Lesson Plan

Science Week Lesson: KS3 - From Scales to Tails: The Evolution and Adaptation of Reptiles

DE-LIVE-25: KS3

Intent

Lesson Outcomes

Explore the changes and adaptations of reptiles

National Curriculum

Interactions and interdependencies

  • Relationships in an ecosystem:
  • The interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem, including food webs and insect pollinated crops
  • How organisms affect, and are affected by, their environment, including the accumulation of toxic materials

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

Working Scientifically

  • Ask questions and develop a line of enquiry based on observations of the real world, alongside prior knowledge and experience
  • Make predictions using scientific knowledge and understanding
  • Make and record observations and measurements using a range of methods for different investigations; and evaluate the reliability of methods and suggest possible improvements
  • Interpret observations and data, including identifying patterns and using observations, measurements and data to draw conclusions
  • Present reasoned explanations, including explaining data in relation to predictions and hypotheses

Resources

The KS3 lesson will be available to watch at any time from Friday 7th March 2025.

The links will be available through the presentation button.

Schools can access the link to the sessions from the DE platform; however, our videos are streamed via YouTube. Please ensure your school has access to YouTube, as sometimes this can be blocked by your school firewall.

These lessons are designed to take place within the classroom setting, so students can complete the activities on their handout during the live lesson. Please print the appropriate handout prior to the session. Students will also need to take part in partner/class discussions.

Rocket words

  • adaptations
  • evolution
  • reptile
  • variation
  • species

Implementation

Students will complete the following activities on the handouts provided. There will be other discussion activities throughout the session. Feel free to pause the video at appropriate times to suit the needs and ability of your students.

Activity 1: Tick the reptiles from the pictures shown.

Activity 2: Classification of the remaining animals and explanations of why they are not reptiles.

Activity 3: Analyse adaptations of four different reptiles.

Activity 4: Comparison of a turtle, tortoise and a terrapin.

Impact & Assessment Opportunities

Follow-up activities:

Activity 5: Examine the reptile evolution timeline and analyse how climate, predators and food sources influenced physical changes. Identify the adaptations that helped reptiles survive in various environments.

Climate Influence on Reptile Evolution

  • Temperature Adaptations: How did changing climates affect reptile body temperature regulation? For example, the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life required reptiles to adapt to fluctuating environmental temperatures.
  • Water Conservation: Consider how reptiles developed adaptations like waterproof skin and the ability to store water to survive in arid environments.
  • Evolution of Egg-Laying: The evolution of amniotic eggs allowed reptiles to reproduce on land, avoiding the need for water-based reproduction seen in amphibians.

Predators and Survival Strategies

  • Defensive Adaptations: What physical traits did reptiles evolve to avoid predators (e.g., armour, camouflage, venom)?
  • Size and Strength: How did larger size or stronger physical traits (e.g., stronger jaws) help certain reptiles survive against larger predators?
  • Speed and Agility: Discuss how certain reptiles evolved to be faster or more agile to escape predators (e.g., the evolution of lizards’ ability to run quickly).

Food Sources and Adaptation

  • Teeth and Diet: How did changes in diet (e.g., from herbivorous to carnivorous) lead to changes in teeth structure, jaw strength and digestive systems?
  • Foraging and Hunting: How did adaptations like improved vision, stronger limbs or specialised appendages help reptiles hunt or forage for food?
  • Specialised Diets: Discuss reptiles that adapted to specific food sources, such as herbivores with specialised teeth to grind plants, or carnivores with sharp teeth for hunting.

Physical Changes Over Time

  • Body Structure: How did physical features like limb development, body size and skin texture evolve in response to environmental pressures like terrain or climate?
  • Adaptations in Fossil Records: What physical evidence from the fossil record shows how reptiles adapted to different climates, diets or predation over millions of years?