AUSTRALIA A LAND OF
EXTREMES
Why is Australia like no other continent on
Earth?
Why does it have a range of animals found
nowhere else on Earth?
How have the animals adapted to living in a land
of extremes?
An integrated unit of work involving Science
and Studies of Society and the Environment
Learning intentions:
 Understand why Australia is a continent like no other on Earth and has
unusual animals.
 Identify the different states, capitals and significant features of Australia.
 Analyse an animal that lives in Australia and their habitat. Mind map ready
to share with others.
 Learn how living things have structural features and adaptations that help
them to survive in their environment in Australia. This will be through
research and analysis. (yr5 Aust. Science outcome)
 Determine some of the possible consequences of animals not adapting to
our changing world.
MAPPING AUSTRALIA AND
MARKING IN THE ROUTE OF
ARE WE THERE YET?
From a map of Australia locate the following, and mark on your own map:

the states of Australia

the capital cities

significant features:

Rivers

Mountains

Deserts

Islands

Seas

Coral reefs

Rocks

Rainforests
Mark in the route taken in the book Are We There Yet?
Mark in the directions of north south east and west and indicate on the route which direction the
family is taking.
INTRODUCTION
 What is a habitat? Mind map different habitats found in
Australia and what is found in them. (plants and animals)
 Using one of the books we have identify the animal and the habit
that it lives in. What is the habitat like? Illustrate the animal in
its habitat.
 What is meant by adapt? Why do you think that animals need to
adapt to their environment? Can you think of any ways that
animals have adapted to their environment? (Doesn’t have to be
Australian)
 Brainstorm as many Australian animals that you know of that
you have not identified in your mind map.
 Brainstorm reasons why you think Australia is like no other
continent on Earth.
Why is Australia a land of extremes and
unusual animals? Part 1
Australia is home to many unusual animals, bugs and creatures that are found
nowhere else in the world. The reason why Australia has so many unusual
species of animals is because they have been able to evolve into independent
species. Australia was originally part of Asia and the Antarctic, but with the sea
rising over many years (said to be about 45 million years ago) the area was able
to form its own unique land mass.
Australia a land of extremes part 2
Australia is a fairly stable flat land mass with about half the land
being desert or semi desert (arid or semi arid land).With the
isolation that Australia now found itself, the animals and birds were
able to develop unique forms.
Australia is situated a long distance from other parts of the world,
and having many climatic changes throughout each part of the
country, Australian animals have had to adapt to this.
Why is Australia a land of extremes Part 3
This has led Australia into being one country that boasts many
unusual types of species, land and sea dwelling. Animals live almost
everywhere in Australia, from the fairly cold regions of the alps in
New South Wales and Victoria and the colder climate of Tasmania,
to the temperate areas of the east and southern coasts, to the hot
desert areas, to the tropical areas.
Adaptation websites

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5414BFTaJUY

http://www.kidport.com/reflib/science/Videos/Animals/AnimalVideoIndex.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5414BFTaJUY

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER FROM THE VIDEOS
1.
What does adaptation mean?
2.
What is a habitat?
3.
List the ways animals have adapted.
4.
Over what period of time has it taken for adaptation to occur?
5.
How has the camel adapted to its environment?
6.
How has the lion adapted to its habitat?
How do animals adapt? part 1
All animals live in habitats. Habitats provide food, water, and shelter
which animals need to survive, but there is more to survival than just the
habitat. Animals can live in many different places because they have
special adaptations to the area they live in.
What is adaptation?
An adaptation is a way an animal’s body helps it survive, or live, in its
environment.
How do animals adapt to their environment?
Physical adaptation
Animals depend on their physical features to help them obtain food,
keep safe, build homes, withstand weather, and attract mates. These
physical adaptations make it possible for the animal to live in a
particular place and in a particular way. Each adaptation has been
produced by evolution. This means that the adaptations have developed
over many generations.
How do animals adapt to their
environment? part2
Animals come in various shapes, sizes, and colours. They live in different
habitats around the world. Over time, they have developed special body parts
and special behaviours that help them survive in their habitat. Each animal has
adapted to the conditions of their habitat and has developed ways to use the
available resources. These changes are called adaptations. An adaptation is an
inherited characteristic. It is not developed over an animal’s lifetime but over
generations.
How do animals adapt? part 3
 Adaptations may be physical, behavioural, or physiological. The
high hind legs of a cheetah are a physical adaptation. The annual
migration of the monarch butterfly is a behavioural adaptation;
while a chameleon, changing its skin colour for camouflage,
displays a physiological adaptation.
How do animals adapt? part 4
Protection from predators
Many animals have developed remarkable defences to keep from
being eaten. Some never move too far from home, some have a keen
sense of smell, sight or hearing, some have horns or antlers to fight
off predators. Some only come out at night so they are not so easily
seen. Other animals use chemicals which they spray from various
parts of their body and a few use tricks and copy other animals
defences.
Mimicry adaptation part 5
 What is mimicry adaptation?
 Mimicry is adapting to look like something else. An example
would be the hawkmoth as it looks just like a dead leaf, tattered
and veined.
Basic adaptations that help creatures to
survive:
 Shape of a bird’s beak
 The number of fingers
 Colour of the fur
 The thickness or thinness of the fur
 The shape of the nose or ears
RESEARCH ON ANIMAL ADAPTATION
Your group works for a conservation park and your job is to inform visitors of how animals have
adapted to their particular habitat. Your group’s job is to gather as much information as you can about
two particular animals and how they have adapted to their environment. Remember to think about
what part of its body it uses to move, eat, see, hunt, stay warm, stay cool, to hide.)
Name of each animal:
•
The food it eats and how it gets it. What part of its body does it use?
•
Describe its overall appearance and any special features that help it to survive.
•
What it uses for shelter/protection from the weather
•
What does it do or what features does it have that protect it from predators?
•
How it attracts mates
Also to be included is information on what habit the animal lives in, describe what it looks like and
what other animals live there.
You will all need to write a scientific report using power point to explain your findings which are to be
used by the conservation park to inform visitors. An explanation of how Australia came to be a land of
extremes and is like no other country in the world is to be used in the introduction. (You can use the
information that is at the top of this presentation.
(All work is to be done through identifying relevant information through books, the net, photos, etc.
identifying the key words and putting them into sentences.)
Your research on how different animals
adapt to their environment using the
following websites
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX8VQIJVpTg

 http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/adaptation.htm


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRX2JtKFUzk
Create a new animal
The last task to be done is to create a new animal and create ways for
it to adapt to its environment.
What is also required is that you read about climate change and
make predictions about what your animal could do to survive
climate change.
What do you think will happen to many animals and your animal if
they are unable to adapt to different weather patterns or are unable
to adapt to a new environment?