Lesson 4 - Investigating adaptations
Learning intention
We are learning how to scientifically investigate adaptations
Success criteria
We can identify the skills and methods used in a fieldwork investigation.
We can follow the scientific process to answer questions about living things in their environment.
We can describe how scientists use fieldwork to study the adaptations of living things.
Activities
How do scientists investigate adaptations?
Sure, it’s easy to use the Internet or read a book to learn about the adaptations of living things. But have you ever wondered where all of this valuable information came from in the first place?
Scientists!
Scientists are always making observations about the features and behaviours of living things.
These observations spark interesting questions about why living things have these features or behaviours.
Scientists investigate their questions by collecting and analysing data on the living thing as well as the environment in which it lives.
This allows them to draw conclusions on how the features and behaviours in question relate to challenges in the environment.
Now, carefully read the email from Sherlock below to learn about this activity.
Activity 1
Thinking and acting like a scientist
- View the video featuring Amalina the Investigator to learn how scientific thinking and fieldwork are used to research a living thing and its environment. Join in by answering the questions asked in the video.
- Complete the "What did you learn?" task below the video.
- Use the sample answers to review your work.
Solving the curious case of the mysterious noise | Field of Mars EEC (6:07 mins) | Video transcript | YouTube
What did you learn?
Use the information from the video to answer the following questions. To complete the questions digitally on Google docs, make a copy of the student sheet using this link.
- What features and behaviours of the Australian brush turkey did you observe in the video that may help it overcome challenges in its environment?
- What question(s) were asked that led to the investigation?
- What prediction was made about the brush turkey mound?
- What data was collected to investigate the question?
- What tools and equipment were used to collect data about the brush turkey mound and the environment?
- Why were the soil and air temperatures measured at the same time?
- Why were the measurements repeated over two weeks?
- How was the data represented so that it could be interpreted?
- What conclusions could be made about how building mounds is an adaptation of the Australian brush turkey?