In our Adaptations & Evolution workshop, students will discover how different animal species have become adapted to different habitats over a long period of time. Through a hands on activity they will explore the adaptations of a range of species in depth and will be introduced to how this has happened through the process of natural selection. They will encounter a ZSL conservation project that provides a real life example of how animals are responding to changes in their environment, and explore why evolution might not be occuring. 

Real objects from the natural world used in this session are on loan from HM Revenue and Customs

Age: KS3 (11 - 14 years old) Duration: 45 minutes Capacity: 35 students Indoor Workshop

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Students will be able to:

  • Describe the different between an anatomical and behavioural adaptation
  • Recognise that successful variations in animal species are passed on to offspring through the process of natural selection
  • Describe why animals are unable to adapt to rapid changes in the environment, such as that posed by climate change
  • Discuss how human behaviour impacts animal species
National Curriculum Links
KS3 Biology Working scientifically Experimental skills and investigations
  • Ask questions and develop a line of enquiry based on observations of the real world , alongside prior knowledge and experience
Genetics and evolution Inheritance, chromosomes, DNA and genes
  • heredity as the process by which genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next
  • differences between species
  • the variation between species and between individuals of the same species means some organisms compete more successfully, which can drive natural selection
  • changes in the environment may leave individuals within a species, and some entire species, less well adapted to compete successfully and reproduce, which in turn may lead to extinction
  • the importance of maintaining biodiversity