Goals:
The students realize that the environment can affect organisms and this effect can differ between different types of organisms (in this case male and female)
Objectives:
-The students will observe and write down observations
-The student will show that they understand what their observations mean by drawing conclusions
-The student will show that they understand what their observations mean by drawing conclusions
Standards Met:
Topic: Behavior, Growth and Changes: this topic explores life cycles of organisms and the relationship between the natural environment and an organism's (physical and behavioral traits) which affect its ability to survive and reproduce.
5 E's
Engage: Show the video of the "Brown Anole Dance"
Explore: Have the students think about what made the behavior strange and if they have ever observed it before. What do they think caused it?
Explain: Explain that this behavior is something that only males exhibit when they are being territorial or see a female anole. Males can even react to their reflection in the mirror thinking it is another male. Mention that color change can also accompany behavior.
Elaborate: Perform the experiment to have them see how this trait can be a way to determine the different genders in the Anole
Evaluate: Evaluate based on the class discussion after the experiment. Make sure to get everyone involved. Also use their science journal entries (observations) and final worksheet as formal evaluations.
Explore: Have the students think about what made the behavior strange and if they have ever observed it before. What do they think caused it?
Explain: Explain that this behavior is something that only males exhibit when they are being territorial or see a female anole. Males can even react to their reflection in the mirror thinking it is another male. Mention that color change can also accompany behavior.
Elaborate: Perform the experiment to have them see how this trait can be a way to determine the different genders in the Anole
Evaluate: Evaluate based on the class discussion after the experiment. Make sure to get everyone involved. Also use their science journal entries (observations) and final worksheet as formal evaluations.
Instruction:
- Teacher Instructions:
- Begin with the youtube video “Brown Anole Dance.” Ask the class if they have ever seen their anole behave this way. Discuss with them what about the behavior was strange. Have them think about what could have caused this. Explain that this behavior is something only males exhibit when they are being territorial or see a female anole. Males can even react to their reflection in a mirror, thinking it is another male. Mention that color change can also accompany this behavior.
- Explain the experiment to the class and give them the instructions for the experiment. Perform it three days in a row and have everyone keep track of the results in their science journals.
- Discuss the results as a class. Were the results clear? What errors could there have been in the experiment?
- Give a worksheet with the following questions.
- Do you believe the class anole is male or female?
- What evidence makes you believe that?
- Student Instructions:
- Timer: The timer will be given a stopwatch and will time how long it takes for there to be a reaction. If there is none after two minutes stop the timer and end the experiment.
- “Other Anole”: Once the timer has started the time, the “Other Anole” will hold the mirror in front of the anole until the time is up.
- Entire Class: The rest of the class will observe the anole’s reaction and write down their observations.
- Supply List
- Mirror
- Anole
- Timer
- Final worksheet
- Science journals for students (or another place to write their observations)