Adaptations

This webpage correlates with VA Science SOL 2.7 (migration, hibernation, camouflage, adaptation, dormancy). 

Click the link for examples of worksheets that go along with this page. Worksheet 1    Worksheet 2 (pdf)

    Animals can do strange things!  Did you know that a butterfly will fly thousands of miles in the wintertime to find warmer weather?  Or that a frog will sleep through the entire summer?  Or that it's almost impossible to see a polar bear in the snow?  This webpage will help you learn about these strange things called adaptations.

Read through the webpage in order to learn about adaptations that plants and animals go through.  You will see many different terms that you may or may not know.  Read the definition of the vocabulary word and its example.   Then click on the picture to find out more information on the word.

Definitions:

Adaptation -- anything about an animal that helps it live in its environment.  Examples of adaptations are think fur to protect from the cold and claws that allow an animal to catch food.  Migration, hibernation, camouflage, estivation, and dormancy are also examples of adaptations.	Click on the eagle to learn about adaptations, then click on the rabbit
Camouflage -  a way an animal looks that helps it hide.  Examples are polar bears, lizards, and zebras.	Click the lizard to try to find animals that are camouflaged.
	Click this picture to see other examples of camouflage
Migration - Animals moving as a group from one place to another.  Monarch butterflies migrate to the south every year. Birds also migrate to find food and warmth in the wintertime.	Click on the duck to watch a movie on migration.  Your teacher will give you your username and password!
Hibernation- animals hibernate to spend the winter in a deep sleep.  Their body temperature falls and their breathing and heart rate slow also.  During this time, they don't even need to eat!  Squirrels, bears, and hedgehogs all hibernate!
Estivation/Dormancy - animals estivate to stay in a deep sleep during the summer.  A toad may do this to protect itself from the summer heat and dryness.

    Once you have finished, turn in your paper to your teacher.  You can click on the pictures below to do another activity.