Animal Adaptations and Extremophiles

Complete No-Prep lesson with exam questions, tasks and answers on Animal Adaptations and Extremophiles for AQA GCSE (9-1) Combined Science / Biology. This lesson covers all of AQA GCSE Biology / Combined Science exam spec point 4.7.1.4 in relation to animals and extremophile bacteria. You may wish to also teach about plant adaptations, which are not covered in this lesson.

As a Secondary Science teacher and Deputy Headteacher for many years I make high quality no-prep lessons so busy teachers can teach outstanding lessons without spending hours planning. This high quality lesson includes explanations, different types of in-lesson assessment (all with answers) and unique exam questions.

What’s Included:

• Worksheet to complete the adaptations table task.
• Two starters so you can extend this over two lessons if needs be.
• Explanation slides in “chunked” sections with animated diagrams.
• Worked examples of calculations (surface area to volume ratio).
• Multiple questions in different question styles and difficulties - no need for worksheets. Each “chunked” explanation section includes a set of “learning check / quick questions” followed by a set of in-depth questions on the learning from that “chunk” of the lesson. All questions have answers.
• Exam-style questions on the whole lesson at the end of the lesson- these are unique, based on real exam questions but not just copied from exam boards.
• Answers for all questions
• All easily editable to adapt to your teaching or to use in existing lessons.
• Slightly humorous, at points, if you like that sort of thing.

Learning objectives:

• Describe how organisms have adaptations that enable them to survive in the conditions in which they normally live.
• Describe adaptations as structural, behavioural or functional.
• Suggest or explain how organisms are adapted to live in their natural environment, when given appropriate information.
• Describe how extremophiles are organisms that live in environments that are very extreme (such as at high temperature, pressure, or salt concentration) and describe how they are adapted to their environment.

The lesson was written for AQA GCSE Combined Science / Biology but is very likely to be applicable to other exam specifications.

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