Group

members:____________________________

Australian Animal Adaptations Inquiry
Year 5 Animal Lovers! National Geographic has recruited your team to research,
create and present a detailed information report on an Australian animal that
lives in one of the following environments:
o Great Barrier Reef
o Rainforest
o Australian desert
o Wetland

You will need to include information about:

- The climate and conditions of your chosen environment;
- The physical features and characteristics of your animal;
- What your animal eats, and who its prey and predators are;
- The structural/behavioural adaptations your animal has developed over
time and how they help it survive and thrive in this environment.

To complete this task successfully, you will need to follow these steps:
1. Develop at least 5 research questions that will help guide your research
(and get them approved by Miss Ffoulkes before beginning).
2. Collect information about your animal from a range of primary and
secondary sources, and record this information using effective note taking
skills we have learnt in class.
3. Select the most reliable and relevant information to put into your
information report.
4. Develop your information report using information, scientific language,
photos, maps etc.

Here’s the best part! You can present your information report in a range of
creative ways (e.g. poster, brochure, movie, presentation). Check with Miss
Ffoulkes to make sure your format is appropriate, and make sure your report has
a clear introduction, body and conclusion.

You will be sharing your report with the class, so consider how you will ensure
your information and presentation is appropriate for your audience. Good luck!

Rubric:
A B C D E
Excellent achievement High achievement Satisfactory achievement Limited achievement Very low achievement
Biological Analyses and explains how and Analyses how Describes some physical List simple examples Does not meet the
science what physical features and physical features features and adaptations of the physical requirements of a D
knowledge adaptations assist the survival and adaptations that help a particular features of a living grade.
of a particular Australian assist the survival of Australian animal function in thing.
animal, providing detailed a particular their environment.
examples. Australian animal,
providing examples.
Communicating Comprehensively Clearly Communicates ideas and With guidance, Does not meet the
ideas communicates ideas and communicates explanations using some communicates simple requirements of a D
explanations using scientific ideas and scientific language for a ideas and findings. grade.
language, for a particular explanations using particular audience.
audience. scientific language,
for a particular
audience.