Lesson Overview
In this two-part lesson, students will learn how different animals survive in cold environments using their physical, behavioral, and physiological adaptations. Endothermic or “warm-blooded” cold weather animals maintain a regular body temperature internally.
First, students are introduced to ectothermic animals, or animals that rely on external sources of heat. They will discover that ectotherms are typically more reliant on their behavioral adaptations to keep warm during the colder months of the year. Then, students are introduced to endothermic animals, or animals that maintain their internal temperature through biological processes. For these animals, students will focus on how physical adaptations help them to survive in cold climates.
After each lesson, students have activity options to act out, draw a diagram, build a model, write an explanation, or a combination of these to create their own perfectly-adapted cold weather animal.
