7th Grade Integrated Science

Standard IV, Objective 2

Activity title: Design an Organism

Description: Students will design an organism for a very unusual environment. They will then tell why it could not survive in two other unusual environments.

Materials needed: 17 x 12 inch paper, cards with descriptions of the unusual environments (see below), crayons or colored pencils, student sheet (also below)

Prior knowledge needed: Organisms can genetically adapt over time to develop traits that help them survive.

Time required: One period

Special teacher procedures, safety notes, and suggestions:

1. Students will pick one of the eight environments provided. They should start by listing the conditions they think will be present on their worksheets.

2. Students then describe the adaptations and body plan of their organism on the data table.

3. Students draw the organism in the space provided and explain their work to others in the class either at their table or to the entire class.

Scoring Guide:

1. Students fill in data table with conditions and adaptations……………..4

2. Students make drawing of organism………………………………………4

3. Students explain the organism to others…………………………………..4

Name______Per. ___ Date:____ Integrated Science 7

Design an Organism

Introduction: In any environment, the genes that best help an organism survive create what scientists call adaptations. In this activity, you will pretend that the organisms you are creating have a huge variety of genes that could be adapting to some unusual environments.

Procedures:

1. Pick one of the eight environments provided. Start by listing the environmental conditions your organism will be living in. You need to list at least five. Be sure to think about temperature, possible food sources, water sources, predators, etc.

2. Describe the adaptations and body plan of the organism on the data table. You must give it at least 5 different adaptations to help it survive in the environment you have chosen. Be sure to think about the different kinds of adaptations we have discussed (structural, behavioral, and physiological adaptations for reproduction, eating, moving, hiding, hunting, or protection). Also consider if it would reproduce sexually or asexually.

3. Draw and color the organism in its environment on the back of your paper. Make sure to label the adaptations you gave it.

4. Share and explain your work to others in the class either at your table, then vote on who should share their organism with the class.

Prediction: (will any two organisms that the students in your class design be alike? Why or why not?) ______

My environment was:______

Conditions in my environment / Adaptations and body plan / How it helps it survive or reproduce in the environment

Drawing: Remember to draw and label the adaptations of your organism and to draw it living in its environment.