Why does a cactus have spines and a polar bear thick fur? Living things have features that suit the places they live, and those features are passed from parents to their young. Over a very long time, this is how species change.
What your child will learn
- Explain how a feature helps an animal or plant survive in its habitat
- Know that offspring inherit features from their parents but are not identical to them
- Tell inherited features from ones caused by the environment
- Know that fossils show how living things have changed over millions of years
Suited to survive
An adaptation is a feature that helps a living thing survive where it lives. A camel’s wide feet stop it sinking into sand; a cactus stores water in its thick stem; an arctic fox’s white coat hides it in the snow.
Small differences add up
Brothers and sisters are alike but never identical — this is variation. In the wild, the individuals whose features suit their surroundings best are more likely to survive and have young, who inherit those features. Over many generations, a species slowly changes.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Why does a cactus have a thick, fleshy stem?
🌵- To catch insects
- To make shade
- To float
- To store water
Show answer
Answer: To store water. Stored water helps it survive long dry spells.
2. Which of these is inherited from your parents?
- The language you speak
- Your natural eye colour
- Your favourite food
- A scar on your knee
Show answer
Answer: Your natural eye colour. Eye colour is passed on from parents.
3. Why do ducks have webbed feet?
🦆- To dig holes
- To paddle through water
- To climb trees
- To run faster on land
Show answer
Answer: To paddle through water. Webbed feet push against the water like paddles.
Tips for grown-ups
- Choose an animal and list three features that help it survive where it lives.
- Compare family photos: which features run in the family, and which don’t?
- Visit a museum or look online at fossils of animals that no longer exist.