Adaptation resources

Students read about the adaptations of a fictitious dinosaur, and then draw and colour in a picture of a dinosaur that illustrates these adaptations.

Assessment focus: deciding which description of the main idea of an informational text is most appropriate, and justifying their thinking. The text used is about the adaptation of bird's feet to their environment.

Task: Use close observation of photos and prior knowledge, to write explanations of how the special features of animal tongues help animals survive in their habitats. Assessment focus: structure and function.

Task: Read a short piece of narrative. Identify and explain the behavioural adaptations of oystercatchers. Assessment focus: interpreting text to identify behavioural adaptations and their purposes.

Task: Choose images to enhance a science text about an adaptation of kererū, compare the messages of images, and reflect on the role of illustrations in science texts. Assessment focus: using and interpreting images in science texts.

Students give two reasons why it is an advantage for a porcupine fish to inflate its body and have its spines stick out when it is in danger.

Task: Complete chart to show how birds' feet and beaks are suitably adapted for their particular food and environment. Assessment focus: inference.

Task: View photograph to explain how a chiton protects itself in its environment. Assessment focus: identifying features that help to protect an animal in its particular environment.

Task: Students use an image of an Australian lizard to explain what purpose is served by the lizard's tail looking like its head. Assessment focus: features for survival.

Task: Use features of velociraptors to make inferences about their life style. Assessment focus: using evidence to make inferences.

Task: choose 3 features of a mosquito and say how they help it survive. Assessment focus: adaptations for survival.

Task: Match cards to show the relationship of birds' beaks and feet to the food they eat. Assessment focus: adaptations.

Task: Describe how features of the New Zealand long-tailed bat help it to survive. Assessment focus: identifying features for survival.

Task: Show the relationship of birds' beaks and feet to the food they eat. Assessment focus: adaptations.

Students are given a diagram and information on the ratios of black- to grey-coated possums. Students answer questions relating to this information as well as identifying a method that could be used to determine the percentage of each coat colour.

For this NEMP task students write about parts of the snail that help it survive.

For this NEMP task students write about the parts of a praying mantis that help it survives.

Students explain the function of the veins, waxy layer of the upper surface of the leaf, how the shape of the leaf traps light energy and why the upper surface of the leaf is a darker green than the lower surface.

Students explain adaptations of kangaroos and horses to protect their young.

Task: Students interpret information about couch grass from a diagram and explain why its special features make it difficult to get rid of. Assessment focus: special features ensure a plant's survival.

Task: Students use a labelled diagram of a pitcher plant to answer questions about survival. Assessment focus: features for survival.

Task: Use understandings about heat energy and insulation to describe how adaptations help Emperor penguins survive in Antarctica. Assessment focus: adaptations for keeping warm in cold conditions.

Task: Students decide whether four dinosaurs are meat-eaters or plant-eaters, and justify their answers. A list of features of each group is provided. It may be completed individually or as a group assessment. Assessment focus: using evidence.

Task: students answer questions about features of the fennec fox. Assessment focus: adaptations.

Task: Use evidence to make inferences about how leaves help plants survive in particular environments. Assessment focus: leaf adaptations.