Lesson Plan: The Living Organisms and Their Surroundings

Class: VI (CBSE/NCERT-based) Chapter: The Living Organisms – Characteristics and Habitats Theme: Adaptation in Living Beings

By the end of the week, students will be able to:

List and explain the seven characteristics of living organisms.
Define habitat and describe major terrestrial and aquatic habitats.
Identify and explain structural, behavioural, and physiological adaptations in plants and animals.
Give examples of how living organisms are adapted to their surroundings for survival.
Create simple models and present observations confidently.

Characteristics of living organisms: Growth, reproduction, respiration, response to stimuli, excretion, movement, need for food.
Habitat: The place where an organism lives and gets food, water, air, and shelter.
Types of habitats: – Terrestrial (desert, grassland, rainforest, mountain, polar) – Aquatic (freshwater and marine)
Adaptations: – Plants: Cactus (water storage, spines), lotus (waxy leaves, air spaces), pine tree (needle leaves, conical shape) – Animals: Camel (hump, long eyelashes), polar bear (blubber, white fur), fish (gills, streamlined body), frog (webbed feet, moist skin)

Day 1 – Introduction: Are They Living or Non-living? (45 min)

Engage (8 min): Show 8–10 objects/pictures (seed, stone, butterfly, plastic toy, growing plant, clock, etc.). Students raise hands: “Living” or “Non-living?”
Explore (25 min): – Group activity: In groups of 5, students list what living things do that non-living things don’t. – Class discussion → Teacher introduces the 7 characteristics of living organisms with simple Indian examples (mango tree grows, earthworm moves, etc.).
Explain (10 min): Quick recap using a mind map on the board.
Homework: Observe 5 living and 5 non-living things at home or on the way to school and write one characteristic each.

Day 2 – What is a Habitat? Terrestrial vs Aquatic (45 min)

Engage (5 min): “Where does a camel feel at home? Where does a fish feel at home?”
Explain (15 min): – Define habitat and biotic/abiotic components. – Show pictures/posters of desert, mountain, rainforest, pond, ocean. – Students classify animals/plants into terrestrial or aquatic.
Activity (20 min): “Habitat Sorting Race” – Teacher gives printed/picture cards of organisms (camel, lotus, penguin, cactus, dolphin, etc.). – Students paste them under correct habitat columns on the blackboard/chart.
Homework: Draw one terrestrial and one aquatic animal/plant and label its habitat.

Day 3 – Adaptations in Animals (45 min)

Engage (7 min): Show picture of camel → “How can it live without water for many days?”
Explain (15 min): – Meaning of adaptation. – Types: Structural (body parts), Behavioural (what they do), Physiological (body functions). – Focus on desert (camel), polar region (polar bear), aquatic (fish, dolphin), mountain (yak, snow leopard).
Activity (20 min): “Guess the Adaptation” game – Teacher shows close-up pictures (camel’s eyelashes, fish gills, polar bear paw, frog’s webbed feet). – Students guess the habitat and purpose of the adaptation.
Homework: Choose one animal from your locality (e.g., crow, sparrow, cow, dog) and write 2–3 adaptations.

Day 4 – Adaptations in Plants + Field Visit (45 min)

Engage (5 min): Show a cactus and a lotus leaf (real or picture). “Why are they so different?”
Mini Field Visit (20–25 min): – Walk around school campus or nearby park. – Students observe and note: • Leaves of trees in sun vs shade • Plants near water vs dry areas • Roots exposed, thorns, thick bark, etc. – Use magnifying glasses if available.
Back in class (15 min): – Discussion: Why do roadside trees have thick bark? Why do some plants have thorns? – Teacher explains xerophytes, hydrophytes, and examples (cactus, banyan, mangrove, pine).
Homework: Collect 2–3 different types of leaves (xerophytic, normal, aquatic if possible) and paste in notebook with one adaptation each.

Day 5 – Hands-on Project: Create Your Own Habitat Model (45 min)

Instructions (10 min): – In groups of 4–5, choose one habitat: Desert / Rainforest / Pond / Mountain / Ocean. – Using shoe box/cardboard, create a 3-D model showing at least 3 plants and 3 animals with their adaptations labelled.
Working time (30 min): Students create models using clay, cotton, colored paper, etc.
Last 5 min: Groups give a catchy name to their habitat (e.g., “Thar Desert Survivors”).
Homework: Complete the model at home if unfinished. Prepare a 2-minute presentation.

Day 6 – Presentation, Discussion & Assessment (45 min)

Activity 1 (25–30 min): – Each group presents their habitat model (2–3 minutes). – They explain adaptations of at least two organisms. – Audience asks questions (“Why does the camel have a hump?”).
Activity 2 (10 min): Class discussion – “Survival Strategies” – Teacher asks: “What will happen if a fish is kept in desert?” → Leads to understanding that adaptations are specific to habitats.
Wrap-up (5 min): Recap major learning points.

Formative (during the week):

Summative (end of unit):

Short test (20 marks): – 5 MCQs on characteristics of living organisms – Match the adaptation – Give 2 examples each of terrestrial and aquatic adaptations – Draw and label one adapted plant/animal

Advanced students: Research and add one endangered animal and its adaptations.
Slow learners: Provide ready templates for model-making and word bank for adaptations.