This lesson was created by David, a student in the UniTY Program at the Miami Museum of Science.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CONCEPT:

The shape of a fish's body enables it to hide from its predators.
 

MATERIALS:

 
1. 10" x 2" arrows cut out of cardboard
2. Paper plates
3. Balloons
4. Ribbons
5. Various strips of colored paper
6. Scissors
7. Crayons
8. A copy of The Importance of Shape Page
   
   
   
   

PROCEDURE:

1. Divide the children into cooperative learning groups of five students 
   
   
2. Distribute the materials to each group
   
   
3. Have the children observe the pictures of the different fish on
   The Importance of Shape Page. Discuss how the particular shape
   of a fish facilitates survival skills, such as hunting and hiding
   
   
4. Ask the children to select those materials which could best
   be used to design fish models for each of the different fish types listed
   on The Importance of Shape Page. Using those materials, arrange
   that each child create one fish. See suggestions of
   "fish-materials" listed below:

Rod-cardboard arrow Depressed-paper plate Sphere- balloon Ribbon-ribbon Compressed-paper

Have the children share their fish models
and describe how their shapes help them
to hide from predators.

 

---

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The fish escape from their predators in the following ways:

 

• Rod fish, which are elongated and arrow-like, swim away fast.
  
  
  
• Depressed fish, which are flat and pancake-shaped, bury themselves
  under the sand.
  
  
  
• Sphere fish, which include puffers and ballonfish, blow up.
  
  
  
• Ribbon fish, which are snake-like, swim between rocks.
  
  
  
• Compressed fish, which are flattened from side to side, swim fast
  and dart between rocks.

	&
The Unisys Corporation		The Miami Museum Of Science