Arctic Land Mammals
Learning Objectives/Lesson GoalsStudents will learn what camouflage is and how an animal adapts to its changing environments in order to survive.
WHEREClassroom
WHOClassroom Volunteers
MATERIALS
  • Pre-made half brown and half white 11x17 paper with two identical fox outlines on it with “Winter” written on the white side and “Summer” written on the brown side

  • A bag of uncooked white beans

  • A bag of uncooked brown beans

  • A bag of uncooked black beans

  • A bag of uncooked red beans

  • Washable school glue bottle

  • Show National Geographic Web Page - Before and After: See Animals Change Their Coats for Winter

  • The Video: Animals with Winter Coats! Watch only from 1:04 - 3:01
ACTIVITIES
  1. Start the lesson by asking students what color fur they think an Arctic fox has

  2. After a quick discussion, show 2 minutes (1:04-3:01) of the video Animals with Winter Coats!

  3. Explain how not only do their coats keep them warm in the arctic winters, but they are great for camouflaging against their changing environments

  4. Pass out a paper to each student and explain that they will use the different colored beans to make two versions of the arctic fox - one in it’s winter coat and one in it’s summer coat

  5. Remind students how winter coats have mostly all white in them and summer coats have a mix of browns and white

  6. As students are gluing their beans down you can talk about how the beans are camouflaged against the paper and how camouflage helps an animal survive

  7. Students will take their completed bean art arctic foxes home


RESOURCESInspiration taken from: Seed Art for Kids!
Video: Animals with Winter Coats!
Web Page: Before and After: See Animals Change Their Coats for Winter