HIDE AND SEEK
Grades 2 - 3

In this lesson students should learn the reasons why animals use camouflage. Using the video Geo Kids "Camouflage, Cuttlefish, and Chameleons Changing Color" students should learn that animals use camouflage to hide from their predator or hide from their prey to enable the animal to catch their prey. The students will apply their knowledge of camouflage in the computer program "Animal Adaptations" by Scholastic. Tally sheets and web diagrams will be used to instruct the students on sorting the data they have collected from the video and computer program. In the experiment portion of the computer program in addition to recording the data, students will also apply their knowledge of time lapse as a source of data to record.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: Geo Kids, Camouflage, Cuttlefish, and Chameleons Changing Color

Students will be able to:

• Define the term camouflage.
• Discuss why animals use camouflage and give an example of an animal that uses camouflage.
• Collect data using a tally sheet then sort the data using a web diagram. Create an animal with camouflage to hide in the classroom.
• Video National Geographic "camouflage".
• Computer program Scholastic's "Animal Adaptations" (system requirements 286 or greater, 640K, 3.5 low density disk, graphics card).
• One piece of construction paper using the same colors that can be found in the classroom.

• Video National Geographic "camouflage".
• Computer program Scholastic's "Animal Adaptations" (system requirements 286 or greater, 640K, 3.5 low density disk, graphics card).
• One piece of construction paper using the same colors that can be found in the classroom.
• One pair of scissors.
• One small bottle glue.
• One activity sheet.

Ask the students if they have ever played hide and go seek. Discuss how to play the game but focus the discussion on how not to be caught. What are the ways you hide so the person who is "it" can not find you? Ask the students, "Do you think animals play hide and go seek?" Why would animals want to hide? Today we will learn why animals hide and how the animals hide.

To give students a specific responsibility while viewing use the Focus For Viewing sheet. The students can record the definitions of vocabulary used in the lesson, record the data they collect on the video and computer program. As we watch the beginning of the video, listen for the word that is used to describe what the animal uses to hide. Raise your hand when you hear the word.

This should be done before the class begins. FORWARD the video to where you see the words "Camouflage, Cuttlefish, and Chameleons Changing Color" and PLAY the video until you hear the Honey Possum say, "I spy something brown and twiggy." By playing the game I Spy with the video the students will begin to understand the definition of camouflage and what an animal uses to camouflage itself.

PAUSE the video, ask "Can you find what the Honey Possum is looking at? Why or why not?" Raise your hand when you spy what you think the Honey Possum is looking at. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video when a student raises their hand and discuss what the student sees. Discuss with the students what made it difficult to find what the Honey Possum was describing. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video after the Bush Baby falls then starts looking for the Walking Stick and the Honey Possum says, "I don't know where it is, it sure is hard to see." Discuss why the Walking Stick is so hard to see. Remind the students to listen for the word that describes how animals hide. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video after the chameleon uses the word camouflage to explain why the walking stick disappeared. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video where the Chameleon says, "There's a bunch of animals that use camouflage." Direct the student's attention to the chart where they record their data about how the animals use camouflage. Do the example of the tiger together then check for understanding of what to look for in the animals. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video after each animal (owl, gecko, caterpillar, leaf mantis, and white spider) and give the students time to record their data. FORWARD the video to the words, "Find the Hidden Animal."

PAUSE the video to allow the students to find the animal. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video when a close up of the animal is shown and ask the students if they can find the animal now. Discuss what the Horned Frog is using for its camouflage (skin) then remind the students to record the data on their chart. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video when the narrator asks the students to find the animal. Have the students make predictions of where they think the animal is. RESUME the video.

STOP the video when the bird opens its eyes and mouth. Discuss why a bird would need to camouflage itself and sit very still.

FORWARD the video to where the Honey Possum and Chameleon are talking. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video when the Honey Possum says, "You can't put leaves, and sticks all over yourself to blend in." Say "raise your hand if you agree with the Honey Possum or raise your hand if you disagree with the Honey Possum." Record the predictions on the chalkboard. RESUME the video.

STOP the video when the Chameleon says "some animals do stick stuff on themselves to hide," and ask the students to check their predictions. Say, "Here are three animals that use things from their environment for camouflage. Write down what each animal uses from its environment for camouflage." (1. Decorator Crab-coral.) (2. Staghorn Crab-Staghorn Coral.) (3. Hermit Crab-shells with sea anemone.)

Review with the students how animals camouflage themselves (fur, feathers, skin and things from their environment).

FAST FORWARD the video to the picture of the Arctic Fox. Say "I want you to raise your hand when you see the fox camouflage changes." PLAY the video with the sound turned off because the dialogue on the tape distracts from the objective of the lesson.

PAUSE the video when the fox camouflage changes. Discuss what would cause an animal to change their camouflage. REWIND and PAUSE the video at the picture of the Arctic Fox in the winter. Direct the students' attention to the changes in the fox's environment. Discuss what the changes in the environment they observe also in the Arctic Fox. FAST FORWARD the video to the scene of the ostrich standing over a brood of chicks. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video ask the students to find the chicks.

RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video at the scene where they are under the adult ostrich in the tall grass and ask if they can find the chicks now. Discuss what makes it hard to see the chicks and why is it important for the chicks to hide, (protection). FAST FORWARD the video to the picture of the bottom of the ocean.

PAUSE the video. Say "there are other reasons that animals use camouflage." Watch the next animal, the Scorpion fish very carefully and see how it uses camouflage, when you have a prediction raise your hand and I will pause the video so you can share your prediction." RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video when a student raises their hand then discuss the student's predictions and record them on the chalkboard. Refocus the student's attention by reviewing their predictions. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video when the Jaw fish returns to its home. Discuss their predictions of how the Scorpion fish uses camouflage and that some animals use camouflage to hunt for prey. TURN OFF the sound because the dialogue distracts from the objective then FAST FORWARD the video to the scene of the Tamagin bird in snow. Say "put your thumb up if the animal is using camouflage for protection or put your thumb down if the animal is using its camouflage to hunt for prey. RESUME the video.

PAUSE the video on the Tamagin bird and check for understanding (their thumbs should be up because the Tamagin bird uses camouflage for protection). FAST FORWARD the video to the picture of the Cuttlefish. RESUME then stop the video after the Cuttlefish eats the shrimp and ask the students to give the signal if the Cuttlefish uses camouflage for protection or to hunt for prey. (Thumbs down, hunt for prey). For closure of the video portion of the lesson, ask the students to give examples of what an animal uses for camouflage and the reasons why animals use camouflage.

Using the Focus for Viewing sheet from the beginning of the video where the students recorded if the animal used fur, feathers, skin, or things from their environment, and the information about the two ways animals use camouflage (protection and to hunt for prey), sort the animals using a web diagram as shown below.
SKIN
PROTECT
HUNT FOR PREY
Cuttlefish



FEATHERS ANIMALS FUR
PROTECT
Tamagin bird



HUNT FOR PREY HUNT FOR PREY

THINGS FROM THEIR
ENVIRONMENT
HUNT FOR PREY


PROTECT
Using small pieces of paper write predator or prey on the paper and place in a hat. Walk around the class letting the students to draw one piece of paper. Remind the students not to tell anyone if they have predator or prey. Direct the students to create an animal that can be easily camouflaged in the classroom. Distribute the materials for the students to create their animal to hide in the classroom. After the students have finished their animals, have the students close their eyes and put their heads down on their desk. Say, "If your animal is a predator go hide your animal then go back and put your head down." After they have all sat down, instruct the students with prey animals to go and hide their animals. Tell the prey animals that if they see a predator not to say anything but go find another place to hide. After the group has finished hiding their animals, tell the predators to open their eyes and lift their heads. Pick students in pairs that had the predators to go get their animals and find one prey animal. Repeat the activity until the animals are found. If one or more prey animals can not be found have the students go get the animals and discuss what camouflage they used to protect themselves. Discuss what made it easier or harder to find the animals. Say "What would happen to the animals if man changed something in their environment?" For example, if a bug was blue colored because of the flowers where it lived and pollution made the flowers die, what would happen to the blue bug?

COMPUTER INTEGRATION -- This activity can be done in small groups of individually. Using the computer program "Animal Adaptations" students go through two tutorials about animal adaptations to reinforce the concepts presented in the video. After completing the tutorial the students go to experiment. This experiment takes the students through the scientific process of hypothesis, testing the hypothesis and evaluating the hypothesis. Use activity sheet 2. Direct the students to record their hypothesis on their paper and draw the design that they think will help the moth protect itself from the predator. Run the program simulation and model how to record the data in the experiment. Discuss the results of the experiment and if their hypothesis was correct.

Contact The Fish and Game or Forest Service in your area to invite them to your classroom. Ask specifically for someone to talk about the local animals and how they camouflage themselves. Discuss man's effect on their habitat and if there is anything students can do to help the animals, for example, if pollution from a nearby factory is polluting the water supply and killing the animals. The class can then brainstorm ideas that they can do to protect the animal. Some of the ideas might include writing to the governor, writing to the company that owns the factory, a bake sale to raise money to help the animals, adopt an animal that uses camouflage that is threatened by man or having a clean up day to clean up the area where the animal lives.

This lesson can be extended across the curriculum.
Language Arts: the students can write letters to government officials about their animal. Describing their animal using adjectives in a poem can also be used to integrate animals in the Language Arts subject.
Social Studies: the students could write a report on how the animals camouflage and the effect of the climate on the animals.

The video National Geographic Geo Kids Camouflage, Cuttlefish, and Chameleons Changing Color (1994) can be purchased at Barnes & Noble, Shopko or through the Scholastic Book Clubs. The computer program can be purchased through the Scholastic Book Clubs.

Lesson plan created by Master Teacher Karen Hickey, Ustick Elementary, Meridian,