Pennington : Early Grades Science Literacy 1
Name: Laura Pennington
# Students: 24
# LEP Students: 0
Unit Title: Life Science
Date: 10/29/2010
Grade Level: 4
#IEP Students: 0
#GSSP Students: 0
Subject: Science
Lesson Length: 1 hr
Lesson Title: Behavioral Adaptations
1. Context
a. Academic Context:
This lesson would be presented as the final lesson in a series on life science.
2. Objectives



Students will be able to define behavioral adaptations.
Students will be able to describe the purpose of behavioral adaptations.
Students will be able to name behavioral adaptations.
3. Standards/Connections
Kentucky Core Content for Assessment Standard:
SC-04-3.4.4
Students will identify some characteristics of organisms that are inherited from the parents and
others that are learned from interactions with the environment.
Observations of plants and animals yield the conclusion that organisms closely resemble their
parents at some time in their life cycle. Some characteristics (e.g., the color of flowers, the
number of appendages) are passed to offspring. Other characteristics are learned from
interactions with the environment, such as the ability to ride a bicycle, and these cannot be
passed on to the next generation. Explorations related to inherited versus learned characteristics
should offer opportunities to collect data and draw conclusions about various groups of
organisms.
DOK 2
SC-04-4.7.1
Students will make predictions and/or inferences based on patterns of evidence related to the
survival and reproductive success of organisms in particular environments.
The world has many different environments. Distinct environments support the lives of different
types of organisms. When the environment changes some plants and animals survive and
reproduce and others die or move to new locations. Examples of environmental changes resulting
in either increase or decrease in numbers of a particular organism should be explored in order to
discover patterns and resulting cause and effect relationships between organisms and their
environments (e.g., structures and behaviors that make an organism suited to a particular
environment). Connections and conclusions should be made based on the data.
DOK 3
Pennington : Early Grades Science Literacy 2
4. Procedures
1. Review with the students what they have been learning about life science, focusing on
adaptations.
2. Have the students define behavioral adaptations:
a. How an animal learns behaviors to ensures survival.
3. Have the students name some behavioral adaptations. Create a list on the board.
Examples can include:
a. Birds fly south for the winter
b. Animals eating to get fat
c. Deer freezing (remaining motionless) in presence of danger
d. Building nests in trees
e. Hibernation
4. Have the students define physical adaptations:
a. Changes or characteristics in the animals physical appearance that help with
survival.
5. Have the students compare and contrast behavioral and physical adaptations.
6. Explain to the students that we are going to play a game to learn more about behavioral
adaptations.
7. Tell the students that they are each going to receive a card with information listed on it.
Each card should include information about an animal’s home, summer behavior, and
winter behavior.
8. Tell the students that the behaviors listed on the card are behavioral adaptations that
animals actually use.
9. Distribute a card to each student. Tell the students that they can pick the animal that they
want to be based on the adaptations that are listed on the card.
10. Explain to the students that you will read several scenarios for the different seasons. The
students are to look at their card and determine whether or not their animal will survive
the season. If the student’s animal does not survive, have the student sit down.
11. Begin reading the scenarios. After the majority of the class has set down, discuss the
cards of those who are still standing. Ask the students why that animal was able to
survive.
12. Repeat the game several times. Create new scenarios so that the same animals do not
survive each time. You can also have the students join another student if their animal
does not survive. This can allow for discussion of how animals have to continue learning
new behaviors. Also, have the students come up with new scenarios.
13. Have the students think about themselves. Describe some scenarios to the students and
have them come up with behaviors they could use to survive.
14. After several rounds of the game, review with the students. Have them define behavioral
adaptations and list several examples.
Pennington : Early Grades Science Literacy 3
5. Assessment
Objective
Number
Type of
Assessment
Assessment
Title/Description
Depth of
Knowledge
1-3
Formative
2
1-3
Formative
Discussion
during game
Review
Adaptations
and/or
Accommodations
Partners
2
None Required