In Year 5, we’ve been evolving our Adaptations unit to focus on the growth and survival of plants and animals in a environment, to engage our student’s creativity and develop their design skills.
Our project comprises the design of a new animal or plant, which is to survive in a particular environment. Students consider the environmental threats and needs of different animals and plants.
A Numbers document is used as the scaffold and the students are offered multiple ways of designing a new animal.


The Numbers document includes both explicit teaching as well as ways the students can extend themselves
The project has opportunities for support and enrichment in an attempt to cater for all student’s learning needs. Not only do students design their new animal or plant, they write an explanation on the physical, behavioural and physiological adaptations the animal/plant needs in order to survive in the environment.
Student Choice
Students can either choose to build their design using different materials such as Lego spike robotics, 3d Printing or modelling clay.



The Doodle3D Transform App is fantastic at growing 2D Shapes that students have drawn with their Apple Pencils, and extending the content to a 3D shape.