Lesson 1 | Animal features and habitats | Field of Mars EEC
Lesson overview
Students explore how different animals survive in their environments by examining their external features and identifying the habitats and microhabitats where they live. Using observation, classification and guided investigation, students build an understanding of how features such as body shape, coverings, movement and behaviour meet animals’ basic needs.
Learning intention
- We are learning about animals' features and habitats.
Success criteria
- We can name some features of animals that help them live in their environment.
Activity 1 - Where do animals live in the bush?
Animals are found in many places.
Some animals live in the soil and leaf litter. Other animals live in and around water, some in rock crevices and on rock walls. Many animals make their homes in trees. The place an animal makes its home is called a habitat.
Tasks
- View the Animals in the Field of Mars Reserve video.
- What animals did you see? Where did they live?
- Go outside. Can you find any animals living near you?
Animals in the Field of Mars Reserve | Field of Mars EEC (1:47min) | YouTube
Activity 2 - Why do animals live in different places?
Animals live in places that provide them with food, water and shelter. To live in these places, animals have a variety of features. Some animals blend into their surroundings. This is called camouflage.
Tasks
- View the Features of animals in Field of Mars Reserve video.
- What animals did you see?
- Can you name one feature of each animal that helps it live in its environment?
Features of animals in Field of Mars Reserve | Field of Mars EEC (1:16min) | YouTube
We're off on an adventure. There are so many animals around here Let's go and see where they live.
I wonder what's living around these rocks? Rocks like these are home to a type of lizard called a left tailed gecko as well as many different spiders.
What do you think lives up in the trees? These trees are filled with animals like birds and possums. There's a nest that belongs to a possum. It's called a drey.
Let's have a look at what's living in the water here. Eastern long-necked turtles like to live in the water. There's one and here she is up on the bank laying her eggs. Some smaller animals like to make their homes here on the ground in amongst all the fallen leaves.
Look at all these invertebrates! That's a millipede there. The black one with the red legs. I can also see a big white curl grub. What can you see?
The boardwalk is a great place to find animals. Can you hear the frogs? Or maybe you can see a water dragon. And there on the grass are some wood ducks and their ducklings.
End of transcript.
There are lots of animals that live around here. I wonder why they choose these places? Let's see if we can find out.
One of the ways animals survive in the bush is they live in places that match the colour of their skin or their exoskeleton. This animal here is called a goliath stick insect and it uses camouflage to blend in with the place where it lives. Tawny frog mouths have feathers that look like tree bark and water dragons have scales that match the lichen on the rocks.
This kookaburra has made a home out of a termite nest and moorhens like to shelter amongst the plants for protection. Red belly black snakes warm up by lying in the sun. Once they're warm they have enough energy to go hunting frogs and skinks in the bush. The brush turkey finds its food in the leaf litter exactly the same as this lyrebird does.
Can you see the different features of the echidna? Those protective quills let them hide as he searches for food and ants to eat.
End of transcript.
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