Classroom Camouflage
Materials:
- One prepared leader
- Lots of crayons and/or colored pencils
- *Moth outlines (you need to pre-cut)
- 15-30 prepared moths (you color) - leave in packet for next group
- Clear tape
*Available in Mudd 71 or from link above
Concepts Used:
- What is natural selection
- What is camouflage
- What is protective coloring
- What is adaptation
- How does this effect evolution
Skills Emphasized:
- Biology
- Art
- Environmental Science
Background:
What is camouflage? Camouflage uses two or more colors to create a matching pattern that let an organism blend into its surroundings. What is protective coloration? Protective coloration is an adaptation in which color matching is used to match the background.
Give examples. Note: Don't distinguish between the two if you don't think the class will understand.
Camouflage and protective coloration are important because of natural selection. Natural selection is the process that makes sure that the animals and plants that are best adapted to their environment will survive and reproduce. Give examples such as why some rabbits have white fur in winter and stick bugs. It is often described as "survival of the fittest" because animals that don't suit their surroundings are more likely to die and not leave offspring.
Some animals are always one color while others change with the season or material they are resting on. Talk about snakes vs. chameleons and rabbits.
Description of activity:
* Estimated prep time (before student arrival): 30min
* Estimated activity time: 15-35 min depending on complexity and number of students.
Teacher Preparation:
Make several photocopies of the moth outlines for each group. Use colored pens or crayons to prepare several moths by camouflaging them to look like different surfaces in the classroom. Cut the moths out and stick them to those surfaces using transparent tape. To demonstrate the effectiveness of camouflage make some moths more difficult to find than others.
Activity Instructions:
1) Introduce the activity to students by having them pretend to be a predator and hunt the moths that you placed around the room earlier. Keep the hunt brief (30 sec-1 min) depending on how many they find.
2) Collect the found moths after the hunt and discuss the features that made some easier to find than others.
3) Point out any moths that were not found. Talk about which ones had protective coloring and which ones had camouflage.
4) Divide your class into groups of 3-4 students each. Make sure each group has a pack of colored markers or crayons, scissors, transparent tape, and several copies of the moth outlines.
5) Tell your students that they will camouflage their paper moths using colors or patterns that blend with different surfaces in the classroom. Consider allowing your students to get up and look closely at some of these surfaces before they start coloring their moths. Students can label the uncolored sides of their moths with their names or initials.
6) Have your students stick their camouflaged moths to various surfaces around the classroom using transparent tape. Remind students that they are not allowed to hide the moths under desks or behind curtains. The goal is for the moths to blend with their surroundings, placing them out of plain sight defeats the purpose of the activity.
9) If there is time have a second hunt. Assign a time limit for the hunt (30 sec-1 min) and have an area set aside to collect the captured prey. Keep the moths so that they can be used for the next class.
Review and Questions:
Discuss the features that make some moths more visible than others and how camouflage and protective coloring enables some insects to survive in their environment. Review the concept of "survival of the fittest" and ask students to relate that concept to the activity.
Why were some moths easier to find than others?
Why would color and patterns on a moth or other animal help them survive?
Can you think of any animals that are well adapted to their surroundings?
Additional Resources:
Great introduction to terminology and concepts:
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/projects/webunits/adaptations/
Examples of fish adaptations: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/5924/fishadaptations.htm
Alternatives for older/younger ages:
- For older students use more terminology and talk about how these processes play a role in evolution.
- If the moths are hidden well, the people who colored the "surviving moths" could keep playing until one moth wins.
- For younger student the activity could just focus on the word camouflage and how it works, avoiding the more complex issues of natural selection.