Does the early bird really get the worm??

Birds and Worms

In this activity, students will discover the value of camouflage as they pretend to be birds in search of colored worms.
Many animals are “color coordinated” with their surroundings. Any coloration, body shape, or behavior that helps an animal hide is called camouflage. With the help of a few simple household items, you can take children outside to explore this concept.

Collect equal amounts of small, biodegradable objects in at least three colors that can be used to represent “worms” in an outdoor setting. Consider the tri-colored rotini or spiral pasta noodles, pieces of yarn, or shreds of paper.

Once outside:

• Spread or hide your colored objects (“worms”) in a defined area

• Have children “fly” around as birds and try to find the “worms”

• Make a chart or graph to visually record children’s findings. As the rounds go on, the colors that are not camouflaged will become scarce and the "birds" will have to look harder for their food.

If your first trial was on grass, try the same exercise again on asphalt, or within an area of trees. If you are working with multiple children, construct a relay race to find the scattered “worms.” The winner of the race is the first team to get every child on the team at least one “worm.” Children will most likely find the least camouflaged objects first. After completing the activity, ask:

• What color was easiest to find? What color was hardest to find? Why?

• Was there a pattern to the order in which the different colored “worms” were found?