Framework for a Science Unit: Part 1

Grade Level: 3rd

Standard: 3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some
organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
Topic: Animal Adaptions
Big Ideas:
1. There are a variety of habitats that are made up of different elements that each animal can
use to survive.
2. Each animal is made up of distinct characteristics that help them survive in their habitat.
Rationale and Relevance:
This information is important to know because there are many different organisms within our
very own environment. These animals are impacting how we live each and every day even
though we may not recognize it. Knowing how these animals live and survive impacts our
ecosystem. For example, humans need to eat just as well as the animals do. Many individuals
hunt these creatures, but yet, the animals need to be able to survive themselves. We adapt to our
environments and surroundings, just as animals do in order to survive.
What Science Content does a teacher need to know to teach this lesson?

Need to know what are different types of habitats and characteristics of each
o Coniferous Forest: found deep within the arctic circle; predominantly made up of
conifer trees (withstand cold) also have low-growing shrubs; two types (boreal
and temperate); animals (Boreal=bears, elk, wolves; Temperate= owls, birds of
prey)
o Coral Reefs: found along coastlines; riches habitats on the planet; plants:
seaweed, grasses, aquatic plants; animals: fish, turtles, sea snakes, plankton,
crustaceans
o Desert: found in dry, baron landscapes that receive intense sunshine and very little
rain; 2 types of deserts: true deserts (hot deserts) which are found on either side of
the tropics and semi-deserts which are found on every continent often far from
tropical regions; great diversity of both plants and animals that inhabit desert
regions; nocturnal lifestyle; reptiles, camel, rodents, meerkats
o Freshwater: lakes and streams; created by streams high in the mountains that flow
down when evaporated sea water falls as rain; 2 kinds: lakes- fed by small stream
or river and often enclosed areas and can include species that are found nowhere
else in world, rivers- contain large animals that can cope with the strong currents,
along with crabs and birds; insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, mammals

o Grassland: areas where vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous

plants; very in height; insects, mammals, birds, reptiles; predators much easier to
spot
o Islands: found all over the world from land breaking off or volcanoes erupting on
the sea floor; animals due to their generally isolated nature the wildlife on islands
are usually unique in both appearance and behavior; flightless birds: kiwi and
kakapo, lemurs, tree kangaroos, orang-utan; dangerous for island species when
new animal is introduced; plant types- palm trees, grasses, and aquatic plants
o Mountains: found all around the world and are the result of plate movement
beneath the earths crest; 2 types: temperature- fairly cold all year round and more
seasonal, tropical- has warmer climates and few plants; animals can withstand
dramatic temperature changes, but lower oxygen levels; hooved and herbivores,
goats, sheep, deer, llamas; attract larger predators like bears, cougars, mountain
lions; caves popular home to insects and amphibians
o Oceans: form the largest habitat on planet; 2 types: coastal and open; thousands of
animals species; coastal- fish, sharks and jellyfish; open-whales, turtles, dolphins;
majority found in warmer coastal waters
o Polar Regions: coolest places on earth; hardly see the sun during winter; having
sun 24 hours a day in summer; 2 types: arctic- lemings, arctic owls and polar
bears; Antarctic- baleen whales, leopard, seals and penguins; plant types- conifers
and grasses
o Rainforest: 2 different types: seasonal and tropical; seasonal- smaller sized trees,
larger snakes, tigers, great deal of rain and diverse wildlife; tropical- taller tree
species, smaller primates, bird species; fungi is common; large array of animals
o Swamps and Wetland: swamps- crabs, snapping turtle, lizards; wetlands- insects,
fish, reptiles; plant types- aquatic plants and mangrove trees; found in temperate
forest regions; they can be defined as large area of water broken up by small
islands of land and large amounts of plants
o Temperate Forest: 2 types: evergreen and deciduous; evergreen- lizards, koalas,
possum; deciduous- wild boar, deer, squirrels; plant types: trees, shrubs, flowers;
found world-wide; one of the richest habitats on the planet; grow in regions with
wide range of climates
o Urban Areas: can be thought of cities transform natural landscape which then
creates a new range of habitats for animals inside and out; plants- grass trees,
shrubs; outside: foxes, rats, raccoons; inside: mice, insects, geckos
http://a-z-animals.com/reference/
What Specific Things will you do as a Teacher that will promote inquiry?

Have students answer their own questions/ find answers to own questions
Find the students interest and listen to the questions that they have and base the
curriculum off of their interests

We are all teachers and learners

Conduct investigations to find answers to questions
Activate prior knowledge and provide background information about the topic at hand
Dont dismiss wrong answers; do not ignore these
Use interactive teaching materials

Lessons that will be part of this unit by topic:

Day 1: Learning about different habitats (habitats listed above)
Day 2: Learning about different characteristics that animals have
Day 3: Learning about different survival skills: mimicry and camouflage
Day 4: Learning about different survival skills: migration and defense mechanisms

Lesson: Animal Mimicry and Camouflage

Grade: 3rd

Time: 3 class periods each about 45 minutes

Standard: 3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some
organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
Topic: Animal Adaptions
Objective(s):

Students will learn that animals have different characteristics that help them survive in
their habitats.
Students will be able to distinguish between mimicry and camouflage.

Anticipatory Set:
This is the engage part of my lesson: part of the 5 Es lesson component. This is where I
want to hook the students onto the lesson and gain an interest. This will motivate the students
and activate their background knowledge.
Engage
1. Today and over the next few class periods, we are going to learn about animals that use
mimicry and camouflage to help protect themselves from predators within their
environment. We will be investigating which animals are using mimicry and which ones
are using camouflage. To review, who can tell me what we know about predators? Yes, so
the animals who are being hunted are called what again? Prey. Yes, so we will be
learning how animals can use these two characteristics to help them survive in their
habitats.
2. Watch Youtube video on butterflies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzIlT2PlbaM
(Start at beginning and go until 1:08 and then start up again at 3:15)
3. Give each group of students a pair of photographs (one each of a viceroy and monarch
butterfly.)
4. Have student groups discuss how the butterflies in the photographs are alike, and how
they are different.
5. As a class, create a T-chart of similarities and differences between the two butterflies.
(Note: A T-chart is a type of graphic organizer to help organize thoughts and show
relationships. In this case, it will show how a monarch butterfly and viceroy butterfly are
alike, and how they are different.)
6. Discuss the meaning of mimicry. Explain to students that butterflies are often eaten by
birds. The monarch is foul-tasting or poisonous to birds, while the viceroy is not
poisonous or foul-tasting. Ask students, Which butterfly is mimicking the other? Why?
Procedures:

This is when the students will explore and investigate our topic/lesson for the day. They
will observe, question, take notes, and investigate the concepts to develop an awareness of the
materials and ideas. They will then explain in their own words what they observed in their
investigation for the day.
1. Since we just celebrated Easter, I thought this would be a good introduction into
camouflage and mimicry. What do people have many times on Easter? Egg hunts.
We are going to be having a hunt of our own. We are going to be looking for
paper clips that are hidden outside.
2. Split students up into three groups. In this case, 2 groups of two students and one
group of 3 students.
3. Have them predict which paper clips will be easy to see and which ones will be
more difficult.
4. Have the students bring our notebooks to take notes.
5. Take the students out to the grassy area where the paper clips are hidden.
6. Let them search for the paper clips.
7. Have students record their findings on which ones were difficult/easy. Have them
explain why this might be in their notebooks.
8. Discuss the results back in the classroom and why I may have chosen this activity
for animals that use camouflage.
9. What is the comparison between an egg hunt and camouflage?
Next Day:
10. Give each group of students 5 pictures of animals that are camouflaged into their
environment and 5 pictures of animals that mimic another organism in order to
gain some type of advantage or to help it survive in its environment.
11. Ask each group to examine the photographs and decide:
Can you explain what is happening in this photograph? Is the
photograph showing mimicry or camouflage? How do you know?
Notice key words that students may say to trigger definitions: blending
in, pretending to be, looks like, hard to see, etc). Point out these words
so they can see that they came up with a difference between mimicry
and camouflage.
Is the animal mimicking another organism? If so, what organism?
What is the advantage?
Does the animal have a certain structure, color, or pattern that mimics
another type of organism or part of an organism? If so, what is it? Why
is it an advantage to the organism?
12. The students will be taking notes and writing down their observations from their
investigations of the pictures and what they observe about the animals and their
backgrounds or features that may help them be protected from their predators.
13. Each group will share their groups findings about one of the photographs they
received. Discuss each one as a class and reach consensus on all the organisms in
the photographs.

Next Day:
(Procedure Continued) Extend/Elaborate:
14. For their extension they will be using laptops to locate other animals that may use
mimicry and camouflage that has not yet been discussed.
15. Have students create a chart of their own that they believe will best help them
describe the animal(s) that exhibit mimicry and camouflage.
Materials Needed:
1. Photographs of the monarch butterfly
o

See http://www.forestryimages.org, enter "butterfly" in search field

2. Different photographs of various animals that use mimicry (see internet for images).
o

Hawk moth caterpillar and snakes

Drone fly and wasp

Red milk snake and coral snake

King snake and coral snake

Longhorn beetle and ants

Viceroy butterfly and monarch

Owl butterfly and eyes of a predator, such as an owl

Pacific gopher snake and rattlesnake

3. Different photographs of various animals that use camouflage (see internet for images).
o

Polar bear blends with snowy environment

Copperhead snake and fall leaves on ground

Walking stick and branches of shrubs and trees

Lion and yellow-brown grasslands of Africa

Dark back of a fish and light underbelly (This is called countershading. As a

predator looks down into the water, with the light behind them, the water appears
dark and the fish blends. Conversely, if the predator is looking up toward the
surface, the water is lighter and the belly of the fish blends with the surroundings.)

4. Download T-Chart PDF (or draw chart on the chalk board).

5. Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzIlT2PlbaM

6. Crayons, Markers, White Paper

7. Colorful paper clips
8. Laptops
Closure:
1. We will be continuing our lesson tomorrow boys and girls, but to wrap up our lesson
today, who can tell me one thing that you learned today about animals who use mimicry
and camouflage?
2. Review the meaning of mimicry and camouflage.
3. Discuss how camouflage and mimicry are different, and how they are alike. For example,
both camouflage and mimicry provide an advantage for an organism, and both involve
the organism copying either another organism or part of its environment. The primary
difference is that, with mimicry, an organism copies another organism or part of an
organism, while camouflage involves the copying of some part of the environment.
Assessment:

Students will be continually assessed throughout their investigation by listening to

conversations and how they answer questions that are prompted by the teacher(s).
Students will also be assessed at the end of the lesson. They will be given two
sheets of white paper and coloring utensils. If there is time, the students will draw
two pictures: one of animal who is using camouflage and one that is using
mimicry. They will have to add a small paragraph to their drawing to describe
what the animal is, what characteristic the animal is using, and how this will
protect the animal from its predator in its habitat.

Ideas Came From:

http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/lesson-plan/camouflage-activities-for-kids/?bp-jrtopic=camouflage
http://www.k8science.org/lessons/mimicry-camouflage.cfm

Walking Stick

Polar Bear

Copperhead Snake

Lion

Stingray

Chameleons

Hawk Moth Caterpillar

Drone Fly

Red Milk Snake and Coral Snake: harmless snakes have similar colors in a
different order. The rhyme "red and yellow kill a fellow" can help you
remember that the coral snake's red and yellow colors touch, but the
harmless milk snake has red touching black.

Owl Butterfly

Frogfish (mimics sponges)

Can you guess which one is a sea slug and which is the flatworm mimic?
The sea slug gives off poisonous, smelly chemicals to discourage
its predators. Why would the flatworm want to look like the sea slug?

Foureye Butterflyfish: The foureye butterflyfish has large eyespots near its
tail. These false eyes trick predators into believing the fish will flee tail
first, when it will actually swim away in the opposite direction!