The rock pocket mouse exists either with light colored or dark colored fur. As their habitat changes from sandy desert to lava flows the prominence of each color fur also changes. Viewers compare the visibility of each mouse's fur color...

A large brain helps the octopus change both color and texture as a form of defense. A video series details the unique features of the mollusks as quick-change artists. It describes the cellular changes and chemical reactions controlling...

Have you ever seen a wingless fly or a katydid larger than many birds? The eighth part of a series on the Field Museum in Chicago shares both of these unique insects. The resource explains the location and features of some of the...

Watch as pygmy seahorses become one with their environment. The life of a pygmy seahorse begins and ends on a branch of coral. An interesting video lesson explores how camouflage protects this delicate species and how they adapt when...

New York, Paris, Milan ... and now, high fashion in a California tide pool! Junior zoologists explore the world of the decorator crab and learn about its amazing camouflage. Also featured is the moss crab, which incorporates anemone into...

Demonstrate how our understanding of chameleons trying to blend in was wrong. An education video explains how scientists now know that chameleons manipulate tiny salt crystals in their skin to change colors.

Cephalopods, including squid, use their color-changing skin for both camouflage and communication. A video explains how squid camouflage themselves in the open ocean with nothing else around. It shows how they mimic the interplay of...

Everything is bigger in Texas, including its cats! An engaging video compares and contrasts the global wild tiger population to the domesticated population in Texas. By comparing habitat characteristics, the instructor explains why the...

Who knew plants can communicate? An interesting video shows how plants communicate with insects and other plants. The instructor gives many examples including mimicry, parasitism, and self-defense.

Is it a bee or not a bee? That seems to be the question of a video lesson that explains how insects such as flies and moths mimic the coloring of bees. The narrator discusses the purpose of the coloring in association to predators.

A descriptive video lesson explains the history of the white admiral and red-spotted purple butterfly. As the butterflies' habitats overlap, scientists discovered a specimen with characteristics of both butterflies. The narrator...

Can human activity influence the colors of moths? The simulation explains how pollution changed the color of tree bark, which led to the survival of a different variation of moths. It also discusses the shift back as air quality improves.

Can natural disasters alter natural selection? The interactive explores this concept with mice living through a forest fire. As the environment changes, the camouflage also changes. How does this one disaster impact future generations?

How do animals survive in the wild? Read about the different adaptations such as camouflage and self-protection that animals use to survive.

Differentiate English language arts instruction with a lesson that features the Vietnamese folktale How Tiger Got His Stripes. Scholars examine words that begin with the letter t, recall a folktale's details, write a self-reflection, and...

Cuttlefish are actually not fish — they are relatives of the octopus, squid, and nautilus! Scholars explore this concept and more as they observe cuttlefish and their ability to change their coloring through chromatophores. Viewers take...

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? The animal kingdom has more superpowers than all of the comic book heros combined. The video quickly goes through many of these animals and their powers including the ability to shoot a...

The first examples of mimicry we have found date back to before flowering plants. The video goes in depth on predators at the community ecology level. It includes discussions of herbivores, parasitism, adaptations, cryptic coloration,...

Um may be the atomic symbol for confusion, but it won't be needed in this lesson. Scholars rotate through seven stations completing experiments, hands-on activities, writing exercises, and analysis. Stations include material on...

Our oceans are composed of many complex relationships. Young oceanographers explore relationships between organisms, understand the world ocean's currents, and discover the effects of water pollution and how it behaves. There are three...

Take time to appreciate the beauty in the anatomy of animals with this cross-curricular art and science activity. After viewing examples of fish-themed artwork, children complete the included worksheet by labeling the different parts of...

Why do certain animals look the way they do? It could be because they have developed camouflage. Kids can read up on camouflage and mimicry and then respond to five questions related to the content of the passage.

There are not many plants and animals that can survive the cold, harsh conditions of the tundra. This collection of activities and reading passages helps young scientists understand the unique characteristics that allow these amazing...

Uncover the hidden mysteries of the animal kingdom with an elementary science lesson plan on camouflage. After spending time outside investigating animals in their natural habitats, the class creates a terrarium in order to observe the...