Student Activity:
1. Give each student a copy of the butterfly pattern.
2. Ask the students to pretend your classroom is a butterfly habitat. Have each student look
around the room and select a specific home or habitat for his or her individual butterfly.
3. Have each student color his/her butterfly pattern with markers, crayons, or colored pencils so
that it will be camouflaged in this habitat.
4. Ask your students to place the butterflies in their habitat without burying them. The
butterflies must be out in the open, but well-camouflaged.
5. Invite students from another class to see how many of your butterflies they can find.
Extensions:
Sometimes an animal's coloration does the opposite of camouflage. Instead, its markings or color
patterns may call attention to the animal. Coloration may issue a warning to other species (for
example, the bright colors of the South American poison arrow frog warns possible predators that these
amphibians are not good to eat), or help advertise for a mate (male peacocks use their impressive tail
display to attract females.)
Repeat the Classroom Camouflage activity by having students design butterflies whose coloration does
not blend into their surroundings. Since they cannot hide from view, what methods might each of
these butterflies use to protect itself from predators? What are some of the advantages and
disadvantages of camouflage compared to advertising or warning coloration?
(Source: Los Angeles Zoo Web site:
http://www.lazoo.org/camo.htm
الرئيسية 
