Procedures:

• Discuss:
  1. What is camouflage? Why might an animal have camouflage as an adaptation?
  2. How can we study what would be an effective camouflage and what would not be as effective? How might you study this in nature, and how might use study this in the classroom?
  3. Brainstorm with the class how it can use the colored hole punches and the patterned backgrounds to create a camouflage experiment.
  4. Modify the procedures below to incorporate the ideas and design of the class.
  
  
• Split the class into groups of about 4 or 5. Each group can assign one person to be the scatterer and data collector.
• Have each group select a patterned cloth or wrapping paper, and spread it out flat on the desk. Select one group to use a cloth or paper that is completely white. To be more realistic choose backgrounds that represent different seasons, greens and browns for summer, fall colors, and white for winter.
• Tell the students they are golden eagles and wolves looking for Dall sheep lambs along the valley to eat for food. The hole punches represent the various food sources for eagles and wolves, white hole punches represent Dall sheep.
• Have the scatter mix the colored hole punches together and scatter them on the patterned cloth or wrapping paper. Don't give students time to look before continuing.
• Say "Go!", and tell the students to pick up as many of the punches as possible. Allow a few seconds and call "Stop!" For older students, five seconds may be ample, younger students may need closer to 10.
• The data collector should record the number of each color of hole punches collected by each student in the group. This can be recorded on individual notepads or on the board.
• The groups are to analyze their data. Each group should calculate the total (sum) and mean (average) number of each color collected by the students in their group. The data should be graphed. If students know how to do a stacked bar chart, they may.
• Post a graph from each group on the wall where all students can see them.
• In their groups, have the students answer the discussion questions 1 - 5 below.
• Have each group present their findings to the rest of the class.
• As a class discuss questions 6 - 10 below.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which color was collected the most by your group? Why?
2. Which color was collected the least by your group? Why?
3. Were these colors the same for each student within the group, or not? Why?
4. Did the most and least collected colors vary across groups? Why?
5. What conclusions can you draw from this data about how camouflage works in nature? Explain why you have made that conclusion.
6. How might you test your conclusions? Could there be other explanations? How might you use the data you have or collect new data to test alternative explanations?
7. How might seasonal changes or movements change how well different colors or patterns camouflage an animal?
8. How effective do you think the white color of Dall sheep is in different seasons? What other adaptations might the Dall sheep have for the seasons when they are not as well camouflaged?

Extensions:
For younger students: From the different papers or fabric, students are to design and cutout secret shapes (at least the size of a thumbnail). Glue the different shapes to the same background material. Display the board and ask the students to find the secret shapes. Keep a tally of how many shapes students find, and compare to the actual number. Discuss questions 1-3, 5, 7, 5, and 8.