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Symbiosis

CONCEPTUAL
ScienceAnimals of the World|Ages 9—11|ID: mt_H8OgKZbgGe

Understand symbiosis — close relationships between different species — including mutualism (both benefit, like clownfish and anemones), commensalism (one benefits without harming the other, like remora fish riding sharks), and parasitism (one benefits at the other's expense, like ticks on deer) — and recognise these relationships in nature

Mastery Evidence

  • Defines symbiosis as a close relationship between different species
  • Distinguishes mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism with an example of each
  • Identifies symbiotic relationships when presented with new scenarios

Assessment Prompt

“If [child] sees a nature programme showing a small bird picking insects off a buffalo's back, can they explain that both animals benefit from this relationship and name the type of symbiosis?”

Prerequisites3

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  • Rainforest Animals soft

    Rainforest has rich symbiotic examples (e.g., epiphytes, ant-acacia)

    • Rainforest Layers soft

      Animals of the World rainforest topic depends on understanding the four layers (exploratory age 5 -> exploratory age 7)

    • Animal Homes soft

      Rainforest layers connect to the idea of animals having different homes

    • Animals Everywhere hard

      Rainforest animals builds on knowing animals live in diverse environments

    • Rainforest Animals soft

      Animals of the World rainforest topic builds on knowing specific rainforest animals (exploratory age 5 -> exploratory age 7)

  • Structural Adaptations hard

    Symbiosis requires understanding of adaptations as context

    • Desert Animals hard

      Desert adaptations are key examples for understanding adaptation categories

      • Animals Everywhere hard

        Desert animals builds on knowing animals live in diverse environments

      • Nocturnal Animals hard

        Desert nocturnal behaviour builds on understanding nocturnal concept

        • Animal Homes soft

          Nocturnal animals often use homes (burrows, dens) as daytime shelters

        • Animals Everywhere hard

          Nocturnal animals builds on knowing animals exist in diverse environments

    • Animal Migration soft

      Migration is a behavioural adaptation example

      • Polar Animals soft

        Polar animals knowledge enriches the migration topic in Animals of the World (Polar 5-7 -> Animals 7-9)

        • Arctic vs Antarctic hard

          Must know Arctic vs Antarctic before learning which animals live where

        • Penguins soft

          Penguins and polar bears are the anchor species; other animals build on these

          • Arctic vs Antarctic hard

            Must know penguins live in Antarctic (not Arctic) from the comparison topic

        • Polar Bears soft

          Polar bears are the anchor species; other animals build on these

          • Arctic vs Antarctic hard

            Must know polar bears live in Arctic (not Antarctic) from the comparison topic

      • Animals Everywhere hard

        Migration needs understanding that animals live in different places

      • Savanna & Grassland Animals soft

        Wildebeest migration is a key savanna example

    • Predator Hunting Strategies hard

      Predator-prey adaptations are formalized in the adaptation framework

    • Polar Animals hard

      Polar adaptations are key examples for understanding adaptation categories

      • Desert Animals soft

        Arctic and desert are contrasting extreme environments, each enriches understanding of the other

        • Animals Everywhere hard

          Desert animals builds on knowing animals live in diverse environments

        • Nocturnal Animals hard

          Desert nocturnal behaviour builds on understanding nocturnal concept

          • Animal Homes soft

            Nocturnal animals often use homes (burrows, dens) as daytime shelters

          • Animals Everywhere hard

            Nocturnal animals builds on knowing animals exist in diverse environments

      • Polar Animals soft

        Animals of the World polar topic builds on knowing specific polar animals (Polar Regions 5-7 -> Animals 7-9)

        • Arctic vs Antarctic hard

          Must know Arctic vs Antarctic before learning which animals live where

        • Penguins soft

          Penguins and polar bears are the anchor species; other animals build on these

          • Arctic vs Antarctic hard

            Must know penguins live in Antarctic (not Arctic) from the comparison topic

        • Polar Bears soft

          Polar bears are the anchor species; other animals build on these

          • Arctic vs Antarctic hard

            Must know polar bears live in Arctic (not Antarctic) from the comparison topic

      • Ocean Animal Adaptations soft

        Polar animals share adaptation concepts with ocean animal adaptations (blubber, streamlining)

      • Arctic vs Antarctic soft

        Arctic vs Antarctic distinction enriches Animals of the World polar topic

      • Animal Camouflage hard

        Arctic camouflage (white coats) builds on understanding of camouflage

        • Animals Everywhere hard

          Camouflage builds on awareness that animals live in different environments

        • Nocturnal Animals soft

          Camouflage and nocturnal behaviour are related survival strategies

          • Animal Homes soft

            Nocturnal animals often use homes (burrows, dens) as daytime shelters

          • Animals Everywhere hard

            Nocturnal animals builds on knowing animals exist in diverse environments

      • Animals Everywhere hard

        Polar animals builds on knowing animals live everywhere including cold places

    • How animals adapt to environments soft

      Animal adaptations topic parallels and enriches curriculum adaptation/evolution concept

    • Animal Camouflage hard

      Adaptations formalizes what camouflage introduced (structural adaptation)

      • Animals Everywhere hard

        Camouflage builds on awareness that animals live in different environments

      • Nocturnal Animals soft

        Camouflage and nocturnal behaviour are related survival strategies

        • Animal Homes soft

          Nocturnal animals often use homes (burrows, dens) as daytime shelters

        • Animals Everywhere hard

          Nocturnal animals builds on knowing animals exist in diverse environments

  • The World of Minibeasts soft

    Many symbiosis examples involve insects (pollinators, parasites)

    • Animal Body Groups soft

      Insect/minibeast diversity enriched by curriculum body structure comparison across groups

    • Animal Homes soft

      Insect homes (hives, webs) were introduced in animal homes topic

    • Animals Everywhere hard

      Insects diversity builds on knowing animal diversity globally

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