The survival of the fittest
I can explain the meaning of ‘survival of the fittest’ and give examples in animals or plants.
The survival of the fittest
I can explain the meaning of ‘survival of the fittest’ and give examples in animals or plants.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Charles Darwin suggested that all the kinds of living things that exist today developed from earlier types.
- Some animals and plants are more likely to survive than others.
- Living things that survive can reproduce to pass on characteristics to their offspring.
- The most useful and strongest adaptations are passed on to enable the next generation of plants or animals to survive.
- Survival of the fittest means organisms that are better adapted to their habitat are most likely to survive & reproduce.
Keywords
Charles Darwin - Charles Darwin was an English scientist who studied nature.
Adaptation - An adaptation is a feature of a plant or animal that helps them to survive in their habitat.
Offspring - Living things create offspring when they reproduce.
Survive - To survive means to continue to stay alive.
Reproduce - When living things reproduce they create their offspring.
Common misconception
Pupils may think that the ‘fittest’, as in ‘survival of the fittest’, means the most physically fit or healthy, rather than the most suited to the environment and conditions.
Using the examples in the slide deck, clearly explain that when we refer to the ‘fittest’ living things surviving, we mean those that are best suited to the conditions they are living in.
To help you plan your year 6 science lesson on: The survival of the fittest, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 6 science lesson on: The survival of the fittest, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 science lessons from the Evolution and inheritance unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Green, yellow, red and black wool.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
very cold, snowy environment
very dry, hot environment
cool, damp soil
cold, underwater environment
Exit quiz
6 Questions
