What is adaptation? How do plants and animals use adaptation to survive? What happens to a species if their habitat is impacted negatively? Objective At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to: 1. Describe how plants and animals use adaptations to survive in a particular environment. 2. Explain how impacts on a habitat influence the adaptations of a species. Background An adaptation is a change of form or behavior that helps a species survive in a specific environment. The trait or characteristic may be inherited from their parents. Other traits can result from individuals’ intera Duration: 60 Minutes.