CREATE A CREATURE Relevant SOLs: Standard 3.

4
The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key concepts include a) behavioral adaptations; and b) physical adaptations.

Materials:
1. 2. 3. 4. Create a Creature Worksheet Create a Creature Number Key Playing die (enough for each member of the group to have one) Colored pencils, markers, or crayons

Engage: Writing and The Thumb are Adaptations

To engage the students in this activity, introduce behavioral adaptations by having them think about adaptations that we have as humans. The students will write the word adaptations on a sheet of paper, and then put their pencils down. Once all students have written the word, they will once again try to write the word this time without using the thumb to hold the pencil. As the students are trying to write the word, discuss with them how our thumbs help us to use tools, and how the thumb, and the process of writing are both examples of adaptations. Ask the students if they can give any other examples of adaptations that humans or animals have.

Explore: Create a Creature

1. Get students thinking about adaptations that animals have, behaviorally and physically. Encourage students to share ideas with each other. 2. Pass out a number key, worksheet, and playing die to each student. 3. Each student will roll a die for each category on the number key. Based on what the students have rolled, they will have to create a creature, either real or imaginary that can adapt to these conditions. The students can be creative with size, shape, length, color, skin type, etc. 4. Have the students draw and color their creature in the box on the worksheet. 5. After the students have created their creatures, they should write 3-5 sentences on the lower half of the worksheet clarifying their choices of adaptations.

Explain: Ask students questions

Have the students share their creatures with each other, and explain why they chose to do certain things. Ask them questions such as: 1. Compare and contrast the behaviors of other students creatures to your own. 2. If you had rolled a (#) for (certain category) instead of a (#), how would your creature look or act differently? Information about adaptations: Adaptations are used in order for animals to survive. Camouflage, mimicry, hibernation, dormancy, instinct, learned behaviors and migration are all examples of behavioral and physical adaptations. Various animals respond to conditions in different ways, so not all animals possess the same adaptations to their environments. Some animals have adaptations that allow them to hide from enemies, such as camouflage or mimicry. Mimicry can occur as a physical adaptation in which the animal appears as another creature to avoid being eaten, or as a behavioral adaptation such as a certain behavior, a sound or a scent. Other animals respond to climates and seasonal changes through adapting behavior.

Expansion: Extra Activity

To get students thinking more in depth about the environments that animals live in, how they look, and what special characteristics they have, play an identification game with them. The game can be one such as the one at the link below, or you can modify it and make it your own. This would be a great activity for an adaptations review game!
http://www.ecokids.ca/PUB/eco_info/topics/climate/adaptations/index.cfm

Evaluate:
Have the students glue their creative creatures into their interactive notebooks, and spend 1-2 minutes briefly listing reasons for adaptations, and types of adaptations that they saw in this activity. The lists should include words such as camouflage, migration, hibernation, etc., to show that they have learned the terms that accompany behavior and physical traits, and also words such as climate, enemies, etc., to show that they understand the reasons behind why animals adapt.

How Does the Adaptation of Blubber Help Whales Survive? Relevant SOLs: Standard 3.4
The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key concepts include b) physical adaptations.

Materials:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Bucket or large bowl Jumbo-sized zip-lock bags Vegetable shortening Cold water Ice Masking tape A large spoon

Engage: Do We Have Any Adaptations?

To begin this lesson, ask the students, Do we (humans) have any special characteristics that help us survive or live more efficiently in our environment?? Have students brainstorm and share any ideas that they have, explaining how this feature helps us, as humans, survive. How would life be different for us if we did not have this feature? Could we survive? Explain to the students that these features are called adaptations, and that today we will look further into one adaptation that a whale has: blubber.

Explore: Simulating Whale Blubber

1. Pass out to each group of students: two zip-lock bags, the container of vegetable shortening, a spoon, and the masking tape. 2. One member of the group will open up the first zip-lock bag and place three or four spoon-fulls of vegetable shortening into the zip-lock bag. 3. Another member of the group will place the second zip-lock bag inside the first zip-lock bag containing the whale blubber. 4. Another member of the group will even-out the vegetable shortening that is in-between the two bags, so a smooth layer is created throughout the bag. 5. The last member of the group will fold the top of the second zip-lock bag over the top of the first zip-lock bag, and seal the tops of the bags with a strip of masking tape. 6. Have each student predict what the difference will be between submerging their bare hand in the ice water versus placing their blubber-covered hand in the ice water.

7. Have each student place their bare hand into the bucket containing water and ice, recording how long they were able to keep their hand in the bucket before their hand got too cold, and how their hand felt in the water. 8. Next, have each student put their hand inside the blubber bag and place their blubbercovered hand in the ice water, recording how long they are able to keep their hand in the water this time, and how their hand felt differently this time.

Explain: Ask the students the following questions.

other and also write their responses. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Have students discuss the questions with each

Why did your hand feel differently between the two times your hand was submerged in water? How does this activity relate to whales and their adaptation? How does the adaptation of blubber help whales survive in the freezing ocean water? Why couldnt whales survive without this adaptation?

Adaptations are features that animals are born with that help them survive in their environment. One adaptation that whales have in order to survive is blubber. Blubber is a think layer of fatty substance that surrounds a whales body. This thick layer of blubber acts as insulation and helps keep whales warm. Whales have this adaptation because of the environment in which they live- ocean water at freezing temperatures. Whales need this insulation in order to keep them warm and maintain body heat. Without blubber, whales would not be able to withstand the cold temperatures in the water and therefore would not be able to survive.

Expansion:
Using students new knowledge of adaptations, have students think about another adaptation that whales might have in order to survive in their environment. Are there any other characteristics that whales would need to survive in the ocean? Why? Have students record their ideas. Have students discuss each others ideas and talk about why these whale adaptations would make sense, considering the environment that whales live in. To extend this lesson on adaptations even further, students could brainstorm about adaptations that other animals, living in different environments, might need in order to survive.

Evaluate:
Teachers can evaluate student understanding during this activity by listening to the student discussions from above, and their responses to the questions. Also, have students answer the following question in their notebook: From this activity, how could you define adaptation? Have students choose an additional animal besides the whale and name an adaptation that this animal has. Students should list reasons why this feature is considered an adaptation and how this adaptation helps the animal survive.

This will demonstrate understanding of the word adaptation through their application of the term to an animal not explicitly taught in the lesson.

Camouflaging Chameleons How does the adaptation of camouflage help chameleons survive?
Relevant SOLs: Standard 3.4 The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key concepts include a) behavioral adaptations; and b) physical adaptations

Materials:
Computer with pre-set youtube video clip or internet access (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRZqtthn4Xo) Blank chameleon cut outs Coloring utensils-pencils, markers, crayons Writing utensils- pencils, pens Tape Flat workspace

Engage: Chameleon (Pascal) video clip from Disneys Tangled

In order to engage the students in the activity, play the short video clip from the Disney movie Tangled. Tell the students to focus on the character Pascal, the chameleon, and ask if they notice anything unique or interesting about his behavior. Based on student responses, draw attention to Pascals color changing abilities and discuss examples from the video. Ask the students to consider why Pascal does this in each example from the clip and why it is useful for him. Connect to the adaptation of camouflage by asking the students if they are familiar with the scientific term that explains Pascals color changing. Use this as the foundation for discussing camouflage in relation to Pascal. Explain that camouflage is an adaptation of chameleons and other animals in response to their surroundings or environment, just as Pascal portrayed in the video.

Explore: Camouflaging Chameleons Game

1) Tell the students we are going to explore camouflage further by camouflaging our own chameleons around the classroom. 2) Give each student a blank chameleon cut out. 3) Tell each student to color the chameleon in their own way to match or resemble any aspect of the classroom environment (i.e. color the chameleon red/burgundy with texture marks to match the chair covers). 4) Have the students write exactly what area of the classroom the chameleon they colored resembles on the back (i.e. chair covers). 5) Collect the chameleons.

6) Have the students cover their eyes or step outside of the classroom while you (the teacher) hide/place the chameleons around the room according to the students description on the back. (It is at the teachers discretion whether or not the students can hide the chameleons themselves). 7) Once all the chameleons are placed accordingly, have the students come back together as a group at the table. 8) On Go, instruct the students to move about the classroom and find as many chameleons as they can, for about one minute. 9) After the time is up, come back together as a group at the table.

Explain: Ask students questions. Have the students consider and answer the following
questions by engaging in a group discussion. 1. How many chameleons were you able to find? Was this easy or hard to do? Why or why not? 2. How does this activity relate to, and what does it tell us about, chameleons camouflaging? Think about Pascal and chameleons in nature. Why do chameleons camouflage themselves? 3. How can the adaptation of camouflage help chameleons survive in nature? Consider why this is a useful survival skill. Information about adaptations and camouflage: Physical adaptations help animals survive in their environment. Various animals, including chameleons, possess the adaptation of camouflage which helps them blend into their environments to protect themselves from enemies. Camouflage is the means by which animals escape the notice of predators, usually because of a resemblance to their surroundings using coloration or outer coverage patterns.

Expansion (Elaborate): Extra activities.

a. Using the newly constructed knowledge on camouflage, expand and extend this understanding by playing the kinesthetic game Hunting like a Hawk. The purpose of this game is to show that even the most effective camouflage can fail if an animal suddenly moves and catches the enemys eye. Assign two or three students to be hawks while the rest of the class is prey. Have the class move about the classroom pretending to be small animals such as squirrels, rabbits, songbirds, etc. When you call out Hawk!, the prey must freeze. The hawks will visually search for movement; any student that moves even slightly must take his or her seat. Afterwards, discuss with the students why camouflage alone is not always enough protection. b. To elaborate even further, have the students consider how the small animals they enacted could adapt to the environment for survival. What other animal adaptations are there in addition to camouflage? c. Engage in a think-pair-share, followed by a whole group discussion, on these questions and new considerations.

Evaluate:
d. In order to evaluate student performance in the task, have the students create a Camouflaging Chameleons page in their interactive notebook. Have the students glue or tape the chameleon in their interactive notebook and write which part of the classroom environment it resembles and how this portrays camouflaging. On the same page, have the students engage in a two minute write reflecting on the activity. Ask the students to relate the activity to Pascal and animals in nature, explaining why camouflage is a useful adaptation. The teacher will assess the interactive notebook page, looking for explanations of camouflage as changing color or appearance to match the environment and the purpose of this as a survival skill (such as hiding from a predator). Lastly,

at the bottom of the page, have the students note anything they are still wondering about in relation to camouflage or adaptations. This information can be used to further assess student understanding as well as support future investigations. Observation and listening to discussions throughout the activity can also support evaluation.

How do animals adapt to survive? Relevant VA SOLs: Standard 3.4

The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key concepts include: a) behavioral adaptations; and b) physical adaptations.

Materials:
1. Internet Access (computer/laptop/I-pad) 2. Worksheets 3. Pencils

Engage:
The teacher will inform the students about physical and behavioral animal adaptations and name examples of both. It is also a good idea for the teacher to ask the students if they can think of any adaptations of specific animals and have them share these with the group. *If a teacher is not physically at the station, students can also engage themselves by reading the information sheet and having a short discussion about physical and behavioral adaptations of animals.

Explore:
Students will watch short video clips of specific animals including giraffes, polar bears, monarch butterflies, and cheetahs. While watching the videos, the students will make observations of both physical and behavioral animal adaptations.

Explain:
For each video clip the students watch, they will individually complete questions on a worksheet. For example, for the giraffe video, the students will complete the 2 questions related to giraffes.

Information: In order to survive, animals act in different ways to gather and store food, find shelter, defend themselves, and rear their young. Physical adaptations help animals survive in their environment. Examples of physical adaptations include camouflage (blending into the environment), and mimicry (when some animals look like other animals to avoid being eaten). Behavioral adaptations allow animals to respond to life needs. Examples of behavioral adaptations include hibernation (deep sleep in which an animals body activities slow down due to seasonal changes and they can live off stored food), migration (a long-distance journey from one place to another), instinct (natural behaviors that animals are born with that they need to survive), and learned behavior (behaviors that need to be taught in order for animals to survive, such as an animal learning to hunt). The students will complete the following: 1. List physical adaptations of giraffes. How are these adaptations useful for giraffes? 2. List behavioral adaptations of giraffes. How are these adaptations useful for giraffes? 3. List physical adaptations of polar bears. How are these adaptations useful for polar bears? 4. List behavioral adaptations of polar bears. How are these adaptations useful for polar bears? 5. List physical adaptations of monarch butterflies. How are these adaptations useful for monarch butterflies? 6. List behavioral adaptations of monarch butterflies. How are these adaptations useful for monarch butterflies? 7. List physical adaptations of cheetahs. How are these adaptations useful for cheetahs? 8. List behavioral adaptations of cheetahs. How are these adaptations useful for cheetahs? After quickly answering the questions after each video, the students will pair up with 1 or 2 group members and have a 1-2 minute discussion about the adaptations they observed. Next, the students will view the next slide with a list of examples of adaptations of the animal they just watched the video about.

Extensions:
Take a field trip to a nearby zoo to explore animal adaptations in person. Have students pick a specific animal of their choice and have them research adaptations of that animal. Have students create posters about the animal they chose. Have students make a concept map of animal adaptions. Have students include definitions and specific examples of physical and behavioral adaptions. Have students design and construct a model of a habitat for an animal with specific physical and behavioral adaptations.

Evaluate:
The teacher can assess students understanding of physical and behavioral animal adaptations through the questions the students filled out throughout the station. The teacher will be able

to assess whether the students know the meaning of physical and behavioral adaptations and if they are able to distinguish between them. The teacher will also be able to assess the students ability to identify adaptations of specific animals.

Better Beaks
Relevant SOLs: Standard 3.4 The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key concepts include a) behavioral adaptations; and b) physical adaptations. Materials: Spoon (Teacher-provided) Chopsticks (Teacher-provided) Pliers (Teacher-provided) Tweezers (Teacher-provided) Pencil (Teacher-provided) Beans (Teacher-provided) Gummy worms (Teacher-provided) Writing utensil (Student-owned) Interactive notebook pages (Teacher-provided)

Engage: Think About It

Ask the students the question, Have you ever noticed all of the different kinds of beaks that birds have? They are all different shapes and sizes. Proceed to show the students a page full of a variety of beaks. Ask them, Why do you think these birds have all different kinds of beaks? These questions will introduce the topic, while preparing the students to begin thinking about what this station entails.

Explore: Try a Beak on For Size

1. Hand out a tool/utensil to each student (spoon, chopsticks, pliers, tweezers, or pencil) and give each student a napkin. Place 2 bowls of beans in the center of the table. 2. Explain to the students that they are now birds and that the tools they were given are to represent their beaks. Tell them that the napkin represents their stomachs and that the beans are to represent bugs the birds would eat. 3. Tell the students that they will have 1 minute to eat as much food as they can using their new beaks. The students are allowed to use the tool to pick up the beans anyway they want, but they can only pick them up one at a time.

4. Before beginning, have the students predict which beak will be the best at picking up the beans/which one will be able to pick up the most within the 1 minute time frame. 5. Ready-Set-Eat! Time the students for 1 minute and have them count up their beans at the end. 6. Go around and ask each student how many beans they ended up with. Have all the students record the data on their provided charts. 7. Switch the beans out with the gummy worms and repeat steps 4-6. Make it clear to the students that the one at a time rule still applies.

Explain: Asking Questions and Promoting Discussion

1. Which beaks were best suited for picking up the beans? Gummy worms? 2. Was it frustrating for anyone; trying to grab a certain food with a certain beak? 3. What does this lab tell us about birds and the different beaks that they have? This simulation represents how a birds beak is an adaption of theirs. Adaptations are special features that help an animal to survive in its environment. Adaptations can be physical or behavioral. Physical adaptations are bodily structures that help an animal survive, whereas behavioral adaptations are things animals do to help them survive. A birds beak is an example of a physical adaption that allows it to eat. As you can see from the simulation, some bird beaks are more adapted to acquiring certain foods than others. Each bird has a beak best-suited to what it munches on! For example, a hummingbirds long and pointy beak is an adaption that allows it to gather nectar from flowers. Short beaks are an adaption, making seeds and insects easy to eat. Strong beaks are able to crack nuts!

Expansion: Extra Activity

Add that animals other than birds have unique adaptations that help them to survive as well. Let the students know that some adaptions allow animals to protect themselves from prey, and some allow them to withstand harsh weather/climate conditions, etc. Conclude with a game of You Are-I Am. You can begin with a phrase such as; I am an animal that has an adaption that allows me to camouflage myself to look like anything. A student would respond, You are a chameleon and I am an animal that has thick white fur that allows me to stay warm in the artic cold. Let the game to go on for a while. Have the students glue their predictions, data, and questions into their notebook. Have them reflect on the left side about what adaptations are, how the simulation represented an adaptation, and some examples of adaptations.

Evaluate:
Observing the students during the simulation and taking notes of how they answer the discussion questions, will allow you to assess their thinking and understanding of a certain adaptation (bird beaks). If the students are able to play the You Are-I Am game, it will show you that they grasp not only that a birds beak is an adaption, but that several animals have

adaptations as well. Their final reflections (interactive notebooks) will be the deciding factor of whether or not they fully grasp the concept of adaptions.

Understanding the processes of life! Relevant SOLs: Standard 3.4

The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key concepts include a) behavior adaptations; and b) physical adaptations

Materials:
1. 2. 3. 4. Stellaluna book Guided reading worksheet Crayons and markers Blank paper

Engage: Brainstorm/Concept Map work

For 2 minutes, write down everything you know regarding learned behaviors and instinctual behaviors. You can include drawings, concept maps, examples, etc. to describe your thought process.

Explore:
Students will listen to the Stellaluna read aloud while being mindful of the instinctual/learned behavior type characteristics of stellaluna and the baby birds. They are responsible for filling out their guided reading sheet by filling in the columns to explain whether the behavior is learned or instinctual.

Explain: Ask the students the following questions

1. What behaviors did you list under the instinct column? 2. What behaviors did you list under the learned behavior column?

3. Why did you put those characteristics in the columns that you did? Describe the characteristics of a learned behavior and an instinctual behavior?

Expansion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq4ahmk4_HE Students will watch the video for more visuals and representations to describe the difference between learned behavior and instinctual behavior.

Evaluate:
The worksheet that the students fill out will be used as an assessment to see how much the students know and have learned. I will also allow students to write and follow up questions on the back of the worksheet. These questions would be addressed the next class as a follow up to get the class started before starting a new topic.