New
New
Year 7

Adaptations of predators and prey

I can describe how predators and prey are adapted to help them survive.

New
New
Year 7

Adaptations of predators and prey

I can describe how predators and prey are adapted to help them survive.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Prey have adaptations to help them avoid being hunted, and predators are adapted to help them capture prey.
  2. Some common adaptations of prey animals are that they have good camouflage or that they are nocturnal.
  3. Some common adaptations of predators are big teeth, good eyesight and the ability to run fast.

Common misconception

Organisms are able to adapt to the place where they live.

Referring to inheritance, explain that changes to organisms take time to evolve - responses to any environmental change is not instant.

Keywords

  • Prey - A prey is an animal that is caught and eaten by another animal.

  • Predator - A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals.

  • Adaptation - An adaptation is a feature that organisms have to help them live in a particular place.

  • Camouflage - Camouflage is a strategy that organisms use to disguise their appearance, usually by blending in with their surroundings.

Engage pupils in thinking about adaptations of different organisms by providing them with the opportunity to 'design' their own organism and label how the features they draw either help it to avoid predation or make the organism an expert hunter.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
A is an organism which is hunted as food by a predator.
Correct Answer: prey
Q2.
The image below shows a food chain diagram. Which organism is the apex predator?
An image in a quiz
squid
Correct answer: shark
phytoplankton
zooplankton
shrimp
Q3.
How many predators are there in the following food chain diagram?
An image in a quiz
one
two
Correct answer: three
more than three
Q4.
Complete the sentence. A is an organism that makes its own food.
Correct Answer: producer, producers , plant
Q5.
Look at the food chain diagram from a desert. Match the organism with the correct statement.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:cactus,is neither predator or prey

is neither predator or prey

Correct Answer:wood rat,is prey

is prey

Correct Answer:rattlesnake,is predator and prey

is predator and prey

Correct Answer:hawk,is an apex predator

is an apex predator

Q6.
Blackbirds are predators of slugs. Slugs are prey of blackbirds. What will happen to the population of blackbirds if there is a very large population of slugs?
Correct answer: The blackbird population will increase.
The blackbird population will stay the same.
The blackbird population will decrease.
Q2 UYSEG Q3 UYSEG Q5 UYSEG

6 Questions

Q1.
The picture shows a lizard. Which of the following are adaptations that help the lizard to avoid being eaten by predators.
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: eyes at the side of the head
warning colouration
eye spots
Correct answer: camouflage
Q2.
How many predators are there in the following food chain diagram?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: two, 2
Q3.
The insect in the photo is bright red and black. Which adaptations might this insect have to stop predators from eating it?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: It may taste unpleasant.
It may be easily spotted by predators.
Correct answer: It may give off a nasty smell.
It may be camouflaged.
Q4.
Match the adaptation to how it helps prey to avoid predators.
Correct Answer:Camouflage,Helps prey to blend into the surroundings.

Helps prey to blend into the surroundings.

Correct Answer:Eyes on the side of the head,Helps to detect movement from a wider area.

Helps to detect movement from a wider area.

Correct Answer:Mimicry,They appear to be another organism that may be poisonous.

They appear to be another organism that may be poisonous.

Correct Answer:Eye spots,May be used to startle a predator or deflect an attack.

May be used to startle a predator or deflect an attack.

Correct Answer:Spines,May make it difficult for the predator to attack the prey.

May make it difficult for the predator to attack the prey.

Q5.
Use the information to put the following organisms in a food chain. Lettuces produce their own food. Cats are apex predators. Thrushes are predators of slugs. Thrushes are prey of cats.
1 - lettuce
2 - slug
3 - thrush
4 - cat
Q6.
Match how the adaptation of predators helps them to catch prey.
Correct Answer:Striped fur,Helps the predator remain camouflaged to creep up on prey.

Helps the predator remain camouflaged to creep up on prey.

Correct Answer:Sharp teeth,Helps the predator to grab and kill the prey.

Helps the predator to grab and kill the prey.

Correct Answer:Good eyesight,Helps the predator to judge distance.

Helps the predator to judge distance.

Correct Answer:Muscular legs,Helps the predator to run quickly to catch prey.

Helps the predator to run quickly to catch prey.

Q2 UYSEG