Create+Your+Own+Marine+Creature+(Adaptations+Activity)

Time Needed:** 1 to 2 class periods (or as long as you need, but no more then a week) Essential Question(s):** Why do animals have certain body features that help them adapt to their environment? What are these body features and how do these species use them? A). Classifying Life Forms #1-3 (Middle Grades 5-8) 2. Art materials including construction paper, colored pencils, paint, markers, glitter, etc. 3. Computers (for the write up of why they have these adaptations and where they live based on these adaptations) 1. Discuss what adaptations are, and what what adaptations we have or what adaptations different species have that they see everyday (ex. dog, cat, etc). 2. Before class, choose three marine animals and in class discuss the certain adaptations they have and why. Then discuss why these adaptations help these species in their environment. 3. Assign students the task of creating their own "fictional" creature with certain adaptations that help them survive in their environment (if you are doing a unit on the ocean). The environment they create is also based on their creatures adaptations (if this happens to be in the ocean they need to describe where in the ocean this animal might live based on its adaptations). For example if their creature has really sharp teeth-why would it have these really sharp teeth to live in its environment.
 * Title:** **Create Your Own Marine or other Creature (Adaptations Activity)**
 * Author(s):** Jessica Roy
 * Grade Level:** 5 or 6
 * Setting:** Classroom and library/computer lab (if needed)
 * Pre- or Post-visit:
 * Focus Concept/Skill:
 * Learning Objectives/Goals:** *Students will understand how living things depend on one another and on non-living aspects of the environment.
 * Relevant Standards:** Ecology
 * Prior Knowledge Needed:** Students can think about animals they see everyday (including themselves) and what body features t they have that help them in their environment. Also some knowledge of the different biomes, especially the ocean biome.
 * Materials Needed:** 1. Books on different marine animals
 * Activity Description:** **Procedure:**
 * Assessment Ideas:** The students have to write up a one page paper, or how ever long you want it, based on what their creatures environment is, what their adaptations are and why they need them to live in this environment.
 * Extension Ideas:** You can pick the environment if you are doing a certain unit, or if you are doing something on biomes as well in an ecology unit then their creature might be based on a certain biome.
 * Resources:** Books on marine animals (if you are doing that unit), books on other animals, books on biomes, the internet, New England Aquarium website