Animal Adaptations

Animal Adaptations WebQuest

ATTENTION all scientists! Your expertise is needed. You job is to learn as much information about your chosen animal as you can. You will learn that each animal has 5 basic needs to survive: getting food/water, oxygen, maintaining body temperatures, protection/defense, and making/finding shelter. As you research your animal, make sure you include all adaptations that help it survive. You will be sharing your animal’s profile with your classmates at the end of the WebQuest.

Your task is to research an animal and explain in detail how all adaptations are being used for the animal.

• Choose an animal to research adaptations.
• Visit various sites to research animal’s diet, behavior, appearance, structures, and habitats.
• Complete ROLE sheet.
• Complete the story board with your planned power point slides.
• Create a PowerPoint presentation giving information about your animal and its adaptations.
• Present you PowerPoint to the class.

Engineer    Environmentalist   Nutritionist    Psychologist

Part One

1. First, you’ll choose a group of four students. Choose wisely. This assignment will be put in the gradebook so make choices based on your academic success, not your social life.  

2. You will each be responsible for one of the roles that follow as you research an animal.

• The nutritionist will research the diet of the animal.
• The psychologist will study the animals’ behavior and appearance.
• The engineer will study the structures of the animal and how these allow it to live in its habitat.
• The environmentalist will study the habitat of the animal.

3. When you are researching, choose an animal that you all agree upon.

Websites you can use!

http://teacher.scholastic.com/dirtrep/animal/invest.htm

http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/homepage/belfourth/File/Science/Info_on_Animal_Adaptations.pdf

http://www.mbgnet.net/index.html

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/

4. You must use at least one book and one website for your research. Using multiple sources is important to make sure the information you are using is reliable and accurate.

5. You need to take notes about your animal as you research. Use role sheets provided in your folder to record your information.

5. Now that you have learned about an animal and its adaptations that help it survive its habitat, work with your group to complete the story board.

6. Your power point (and story board) should include:

• One title page with the name of your animal and your names in the group.
• One page created for EACH person based on their ROLE.
• One page with any interesting facts you want us to know about your animal.

7. When you complete the storyboard, focus on the words. You can decorate your power point on the computer.

8. After your group has completed their role sheets and storyboard, conference with your teacher.

9. Create your PowerPoint presentation with your group and be prepared to share on another day!

The rubric is in your binder!

Can’t wait to see what you present!!!

http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/bellerive/homepages/assignment.cfm?UserID=bel…

A WebQuest for 4th Grade

Designed by

Melissa Biehl and Amanda Lewis

Revised by 

Lauren Simerly