Adaptation – English

What is 'survival of the fittest'?

This task will enable students to develop their thinking about the term 'survival of the fittest' and what it means. They will write a brief paragraph related to the topic and use this as a basis to develop an informative text explaining the term.

Consider an extreme environment such as a desert. How do animals adapt and survive? Ask students to close their eyes and visualise life as an animal in the Australian desert. Describe the hot wind, the dry, hot air, the kilometres of sand, the vegetation etc. Students write a paragraph about what they would do to survive.

Guide questions:

• Are you an animal that perches, lies in the shade, or burrows?
• Are you nocturnal or are you active during dawn and dusk?
• What do you eat? How do you get water?
• Why might you need to be alert?
• What behavioural or structural adaptations do you have to help you survive in the desert environment?

Students are to write a short piece explaining the meaning of 'survival of the fittest' and providing examples. A conclusion should offer a summary of the student's point of view.

View a range of non-fiction reference material that provides information about biodiversity. List common terms including those which may be unfamiliar. Students use a dictionary or science glossary to understand terms they do not know. Discuss the use of sub-headings to organise ideas and information. Discuss the use of other people's viewpoints on the topic.

Read relevant sections from On Borrowed Time on diversity. Read about the diversity within a single species of Tiger snake. Relate this information to the theme 'survival of the fittest'.

Students use the internet to research and analyse references using key words or terms such as:
'survival of the fittest'
'natural + selection'
'survival + species'
'adaptations'
'diversity + variation'
'species + environment + adaptation + animal'

Resources