Fennec Fox and Arctic Fox Adaptations

Animal Adaptations Worksheet - Fennec Fox and Arctic Fox

Two foxes. Two very different habitats. This animal adaptations worksheet asks students to compare a fennec fox from the Sahara Desert with an arctic fox from the frozen tundra, and to explain why their bodies are not the same.

Students study a labeled illustration and a data table of real measurements, then work through three short parts: a table hunt, a structure and function matching activity, and a reasoning question that confronts the most common misconception in this unit - the idea that an animal's body changes during its life to fit a new place.

The matching activity is the heart of the page. Ears, fur color, and fur on the paws are the same structures on both foxes, but each one does a different job. Students see one body part serve opposite purposes, which is exactly what makes an adaptation worth explaining.

What's included

• 2 printable worksheet pages
• 1 answer key
• Print-ready PDF, no prep required

Standards: NGSS 4-LS1-1. Grades 3-5.

Great for science centers, homework, sub plans, early finishers, small group work, or review before a plant and animal adaptations test. Pairs with our plant adaptations worksheet featuring the saguaro cactus and water lily.