Begin with a discussion on how environments can change rapidly due to natural events like floods, droughts, and wildfires. Engage students by asking them to share any experiences they have had with such events.
Go to the LessonLesson Plans
Surviving Change – Rapid, Natural Changes
Learning Objectives
- Identify different types of rapid, natural changes that can occur in environments, such as floods, droughts, and wildfires.
- Describe how organisms, like plants and animals, adapt to changes in their environment in order to survive.
- Explain how human activities can lead to environmental changes and impact the survival of organisms.
- Discuss the possible outcomes for organisms when they face rapid changes in their environment, including adaptation, migration, or death.
Introduction and Hook
Introduce the concept of adaptation by showing images of animals and plants that have adapted to survive in changing environments.
Direct Instruction
Explain the different types of rapid, natural changes that can occur in environments and how these changes can impact organisms. Use examples like floods, droughts, and wildfires.
Discuss how human activities can lead to environmental changes and the potential impact on the survival of organisms.
Guided Exploration
Watch the video 'Why Do Animals Swarm?' to understand how group behaviors can be a survival strategy during environmental changes.
Facilitate a discussion on how organisms adapt, migrate, or face extinction when rapid changes occur in their environment.
Hands-On Activity
Conduct a classroom activity where students classify different organisms based on their adaptations to survive in specific environments.
Use the 'Desert Adaptations' assessment to have students draw and describe a desert habitat and identify adaptations of organisms like the rattlesnake and barrel cactus.
Independent Practice
Assign students to research and present on an organism of their choice, focusing on how it adapts to rapid environmental changes.
Encourage students to write a short essay on the impact of human activities on environmental changes and organism survival.
Check for Understanding
Use the 'Changes to the Environment' assessment to evaluate students' understanding of how organisms respond to environmental changes.
Review and Reflection
Conduct a class discussion to reflect on the different strategies organisms use to survive rapid environmental changes.
Encourage students to share their thoughts on how they can contribute to reducing human impact on the environment.
Assessment and Extension
Administer the 'Review – Adaptations for Survival' assessment to test students' comprehension of adaptation concepts across different habitats.
Try the Quiz
For extension, have students explore additional resources on how climate change affects biodiversity and adaptation strategies.
