Sherlock's explanation formula

Sherlock's formula for a great explanation of an adaptation

Features of an explanation about a plant or animal's adaptations

1. Write the title.
2. Name the living thing and the environment in which it lives.
3. Describe a challenge the living thing faces in its environment.
4. Describe a structure or behaviour that the living thing has.
5. Explain how the structure or behaviour helps the living thing overcome the challenge.
6. Write a concluding sentence.

Sherlock's sample explanation

Wombat pouches

Wombats are Australian marsupials that live in bushland environments. Like other marsupials, female wombats have a pouch.

Wombats dig long underground burrows for shelter. Digging is dirty, dusty work. If the pouch of a female wombat fills with dirt as she digs, the joey inside can get sick and not survive.

Unlike other marsupials, wombat pouches face towards the rear.

The rearward-facing pouch prevents it from filling with dirt. The pouch stays clean and provides a healthy environment for the joey to grow and develop.

For this reason, the rearward-facing pouch of a wombat is an adaptation that helps the species survive.

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