How animals adapt to their environment

Science · Organisms & Life Processes · ages 10-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Why does a camel have a hump?
- To help it jump over sand dunes
- To store fat for energy and water
- To make it taller than other desert animals
A penguin has a thick layer of blubber under its skin that keeps it warm in icy water. Is the blubber an adaptation?
- Yes, it helps survival in the cold
- No, because all penguins are born with it
- No, because it is part of the penguin's body
An adaptation is any feature an animal has, whether or not it helps the animal survive.
Circle one: True False
Which best explains why a polar bear's white fur helps it survive?
- It keeps the bear warm and hides it against the snow
- It helps the bear swim faster in open water
- It helps the bear digest fish more easily
A cactus has thick, waxy skin and sharp spines instead of leaves. Which environment do these adaptations best suit?
- A cold, snowy mountain
- A rainy tropical forest
- A dry desert with very little rain
If an adaptation helps an animal survive and have more offspring, that trait can become common in the species over many generations.
Circle one: True False
Jamal says a polar bear could survive just as well in a hot desert because its fur adaptation is so good. What is wrong with his reasoning?
- Deserts and the Arctic have exactly the same climate
- Polar bears have no adaptations at all
- The fur is adapted to cold, not heat, so the bear would overheat in a desert
A beetle is born with slightly darker wings that help it hide from birds in a shady forest. If this trait keeps helping beetles survive, what is most likely to happen over many generations?
- The trait will disappear because only one beetle had it
- More beetles in the population will have darker wings
- All beetles will suddenly turn dark within one generation

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

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To store fat for energy and water · The hump stores fat that the camel's body can turn into energy and water when supplies run low.
Yes, it helps survival in the cold · The blubber helps the penguin survive the icy water it lives in, so it passes the adaptation test.
False · An adaptation must actually help an organism survive in its environment, not just be a feature it happens to have.
It keeps the bear warm and hides it against the snow · The thick fur traps warm air for heat and its color blends with the snow for camouflage.
A dry desert with very little rain · Waxy skin holds water in and spines keep thirsty animals away, both useful where rain is rare.
True · Animals with the helpful trait tend to survive and reproduce more, so the trait spreads through the population over time.
The fur is adapted to cold, not heat, so the bear would overheat in a desert · An adaptation fits a specific environment. The thick fur that keeps a bear warm in the Arctic would make it overheat in desert heat.
More beetles in the population will have darker wings · Beetles with the helpful trait survive and reproduce more, so the trait slowly spreads through the population. That is evolution, not an instant change.