Science Experiment

 

 

We've been hard at work in our school year.

 But that doesn't mean it isn't FUN! :)

 

Last week, we did an experiment from our science book.

This year we are using Apologia's Land Animals of the Sixth Day.

The kids are both loving it, and learning a LOT!

Here's our camouflage experiment (from the textbook) that taught about natural selection and its affects on a habitat.

Using Skittles.

Because it was fun.

 And tasty.

 

Hypothesis: Which color will we find the most of?

P.E.: purple

B.E.: yellow

Which color will we find the least of?

P.E.:  green

B.E.: orange

Let's see what happened........

 

Get a pile of skittles...

 Sort by color!

 Make sure you have an equal amount of each color (eat the left-overs!!)

 Prepare your "habitat" for the skittles to "hide" from you...

you are the "Skittle Predator", and they are your prey!

Crush that paper, Pink Elephant!!

 Habitat, all ready!

 Add the Skittles....

 Some are camouflaged already!

 Skittle hunt! How many can you find in 2 minutes?

 Just a few so far....

 Separate into color groups for counting results.

 Check our results; who hid the best?

 A little subtraction to fill out the chart.....

 Math and science powers combined!

 The purple skittles were the loser; we found them the easiest!

The yellow skittles won; the most of that color 'lived' to see another day!

 

What did we learn? (Besides that Skittles are yummy...)

Camouflage helps predators AND prey stay hidden. Natural selection helps animals that adapt to their habitat live longer. (Think white rabbits in the snow.)

The red, orange, and yellow skittles were the 'most adapted' to their habitat.

 

There you have it.

 The next time you eat a Skittle, remember natural selection.

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again....

I LOVE homeschool!