Adaption - Lesson Plan

The lesson plan from The Primary Science Advisory Service Ltd delves into the concept of adaptation in the natural world, aligning with the National Curriculum's focus on how animals and plants adapt to their environments and how such adaptations may lead to evolution. Throughout the lesson, students will be engaged in a variety of scientific skills such as pattern seeking and researching using secondary resources. They will explore how certain characteristics inherited from parents aid survival, with prior learning from earlier years providing a foundation. For example, Year 3 students learn about plant growth requirements, while Year 5 students compare materials based on their properties. The lesson also integrates cross-curricular links with geography, maths, and history, and includes important health and safety considerations for the activities.

The lesson plan includes a mix of theoretical knowledge and practical activities to help students understand adaptation. Misconceptions such as "only the strongest survive" are addressed with corrections explaining that survival is about being best adapted to the environment, not necessarily about strength. Activities are designed to illustrate concepts like camouflage and insulation, using simple materials like jelly sweets, lard, and black paper. Influential scientists such as Charles Darwin and Jean Baptiste Lamarck are also mentioned to provide historical context. The lesson concludes with a plenary session where students reflect on the importance of adaptations for survival and the role they play in the process of evolution.