Adaptations Challenge
Teams investigate structural and behavioural adaptations and then design a fictional organism perfectly adapted to a habitat of their choice. Seven inquiry-based digital lessons, guided by the Australian Curriculum biological sciences strand.
Year levels
Years 5–6
Duration
7 lessons (~45 min each)
Submissions
Each school term
What students do
Students build their understanding of adaptations through a mix of digital lessons, gameplay, team investigation, and design.
- Explore how living things survive through structural and behavioural adaptations
- Play Arludo games to experience how structural and behavioural adaptations impact survival
- Analyse real gameplay data to identify patterns and understand what worked (and what didn’t)
- Work in teams to research real animals and how they are adapted to their environments
- Apply their learning to design a fictional ‘super adapted’ organism suited to a habitat of their choosing
- Present their ideas in a challenge slide deck
- Submit the team creation to the Arludo Adaptations Challenge website (optional)
The science behind it
The Adaptations Challenge gives students a practical way to explore how structural and behavioural adaptations help living things survive in different environments.
Year 5: AC9S5U01 examine how particular structural features and behaviours of living things enable their survival in specific habitats
Year 6: AC9S6U01 investigate the physical conditions of a habitat and analyse how the growth and survival of living things is affected by changing physical conditions
The challenge develops scientific thinking skills including data literacy, evidence-based reasoning, and scientific communication.
Access Lessons via the Arludo Science Portal
After registering, create your free teacher account at teach.arludo.com to access all seven Adaptations Challenge lessons and share lesson links with your class.
Get started freeHow the Adaptations Challenge Works
Investigate
Students explore structural and behavioural adaptations through gameplay, data, and team investigation, building an understanding of how living things survive in different environments.
Design
Teams design a fictional organism for a chosen habitat, applying their learning to develop structural and behavioural adaptations that support survival.
Submit (optional)
Submit the team’s design to be featured on the Arludo Adaptations Challenge website. Submission is optional - participation is the goal.
Curriculum Aligned to Years 5–6
The Adaptations Challenge maps directly to the Australian Curriculum v9 Science strand for Years 5 and 6, with additional alignment to the NSW Science and Technology K–6 Syllabus.
- AC9S5U01 examine how particular structural features and behaviours of living things enable their survival in specific habitats
- AC9S6U01 investigate the physical conditions of a habitat and analyse how the growth and survival of living things is affected by changing physical conditions
- Science Inquiry: questioning, data collection, analysis, and communication
- NSW Stage 3 Science and Technology alignment
Australian Curriculum and NSW Syllabus Links
YEARS 5 & 6 SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING
AC9S5U01 examine how particular structural features and behaviours of living things enable their survival in specific habitats.
AC9S6U01 investigate the physical conditions of a habitat and analyse how the growth and survival of living things is affected by changing physical conditions.
YEARS 5 & 6 SCIENCE INQUIRY
AC9S5I01/AC9S6I01 pose investigable questions to identify patterns and test relationships and make reasoned predictions.
AC9S5I03/AC9S6I03 use equipment to observe, measure and record data with reasonable precision, using digital tools as appropriate.
AC9S5I04/AC9S6I04 construct and use appropriate representations, including tables, graphs and visual or physical models, to organise and process data and describe patterns, trends and relationships.
AC9S5I05/AC9S6I05 compare methods and findings with those of others, recognise possible sources of error, pose questions for further investigation and select evidence to draw reasoned conclusions.
AC9S5I06/AC9S6I06 write and create texts to communicate ideas and findings for specific purposes and audiences, including selection of language features, using digital tools as appropriate.