Animal Olympics

 Materials

• Animal Attribute cards- 1 per station
• Student Data Sheets- 1 per student
• Speed Conversion Chart
• Large open space for activity, outside works best
• Materials to go with each station
  
  • 2 Timers
  • 2 Tape measures
  • 1 Bell
  • 1 Blindfold
  • 1 30-meter (~100 ft.) rope or a 100 ft tape measure

This lesson is adapted from the DRI Science Alive Great Basin Green Box, learn more here

Directions

• You may choose to introduce adaptations using the lesson plan, Adapt and Survive or skip to the next step.
• Begin by introducing students to the Great Basin. The Great Basin is home to many amazing animals and plants. A portion of the Great Basin has been set aside as a national park, called Great Basin National Park. Since it is a desert habitat it can be a hard place to live and animals have adapted to fit into their environment.
• One animal that thrives in the Great Basin is the bald eagle. Explain to the students that the bald eagle has a wingspan of 72-90 inches. Have a student volunteer come up to measure their “wingspan”. Use the tape measure to measure a couple of students.
  
  • Ask: how does our class record compare to the eagle?
  • Explain how there is variation within a population- each student does not have the same “wingspan”. Bald eagles do not have the exact same wingspan either- this is called “variation within a population”, but scientists know the average wingspan- 72-90 inches.
  • Ask students why they think bald eagles have such a large wingspan? Is it a benefit for survival? An attribute that benefits survival is called an adaptation. Large wingspans allow bald eagles to soar long distances. How might this help them to survive?
• Tell students that they will now have a chance to compare their ability to do certain tasks with animals found in the Great Basin. Show your students the animal attribute cards and describe the activity.
• Stations that you will set up include:

1. Beaver- students compare their ability to hold their breath with the beavers’ ability.
   1. Station needs: picture of the beaver and a timer.
2. Mountain Lion- students will compare their jumping distance to a mountain lion. A mountain lion can jump up to 40 feet horizontally.
   2. Station needs: picture of the mountain lion and a tape measure.
3. Long Eared Owl- students will compare their hearing with that of the long eared owl. Students will wear the blindfold and see if they can pinpoint the location of a bell.
   3. Station needs: picture of the owl, a bike bell, and a blindfold.
4. Pronged Antelope- students will compare their running speed to a pronged antelope. Students will time themselves running and use the conversion chart to calculate their mph.
   4. Station needs: picture of the antelope, a 30 meter (~100 ft.) rope or 100 ft tape measure, the conversion chart, and a timer.
5. American bullfrog- students will compare their hopping distance to an American bullfrog. Students will use a tape measure to measure their height and then measure their hopping distance.
   5. Station needs:  picture of a frog and a tape measure
6. Pinacate Beetles (commonly called stink bugs) – students will compare their acrobatic abilities to pinacate beetles. Students will try to stand on their head. This station works best in the grass.
   6. Station needs: picture of the beetle.

• Divide the class into 6 groups, giving each student a student data sheet. Each group will have a turn at all of the stations. Assign groups which station they will start at and set your stations up outside.
• Allow 5 minutes for each station. Make sure students are staying on task and recording their information on the student data sheet.
• If students finish early have them respond to the question at the bottom of the student data sheet. After students have worked through each station return to class.
• Once all students have completed all 6 stations. Come back together as a class. End with a discussion about each adaptation and how it is beneficial to that animal. Ask the question, “how do you think this ability helps the animal survive?”
• You may want to follow this lesson with the lesson, Solar Web.