Thanks to Louise T. Huffman for sharing this activity as part of the International
Polar Year. Available for download at ipy.org/educators
Polar Animal Adaptation
Demos and Explorations
1. Orca and Penguin “Chromo-Flage”
Demo
Background Information:
Sometimes nature’s camouflage isn’t at first obvious. Penguins and orcas are a
good example of this. Both animals have black backs and white ventral sides which
provide a good camouflage for their ocean environments. When a penguin is
swimming at the surface and an orca is deep in the ocean, the penguin’s belly is
camouflaged against the sunlight breaking through the surface of the ocean. On the
other hand, the penguin may feel pretty secure near the surface because when he looks
down into the dark depth, the orca’s black back is camouflaged from view!
Key Concepts:
Characteristics of organisms
Materials Needed:
1. A stuffed penguin and a stuffed orca, or pictures of the animals using
white and black construction paper to represent their backs and undersides.
2. A strong light on the ceiling
3. A black towel, sheet or several pieces of construction paper overlapped on
the floor
Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Hold the penguin up high with the ceiling light shining behind it.
Discuss how the white belly helps it blend in with the “sunlight” behind it.
Hold the orca over the black on the floor with his back side up.
Discuss the orca’s point of view and the penguin’s.
Switch their positions and discuss how this move changes their
viewpoints.
6. Does it change their protection?
Thanks to Louise T. Huffman for sharing this activity as part of the International
Polar Year. Available for download at ipy.org/educators
2. Animal Adaptations
WINGS—Demonstrate the difference between penguins’ wings and flying
birds’ wings.
1. Using a sheet of paper as an example of a flying bird’s flexible wing,
swish it through the water.
2. Accordion-fold another sheet of paper to represent a penguin’s
shortened, stiff wing. Swish it through the water.
3. Which acts as a better paddle?
4. How does this demo show how penguins’ wings have adapted to their
environment in comparison to flying birds?
BIRDS’ BONES—Demonstrate how flying birds have light, hollow bones,
but penguin’s bones have adapted to swimming by being very heavy and solid.
1. With one hand, push a sealed, empty film canister under the water
while pushing a heavy canister (it’s filled with salt) with the other.
2. Which dives the easiest?
3. How does this demo simulate the difference between flying birds’ and
penguins’ bones?
FEATHERS—Demonstrate why penguins must oil their feathers to protect
themselves from the cold.
1. With an eyedropper, place one or two drops of water on the feather.
Observe what happens.
2. How does the beading of water on oiled feathers help the penguins
survive?
3. NOTE: The feathers used in this demo are flight feathers from a
goose. Geese are also water birds and have oily feathers.
Whales’ teeth and baleen—Demonstrate how whales’ mouth
structures have adapted to the type of food they eat.
1. Place parsley (to represent krill and plankton) and carrots (to
represent fish) in the tub of water.
2. Using a comb and a pair of tongs, go “fishing.”
Thanks to Louise T. Huffman for sharing this activity as part of the International
Polar Year. Available for download at ipy.org/educators
3. Which food is easiest to eat with each tool? (The comb represents
baleen. Baleen whales eat krill and plankton. Toothed whales,
represented by the tongs, eat fish.
4. How is this model like real baleen and toothed whales?
Is Air an effective insulator?—Penguins have about 70 feathers
per square inch, and the feathers trap air between them and the bird’s skin.
Try this activity to answer the question:
1. Put a flat, empty plastic food bag on your hand and place an ice cube
in the palm of your hand. Do you feel the cold?
2. Now blow up the bag and zip it closed, trapping air inside. Place it in
the palm of your hand with an ice cube on top. Describe your
observations.
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