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Notes for Teachers

This lesson ties in with a field trip to a local wildlife area (could be as simple as a nature trail or a nature preserve.) For those local to the Parker / Lake Havasu area, I am using Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge. You can modify this to work in your area. This also ties in with any picture books you choose that discuss animal camouflage. The one on the title page of this slide deck is just an example.

List of Materials

Different colored yarn (recommend at least ten pieces of each color; black, brown, yellow, green, red, blue, white)
Large black or brown sheet or blanket
Poster-sized printouts of outdoor areas in your area ( if you are in this region- Parker/Havasu, you can use the ones included on this slide.)
Picture books of how animals camouflage.
Computers with internet access
Stem / building materials (chenille sticks, popsicle sticks, string, tape, scissors, construction paper, tissue paper aluminum foil, straws, toothpicks)

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Standards

Math

2.MD.D.10

Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale) to represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve simple put-together, take-apart, and compare problems using information presented in the graph.

Science

Develop and use models to explain that plants and animals (including humans) have internal and external structures that serve various functions that aid in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction.

Technology

K-2.3.a. Students, with guidance, use provided digital tools and resources to find information on topics of interest.

ELA

2.RI.1

Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

2.RI.6

Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.

2.W.7

Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).

2.W.8

Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

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Objectives:

Today we will learn about plants and animals that are native to our area.

We will use what we know to analyze and investigate how and why animals use camouflage in nature.

We will then create our own unique animal designed to camouflage best in our environment.

Objectives: Learn - read aloud or in pairs any book of your choice dealing with animal camouflage. Students should share what they have learned either through partner discussion or creating a presentation (either poster or through using technology such as google slides or powerpoint / canva) Also, recommended to do some online research about native animals that could be found in the area you will travel to. For Bill Williams National Wildlife refuge (directly from their website https://www.fws.gov/refuge/bill-williams-river): Depending on where you go on the refuge there are great opportunities for viewing wildlife. The headquarters trails attract many common desert bird species like the Abert’s towhee and verdin. The floodplain forest provides nesting habitat for many species of songbirds dependent on this rare desert habitat type, including the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher and threatened yellow-billed cuckoo. The cattail marsh provides habitat for bird species specially adapted for these wetland areas such as the endangered Yuma Ridgway’s rail.

Analyze / Investigate- Create an experiment by cutting approximately 2 inch pieces of different colors of yarn. (I recommend equal amounts- at least ten each- of black, brown, yellow, red, blue, green, white)

Create - Using poster sized printouts of a natural area you will visit as a background, students will use STEM supplies to design and create an animal that can camouflage well in their environment.

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Agenda

30-45 minutes - Learn about how animals camouflage and share information

30-45 minutes - Analyze / Investigate how and why animals camouflage by playing a fun game and making a graph of what you learned.

30 minutes - Create. Use what you know about camouflage to create an animal or insect that will blend in to your environment best. It needs to be 1- 3 inches tall and wide. You will take your creature to a natural habitat and take a picture to see how well it can camouflage.

1-2 hours - Field trip. Take your animal to the natural habitat and take a picture for the slide show. While you are there, see if you can find any real life hidden creatures.

Research / Read Use this time to read about how animals camouflage. Then give each student / group time to research a specific animal and analyze how they blend in to their environment and why. They can share what they learn with another group or with the class.

Analyze / Investigate. Spread a brown or black sheet/ blanket / cloth on the ground outside. Spread out pre-cut pieces of yarn on the cloth (equal amounts for each color- I recommend at least ten of each color). Have students line up in two lines about 10 feet away from the cloth. Tell them that the yarn pieces are worms and they are birds looking for dinner. They have to race (one students from each line against the other at a time) to get only one worm from the ground. (They do not have to fight over one specific worm, there are plenty.) They will bring their “worm” back to the group and continue until each student has brought back a worm to the group. Take the “worms” back to class and analyze what you caught based on colors by creating a class bar graph of your “caught worms”. Chances are you will have a large majority of brightly colored “worms” and not as many of the brown or black “worms”. Use this to guide a class discussion on why that happened. There were equal amounts of each, why aren’t there equal colors on the bar graph? Hopefully they will come up with some explanations based on which colors blended in better than others and how they had to be quick and didn’t have time to really look carefully for a “worm”

Create - Give students a variety of STEM supplies and guidance as they design and build a “critter” to blend in with a specific environment poster you provide to them.

Field trip - Take a trip to the wildlife area around you and photograph your students’ animals hiding in their environment. Create a slideshow to share each camo critter with the class.

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

How and why do animals camouflage in their environment?

Do certain camouflage techniques work better than others?

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

Can do this in pairs or solo
Students will create a “camo critter” designed specifically to blend in to their environment.
Use any materials available (recommend toothpicks, construction paper, tape, chenille sticks, tissue paper, aluminum foil, cardboard, etc.)
Take “camo critter” to natural area of your choice (Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge is the choice for this particular project, but can be modified to your area).
Take pictures of your critter in hiding and share in slide show with your class.

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Assessment

ELA - ask and answer comprehension questions based on the information provided.

Math - bar graph. Is the information represented accurate? Are there labels and is the graph easy to read? Students should ask and answer at least 3 questions based on the graph.

STEM -Students will self evaluate based on photograph slide show how well their “camo critter” was camouflaged into their environment.

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Differentiation

Students can work in pairs with a peer buddy to help out if they are struggling. I would also offer read aloud books for students if the text is too difficult. More time can be added if a student is struggling to get their project done on time.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Use an application such as Tinkercad to create a 3D version of your camo critter

Create a brochure to explain how your animal camouflages in its environment. Can include natural predators and prey that would be found in your location.

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