National Geographic: Adaptations

This activity combines videos, images, and readings to explore the evolution of flight and gliding in lizard species. Students will compare and contrast images and videos of fossils of flying dinosaurs such as Pterosaurs with current species of lizards that use appendages to glide through their habitat. Students will look at similarities and differences between species over time, with the ultimate goal of understanding how animals adapt within their environment. It is a strong lesson that can introduce concepts of evolution and natural selection.