All lessons › Survival in habitats › Lesson 2
Australian primary science · Years 5–6 · Lesson 2 of 3
Design a survivor
Inquiry question: Which features help a creature survive in a habitat?
Marked no materials needed
Using a model
What students learn
The best features depend on the habitat. A feature that helps in a desert may not help in the ocean.
Success criteria
- I can choose features that suit a habitat.
- I can test my design and use the result.
- I can improve my design using evidence.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Students can explain structural features and behaviours (lesson 1).
- iPads with Bottlebrush Education open (nothing else needed) — 13 (one per pair)
- Projector or big screen — 1
Teacher setup
- Open Living things › Lab › Design a survivor on your screen to demonstrate.
- Check the iPads are charged.
Safety and adaptations
Follow school science and equipment risk assessment procedures for the materials used.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- Pairs choose a habitat.
- Give the creature three features and predict how well it survives.
- Release it and record the result.
- Change one feature, test again and compare.
Teacher modelling prompt
On the big screen pick the desert. Think aloud: “Hot and dry, so I need to save water and stay cool. Big ears and being nocturnal fit. Thick fur doesn’t.” Release and read the result.
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: Which features help a creature survive in our habitat?
| Habitat | Features we chose | Features that helped (out of 3) | What we changed next |
|---|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Which claim is more accurate, and why?
Check understanding
What should pupils know? Why might a feature help in one habitat but not another?
Explain with evidence: How did changing one feature help you decide what worked?
Apply the idea: Design an animal for a rainforest floor: give two features and why.
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.