Title of Book s1

Title of Book: Chameleon’s Colors Author: Chisato Tashiro Translated by Marianne Martens Publisher: North-South Books/2003 ISBN- 10: 0735821119 ISBN- 13: 978-073582118

Grade Levels for Recommended Use: Third Grade – Seventh Grade

TEKS: 7(10) Organisms and environments. The student knows that there is a relationship between organisms and the environment.

Brief Summary: Chameleon is tired of constantly changing colors. He blends in wherever he goes and no one ever sees him! Hippo, however, is envious of Chameleon. He would love to be a different color. Surprisingly, all of the other animals in the jungle would, too! So, Chameleon sets to work painting stripes on the lion and polka-dots on the elephant. He uses every color and pattern under the sun. But, as the animals soon learn, changing their original appearance causes problems they never expected.

Materials needed: Real chameleon and habitat (borrow from a local pet store) Index cards pencils 12 inches x 12 inches of brightly colored material Color paper that match the material Hole punch Dixie cup White board with expo markers Graph paper Color pencils

Suggested Activity: 1. Borrow a chameleon from a local pet store. Have it in the classroom a day or two before reading the story. The students will ask the question, “Can chameleons turn any color?” Ask the kids to examine the chameleon’s habitat. Then ask them the question “Would changing into red, pink, purple help the chameleon blend into its habitat?” 2. Tell the students to carefully pay attention to the story. There is something that is a science misconception in the story. (I have taught my students what a misconception was before this activity, like deoxygenated blood is blue) 3. Give the student an index card for them to jot down the misconception. 4. Read the story to the students. 5. When finished ask the students for the misconception. (It is the fact that the book shows that chameleons change to pink, blue, and a checker pattern.) 6. Have each group spread out its piece of material. 7. Each group needs to sprinkle the color paper hole punches onto their material piece. 8. Line the students up a couple of steps away from their table with the material piece with paper holes on it. 9. Each student has 10 seconds to pick up as many holes in 10 seconds that they can see. Picking up ONE at a time. They go back to the back of the line waiting for everyone to have a turn. 10. Once all the groups are finished, have the students return to their table and put their person’s cups in front of them. 11. The students sort and count the color dots that were left on their groups’ material. The groups will fill out a classroom data table on the white board. 12. The students will now sort and count their personalized cup of dots. They are to fill out the data table and graph their results.

Color Number of dots Light yellow Dark yellow Gold Red Light blue Medium blue Dark blue Black Purple orange

13. As a whole group discussion, show the students the graph from the left over holes. 14. Ask them to compare their individual graphs with people around them. “What color was picked up the most? What was the color picked up least? Why?

Extension: This activity can easily be changed into a natural selection lab.

Based on an activity in Science Giants: Life Science pg 11-12. Ticotsk y, A. (2007). Science giants: life science . Tucson, Arizona: Good Year Books .

In lab groups of 5, 1. Have students put 10 of each color dot into a cup. Mix the colors and pour them onto the material. 2. The students take turns removing the ten easiest to find dots (give each group a cup marked REMOVED so the students have a place to put their removed dots) 3. Once everyone in the lab group has gone, round one is over. 4. The students need to sort the remaining dots into colors. 5. The students fill out a data chart showing their results from round one. 6. They will add two dots for every two of a single color. (The new dots are offspring) 7. Single dots do not reproduce but match enough of them to bring the population back to one hundred to round two. This simulates migration. Put the new population into the mixing cup to prepare for round two. 8. Student will go through this for four rounds making sure to fill out their data table after each round. The population will become dominated by the color dot that was the hardest to find. The most effectively camouflaged dot will have been naturally selected to succeed in their environment.

Adapted by Cindy Hopkins, 2010 Chameleon’s Colors

Author: Chisato Tashiro Translated by Marianne Martens

Data Table: Color Number of dots you found Red Orange Light yellow Dark yellow Gold Purple Light blue Medium blue Dark blue Black

Graph your data on the back.

1. What color did you pick the most? Why?

2. What color did you pick the least? Why?

3. What did this experiment teach you about camouflage?

Adapted by Cindy Hopkins, 2010