An adaptation is something that makes a plant or animal fit to live where it does. The 4th graders have been very busy studying different animal adaptations and seeing how those adaptations help the animal survive in its habitat. They just spent a week studying our Great Horned Owl, whose name is "Owlbert Einstein". They noticed that the owl has many adaptations, like the talons, curved beak, large eyes, and asymmetrical ears. The owl also has soft, fringed feathers on its wings to enable it to fly silently. These are just a few of the adaptations of the apex predator, the owl.
The 4th graders took the adaptation study even further and designed an experiment to test a hydrodynamically-shaped fish against a non-hydrodynamic or more chunky-shaped fish. Each team modeled out of clay, two fish possesing these characteristics. They then raced each of the fish over a known distance and measured the time it took for the fish to complete the race. Using their math skils, the students were able to determine which fish had the fastest speed, and explain their results based on data collected. The children had a great time with this lab, and now understand more about adaptations.
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