Lesson 2 - Human adaptations

How can we use our own bodies to learn what an adaptation is?

An adaptation is a feature of a living thing that helps it survive in its environment.

Before we start studying the complex adaptations of other living things to their environments we will first practise on our own species. Our species is called Homo sapiens or more commonly, 'humans'.

As humans we all have the same basic body structures and we all use them in very similar ways.

View the video of Dr Watson and Aussie Pat to learn about adaptations as well as some examples of human body structures which are, in fact, adpatations.

Human adaptations | Field of Mars EEC (3:27 min) | Video transcript | YouTube

Activity 1

Identifying and describing human adaptations

1. List some human body structures or behaviours that you think are adaptations.
   If you like a challenge, try to list as many as you can.
   
   
2. Describe the function of your listed adaptations.
   If you need help, review the list of suggested structures and behaviours.
   
   
3. Select one human adaptation and write a brief explanation of how you think it helps us survive in our environment.
   If you need help structuring your explanation, view the student work sample.

Extension activity

1. Read the student work sample.
   
   
2. Reflect on the following questions:
   What are the strengths and weaknesses of the explanation provided? 
   How did your short explanation compare to the sample?