Biodiversity
Explore food webs, adaptations and endangered species in a variety of habitats in the Farm to Fork Zone . You could try some of the activities in preparation for this visit. Make a penguin mask, look at variation within your own class and design a species adapted to a particular habitat. Discover more about minibeasts at Key Stage Two and play endangered species bingo. This list provides lesson ideas, interactive activities and games to support this theme within the primary curriculum.
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Penguin Diversity: Mask Making (Age 5 to 7)
A presentation on penguin diversity and adaptation containing high quality photographs of different penguin species. This resource shows how penguins are adapted to survive in a particular habitat. Children then make masks of the different species showing their variation. There is also a quiz to consolidate learning.This links to learning about variation at Key Stage One.
Minibeast Discovery Pack
Cards detailing different activities for lessons on catching minibeasts, habitat preference, life cycles and food chains. Most activities relate to Key Stage Two but there is an activity sheet on insects suitable for Key Stage One.
Dinner at the Reef: Food Chains (Age 7 to 11)
A game which explores food chains in a marine environment, and highlights the fine balance of an ecosystem. The resources include teachers notes and students activity sheets. They could be used as an introduction to foood chains or as a game to consolidate learning.
Endangered Species Bingo (Age 7 to 11)
Play a bingo game to reinforce knowledge of different species and their conservation status. High quality images of animals which can be printed and laminated to use for Bingo. These cards could also be used for developing thinking skills in groups, with children sorting and grouping animals or looking at variation and adapation.
ARKive's Adaptation: Design a Species Activity
A lesson plan for teaching adaptation with a follow up activity. This contains a powerpoint of high quality images showing the various ways animals are adapted to the environment in which they live. Children are then challenged to design a species thinking about various themes for adaptation.
Food chain starter clip
A short video clip which is a useful starter when teaching foodchains. A fox, a caterpillar and a carrot talk about what they eat, showing how animals and plant life are reliant on one another to survive.The video ends with a question designed to provoke a Key Stage Two classroom discussion on the food chain.
Module 4: Interdependence
The Key Stage Two topics habitats, lifecycles and interdependence and adaptation are supported by this resource which includes a presentation on interdependence and the way in which Darwin worked from observing nature.
Activities which support the learning of habitats, lifecycles, food chains and adaptation encourage the importance of fieldwork by suggesting teaching to be done before, after and during a visit to an outdoor area .
It also considers why it is important to collect data to answer questions.
Endangered Species Fact Sheets
Electronic fact sheets from Kids' Planet which give facts on endangered animals. Look at a World map and choose an animal from a particular continient, which is endangered. These sheets could be used as a basis of researching different animals looking at adaptations, habitats or reasons why they are endangered.
BBC Schools Food Chains
An interactive activity where Deadly 60's Steve shows children about food chains. There are many other interactive activities on this website which children will find stimulating and which help consolidate learning about food chains and habitats.