear Position
Most wild cats have ears on the top of their head,
similar to our domestic cats. However, some wild
cats have ears positioned low down on the side of
their head. A good example of this is the Pallas’
cats. Pallas’ cats are ambush predators and must
stay hidden until the last minute to ensure a
successful hunt! Pallas’ cat ears sit flat on the side
of their head keeping them
hidden in rocky outcrops.
19ACTIVITY: Who’s eyes?
Can you match each pair of eyes to a wild cat in the box below? Markings
around the eyes can tell us whether a cat mainly hunts during the day or
at night. Can you work out which pictures show cats that hunt during the
day or at night? Circle the correct answer.
DAY / NIGHT DAY / NIGHT
DAY / NIGHT DAY / NIGHT
TIGER CHEETAH LYNX
RUSTY SPOTTED CAT
20ACTIVITY: Who’s ears?
Draw a line to match up each pair of ears with a wild cat.
PALLAS CAT
LEOPARD
CARACAL
SERVAL
SNOW LEOPARD
LION
LYNX
21ACTIVITY: Who’s paws?
Can you match each set of paws to the wild cats in the box below?
PUMA JAGUAR LEOPARD CHEETAH
LION SNOW LEOPARD
One of the these wild cats have claws different to all of the others. Can you identify:
(A) which wild cat has different claws (B) how they are different
and (C) what they are adapted for?
(A)__________________________________________________
(B)__________________________________________________
(C) __________________________________________________
22ACTIVITY: Who’s tail?
Can you match each tail to a wild cat in the box below? Once you have matched each tail,
explain why each animals tail looks the way it does and what its adapted for.
WILD CAT: ______________________ WILD CAT: ______________________ WILD CAT: ______________________
ADAPTED FOR:___________________ ADAPTED FOR:___________________ ADAPTED FOR:___________________
_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
WILD CAT: ______________________ WILD CAT: ______________________ WILD CAT: ______________________
ADAPTED FOR:___________________ ADAPTED FOR:___________________ ADAPTED FOR:___________________
_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________
LYNX CARACAL LEOPARD
TIGER CHEETAH SNOW
LEOPARD
23GROUP ACTIVITY: Who am I?
Decide on a selection of wild cats from which the students need to guess from. This
activity can be made more difficult by using lesser known species or sub-species, or
easier by using species which all the students will be familiar with. In the box below are
a selection we would recommend using. Print images of these species off, adding labels
if necessary. This game can be played with a wider range of species, not just wild cats,
allowing a larger range of questions to be asked. You may want to consider using a
couple of the wild cats below and animals that you would find in their food chain.
• LION • LYNX
• TIGER (AMUR TIGER, SUMATRAN TIGER, BENGAL TIGER) • SERVAL
• JAGUAR • CARACAL
• LEOPARD (AFRICAN LEOPARD, AMUR LEOPARD) • PALLAS’ CAT
• SNOW LEOPARD • JUNGLE CAT
• PUMA • FISHING CAT
• CHEETAH • RUSTY SPOTTED CAT
You may wish to split the class into smaller groups for this activity, dependent on the
size of your class. Ask the students to stand in a line, with their backs to the teacher.
The teacher needs to clip an animal picture to the students backs. The students
should not see what their animal is, however everyone else can see their picture. Ask
students to walk around the room and ask questions to on another to guess what
animal is on their back. Students can only ask yes or no questions (they must not ask
what their animal is called!) and try to encourage students to ask questions based on
information they have already learnt, for example guessing their animal based on its
adaptations. For example, I may ask if my animal has a long tail, or short legs. To
make the pupils interact more tell students they can only ask another student one
question, then they need to find someone else to ask. It may be that you have based
learning on a different area, so may ask your students to use questions linked food
chains, habitats or classification.
After a student has guessed their animal, take the picture off their backs and show it
to them. You can keep the game going longer by giving the students who finish
quickly more animals to guess. If some students are struggling, give them hints to
make sure everyone guesses at least one correctly before ending the game. You can
make this activity easier by reviewing all the animals before you begin the game. If
using harder animals ensure students know the animal and labels may be necessary
under pictures to help with guessing.
24ACTIVITY: Comparing Adaptations
Amur leopards live in forests in the far east of Russia in a very cold environment. Cheetahs
live in the African savannah in a very hot climate. These two species may look quite similar
as both are large wild cats with a yellow spotted coat, however because of the habitats
they live in they are adapted in very different ways! Describe their adaptations, to help
compare these two wild cats.
AMUR
CHEETAH
LEOPARD
FUR LENGTH: ____________________________ FUR LENGTH: ____________________________
_______________________________________ _______________________________________
WEIGHT: _______________________________ WEIGHT: _______________________________
_______________________________________ _______________________________________
LENGTH OF LEGS: ________________________ LENGTH OF LEGS: ________________________
_______________________________________ _______________________________________
LENGTH OF TAIL: _________________________ LENGTH OF TAIL: _________________________
_______________________________________ _______________________________________
HOW FLUFFY IS THE TAIL: __________________ HOW FLUFFY IS THE TAIL: __________________
_______________________________________ _______________________________________
ARE THERE ANY FACIAL MARKINGS : ARE THERE ANY FACIAL MARKINGS :
(other than spots) (other than spots)
_______________________________________ _____________________________________
DRAW THE SPOT PATTERN IN THE BOX BELOW: DRAW THE SPOT PATTERN IN THE BOX BELOW:
25ACTIVITY: Cheetah Adaptations
Below is a diagram of a Cheetah. Fill in the boxes with the
Cheetah’s adaptations.
26ACTIVITY: Cheetah Adaptations
__________________ On the diagram below are descriptions of the Cheetah’s main
adaptations. Can you work out what these adaptations are?
Means cheetahs are
lighter, helping them run
fast.
___________________
_________________
Help the cheetah ___________________
Very flexible, allowing free camouflage and keep cool
movement and bigger strides. in the hot climate.
Acts like a rudder,
_____________ helping the cheetah
when making sharp
turns.
Cheetahs hunt in
the day, so this
helps to protect
27
them from the
suns glare.
___________________
__________________
Gives space for the large Allow the cheetah to take long
heart and lungs, helping strides, helping them reach
cheetahs get enough __________________
top speeds.
oxygen when running top
speeds. Help to grip the ground
allowing the cheetah to
increase speed.Small Head
ACTIVITY: Cheetah Adaptations
On the diagram below are some of the Cheetah’s main
adaptations. In the boxes can you explain why Cheetah’s have
each of these adaptations.
Short Fur Long, Wide Tail
Flexible Spine
Black Teardrop
Markings
28
Long Legs
Large Chest
Non– retractable ClawsACTIVITY:
Snow Leopard Adaptations
Below is a diagram of a Snow Leopard. Fill in the boxes with
the Snow Leopard’s adaptations.
29ACTIVITY:
Snow Leopard Adaptations
___________________ On the diagram below are descriptions of the Snow Leopard’s
main adaptations. Can you work out what these adaptations
Reduce heat loss in are?
freezing temperatures.
__________________________________
Helps Snow Leopards to camouflage in rocky
habitats, as well as keeping them warm in cold ___________________
temperatures.
_____________ Helps with balance, and
can also wrap around the
body for warmth in cold
Help with temperatures.
breathing at high
altitudes and
30
cold
temperatures.
_______________________
___________________
Help the Snow Leopards
to balance when climbing Helps Snow Leopards jump
steep surfaces. long distances on rock faces
___________________
when hunting.
Big pads act as snow
shoes. Fur between the
toes keep them warm.ACTIVITY:
Snow Leopard Adaptations
Small Ears
On the diagram below are some of the Snow Leopard’s main
adaptations. In the boxes can you explain why Snow
Leopard’s have each of these adaptations.
Thick Fur
Long, Thick Tail
Large Nasal
Cavity
31
Strong Hind Legs
Short Legs
Large PawsACTIVITY: Create Your Own Animal
We want you to create your own animal. In the box below draw a brand new animal species.
Give your animal a name, describe the habitat you would find it in and highlight 3 adaptations
it has to survive in this habitat. Here are some questions you might want to answer to start
you off: does your animal live on land or in water? Does your animal need to climb? What
does your animal eat and how does it catch its prey? Is your animal active in the day or at
night? Good luck!
Animal Name: _________________________________________________________
Habitat Description: ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Special Adaptations:
1) ___________________________________________________________________
2) _______________________________________________________________
3) ________________________________________________________
32You can also read
