Chapter 3: Adaptation and competition
An adaptation is useful only in a particular environment. Thick fur helps in cold mountains but costs energy in a warming habitat.
Part of your national curriculum
- Biology: genetics and evolution: Understand changes in the environment that 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
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Understand changes in the environment that 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
Key learning points
- • What adaptation means
- • Competition
- • Selection over generations
- • Avoid the purpose trap
This lesson at a glance
- 32 minutes
- 19 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 19
Visual introductionPicture this
Chapter 3: Adaptation and competition
An adaptation is useful only in a particular environment. Thick fur helps in cold mountains but costs energy in a warming habitat.
In a nutshell
Understand changes in the environment that 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
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 19
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · What adaptation means
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 19
Learn
What adaptation means
An adaptation is an inherited feature that improves survival or reproduction in a particular environment. Structural adaptations include camouflage; behavioural adaptations include migration; physiological adaptations include producing concentrated urine.
Reset break
Part 4 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 19
Learn
Competition
Organisms compete when resources are limited. Animals may compete for food, territory and mates; plants compete for light, water, minerals and space. Better-adapted individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce.
Quick check
Part 6 of 19
Quick check
Part 7 of 19
Reset break
Part 8 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 19
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Selection over generations
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 19
Learn
Selection over generations
If a useful inherited variation helps its bearer reproduce, the allele may become more common in later generations. Populations change over generations; individual organisms do not evolve during their lifetime.
Explore the idea
Part 11 of 19
Learn
Avoid the purpose trap
Organisms do not develop features because they need them. Variation already exists, and environmental conditions affect which individuals leave more offspring.
Reset break
Part 12 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 13 of 19
Challenge round
Part 14 of 19
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 15 of 19
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
An adaptation is an inherited feature that improves survival or reproduction in a particular ____.
Better-adapted ____ are more likely to survive and reproduce.
Reset break
Part 16 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 4 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 17 of 19
Game · Recall cards
Natural selection acts on…
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 18 of 19
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Chapter 3: Adaptation and competition
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Natural selection acts on…
2. Migrating to avoid winter is which type of adaptation?
3. A population changes over generations because…
4. Which is an adaptation?
Lesson round-up
Part 19 of 19
Lesson round-up
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Understand changes in the environment that 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