Cold-Weather Adaptations · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Cold-Weather Adaptations

Science · Polar Regions · ages 7-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________
  1. What does 'adaptation' mean in this lesson?

    • A weather change that happens around an animal
    • A feature or behavior that helps an animal survive
    • A place where an animal finds its food each day
  2. Which layer helps a walrus slow heat loss while swimming in cold water?

    • Blubber, a layer of fat under its skin
    • Air held mainly inside a thick coat of fur
    • A white coat that blends into nearby snow
  3. A polar bear's pale fur color makes heat for its body.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A seal's blubber is insulation. What does that tell you?

    • It slows heat leaving the seal's body.
    • It makes new body heat without using food.
    • It stops all heat from ever leaving the body.
  5. How does a polar bear's dense underfur help it keep body heat?

    • It produces extra heat whenever cold air touches the coat.
    • Its pale color warms the skin by matching the snow around it.
    • It traps air near the skin and slows heat loss.
  6. Why do some Arctic birds migrate south for winter?

    • To make their feathers match the white winter snow
    • To reach places with food and open water
    • To grow the fat layer that takes the place of all their feathers
  7. Warm blood going toward a penguin's feet passes beside cooler blood returning to its body. How does this save body heat?

    • Heat passes from outgoing blood to returning blood.
    • Heat passes from the cooler returning blood into warmer outgoing blood.
    • The two blood flows mix together and become equally warm before the feet.
  8. Zoe says every polar animal survives through thick white fur. Which example challenges her claim?

    • Polar bears have dense fur that slows the loss of body heat.
    • Many Arctic foxes have white winter fur that blends into snow.
    • Seals use blubber, and some birds migrate.
LightMySky · lightmysky.comW1-mt_kDKo4lxRKi-s1

Answer key

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

Cold-Weather Adaptations W1-mt_kDKo4lxRKi-s1

  1. A feature or behavior that helps an animal survive · An adaptation is a helpful body feature or usual behavior, rather than the weather or the place itself.
  2. Blubber, a layer of fat under its skin · A walrus has blubber beneath its skin. This fat layer slows heat loss to the water.
  3. False · Pale color helps with camouflage. The fur helps retain heat, but its color does not make heat.
  4. It slows heat leaving the seal's body. · Insulation reduces heat loss. It does not make heat or stop all heat loss.
  5. It traps air near the skin and slows heat loss. · The fur traps air near the skin. Fur and trapped air reduce heat loss.
  6. To reach places with food and open water · Migration can take birds to winter feeding places with food and open water.
  7. Heat passes from outgoing blood to returning blood. · Returning blood gains heat before reaching the body. Outgoing blood cools, reducing heat loss through the feet.
  8. Seals use blubber, and some birds migrate. · Blubber and migration are adaptations that do not depend on thick white fur.
Worksheet · LightMySky