
The Features of Animals
Levels 3 and 4

NZC Achievement Objectives

Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa
The Biological Environment: Recognise and explain the changes undergone by species (especially those of Aotearoa) over long periods of time.
Te Taiao: Ka āhukahuka, ka whakamārama i ngā panoni o ngā momo koiora (me ngā mea motuhake o Aotearoa), o neherā tae noa ki tēnei wā.

Learning Intentions

Integration Ideas
Learning Intentions are from the Ministry of Education
Integration ideas are from the Ministry of Education
Level 3
Investigate special features of common animals and describe how these help them stay alive.
Level 4
Investigate and describe special features of animals that help them survive into the next generation.
Students can investigate the special features of various parts of skeletons and plants structures and describe how these help organisms to survive and reproduce.
Coming Soon!

Related Topics
Resources

If you study insects you’re called an entomologist. You can learn a lot about insects, like how their bodies work, how long they live and what they eat.
Level
1-4
Type
Experiment
A Slice of Apple Fly
Bill Nye The Science Guy
If you study insects you’re called an entomologist. You can learn a lot about insects, like how their bodies work, how long they live and what they eat.

This unit includes a series of activities which focus on the shells made from animals in the Phylum Mollusca (e.g. snails, mussels, limpets, chitons). Link to teacher guide: https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago062811.pdf
Level
1-4
Type
Poster
All About Shells Poster
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
This unit includes a series of activities which focus on the shells made from animals in the Phylum Mollusca (e.g. snails, mussels, limpets, chitons). Link to teacher guide: https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago062811.pdf

This unit includes a series of activities which focus on the shells made from animals in the Phylum Mollusca (e.g. snails, mussels, limpets, chitons). Link to poster: https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago371801.pdf
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
All About Shells Teacher Guide
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
This unit includes a series of activities which focus on the shells made from animals in the Phylum Mollusca (e.g. snails, mussels, limpets, chitons). Link to poster: https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago371801.pdf

Get ready for “toad-al” fun with Bill Nye and the “Amphibians” episode.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMRCsjrjkpo
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Amphibians
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Get ready for “toad-al” fun with Bill Nye and the “Amphibians” episode.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMRCsjrjkpo

Bill’s in the swim with the “Animal Locomotion” episode.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkjGKBd61Y0
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Animal Locomotion
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Bill’s in the swim with the “Animal Locomotion” episode.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkjGKBd61Y0

Look for the following on the beach. Remember not to collect anything that is alive, just describe it.
Level
1-4
Type
Outdoor Activity
Beach Scavenger Hunt
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
Look for the following on the beach. Remember not to collect anything that is alive, just describe it.

Ready for an eggs-citing show? It’s the “Birds” episode. Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhcKZOO5OWk
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Birds
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Ready for an eggs-citing show? It’s the “Birds” episode. Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhcKZOO5OWk

Joe takes you on a journey to discover the wonderful world of bugs!! Find some critters in your backyard & get to know them a little better.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Bug hunt
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Joe takes you on a journey to discover the wonderful world of bugs!! Find some critters in your backyard & get to know them a little better.

To become familiar with the coastal environment with a special focus on rock pools and their environment.
Level
1-4
Type
Lesson Plan
Canterbury's Spectacular Rocky Shore
Environment Canterbury
To become familiar with the coastal environment with a special focus on rock pools and their environment.

You can’t see them, but they’re everywhere even inside Bill Nye. This is not science fiction, it’s the science of cells.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRsRxzK0_D8
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Cells
Bill Nye The Science Guy
You can’t see them, but they’re everywhere even inside Bill Nye. This is not science fiction, it’s the science of cells.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRsRxzK0_D8

Centipedes have been on earth for about 450 million years, even before dinosaurs. Centipedes have lots of eggs, are carnivores (they can kill or parlyse their prey with venom-laden claws) and are mostly nocturnal.
Level
1-4
Type
Poster
Centipedes Poster
Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research
Centipedes have been on earth for about 450 million years, even before dinosaurs. Centipedes have lots of eggs, are carnivores (they can kill or parlyse their prey with venom-laden claws) and are mostly nocturnal.

Bill Nye’s trying to tell you something – about communication.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyW8iuCkc-I
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Communication
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Bill Nye’s trying to tell you something – about communication.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyW8iuCkc-I

In “Skin and Bones” students are introduced to the fascinating communities that develop in the carcasses of whales on the ocean floor.
Level
4
Type
Book
Connected 2012 Level 4: ‘Skin and Bones’
Ministry of Education NZ
In “Skin and Bones” students are introduced to the fascinating communities that develop in the carcasses of whales on the ocean floor.

Scientist Hannah Rainforth investigated kākahi in the Whanganui River to find whether the evidence supports claims by local kaumātua that kākahi have nearly disappeared.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2014 Level 3: ‘Counting Kākahi’
Ministry of Education NZ
Scientist Hannah Rainforth investigated kākahi in the Whanganui River to find whether the evidence supports claims by local kaumātua that kākahi have nearly disappeared.

Sounds are all around us, even if we can’t hear them. Human ears are designed to pick up sound waves of a range of different frequencies, but ultrasonic and infrasonic sounds have frequencies that only certain animals can hear.
Level
4
Type
Book
Connected 2016 Level 4: ‘Can You Hear That?’
Ministry of Education NZ
Sounds are all around us, even if we can’t hear them. Human ears are designed to pick up sound waves of a range of different frequencies, but ultrasonic and infrasonic sounds have frequencies that only certain animals can hear.

This article explores how early Māori went about naming and grouping the plants and animals they found around them. It explains what this process reveals about Māori ways of viewing the world and the framework provided by whakapapa. It prompts comparisons with the Linnaean system for naming and grouping organisms and describes an example of Māori and Pākehā working together and drawing on knowledge from both systems.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2020 Level 3: ‘Te Tapa Ingoa’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article explores how early Māori went about naming and grouping the plants and animals they found around them. It explains what this process reveals about Māori ways of viewing the world and the framework provided by whakapapa. It prompts comparisons with the Linnaean system for naming and grouping organisms and describes an example of Māori and Pākehā working together and drawing on knowledge from both systems.

Nanogirl and some friends find out what goosebumps are and whether all animals get them - especially animals that live in very, very, very cold places
Level
1-4
Type
Podcast
Do all animals get goosebumps?
Nanogirl
Nanogirl and some friends find out what goosebumps are and whether all animals get them - especially animals that live in very, very, very cold places

Use this resource to experience invertebrates (insects) in your school grounds or another local green space.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Experiencing invertebrates in your green space
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Use this resource to experience invertebrates (insects) in your school grounds or another local green space.

Our eyes are incredible machines, but how do they work? Suzy asks the question while on the grounds of parliament, in NZ. She visits the NZ Film Archive and takes a good look things there!
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Eye: How does the eye work?
Suzy's World
Our eyes are incredible machines, but how do they work? Suzy asks the question while on the grounds of parliament, in NZ. She visits the NZ Film Archive and takes a good look things there!