AMAZING ADAPTATIONS

INTRODUCTION:  Six months ago you set off to travel the world and explore the eight major terrestrial biomes: tropical rainforests, savannas,
subtropical deserts, chaparral, temperate grasslands, temperate forests, boreal forests, and Arctic tundra. Throughout your travels you
have taken scientific notes on all of the interesting plants and animals you come in contact with, especially observing their structural
features and adaptions. You have been taking video footage as well as photos to show everyone back home. It was coming towards the end
of your travels, when one day you came across a new never discovered species. After watching this mysterious and amazing creature you
quickly went in your bag to get your camera and as you came up it WAS GONE.! Using your knowledge of structural features and behavioural
adaptations, it is your duty to replicate what this animal looked like so you can show the world. Using your knowledge of structural features
and adaptions you then will justify what diet your animal has, where it lives, how it moves and where in the world is it located. To make the
perfect replica of your animal you will need to follow the process of investigating, generating, producing, collaborating and managing. Are
you ready for the challenge?!

BRIEF: First you will need to investigate a variety of GENERATING DESIGNS:  You willfeel:

need to draw up
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materials, tools, techniques, equipment and three designs over the course of two lessons on
components needed to construct your replica of the what your  3D replica of your animal going to look
‘new species’ you have discovered.  This research like. This must include what materials you are
task will be in pairs, previously picked by the going to use to construct your 3D replica (you are
teacher.   encouraged to use reused and recycled
materials).  

1. Research what ‘structural’ and ‘behavioural’

adaptions are.
2. Explore and test a range of materials that can be
used to reflect the type of structural adaption
your animal has. For example: If their skin is
waterproof, what material has impermeable
qualities?
3. Research a variety of structural features and
adaptions of animals and see how they enable an
animal to survive in its environment.
4. Research animals that have similar properties to
the animal you saw. If the new species had big
ears research other animals that have big ears.
Why do they have big ears? Does it help them
cool down, if so how?
5. Explore the properties of materials you might like
to use and determine the suitability for this
design brief. For example: the animal you saw has
waterproof skin. You want to reuse the material
from a denim jacket to recreate your animal but
is it waterproof? You will need to investigate.
1.Ways of connecting and assembling your replica
to ensure that it will not fall apart. Your replica
must be portable and not fall apart when it is
moved around the classroom. Will you use sticky
tape, thread, staples etc. Where on your replica
will you need to do this?
2. You need to label all of the materials you would
like to use. For example: Reusing leather from a
bag.
3. Identify the properties of materials needed for
the project specifications. What materials are you
using to ensure that 50% of your model is made
from reused or recycled materials.
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4. Drawit up
because:
three annotated designs for your
replica of your newly discovered species
explaining with labels to explain any features and
modifications you are making. 
5. Share ideas with your peers to reflect, help
others, spark ideas and provide feedback to each
other.
TIME: 60 minute lessons

1 x Lesson researching and investigating (90 mins)

2 x Lessons generating design ideas
3 x Lessons constructing and producing your new
species.
1 x Lesson presenting and evaluating your new found
species.
PRESENTATION:
During the last lesson, you will be allocated a group,
which have been previously made by your teacher. In
your group of four you are going to orally present your
finished replica of your newly discovered species to the
group. Your presentation will be peer assessed on scale
of excellent, good and can be improved.
You must address the following in your oral speech:
What reusable and recyclable materials you have
used and why?
Have you used any other materials?
What structural features and adaptations does your
animal have and why?
What biome is your animal suited for and where in
the world is it located?
What diet does your animal eat?
How did you connect the materials together?
Did you use thread or sticky tape?
How would you improve your replica if you had to do
it again?
Would you change any of your materials and why?
Peer assessment:
1. Did they use reusable or recycled materials for at
least 50% of their replica? Excellent/ Good/ Can be
improved
2. Did they explain how they would improve their
design? Excellent/ Good/ Can be improved
3. Did they explain why they chose each specific
structural feature for their animal? Excellent/ Good/ Can
be improved
4. Did they explain how they connected the materials
together to make their replica and what materials they
used to do this? Excellent/ Good/ Can be improved
5. Does their design fit the size
specifications? Excellent/ Good/ Can be improved
Scale: Excellent/ Good/ Can be improved
Excellent: Well thought through adaptations to suit the
survival and environment of their animal. It is evident
that their model is made from 50% recycled and reused
materials and they covered all five points clearly and
confidently.
Good: They covered all five points briefly and their
model is made has elements of reused and recycled
materials. There is still room for improvement.
Can be improved: They didn’t cover all five points, it
was confusing to understand why their animal had
certain structural features and there is room for
improvement.
PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS:
Your replica of your newly discovered species must be
made 50% from reused and recycled materials to ensure
we are reducing the waste and helping our environment. An
example of suitable materials you may wish to use include:
EXAMPLE of Materials:
Reusable:
Old toys (check with your guardian first)
Old clothes·
Scraps of fabric
Recycled:
Plastic bottle tops
Egg carton
Plastic bag
Special feature: Your bag MUST have this special feature.
Your replica must have at least 6 different structural
features, be portable and durable.
Size: Your replica must be between 20-30cm in width and
30-50cm in length.
EVALUATION: Self-Reflection
1. Does the product design meet the design brief?
Explain your answer considering:
Is it big enough? Does it have the length and width
required?
Is it made with 50% recyclable or reused materials?
Is it portable and doesn’t fall apart when it is moved
around?
2. Were your construction techniques suitable?
Is the replica durable? (Able to withstand pressure,
damage and is hard-wearing).
Were the techniques used (e.g. Sewing) well
executed?
3.How good was your time management in relation to
your production plan? How could you improve on this?
4.What issues did you have during the process of
designing and producing your replica?
5. List five ways which your model could be improved.
How would you go about achieving those improvements?
6. What were your biggest achievements?
Peer assessment/ marking rubric
During your last lesson you will be presenting
your model in groups of four, where you will be assessing
each other based on five main points. At the end of the
lesson your teacher will collect these and give you an
overall mark using their own rubric.