4th Grade Science Project on Animal Adaptations

This engaging and fun animal adaptations elementary or middle school science lesson with research project will help students in 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th grade learn all about natural selection, surprising animal adaptations, and the foundational ideas of evolution at an age-appropriate level. It could be a useful addition to your animal adaptations unit or a biodiversity unit in an elementary or middle school science class!

How to Use:

• Print 4 pages of worksheets for each student.

• First, teach using the Natural Selection Handout. This clearly explains an example of natural selection and defintes the key vocabulary: evolution, adaptations & natural selection.

• Next, you can either assign or allow your students to choose a plant, animal, or fungus to research.

• Students will draw a diagram of their choice and find and elaborate about five adaptations the organism has. They will use the Adaptations Worksheet for this.

• Then, teach your students about Surprising or Unique Animal Adaptations: slow speed, sharing food, small size, no sight & being cold-blooded instead of warm-blooded.

• For each surprising adaptation, they will find an example organism and explain how the surprising adaptation actually helps it survive. This can be completed in pairs or small groups.

• Suggested websites are provided so the research is done for you!

• Make sure to have a class discussion and highlight that many of the surprising or unique adaptations help animals as they require less food or energy to survive.

• Finally, each student will choose their favorite surprising animal adaptation they researched. They will complete the last worksheet: My Surprising Animal Adaptation. They will draw a picture & explain their surprising adaptation. These finished worksheets could make a wonderful bulletin board display.

Grades to Use With:

This science activity is designed for your students in 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th grade when they are learning about biodiversity, natural selection, and animal adaptations. It is written using a simple reading level and it includes clear instructions. Your students will love researching to find unique organisms and explaining them to the rest of the class!

What's Included: 5-Page PDF: Ready to Print and Use!

1. Teacher Instructions with Website Links

2. Natural Selection Handout

3. Adaptations Research & Worksheet

4. Surprising or Unique Animal Adaptations Research & Worksheet

5. My Surprising Animal Adaptation Worksheet