Title of Experiment: How are different birds adapted to their habitats?

Purpose: To see how different birds are adapted to their habitats.

Materials: CD ROM for the investigation in chapter 24, CD ROM investigation-chapter 24 instructions, and Chapter 24 questions for CD ROM.

Procedure:

1.      Click the video button. Watch the video to learn how birds are adapted to their environments.

2.      Chose a habitat by clicking the arrow at the bottom of the habitat slide. Select wetland, temperate deciduous forest, or open ocean habitat.

3.      Click the bird habitat guide button to access information about each habitat and the activities of birds in each habitat.

4.      Design a bird that is well-adapted to the habitat. Click the arrow under the Wings, Beaks, or Leg/Feet slide and select the type of wings, beaks, or leg/feet that would enable a bird to thrive in the selected habitat. Repeat this step until you have finish designing a bird by making a selection for each body part.

5.      Click the check button. If the bird that you designed is not well-adapted to its habitat, examine the Bird Habitat Guide and try again. If the bird that you designed is well-adapted to the habitat, observe how the bird behaves in the habitat. To repeat the animation c, click the bird.

6.      Repeat the explortation and design another bird in another habitat.

Observation: Computer

Questions/Answers: Describe the habitat you chose in the exploration. The wetlands are saturated with water and covered with shallow water and weeds in certain parts.

Describe some adaptations a bird might need to survive in this habitat. They should be able to lift themselves out of the water and mud with fish in their beaks. They need to be able to catch fish while standing in water therefore they need ling sturdy legs and a long beak and neck. Why do you think each bird part you selected is best suited to its habitat? The bird I selected has a long neck and beak which enables it to easily catch fish. It also has long legs which allow it to stand in mud without sinking. Did you change any of your bird part selections? If so, why? No. Compare two of the birds you built. Explain how they are alike and how they are different in regard to their adaptations and their habitats. I compared the Open Ocean bird and the Wetland bird. They both have long wings which allow them to glide over water without resting frequently, and they both have long sharp beaks to catch fish. However, the Open Ocean bird has short legs as opposed to the Wetland bird because it doesn’t need to stand in the water to catch a fish; it has wings designed for diving into the water.