Nature's Decoy Teacher Guide Nature's Decoy
Teacher Facilitation Guide
7th Grade Science
Topic: Evolution & Adaptations
Objective
Students will demonstrate how **mimicry** serves as a survival strategy by analyzing the Monarch vs. Viceroy butterfly relationship and participating in a predation simulation.
Materials Needed
Red Tokens: "Poisonous" (Red M&Ms, Skittles, or paper circles)Blue Tokens: "Tasty" (Blue M&Ms, Skittles, or paper circles)Striped Tokens: "Mimics - Tasty" (Red/White striped paper or custom tokens)Student Lab Reports: One per studentClassroom Timer: 10-second increments
Time Breakdown
5m Warm-up
10m Video Analysis
20m The Mimicry Game
10m Reflection
Key Vocabulary:
Mimicry, Adaptation, Mutation, Selection, Predation
Instructional Procedure
1
Warm-up: The Art of Disguise
Use the slides to show the "Celebrity Look-alikes" or "Brand Name vs. Generic" images. Ask: "Why might a generic brand want to look like a famous one? Why might looking like someone famous be helpful?" Connect this to the idea that looking like something else can trick observers.
2
Video Viewing: Monarch vs. Viceroy
Watch the segment from 6:01 to 7:46 . Students should complete the "Observation" section on their lab report. Pause at 7:19 to let students try to spot the difference between the butterflies before the narrator reveals the answer.
3
The Mimicry Game (Simulation)
Clear a large space. Spread tokens (Red, Blue, Striped) randomly. Tell students they are "birds" foraging for food. Rules:
Red: Poisonous/Bitter (Bad for birds!)Blue: Tasty/NutritiousStriped: Mimics (Tasty, but look like Red tokens)Round 1: Birds have 10 seconds to gather as many "tasty" tokens as possible.
Post-Round 1: Reveal that Striped were actually tasty. Observe if they were avoided.
4
Data & Reflection
Students record how many of each color "survived" (remained on the ground). They then use this data to write their evidence-based reflection paragraph.
Misconception Alert
Students often think animals "decide" to mimic or "choose" to look like a poisonous species. Emphasize that mimicry starts as a random mutation that provides a survival advantage, allowing the trait to be passed on through natural selection .
Nature's Decoy Slides Nature's Decoy
The Science of Mimicry
Predator vs. Prey
Evolution in Action
Who is Who?
Warm-Up (5 min)
Brand Names vs. Generic
Why do store brands use similar colors and fonts as the "real" thing?
Celebrity Look-alikes
How can looking like someone famous change how people treat you?
Discussion: Why might copying an appearance be a useful strategy?
Case Study: The Great Pretender
Video (6:01 - 7:46)
Embedded media
The Monarch: Bright colors warn predators "I'm poisonous!"
The Viceroy: Perfectly tasty, but wears the Monarch's uniform.
The Mimicry Game
Red Token
POISONOUS / BITTER
Blue Token
TASTY / NUTRITIOUS
Striped Token
THE MIMIC (??)
Predator Rules
You are a Hungry Bird .
You have 10 Seconds to gather "Tasty" food.
Avoid "Poisonous" food at all costs!
Record your results on your Lab Report.
Survival Round 1
10
GO! GATHER YOUR FOOD!
10 SECONDS
ONE HAND ONLY
AVOID RED!
Analyzing the Data
The Reveal
The Striped Tokens were actually Tasty ! Did you eat them?
The Results
Which group had the highest survival rate? Blue or Striped?
Why does it work?
"Predators don't need to be 100% sure something is poisonous. Even a little bit of doubt is enough to keep them away, giving the mimic a chance to survive and reproduce."
Time for Reflection: Head back to your Lab Reports!
Mimicry Game Lab Report Mimicry Game Lab Report
Student Data & Reflection
Name:
Date:
Part 1: Butterfly Observations
The Monarch
How does it protect itself?
The Viceroy
Why does it look like the Monarch?
Part 2: The Mimicry Game Data
Count the tokens that were NOT eaten (the survivors) in each round.
Token Type Starting Number Eaten (Predated) Survived Blue (Tasty) 20
Red (Poisonous) | 20 | | |
|
Striped (Mimic) | 10 | | |
Part 3: Scientific Reflection
Analysis Questions:
Compare the survival rate of the Blue tokens vs. the Striped mimics. Which one survived better?
Why did the "birds" (students) avoid the striped tokens even though they were tasty?
Write a paragraph explaining how looking like a poisonous animal helps a non-poisonous animal survive. Use your game data as evidence!
Biology Unit: Evolution & Adaptation Lesson: Mimicry Strategy
Mimicry Token Printouts Mimicry Game: Token Printouts
Teacher Resource: Print and cut these out if using paper tokens instead of candy.
Blue Tokens (Tasty Species)
Red Tokens (Poisonous Species)
Striped Tokens (Tasty Mimics)
Preparation Guide
Step 1: Print this page on cardstock if possible.
Step 2: Cut along the circle borders.
Step 3: If using candy (M&Ms/Skittles), use this as a reference key for students.
Note: Red and Striped tokens look very similar from a distance to simulate the confusion predators feel in the wild.
