In this short film for primary schools Martin Hughes-Games investigates variation in leaf material from a pine and broad leaf forest and discusses why some leaves drop and some leaves stay all year round.
He explores why nothing grows on the ground of a coniferous forest and how some trees are adapted to cope with harsh conditions.
He explains that both strategies are good - neither is better than the other.
This short film is from the BBC series, Evolutionwatch.
Teacher Notes
Pupils could collect plant material to create a colour chart to show the spectrum of colours that can be found in the forest.
They could go on a mini-beast hunt and compare their findings between the two woodlands.
Pupils could identify plants and trees, complete bark rubbings and regularly visit woodland to monitor changes in the environment.
They could also build habitat stacks.
Curriculum Notes
This short film will be relevant for teaching primary science, particularly on the topics of animals and evolution.
More from Evolutionwatch:
Why do animals and plants have camouflage? video
In this short film for primary schools, Michaela Strachan looks at fish and mammals and explains how they have evolved to become better camouflaged to suit their environment.
How have animal skeletons adapted? video
How have animal skeletons adapted over thousands of years of evolution? In this short film for primary schools Martin Hughes-Games looks at the skeletons of animals and humans and explains how and why they have changed.
What is selective breeding? video
In this short film for primary schools Michaela Strachen introduces the concept of inherited characteristics in animals and vegetables, and we see how dog breeders and vegetable growers make use of artificial selection.
How animals have adapted to become successful predators. video
In this short film for primary schools Michaela Strachan visits an owl sanctuary with some primary school pupils to find out how a barn owl is adapted to be a successful predator.
Timeline of life on Earth video
In this short film for primary schools Martin Hughes-Games describes the role of a palaeontologist; someone who studies ancient living things and how planet Earth has evolved over millions of years.
