Survival!!!!
What’s the point?
•I can tell that living things can only survive in
environments that meet their needs.
•I can describe the basic needs of living things.
•I can explain that ecosystems can change and only
animals that adapt survive.
What do all organisms need to
survive?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Water
Food
Shelter
Air
Space
Waste disposal
(get rid of waste)
Have you ever wondered how animals are able
to survive in the wild and meet their needs?
Animals have certain adaptationsspecial characteristics that help them
to survive.
Think about the way you dress in the
winter.
You don’t wear your shorts and bathing suit when
it’s snowing outside!
You wear warm clothes, and
maybe even a hat and
mittens to protect yourself
from the weather.
And what if you are having a snowball fight?
You probably run away from the
person throwing at you, and
maybe even try to sneak up on
that person and throw some
snowballs!
The way you dress in the winter, as well as the
way that you run and hide from someone
throwing snow at you are kinds of …
Adaptations.
Break for Appointment 1
• 1. What do organisms need to survive?
• 2. What are adaptations?
• 3. What is an example of a human
adaptation?
• 4. Any questions??
We can separate adaptations into two
categories:
A
D
Physical
A
P
T
AND
A
T
I
O
N
S
Behavioral
Physical
adaptations
are body structures that
allow an animal to find
and consume food,
defend itself, and to
reproduce its species.
Physical
adaptations
help an animal
survive in its
environment.
Physical adaptation
Camouflage (use of color in a surrounding)
The chameleon can change its color to match its
surroundings. Can you do that?
Physical adaptation
Mimicry
(looking or sounding like another living organism)
The Viceroy butterfly uses mimicry to look like the
Monarch butterfly. Can you tell them apart?
I’m the Viceroy!
Not poisonous
Poisonous
I’m the
Monarch!
Physical adaptation
Chemical defenses (like venom, ink,
sprays)
Physical adaptations
Body coverings & parts (claws, beaks, feet,
armor plates, skulls, teeth)
The elephant’s trunk is a physical adaptation that
helps it to clean itself, eat, drink, and to pick things up.
Break for Appointment 2
1. Which physical adaptation do you think is
most important for survival?
(camouflage, mimicry, body structures, or
chemical defenses)
2. How do these adaptations help organisms
meet their basic needs?
3. Questions???
Now let’s learn about
Behavioral Adaptations…
Behavioral Adaptations allow
animals to respond to life
needs.
Behavioral Adaptations are
animals’ actions.
Remember that Physical
Adaptations are body structures.
Each organism has unique
methods of adapting to its
environment by means of
different actions.
Defending oneself
Methods of
gathering & storing
food
Finding shelter
Hibernating
Raising young
Migrating
Break for Appointment 3
1. Which type of behavioral adaptation do you
think is most important for survival?
(method of gathering food, defense,
hibernation, migration, raising young, or
finding shelter)
2. How do these help the organisms survive?
3. Questions???
Animal Adaptations Review
There are 2 ways to describe adaptations:
Physical
and
Behavioral
Behavioral adaptations are animals’ actions.
Some examples of behavioral adaptations are:
Finding Shelter
Hibernating
Migrating
Defense
Physical Adaptations are body structures.
Some examples of physical adaptations are:
Camouflage
Mimicry
Chemical defenses
Body Coverings & Parts
Examples of Adaptations
How does this aye-aye adapt?
What need(s) does it meet?
How does this Venus Fly Trap adapt?
*plants have adaptations too!
What need(s) does it meet?
Questions?????
Designer Organism Steps:
1) Choose an ecosystem.
2) Design a new organism with at least 3
adaptations that will help it survive in that
ecosystem.
3) Create the organism and name it.
4) Record the information about your organism
on the Adaptations Information Sheet and
write a descriptive paragraph about your
organism.
Exit Ticket
1. What are 3 things
that all organisms
need to survive?
2. Using the picture,
name one adaptation
and explain how it
helps this
chimpanzee survive.
1. Adaptations
 2. Competition
 3. Symbiosis

Contest among populations
 Organisms compete for:

›
›
›
›
›
Food
Water
Mates
Shelter
Space
Adaptations help organisms compete
 “Survival of the Fittest”

Relationship between organisms
 Types:

› 1. Mutualism (Both organisms benefit)
 Ex-ants and caterpillars
YouTube - Ant Caterpillar Mutualism
› 2. Commensalism (One organism benefits)
 Ex-sharks and remoras
YouTube - Nurse shark & Remora
› 3. Parasitism (One organism benefits, the other is
harmed)
 Ex-bacteria, viruses