Survival of the Mutant Toad

NAME: Dana Smith

Grade Level: 4

Subject(s):

• Science/Animals
• Art
• Language Arts

Duration: Two 45-minute sessions

Description: The purpose of this lesson is to learn about camouflage and how it is
essential for certain animals' survival. The lesson involves using white and brown beans.
The white beans represent albino toads, and the brown beans represent pigmented toads.
The beans are distributed outside in an "earthy" environment. Students have one minute
to search for the beans. Students count the beans that are recovered and share their
results. The importance of pigmentation and camouflage is discussed. Using Ology the
students will learn more about camouflage.
http://www.amnh.org/ology/index.php#features/stufftodo_marine/camouflage_main.php?
TB_iframe=true&height=500&width=750

Goals: There are two primary goals: (1) help students learn about the importance of
camouflage, and (2) increase students' knowledge about toads, habitats, predators, and
prey.

National/State Standards:

1. Investigate the ability of living things to adapt to their environment.

b. compare and contrast adaptations necessary for animals and plants to survive in
different habitats.

Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, students will have:

1. defined the importance of camouflage for toad survival.

2. developed an appreciation for toads and their importance in an ecosystem.
3. collected beans (toads) from an outside area and graphed the results.
 4. demonstrate how a flounder can use camouflage to survive.
5. Create a story about a toad using his camouflage.

Materials:

• 100 white beans (navy beans)

• 100 brown beans (pinto beans)
• containers to hold the beans
• terrarium containing toads (optional)
• state map
• graphing paper
• pencils
• flounder drawing.
• Seafloor background drawings (color print out)
• Scissors
• Colored pencils
• Computer with a word program

Vocabulary:

1. camouflage - the coloration and/or shape of an organism which allows that

organism to blend in with its surroundings (also known as cryptic coloration)
2. albino - an organism lacking pigmentation
3. amphibian - cold-blooded vertebrates belonging to the Class Amphibia.
(Amphibians spend part of their life on land and part of their life in water.)
4. vertebrates - an animal that has a vertebral column
5. pigmentation - having pigments, or color
6. predator - an organism that kills and eats other organisms
7. prey - organisms that are killed and eaten by other organisms

Procedure:

Activity One (notice that the first part include the Teacher’s procedures/actions and the
second part consists of Students’ procedures/tasks to complete the activity)

If possible, set up a classroom terrarium containing a non mutant toad and a mutant toad.
If a mutant toad lacking pigmentation cannot be located, substitute a white object similar
in size to the non mutant toad and include this object in the terrarium. Provide
background information about toads. Explain that most toads have color in their skin
(pigmentation) and are camouflaged. Inform students that occasionally toads lack color in
their skin and are known as albino toads. Define the terms "predator" and "prey." Share
information with the students about which organisms eat toads and what toads eat.
Discuss how coloration allows toads to blend in very well with their environment, with
camouflage being important for survival. Using a state map, identify the geographic
distribution of toads. Allow students to observe and hold the toads. [Students are to wash
their hands after handling the toads and upon completion of the bean activity.]
Prior to class, disperse 100 white beans and 100 brown beans in a mulched or dirt-
covered area near the school. The area should be large enough so that the students have
enough space to safely collect the beans (toads). Inform students that they are going to go
outside and pretend to be toad predators.

The students have one minute to collect beans (toads). After each successful capture, the
student is to stand upright and place the bean (toad) in a container. The student may then
capture another bean (toad). After collecting "toads" for one minute, ask the students to
bring their "toads" into the classroom. Students will count the toads of each color.
Display the totals on the board, and graph the results. Questions teacher might ask
include: "Were there more white or brown beans recovered? How does this activity
demonstrate the importance of camouflage?"

Students can develop an amphibian portfolio. In their portfolio, students can include
answers to the following questions:

1. Why is camouflage important for a toad's survival?

2. What function do toads serve in the ecosystem?
3. What did you like best about the brown bean/white bean activity?
4. Describe how the toad's skin felt when you held the live toad.
5. Why do most animals avoid eating toads?
6. Why was it important that you washed your hands after handling the live toad?

To expand this portfolio, additional amphibians such as frogs and salamanders may be
observed. Similar questions about these animals can be included in the portfolio. In
addition, students can research why frogs, toads, and salamanders are called amphibians.
Students can compare and contrast amphibians to other animal classes.

Activity Two

Using a word program the students will write a story about a toad. The story must
include how the toad uses camouflage to survive in his world. The story should include
150 words.

Assessment:

Activity One

1. Students are assessed on their comprehension of the vocabulary words in this

lesson by matching the terms with their definitions on paper (5 points per
question=35 total point value).
 2. Students are asked to write a reflection in their journal concerning why they think
that camouflage is important for a toad's survival (distribute points based upon the
total Journal grade).
3. Students are also required to draw pictures of toads in their habitats (graded as
pass or fail).
4. Optional: If students are encouraged to observe toads living in a classroom
terrarium and asked to draw and color the toads, observation skills as well as fine
motor skills may be developed. From this activity, students may ask questions
about the toads which could lead to additional research.

Activity Two

A rubric will be created to evaluate the story. Five points each area: content,
number of words, creativity, and spelling.

Special Comments:

Ideas for lesson extensions: guest speaker to speak about toads, field trip to a zoo, field
trip to a conservation area, amphibian video presentation, or an amphibian learning center
in the classroom. Students could also research problems amphibians are facing today,
such as extinction, extra limbs, and other malformations.