Students at Ridgeland Elementary School concluded their animal adaptations unit by participating in two STEM projects. Students were assigned a tool that represented a bird's beak. With their beaks, students were to collect as much food as they could and determine if their beak was better suited for a different environment. Students gained an understanding that birds have different beak shapes and sizes that reflect the food they eat. Students learned that the food available to animals varies based on where they live. Additionally, students created bird beaks to show that different birds have different beaks that are adapted to meet their needs. When those needs are met, birds are more likely to live longer and reproduce by passing their genes off to their young through natural selection. | 
