Third graders discover that many animals survive by being hard to see, learning how color, pattern, and even pretending to be something else help them hide from enemies or catch a meal.
Students will be able to…
A green lizard on a green leaf almost disappears, and a moth can look just like bark. Being hard to see keeps animals alive. How does camouflage work?
Project this and open each card to explore how color, pattern, and mimicry help animals blend in and survive.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
A green lizard sits on a green leaf and almost disappears. A moth looks just like tree bark. Being hard to see can keep an animal alive. How does camouflage work?
Students explore how camouflage works.
Students match an animal to its hiding trick.
Students design camouflage.
Students reflect on camouflage.
Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (Grade 3 / Elementary Science).
Use observations to describe how external parts help animals survive.
Explain how traits can help organisms survive in a particular habitat.
Argue that animals have structures that support survival and growth.
Use information from illustrations and words to show understanding.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students pick a place like snow or leaves, draw an animal that blends in, and label how its color or pattern helps, so the link between an animal and its home stands out. A printable camouflage worksheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.