Chapter 2 Living Things and Their Environment
Lesson 4 Adaptations
Main Idea
An adaptation is a special feature or behavior that helps an organism
survive in its environment
Vocabulary
 Adaptations (116) - special features or behaviors that help living
things survive in their environment
 Camouflage (117) – blending into the environment
 Mimicry (117) – looking like other organisms
 Genetics (117) – study of how organisms pass traits from one
generation to the next
What is an adaptation?
Main Idea
Adaptations are special features or behaviors that help living thingas
survive in their environment.
Supporting Details
A. Adaptations are special features or behaviors that help living things
survive in their environment.
B. Adaptations can help animals move, catch food, and live in certain
climates. A fish’s gills, a dragonfly’s wings, and an eagle’s sharp
eyesight are examples of adaptations.
C. Adaptations can help living things protect themselves.
1. Some animals use camouflage to blend into their environment.
2. Some animals use mimicry to hide by looking like other
organisms in their environment.
D. Traits, passed on from one generation to the next, help animals
survive (i.e. length of giraffe’s neck)
E. Genetics is the study of how organisms pass traits from generation
to the next.
What are some adaptations of desert plant and animals?
Main Idea
Desert plants and animals have adaptations that help them to survive
with little water and harsh temperatures.
Supporting Details
Below are examples of living things in the desert and how they have
adapted to their environment.
A. Creosote bush – have mainly shallow roots that help them take any
rain that may fall.
B. Barrel cactus – has thick waxy skin and thick round stem to help it
collect and store water.
C. Octillo – drops its leaves at very dry times to avoid losing extra
water, leaves grow back when it rains
D. Desert wildflowers – bloom during the very short rainy season and
spread their seeds at this time for next season
E. Great horned owl – nocturnal, sleep during the day, active at night
when it is cooler.
F. Chameleon – to cool down, it raises it belly off the hot desert
ground.
G. Jackrabbit – has extra long ears to keep cool, when blood flows
through the ears, the jackrabbit loses heat
H. Kangaroo rat – its kidneys help it store water in its body
What are some adaptations of arctic plants and animals?
Main Idea
Artic tundra is a harsh, cold environment. Living things have special
adaptive features to help them survive the cold.
Supporting Details
Below are examples of living things in the arctic and their adaptive
features that help them survive in the cold.
A. Ptarmigan – has feathers on its feet to help the bird walk in snow
without sinking in it
B. Polar bear – waterproof outer fur keeps the bear dry, thick inner fur
keeps the bear warm, black skin helps the bear absorb heat from
the sun.
C. Musk ox – the animal’s large body helps it keep warm
D. Arctic fox – thick white coat provides it camouflage in the winter.
In summer, its coat is short and brown.
E. Arctic willow – fuzzy hairs keep heat in, shallow roots enable it to
grow close to the surface when the ground thaws in the summer
F. Yellow saxifrage – grows low to the ground protecting it from wind,
bright color attracts animals it needs for pollination
What are some adaptations of living things in the ocean?
Main Idea
Living things in the ocean have adaptations for cold, difficult
environments.
Supporting Details
Like the desert and the arctic area, living things in the ocean have had
to adapt to their environment. Some animals have had to breathe
under water. Other animals have had to find ways to stay warm.
A. Whale – thick layer of blubber (fat) keeps a whale’s body warm in
the cold water.
B. Giant kelp – the delicate parts on the plant enable it to float
necessary to survive
C. Leafy seadragon – uses mimicry to look like seaweed and confuse
its predators.