1. Animal Adaptations

2. Objectives
• 3.4 The student will investigate and
understand that behavioral and physical
adaptations allow animals to respond to life
needs. Key concepts include:
– hibernation, migration, camouflage, mimicry,
instinct, and learned behavior.

3. What is adaptation?
• Special features that help an animal to survive
in its environment.
• Physical adaptation: Bodily structures that
help with survival.
• Behavioral adaptation: Something that an
animal does to survive.

4. Physical adaptations
• Type of body covering: fur, feathers, scales
• Color: patterns, match surroundings
• Body part: beak, antlers, ears, claws
• Defenses: venom, spray, quills

5. Camouflage
• Color or pattern of an animal that helps it to
blend in with its surroundings.
• Helps the animal to find food or hide from its
enemies.

6. Mimicry
• Looking or sounding like another animal or
object to help an animal hide.

7. Behavioral Adaptations
• Anything that an animal does in order to
survive.
• Some behaviors are learned: they must be
taught how to do it.
• Other behaviors are instinct: they are born
knowing how to do it.

8. Hibernation
• Hibernation is an instinctive behavior.
• It is a response to cold weather.
• Animals go into a sleep state to survive the
cold winter.

9. Migration
• Migration is an instinctive behavior.
• Migration is travelling from one place to
another when the seasons change.
• All types of animals migrate!

10. Time to Find a Buddy!
• Grab a partner!
• Grab a Venn Diagram
• Work together and let me know what you’ve
learned today about animal adaptations.