Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Have you ever noticed that grasshoppers are green and brown, like the grass that they live in? Have you noticed that city-dwelling pigeons are gray, like the concrete of the buildings that they live among? These are both examples of adaptations. You have been learning about the different adaptations living things make to their environments. You and your family members can learn more about the adaptations of animals just by looking in the mirror!

Materials

• paper
• pencil
• mirror

Procedure

Work with an adult family member to answer the following questions:

• Look at your eyebrows and eyelashes in a mirror. In what ways are eyebrows and eyelashes useful to humans?
• Look at your teeth in the mirror. How do you think your teeth are adapted for the types of food you eat?
• In what way do you think that the human ability to stand on two feet (unlike most animals, which walk on four feet) is helpful?
• How do you think that having a thumb is helpful to humans?

Results

Think about other adaptations you might like to have in order to be even better suited to the environment in which you live. Would a third arm be helpful or would it just get in the way? Let your imagination run wild! Think of other animals with adaptations that make them particularly suited for their environments.