adapting lizards formatted - museum of science€¦ · adapting lizards in this activity, students...
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Adapting Lizards In this activity, students will get a chance to adapt a species of lizard to its
environment. Working in groups, students will take a lizard drawing packet to a
different island station, each with its own, unique habitat. At first, all lizards are
alike for each island, but as generations go by, each group will adapt their lizard
to suit the environment of their island. Eventually, the class will end up with five
different species of lizards! Materials
Enough “Adapting Lizards!” printouts (pages 9-13 of this document) for each student
Coloring materials (markers, colored pencils, crayons, etc…) Stapler Island habitat pages (one of each, pages 3-7 of this document) Laminator (optional)
Directions Before beginning with the class, teachers should print out one of each island
habitat pages (3‐7 of this document). If they wish to use them again in the future,
laminating can be helpful. Teachers should also print out and staple together
“Adapting Lizards!” drawing packets, which consist of pages 8‐12 of this
document. One packet should be given to each student.
Set up five stations around the room, with a different island habitat placed at
each. Divide the class up into five groups, and send each group to one of the
island habitats.
The activity can now begin. As the teacher, you will lead the class through each
step:
First, explain that everyone begins with the same species of grey lizard.
These lizards have colonized five very different islands.
They manage to survive on each island. During the first 99 generations,
changes in the DNA occur and some lizards end up brown, others are
green, and others are black.
By the 100th generation, only one color type remains on the island. This
color type was the most successful for the lizards. Discuss with your
group which of the three color types would be best suited for your island
habitat. What color will your lizards be by the 100th generation? Color in
the lizards on your packet with the appropriate color.
Next, the lizards start developing different patterns during generations
101‐199. Some are striped, some spotted, and others splotchy.
By the 200th generation, only one pattern remains on the island. This
pattern was the most successful for the lizards. Discuss with your group
which of the three patterns would be best suited for your island habitat.
What pattern will your lizards have by the 200th generation? Draw the
pattern on the lizards in your packet. The patterns may be any color that is
helpful for living on that particular island.
Next, the lizards start having different tail lengths during generations 201‐
299. Some have short, stumpy tails. Others have regular, medium‐length
tails. Finally, some have long, winding tails.
By the 300th generation, only one type of tail remains on the island. This
tail type was the most successful for the lizards. Discuss with your group
which of the three tail types would be best suited for your island habitat.
Which tail type should your lizards have by the 300th generation? Add on
this tail to the lizards in your packet.
Next, the lizards have developed different foot types during generations
301‐399. Some have toes with small, delicate claws. Others have toes with
regular, durable medium claws. Finally, some have huge, thick claws.
By the 400th generation, only one type of foot remains on the island. This
was the foot type most successful for the lizards. Discuss with your group
which of the three types of clawed foot is best suited for your island
habitat. Which type of toe and claw will your lizards have by the 400th
generation? Add on this foot type to the lizards in your packet.
Next, the lizards have developed different diets during generations 401‐
499. Some lizards eat only plants and are herbivores. Some eat only meat
and are carnivores. Others eat both plants and meat, and are omnivores
.
By the 500th generation, only one type of diet remains. This was the diet
most successful for the lizards. Discuss with your group which of the
three diet types is best suited for the lizards on your island habitat. Which
type of diet will your lizards all have by the 500th generation? Draw
something next to the lizards in your packet that it would like to eat.
Now, 500 generations later, each island has a different looking lizard, and
they each are their own new species! Decide as a group what the name of
the species should be, and then go ahead and draw your lizard species
living on the island habitat. If you would like, your group can think up
other ideas for adaptations that could be useful to your lizard!
After the students have completed their activity, invite them to share their lizard
species with their classmates by having each group present. Each island will be
different! Compare and contrast the lizards that evolved on the different islands.
Why did one adaption work for one location, but not another? Can you think of
anywhere in the world where this might have happened in real life? (Example: the animals and plants of the Galapagos Islands).
DESERT ISLAND:
Not many plants or animals Very little water Hot days and cold nights Frequent windstorms Ground is mostly sand and rock Large birds of prey may pose a danger
MARINE ISLAND:
Pools of salt water surrounded by rocks Plants tend to be tough Fish and crabs may make their home here Not many trees for shade Ocean predators and birds of prey may pose a danger
TROPICAL RAINFOREST ISLAND:
Many plants and animals live here Water is plentiful, since it rains frequently Many animals mean many predators, so there is a lot of
danger! Can be very hot and humid Trees can grow tall, and different animals can live at each
level of the tree
MEADOW ISLAND:
Many grasses and bushes, but few trees Water can be found in ponds and streams Ground is mostly dirt covered in plants Many animals live here, including several predators Seasons change throughout the year – during certain
seasons, food becomes scarce
VOLCANIC ISLAND:
Dark rocks cover the ground Plants and animals are rare Water may form in small pools Volcanic activity can be ongoing, creating hot springs,
geysers, and sometimes even more lava
ADAPTING LIZARDS! Generation 1: In the first generation, all lizards are identical
on each of the islands. Generation 100: Color change! Several lizards on the island
have been green, brown, or black for
generations 2‐99. In generation 100, only
one color remains – the color that has been
most successful for the lizards! Any lizards
having the non‐successful colors have died
out, leaving only the one color. Which color
is it for your lizard? Color it in!
Generation 200: Patterns! Several lizards on the island have
developed stripes, spots, or splotches for
generations 101‐199. In generation 200, only
one pattern remains – the pattern that has
been most successful for the lizards! Any
lizards having the non‐successful pattern
have died out, leaving only the one pattern.
Which pattern is it for your lizard? Color it in
with the color from Generation 100, and add
on the pattern! Generation 300: Tail length! The lizards on the island have
developed different tail lengths – short,
medium, or long – for generations 201‐
299. In generation 300, only one type of
tail length remains – the length that has
been most successful for the lizards! Any
lizards having non‐successful tail lengths
have died out, leaving only the one tail
length. Which tail length is it for your
lizard? Color it in with the correct color
and pattern from previous generations,
and draw on the tail!
Generation 400: Claws! The lizards on the island have
developed different types of claws and toes
– small, medium, and large – for
generations 301‐399. In generation 400, only
one type of clawed toe remains – the size
that has been most successful for the
lizards! Any lizards having non‐successful
claw and toe sizes have died out, leaving
only the one claw and toe size. What claw
size is it for your lizard? Draw on the
claws, and make sure to add in
everything from the previous
generations as well! Generation 500: Food! The lizards on the island have
developed different diets – carnivorous,
herbivorous, and omnivorous – for
generations 401‐199. In generation 500,
only one type of diet remains – the diet
that has been most successful for the
lizards! Any lizards having non‐
successful diets have died out, leaving
only the one type of diet. What type of
diet is it for your lizard? On the lizard
drawing, add on everything that has
evolved for you lizard in the previous
generations, plus draw in something it
would like to eat!
After 500 generations, your lizard has become a brand new species! Give the species a name, and draw it below in its island habitat! NAME OF SPECIES:
Describe below any other adaptations you think would be useful for your lizard! Go ahead and add them to your illustration!
Finally, as each group presents their lizard to the class, describe in the table below how their species compares to the species your group developed. Why do you think each species is different?
Island and Species
Similarities to your island’s
species
Differences from your island’s species
Why is this species similar to or different from your species?
Desert Island
Species:
Marine Island
Species:
Tropical Rainforest
Island Species:
Meadow Island
Species:
Volcanic Island
Species: