This document provides background information and instructions for an activity where students design an animal adapted to a specific environment. It defines key terms like adaptation, organism, environment, and habitat. It explains that most animals are only adapted to 1-2 habitats and would struggle if placed elsewhere. The activity has students choose an environment, design an animal with adaptations for that habitat, and consider how it would be affected if the habitat changed. The goal is for students to understand that organisms must be suited to their environment to survive and thrive.

1. By: Katie Eckleberry 9/22/09 Environment Requirements

2. Standard 4: The Living Environment Indicator 5.4.4: Explain that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some do not survive as well, and some cannot survive at all. Taken from: http://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/StandardSearch.aspx Link to activity: http://www.indianastandardsresources.org/files/sci/sci_5_4_environment.pdf

3. Definitions Adaptation: a form or structure modified to fit a changed environment. Organism: a form of life composed of mutually interdependent parts that maintain various vital processes. Environment: the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors surrounding and affecting a given organism at any time. Habitat: the natural environment of an organism; place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism. Taken from: http://dictionary.reference.com/

4. Background Information “Animals live everywhere on earth, in every kind of terrain, and every kind of climate. An animal's living place is called its habitat. Most animals are only adapted to live in one or two habitats. Some animals migrate in the spring and again in the fall to find warmer habitats with an abundance of food.” Since animals are use to living in a certain habitat, they would have trouble adapting to a new habitat or if their own habitat was modified. http://www.uen.org/utahlink/activities/view_activity.cgi?activity_id=3792

6. Colored pencils

7. White paper

8. Tape

9. Copy of one strip of the Black Line Master Habitat Assignments

10. Research materials on animals from a variety of differenthabitats (All of these materials can be found in the “environment requirement kit” provided by your USI instructor.)

12. Food

13. Water

15. Polar bears have think fur that keeps them warm.

17. Remember that your creature must be able to find food and water, avoid being eaten, and find shelter.

20. Summary By doing this project you should now have a greater understanding of the types of environments animals need to live in to survive and satisfy their needs. You should also know that when modifications are made to an animals environment it can be beneficial or harmful. You should have a better understanding of which animals are able to adapt to modifications made to their environments and which ones would not be able to survive.

21. Habitat Assignments Black Line Master ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Desert: Very dry, hot during the day and cold during the night, many hours of sunlight, hard soil, few plants and animals ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tropical Rainforest: Rains every day, many plants and animals, little sunlight under the trees, warm all of the time ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tropical Reef: Warm water, lots of organisms in a little space, not too much sunlight ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deep Sea: Very cold, no sunlight, very few organisms ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Open Ocean: Strong currents, no land, some other organisms, some sunlight ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Temperate Forest: Sometimes warm, sometimes cold; large trees; many plants and animals; some rain ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arctic: Very cold, sunlight only part of the year, little rain, lots of ice, few organisms ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grassland: Rainy season and dry season; few trees or hills; sometimes warm, sometimes cold ---------------------------------------------------------------------------