Mimicry Book

This is a end of a unit project and an excellent way to assess students gain of knowledge.
By this point, students should have a good knowledge of camouflage and mimicry and how animals use it to hide from predators or to get their prey.

DAY ONE:
Using INTERNET access, students will research the zoo they will be travelling to the next day. Students will jot done ideas of where they should go. They will record these ideas and the teacher will collect them at the end of the class. Remind the students they will be looking for examples of mimicry and camouflage.

DAY TWO:
Students will be broken up into groups of 4. Each will have a specific job on the trip to the zoo.
The jobs are as follows:
1. Photographer--Using a OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA, this student will take photos while at the zoo.
2. Recorder--This student will take notes on the animal
3. Guide--This student will take a zoo map and help the group find where they are going in the zoo. They wil also the record where on the map they have gone.
4. Group Leader--Will make final decisions if there is a problem. Will also keep group on track and on time.

Using these guidelines, students will make their way around the zoo with their chaperones. They may take as many photos as their memory card allows.
The teacher should give the list from the previous day to the GUIDE in order for them to set up a game plan for the day when they get a map.

DAY THREE:
Students will be creating their layouts for their book. Students will keep their jobs from DAY TWO, but they will have a slightly different job today.
1. Photographer--Today they will choose the 10 photos they feel are the best fit for his/her group's theme. They can print out their photos using TOOL FACTORY PAINTER or TOOL FACTORY DATABASE program and a colored printer. If a photo printer is available, this can also be used.
2. Recorder--Using TOOL FACTORY WORD PROCESSOR or TOOL FACTORY DATABASE, this student will create captions and information pages to go along with the photo.
3. Guide--Using information from the zoo map and ideas of where their animals came from, this student will create a layout including background.
4. Group Leader--Will give final decisions on layout and will present final project to class.

If time permits, the class can create a Mimicry Museum, taking their favorite 5 photographs and blowing them up using the DATABASE program and create large photos along with the captions. They can create borders and hang their finished products in the hallway from the entire school to see.