Part #4: Traits and Adaptations (bottom half of back panel) – At School
Requirements:
1. A paragraph explaining the traits that make your animal fit into its class
(mammal, fish, bird, reptile, or amphibian).
2. A paragraph explaining at least two of your animal’s adaptations.
3. A drawing or photo to support one of your paragraphs.
Directions:
For Part #4 of your cereal box, please use the Part #4: Traits and
Adaptations Template that has been shared with you on Google Docs. You
can decide how you would like to arrange your information on the page.
1. Animals are classified into groups based on traits they inherit from their
parents. For example, most mammals have hair or fur, among other
common traits. Write a paragraph with a topic sentence that states what
class your animal fits into. Your supporting sentences should explain the
traits your animal has which make it a mammal, fish, bird, reptile, or
amphibian.
Use your science notebook and think of the following questions we
answered in class about each type of animal as you write your paragraph:
 What is your animal’s body covered with?
 How does your animal breathe?
 How is your animal born?
 Does your animal go through metamorphosis or have an interesting
life cycle?
 Does your animal have any traits that make it unique to its class? For
example: a penguin is a bird, but it does not fly like most other birds.
Your paragraph should have the title _____________ Traits.
(Your animal’s name)
2. Animals use physical adaptations, like camouflage and mimicry, and
behavioral adaptations to survive in the wild. There are two kinds of
animal behavior—instinct and learned behavior. Instincts are behaviors
an animal is born already knowing how to do without being taught.
Learned behaviors are things an animal learns to do as it grows. For
example, a bird learning its song or a dog learning to sit are learned
behaviors. Some of the behavioral adaptations we studied in class include
hibernation and migration. Write a paragraph that describes at least two
adaptations of your animal. You may write more if you choose.
Your paragraph should have the title _____________ Adaptations.
(Your animal’s name)
3. You should include one picture to support one of your paragraphs. You
may choose whether the picture goes with your Traits paragraph, or with
your Adaptations paragraph. You may draw and color the picture yourself,
use a picture from a magazine, or print out a photo from the internet.
Part #4: Traits and Adaptations Planning Guide
1. Traits Paragraph Planning:
Topic sentence of paragraph: A(n) ___________ is a(n) ____________.
(class: mammal, fish, bird, reptile, amphibian)




Body covering: _______________________
Circle one: Animal breathes with lungs or gills
Circle one: How is your animal born? live birth or hatches from egg
Does your animal go through metamorphosis or have an interesting life
cycle?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
 Does your animal have any traits that make it unique to its class?
_____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Adaptations Paragraph Planning:
Topic sentence of paragraph: _______________s have physical and
behavioral adaptations that help them survive in the wild. Some
behavioral adaptations are learned and others are instinctive.
Circle the adaptations your animal uses to survive:
hibernation
migration
camouflage
mimicry
Describe any of your animal’s other adaptations:
____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Jot down some ideas for a picture to support one of your paragraphs: