Protecting their babies

Protecting their babies

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Overview
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Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about animal adaptations to protect their young.
kangaroo with baby joey
Marsupials like this kangaroo carry their young in a pouch. The young are born very underdeveloped (2 cm long and weighing 1 gram). The baby remains in the mother's pouch for 8 months. By the end of this time the young kangaroo has become more independent.  

Question 1Change answer

a)  In terms of survival of the young, what are two benefits of it being carried around in the mother's pouch?
1.
2.
 

Question 1Change answer

b) What is one disadvantage for the mother of having the baby in her pouch?

Question 1Change answer

c)  A new-born foal can be on its feet within an hour of being born.
     Then it must try to keep up with its mother and the other animals of the herd.
     How does keeping up with the herd help the young horse to survive?
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online.
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Science, Investigating in science, Living World
Keywords: 
Life processes, survival, protection, mammals, kangaroo, horses
Description of task: 
Students explain adaptations of kangaroos and horses to protect their young.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capabilitiy: Use evidence
This resource provides opportunities to discuss using evidence from texts to make inferences.
 
Science capabilities: 
Use evidence
Answers/responses: 
 

Y9 (03/1999)
a) Any 2 of:

  • Young gain protection from weather conditions.
  • Young gain protection from predators.
  • Adults can move more quickly from danger/to food/to water as they do not need to wait for slower/weaker young.
  • Young can be born in an immature state as they get protection/nurtured in pouch.
 2 correct – difficult

1 correct – very easy
b) Adult animal more vulnerable to predators due to size or slight lack of speed especially when joey is older. moderate
c) (Young) gain protection from herd against predators. difficult