Arctic Animal Adaptations Worksheets

Travel to the Arctic with your 2nd graders and 3rd graders as they learn about the unique adaptations of animals that live there. This product is a great addition to your life science curriculum and focuses on several cross curricular standards. Your learners will strengthen their science, reading, writing, and critical thinking skills all while comparing and contrasting animals from various habitats around the world. On the first three pages you’ll find brief paragraphs about 8 Arctic animals, as well as animals from the desert, wetlands, and rainforest. Each paragraph explains specific adaptations unique to each animal and presents learners with new vocabulary. Following the informational reading, your learners will use one of three differentiated worksheets to list adaptations for animals that call the Arctic their home. Designed in a scaffolded format, this product enables your learners to build upon previously learned information. After listing adaptations of only Arctic animals, they will move on to list adaptations for both Arctic and non-Arctic animals. This activity will lead to your learners to use the information for a brief writing assignment in which they will compare and contrast animals from different habitats, focusing mainly on their adaptations. They’ll round out the writing activity by illustrating their work. These print and go worksheets will save you time and give your learners a deeper understanding of grade level life science concepts. All worksheets are presented in a color version, as well as a black and white version. PLEASE NOTE: both versions are identical. An answer key is not provided as answers will vary from learner to learner. Details of each product page are included below.

PAGE 1: learners will read brief paragraphs about the Snowy owl, Arctic fox, ptarmigan, and polar bearand their unique adaptations for life in the Arctic.

PAGE 2: learners will read brief paragraphs about the Snowshoe hare, ermine, Arctic wolf, and Spotted seal and their unique adaptations for life in the Arctic.

PAGE 3: learners will read brief paragraphs about the rattlesnake, frog, and sloth and their unique adaptations for life in the desert, in the wetlands, and in the rainforest.

PAGE 4: learners will use the information from the reading passages to write one adaptation for 6 Arctic animals.

PAGE 5: learners will use the information from the reading passages to write two adaptations for 6 Arctic animals.

PAGE 6: learners will use the information from the reading passages to write three adaptations for 6 Arctic animals.

PAGE 7: learners will use the information from the reading passages to write one adaptation for 3 Arctic animals and 3 non-Arctic animals.

PAGE 8: learners will use the information from the reading passages to write two adaptations for 3 Arctic animals and 3 non-Arctic animals.

PAGE 9: learners will use the information from the reading passages to write three adaptations for 3 Arctic animals and 3 non-Arctic animals.

PAGE 10: learners will write a brief comparison of one Arctic animal and one non-Arctic animal, followed by an illustration for each animal.

PAGE 11: a list of additional animals that live in the Arctic and a list of other habitats.

THIS TYPE OF PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING HABITATS:desert, rainforest, reef, Savanna, and woodlands.