Science / Year 5 / Science Understanding / Biological sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)

Elaborations
  • explaining how particular adaptations help survival such as nocturnal behaviour, silvery coloured leaves of dune plants
  • describing and listing adaptations of living things suited for particular Australian environments
  • exploring general adaptations for particular environments such as adaptations that aid water conservation in deserts
ScOT terms

Adaptation (Evolution),  Animal behaviour

Video

Spectacular spiders and their stunning silks

Discover what makes spiders so spectacular in this award-winning clip about the feeding habits, adaptations, and physical features of spiders. See close-up footage of spiders weaving their webs, catching their prey, and sheltering in their retreats. Brandon Gifford entered this video in the 2013 Sleek Geeks Eureka Science ...

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Migratory birds

Discover a program that builds awareness about Tasmania's shore birds. See how community involvement is helping to monitor their populations. View this clip called 'Migratory birds', created by young reporters from Circular Head Christian School, Tasmania. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the ...

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Catalyst: Sending seeds into space

Why might we need to keep a collection of seeds from all over the world? Where would we keep a collection like that? Should we send some of them into space? Watch this clip to reveal answers to all these questions and more.

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Kids in the Garden, Ep 8: How plants survive in different places

Explore some amazing ways that plants can survive in their habitats. See plants that mimic stones. Discover how some plants use weapons to protect themselves. Meet plants that trap their victims to feed on them.

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Catalyst: Penguin wave better than a group hug!

Emperor penguins form a big, tightly packed huddle to keep warm in Antarctica, the coldest and windiest continent on Earth. But how do the ones on the outside of the huddle keep warm? Find out about a clever way of ensuring that no penguin is left out in the cold.

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ABC News: Dr Karl vs the mysterious giant squid

Do you believe in the legendary sea monster called the Kraken? It's said to have gigantic tentacles and to lurk in the deep ocean. In this clip, Dr Karl talks about some of the extraordinary features of a real deep-sea creature - the giant squid. Watch this clip to find out about it and see some footage of this amazing creature.

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Kids in the Garden, Ep 2: How seeds become plants

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Interactive

Cassowary ecology quiz

Explore facts about the life of cassowaries: physical characteristics; diet; habitat; life cycles; and locations. Interact with graphs to see how much people can help cassowaries. Work through ecology notes and resources. Answer questions as you go; express your answers as fractions. This learning object is one in a series ...

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Field Guide to NSW Fauna - Google Play app

View descriptions of NSW fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

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Field Guide to Western Australian Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Western Australian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

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Field Guide to Northern Territory Fauna - Google play app

View descriptions of Northern Territory fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

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Field Guide to Northern Territory Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Northern Territory fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Field Guide to NSW Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of NSW fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Field guide to Queensland Fauna - Google Play app

View descriptions of Queensland fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

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Field guide to Victorian Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Victorian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Field guide to Queensland Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Queensland fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Field guide to South Australian Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of South Australian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Text

Animal survivor

This resource provides a scaffold for students to analyse the features of a Queensland animal and relate them to its survival success. Students then conduct the animal design challenge: Engineering new features for their animal to increase its chance of survival and future success. Students also make predictions about how ...

Image

'Anhanguera blittersdorffi'

This is a model skeleton of 'Anhanguera blittersdorffi', a flying reptile with a wingspan of 4 m. It was a member of the pterosaur group, carnivorous flying reptiles with skin-covered wings.