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Nature Journaling: Color Clues
Nature Journaling: Color Clues
Some animals and organisms use camouflage to hide from predators. Others use aposematic coloration, bright colors, and bold patterns to warn predators they might not taste good. Understanding an animal's coloration strategy can tell us how it survives.
Step-by-step guide:
Draw three caterpillars on a piece of paper.
Color them however you like! Try to make them all different colors.
Cut them out with scissors.
Find somewhere in your yard, outdoor space, or even inside if you can, where each caterpillar would camouflage.
When you find a place they might blend in, color that object or scene into your journal, and tape or glue the caterpillar to that page. See if you can do this for all three caterpillars!
If you can’t find a place for a caterpillar to camouflage, that’s OK! This means that the color you chose might be aposematic! Find a place where the caterpillar would stand out the best, and color that scene in your journal. Tape or glue the caterpillar there!
caterpillar printout pdf.pdfPost-activity questions:
Post-activity questions:
Which caterpillars were able to camouflage? Why?
Which caterpillars weren't able to camouflage? Why not?
Do you think any of your caterpillars have aposematic coloration?
My journal pages!
My journal pages!
My caterpillars!
I thought this caterpillar camouflaged well with tree bark!
The blue-green caterpillar seemed to camouflage best with this leafy plant in my garden. The red-yellow one became aposematic in this habitat!
Share what YOU did! Take a picture of your journal page or caterpillars and send it to curious@duneslearningcenter.org!
Share what YOU did! Take a picture of your journal page or caterpillars and send it to curious@duneslearningcenter.org!
AND... here's a new coloring page for you to try!
AND... here's a new coloring page for you to try!
Box Turtle Color Page.pdfDid you catch Nature in Your Neighborhood this week?
Naturalist Nate talks about his box turtle, Melvin, and how he camouflages with his habitat.
Chief Naturalist Anthony talks about habitat in The Search for Sandsquatch this week. We learn that animals need three things in a habitat: food, water, and shelter.
With this color page, can you create the habitat for this box turtle?
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