Preparing for Winter
The PLT activity, Birds and Worms, is often used in warmer months. But, wintertime is the best time to show how camouflage works (especially if you have snow)! Animals prepare for winter in many different ways; squirrels store food, bats hibernate, fish’s metabolism slows down, etc. Some animals become a lighter color in winter to blend in with snow better. When there is a lot of snow cover, animals are at a greater risk of predation if they are not camouflaged well enough.
To make this activity more suitable for winter months, have students act like hawks, and find “mice” instead of “worms.” Be sure to include some “mice” that are not as camouflaged as the others for comparison.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Arnosky, J. 2000. I See Animals Hiding. Scholastic Paperbacks.
Aruego, J. and A. Dewey. 1979. We Hide, You Seek. Greenwillow Books.
Foley, C. 2000. Find the Insect. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Fowler, A. 1998. Hard-to-See Animals. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Ganeri, A. 1991. Animal Camouflage. Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated.
Ganeri, A. 1995. Animals in Disguise. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Heller, R. 1992. How to Hide a Butterfly and Other Insects. Penguin Young Readers Group.
Heller, R. 1994. How to Hide a Crocodile and Other Reptiles. Penguin Young Readers Group.
Heller, R. 1995. How to Hide a Meadow Frog and Other Amphibians. Penguin Young Readers Group.
Kalman, B. 2005. Camouflage: Changing to Hide. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Kalman, B. 2001. What Are Camouflage and Mimicry?Crabtree Publishing Company.
Lionni, L. 1997. Color of His Own. Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers.
Otto, C.B. 1996. What Color Is Camouflage? HarperCollins Publishers.
Oxford University Press. 1986. Hide and Seek. Penguin Group.
Penny, M. 1988. Animal Camouflage. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Ryder, J. 1994. Lizard in the Sun. HarperTrophy.
Skinner, D. 2003. Almost Invisible Irene. Kane Press.
Stockdale, S. 1999. Nature's Paintbrush: The Patterns and Colors around You. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Stockland, P.M. 2005. Red Eyes Or Blue Feathers: A Book About Animal Colors. Picture Window Books.
Tildes, P.L. 2000. Animals in Camouflage. Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Weber, B. 2002. Woody Woodpecker: Amazing Animal Disguises. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Whitehouse, P. 2003. Hiding in a Forest. Heinemann Library.
Grades 3-5
Batten, M. 1991. Nature's Tricksters: Animals and Plants That Aren't What They Seem. Little, Brown & Company.
Canizares, S. 1997. Who's Hiding? Scholastic, Inc.
Dell, P. 2006. Why Do Tigers Have Stripes?: A Book about Camouflage. Capstone Press.
Dewey, J.O. 1991. Can You Find Me?: A Book about Animal Camouflage. Scholastic, Inc.
Ferrell, N.W. 1989. Camouflage: Nature's Defense. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Gates, P. 2000. Camouflage. Cambridge University Press.
Greenway, S. 1992. Can You See Me? Hambleton-Hill Publishing, Incorporated.
Harland, J. 1993. Invisible Animals. Running Press Book Publishers.
Hoff, M. 2002. Mimicry and Camouflage. Creative Company.
Llewellyn, C. 1996. Disguises and Surprises. Candlewick Press.
Martin, J. 1993. Hiding out: Camouflage in the Wild. Random House Children's Books.
Mcdonnell, J. 1989. Animal Camouflage. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Miracha, P. 1994. Look Again! Animal Camouflage and Disguise: A Real Life Pop-up Book. W. H. Freeman Company.
O'Hare, J.A. 1999. Searchin' Safari: Looking for Camouflaged Creatures. Boyds Mills Press.
Perry, P.J. 1997. Hide and Seek: Creatures in Camouflage. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Powzyk, J.A. 1990. Animal Camouflage: A Closer Look. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Seymour, P.S. 1985. Animals in Disguise. Macmillan Publishing Company, Incorporated.
Soffer, R. 2002. Mimicry and Camouflage in Nature. Dover Publications.
Wells, R. 1990. Who's Hiding Here? Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Woodward, J. 2004. Clever Camouflage. Heinemann.
Grades 6-8
Batten, M. 1991. Nature's Tricksters: Animals and Plants That Aren't What They Seem. Little, Brown & Company.
Ferraro, M. 1997. Colors for Survival: Mimicry and Camouflage in Nature. Barnes & Noble Books.
Lovett, S. 1997. Extremely Weird Animal Disguises. Avalon Travel Publishing.
Parker, S. 1991. Camouflage. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Pearce, Q.L. 1991. Camouflagers. Penguin Group.
Purser, B. 2003. Jungle Bugs: Masters of Camouflage and Mimicry. Firefly Books, Limited.
Stonehouse, B. 1999. Camouflage. Scholastic, Inc.
Wolfe, A. 2005. Vanishing Act. Bulfinch.
Grades 9-12
Stonehouse, B. 1999. Camouflage. Scholastic, Inc.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Sounds of the Season
Winter is a wonderful time for students to sit quietly and use their sense of hearing to observe nature. Project Learning Tree’s Sounds Around takes a look at hearing as an adaptation and encourages students to sharpen their observations skills. To expand upon this activity, do it during different seasons, and use other senses (touch, sight, smell, etc) to detect changes that may have gone unnoticed. Keep the results of each activity for comparison.
Assign the classic Walden, by Henry David Thoreau as a reading extension for high school students. Have students note similarities and differences between what they observed, and what Thorough observed.
Check back next week to look at an adaptation animals use to survive the winter.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Bunting, E. 1996. Secret Place. Clarion Books.
Carle, E. 1984. Mixed-up Chameleon. HarperCollins Children's Books.
Cole, H. 1998. I Took a Walk. Greenwillow Books.
Fleming, D. 1993. In the Small, Small Pond. Henry Holt and Company.
Fleming, D. 1991. In the Tall, Tall Grass. Henry Holt and Company.
Hiscock, B. 1995. When Will It Snow? Atheneum.
Jenkins, S. 2001. What Do You Do When Something Wants To Eat You? Houghton Mifflin Company.
Kalman, B. 2000. How Do Animals Adapt? Crabtree Publishing Company.
Minor, W. 1993. Red Fox Running. Houghton Mifflin Company
Morrison, G. 2004. Nature in the Neighborhood. Walter Lorraine Books/Houghton Mifflin Books.
Grades 3-5
Carroll, C. 1998. How Artists See Animals: Mammal, Bird, Fish, Reptile. Abbeyville Press.
Goodman, S.E. 2001. Seeds, Stems, And Stamens: The Ways Plants Fit into the World. Millbrook Press.
Goodman, S.E. 2001. Claws, Coats, And Camouflage: The Ways Animals Fit into the World. Millbrook Press.
Grades 6-8
Leslie, C. 1991. Nature All Year Long. HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Vaupel, R. 2003. My Contract with Henry. Holiday House.
High School
Anderson, P. 1996. Henry David Thoreau: American Naturalist. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Leslie, C. 2003. Keeping a Nature Journal. Storey Publishing.
Thoreau, H. 2004. Walden. Houghton Mifflin Books.
Winter is a wonderful time for students to sit quietly and use their sense of hearing to observe nature. Project Learning Tree’s Sounds Around takes a look at hearing as an adaptation and encourages students to sharpen their observations skills. To expand upon this activity, do it during different seasons, and use other senses (touch, sight, smell, etc) to detect changes that may have gone unnoticed. Keep the results of each activity for comparison.
Assign the classic Walden, by Henry David Thoreau as a reading extension for high school students. Have students note similarities and differences between what they observed, and what Thorough observed.
Check back next week to look at an adaptation animals use to survive the winter.
Book List
Grades PreK-2
Bunting, E. 1996. Secret Place. Clarion Books.
Carle, E. 1984. Mixed-up Chameleon. HarperCollins Children's Books.
Cole, H. 1998. I Took a Walk. Greenwillow Books.
Fleming, D. 1993. In the Small, Small Pond. Henry Holt and Company.
Fleming, D. 1991. In the Tall, Tall Grass. Henry Holt and Company.
Hiscock, B. 1995. When Will It Snow? Atheneum.
Jenkins, S. 2001. What Do You Do When Something Wants To Eat You? Houghton Mifflin Company.
Kalman, B. 2000. How Do Animals Adapt? Crabtree Publishing Company.
Minor, W. 1993. Red Fox Running. Houghton Mifflin Company
Morrison, G. 2004. Nature in the Neighborhood. Walter Lorraine Books/Houghton Mifflin Books.
Grades 3-5
Carroll, C. 1998. How Artists See Animals: Mammal, Bird, Fish, Reptile. Abbeyville Press.
Goodman, S.E. 2001. Seeds, Stems, And Stamens: The Ways Plants Fit into the World. Millbrook Press.
Goodman, S.E. 2001. Claws, Coats, And Camouflage: The Ways Animals Fit into the World. Millbrook Press.
Grades 6-8
Leslie, C. 1991. Nature All Year Long. HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Vaupel, R. 2003. My Contract with Henry. Holiday House.
High School
Anderson, P. 1996. Henry David Thoreau: American Naturalist. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Leslie, C. 2003. Keeping a Nature Journal. Storey Publishing.
Thoreau, H. 2004. Walden. Houghton Mifflin Books.
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