Activity Based Off of Predator Predator Prey, Learned at Naturebridge

Adapt Like a Cat (Activity based off of Predator Predator Prey, learned at NatureBridge)

Eco-Schools Topic: Biodiversity

Objective: Student will  understand the meaning of an adaptation  be able to identify animal adaptations in nature  have a better understanding of predator/prey relationships

Grade Level: Grades 2-8

Background Knowledge: Adaptation: A characteristic of an animal that helps them survive and reproduce Predator: The animal that eats the prey Prey: The animal that is eaten

Prep:  Find a place outside or in a gym where students can run around  Set up coloring supplies/ paper inside Time: 45 min Materials:  Print off Picture Cards (see below)  Whiteboard/ Whiteboard Marker (for discussion)  Paper and coloring supplies (if you do the Additional Component)

Engaging Intro: (5 minutes)  How do animals interact with each other? Sometimes in a predator, prey relationship.  What does it mean to be a predator and prey? See if they can give any examples.  Today we will talk about ways that predators and prey interact.

Exploratory Activity: (15-20 minutes)  Students stand in a circle  One person goes in the center (instructor starts)  The center person points with his/her finger to a person on the outside of the circle and says the first rule below (Black- center person says, Red- outside person says/does) 1. Predator, predator, prey (prey must be said after predator, predator and before the person in the middle says prey) 2. Prey (silence) 3. Camouflage ( person hides beyond the back of one of the people standing next to him in the circle and then goes back in place after a few seconds) 4. Trick it (person holds his/her ankle with one hand, stands on one foot, puts the other hand behind his/her head and jumps around doing the chicken dance) 5. Speed (person runs around the circle and tries to get back to spot without the inside person tagging him/her like one would in duck, duck goose). 6. Stink Machine (person turns around and says pee-you)  When the person on the outside messes up he/she change places with the person in the middle of the circle and continue to challenge other kids  After a few minutes, a new adaptation can be added, and then the person on the inside of the circle has the option of saying any of the learned adaptations. Reminders:  Only play for 15-20 minutes- otherwise kids will get bored  Keep each student to a max of 5 tries in the middle and make sure that everyone gets a turn  Split up into smaller circles for the activity if you have enough volunteers (10-15 students per circle)

Meaningful Discussion: (10-15 minutes)  Have students sit down  What do these different rules represent? Adaptations.  What is an adaptation?  Go through picture cards below and how each student guesses what animals practice each adaptation.  What are other examples of adaptations?  What are examples of human adaptations? o (army-uniforms for camouflage, protecting babies, instinct to move away from something painful, instinct to work in groups, our ability to make complex tools from simple materials, our ability to speak and communicate with other species)  What should the relationship be between humans and animals? Additional Component (AC):  Inside or Outside: Write down the different adaptations so all students can see and have students draw pictures/ write stories to demonstrate those adaptations. Or, students can create their own adaptation.  If there is additional time, you can play “Oh, Deer” and talk about changes in predators and prey populations with increases and decreases in resources (water, food, shelter).

ALL PICTURES AND INFORMATION BELOW HAS BEEN DONATED DIRECTLY FROM NATUREBRIDGE TEEM PROGRAM What do you see? Or what is the skunk doing in the picture? A: Skunk is spraying What adaptation from the game, is the skunk doing? A: Stink Machine

How does Chemical Combat help the skunk to survive? A: Protection The odor of the fluid is strong enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers and can be difficult to remove from clothing. Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with a high degree of accuracy, as far as 3 meters (10 ft).[8] The smell aside, the spray can cause irritation and even temporary blindness and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by a human nose up to a mile downwind. Skunks are reluctant to use this weapon, as they carry just enough of the chemical for five or six uses – about 15 cc – and require some ten days to produce another supply. Their bold black and white coloring however serves to make the skunk's appearance memorable. Where practical, it is to a skunk's advantage simply to warn a threatening creature off without expending scent: black and white warning color aside, threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses, foot stamping, and tail-high threat postures before resorting to the spray. What do you see? A: Mountain Lion running From the game, the Mountain Lion is doing what adaptation? A: Speed How does Speed help the Mountain Lion to survive? A: To catch it’s prey, and get the food it needs to survive The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as puma, mountain lion, mountain cat, catamount or panther, depending on the region, is a mammal of the family Felidae, native to the Americas. A capable stalk-and-ambush predator, the cougar pursues a wide variety of prey. Primary food sources include ungulates such as deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep, as well as domestic cattle, horses and sheep, particularly in the northern part of its range. It will also hunt species as small as insects and rodents. This cat prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking, but it can also live in open areas. The cougar can run as fast as 55 to 72 km/h (35 to 45 mi/h), [36] but is best adapted for short, powerful sprints rather than long chases. It is adept at climbing, which allows it to evade canine competitors. Although it is not strongly associated with water, it can swim. This is a picture of bird called a killdeer, in the top picture it’s doing something from the game, does anyone know? A: Killdeer pretending to have a broken wing to distract predators from the nest

In the game, this type of adaptation was called? Trick It How does Trickery help the killdeer to survive? Offers their young protection from predators Their name comes from their frequently heard call. These birds will frequently use a distraction display ("broken-wing act") to distract predators from their nests. This involves the bird walking away from its nesting area holding its wing in a position that simulates an injury and then flapping around on the ground emitting a distress call. The predators then think they have easy prey and are attracted to this seemingly injured bird and away from the nest. If the parent sees that a potential predator is not following them, they will move closer and get louder until they get the attention of the predator. This is repeated until the predator is far from the nest, and the killdeer suddenly "heals" and flies away.[3][5] This picture may be difficult to figure out what’s going on. Does anyone think they see what’s going on? A: Chameleon blending in (with the lichen) In the game, we call this adaptation? Camouflage How would camouflage help a chameleon to survive? A: Protection from predators Some chameleon species are able to change their skin colors. Different chameleon species are able to change different colors which can include pink, blue, red, orange, green, black, brown, light blue, yellow, turquoise and purple. The primary purpose of color change has been found to be due to social signalling, as opposed to camouflage, although both social signalling color change, and color change for purposes of camouflage do occur in most chameleons, to some extent. Color change is also used as an expression of the physiological condition of the lizard, and as a social indicator to other chameleons. Research suggests that social signaling was the primary driving force behind the evolution of color change, and that camouflage evolved as a secondary concern.[9][10] Chameleons tend to show darker colors when angered, or attempting to scare or intimidate others, and males show lighter, multi-colored patterns when courting females. Some varieties of chameleon—such as the Smith's dwarf chameleon— use their color-changing ability to blend in with their surroundings, as an effective form of camouflage.[11] (Additional) What do you see? Or What do you think this animal is? A: Pelican underwater diving for fish From the game, the Pelican is doing what adaptation? A: Ambush How does Ambush help the Pelican survive? A: To get the food that it needs The diet of a Pelican usually consists of fish, but they also eat amphibians, crustaceans and on some occasions, smaller birds.[2][3] They often catch fish by expanding the throat pouch. Then they must drain the pouch above the surface before they can swallow. This operation takes up to a minute, during which time other seabirds are particularly likely to steal the fish. Pelicans in their turn sometimes pirate prey from other seabirds.[1] The white pelicans often fish alone. They will form a line to chase schools of small fish into shallow water, and then scoop them up. Large fish are caught with the bill-tip, then tossed up in the air to be caught and slid into the gullet head first. The Brown Pelican of North America usually plunge-dives for its prey. Rarely, other species such as the Peruvian Pelican and the Australian Pelican practice this method.