What can you find out about the special attributes that some animals and plants have to help them survive? - Teacher notes

Animals and plants possess remarkable attributes that enable them to survive in diverse environments, from the frigid expanses of Antarctica to the scorching deserts. These special attributes, or adaptations, are the focus of a unit where pupils are encouraged to explore how different species have evolved to thrive in their respective habitats. Adaptations may include physical features such as the shape of a bird's beak, the colouration of fur, or even the thickness of an animal's coat, all of which serve specific survival purposes. For example, in Antarctica, despite the harsh, icy conditions, certain resilient plants like lichens, mosses, and algae manage to grow, and animals either depend on the sea for sustenance or migrate to avoid the severe winter.

The concept of adaptation is central to understanding how an animal's body helps it survive within its environment. These adaptations are the result of evolution, honed over many generations to perfect the means by which animals and plants obtain food, protect themselves, build shelters, withstand weather extremes, and reproduce. Pupils face the challenge of researching and presenting on species that go to extraordinary lengths to adapt to their environments, which could include mechanisms like camouflage, mimicry, or other remarkable behaviours. They are tasked with selecting three species from different kingdoms and continents, illustrating the diverse ways in which life on Earth has adapted to survive in a myriad of ecological niches.