Animal camouflage — Video-based ESL lesson

This ESL lesson is an exploration of animal camouflage, where we’ll uncover the fascinating ways animals hide and survive in their environments.

This 60-minute lesson is designed for intermediate learners (B1-B2) from teens to adults. Students will dive into the world of animal camouflage through engaging activities and discussions. By the end, they’ll be able to identify and describe the four types of camouflage—concealing coloration, disruptive coloration, disguise, and mimicry—while confidently using key vocabulary in context.

Through interactive tasks, a video transcript, and real-world examples, students will discover how animals blend, deceive, and adapt to outsmart predators and prey.

Animal camouflage

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Age group: Teens to adults (adaptable for younger learners)
Duration: 60 minutes
Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to understand and describe the four types of animal camouflage, use related vocabulary with definitions in context, and discuss the purposes of camouflage in animals.
Materials: “Animal Camouflage” video, whiteboard/projector, handouts with vocabulary (including definitions) and quiz questions, images of camouflaged animals (optional).

Vocabulary introduction (10 minutes)

Objective: Teach key vocabulary from the transcript with definitions for comprehension.

Key vocabulary

• Camouflage: The ability of an animal to blend into its surroundings to hide from predators or prey.
• Predator: An animal that hunts and eats other animals.
• Prey: An animal that is hunted and eaten by other animals.
• Concealing coloration: A type of camouflage where an animal’s color helps it blend into its background (also called blending).
• Disruptive coloration: A type of camouflage using patterns like spots or stripes to break up an animal’s outline, making it hard to see (also called patterning).
• Disguise: A type of camouflage where an animal looks like something else, such as a plant or object, to avoid detection.
• Mimicry: A type of camouflage where an animal imitates another animal or object to appear dangerous, bad-tasting, or harmless.
• Environment: The natural surroundings where an animal lives, such as forests, deserts, or oceans.
• Survive: To stay alive in difficult or dangerous conditions.
• Blend: To mix in with the surroundings so as not to be noticed.

Vocabulary for extension

• Adapt: To change in order to fit or survive in an environment.
• Pattern: A design, like stripes or spots, on an animal’s body.
• Threaten: To show danger or intent to harm.
• Deceive: To trick or fool someone or something.
• Venomous: Having poison that can harm or kill.
• Spine: A sharp, pointed part on an animal’s body for protection.
• Outline: The shape or edge of an animal’s body.
• Communicate: To share information or signals with others.
• Startle: To surprise or scare suddenly.
• Imitate: To copy or act like something else.

Activity

Provide a handout with the above vocabulary, definitions, and example sentences from the transcript (e.g., “The polar bear uses concealing coloration to blend into the snow”).

Read each word and definition aloud, have students repeat, and clarify meanings using visuals or gestures (e.g., mimic blending into the background).

Pair activity: Students match words to definitions or images (e.g., match “mimicry” to a picture of an owl butterfly).

Warm-up (10 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and introduce the topic.

1. Discussion (5 minutes):
   • Ask: “Have you ever played hide and seek? What do you do to stay hidden?”
   • Elicit answers and connect to animals: “Animals use camouflage to hide, just like you in hide and seek.”
   • Write “camouflage” on the board and explain its definition: “Camouflage is when animals blend into their environment to hide or protect themselves.”
2. Quick activity (5 minutes):
   • Show images of camouflaged animals (e.g., stick bug, zebra, chameleon) or describe them. Ask: “Can you find the animal? Why is it hard to see?”
   • Connect to the lesson: “Today, we’ll learn about four types of camouflage animals use to survive.”

Listening and comprehension (15 minutes)

Objective: Develop listening skills and understand the four types of camouflage.

1. Pre-listening (2 minutes):
   • Tell students they will listen to a video transcript about animal camouflage.
   • Ask: “Why do you think animals need to hide or blend in?” Write predictions on the board.
2. Listening activity (8 minutes):
   • Read aloud or play the transcript (or video if available) from 0:06 to 8:04.
   • Pause after each section (e.g., after “Concealing coloration camouflage”) to check comprehension with questions:
     • “What does concealing coloration do?” (Answer: Helps animals blend into their background.)
     • “What animals use disruptive coloration?” (Answer: Zebras, fish.)
   • Provide a handout with fill-in-the-blank sentences (e.g., “The stick bug uses _____ to look like a tree branch”).
3. Post-listening (5 minutes):
   • Discuss: “Which type of camouflage do you think is the most interesting? Why?”
   • In pairs, students summarize one type of camouflage using at least two vocabulary words (e.g., “Mimicry is when an animal pretends to be dangerous to survive”).

Speaking practice (15 minutes)

Objective: Practice using new vocabulary and definitions in context to develop fluency.

1. Pair activity (7 minutes):
   • Assign each pair an animal from the transcript (e.g., polar bear, zebra, stick bug, chameleon).
   • Task: Describe how the animal uses camouflage, its type, and use at least two vocabulary words with their meanings. Example: “The zebra uses disruptive coloration, which means its stripes break up its outline to confuse predators.”
   • Encourage use of words like “predator,” “prey,” and “blend.”
2. Group discussion (8 minutes):
   • Pairs share their descriptions with the class.
   • Teacher asks follow-up questions: “How does this camouflage help the animal survive?” or “Can you name another animal that uses this camouflage?”
   • Correct pronunciation and grammar, reinforcing vocabulary definitions.

Review and quiz (10 minutes)

Objective: Assess comprehension and reinforce learning.

1. Quiz activity (7 minutes):
   • Use the review quiz from the transcript (8:04-8:49):
     • “What type of camouflage helps an animal blend into its background?” (Answer: Concealing coloration)
     • “True or false: Animals only use camouflage to hide from predators.” (Answer: False)
     • “True or false: One of the reasons the chameleon changes its color is to communicate.” (Answer: True)
     • Add: “What is mimicry? Give an example of an animal that uses it.” (Answer: Mimicry is when an animal imitates something else; e.g., the owl butterfly looks like an owl.)
   • Students answer individually or in pairs.
2. Wrap-up (3 minutes):
   • Review correct answers, emphasizing definitions (e.g., “Concealing coloration means blending into the background”).
   • Ask: “What’s one new thing you learned about how animals survive using camouflage?”

Homework/extension

• Writing task: Write a short paragraph (5-7 sentences) about an animal that uses camouflage. Include at least three vocabulary words and explain their meanings in context (e.g., “The chameleon uses mimicry, which means…”).
• Optional research: Find another animal that uses camouflage, describe its camouflage type, and use one extension vocabulary word (see below).

Assessment

• Formative: Monitor participation in discussions and pair activities, noting correct use of vocabulary and definitions.
• Summative: Evaluate quiz answers and homework paragraph for accuracy, use of target vocabulary, and correct application of definitions.

Notes for adaptation

• For beginners: Focus on five key vocabulary words (e.g., camouflage, predator, prey, blend, survive) and simplify definitions. Use more visuals and shorten the transcript to one or two camouflage types.
• For advanced learners: Add a debate: “Which type of camouflage is most effective for survival?” Encourage use of extension vocabulary (e.g., “Zebras use patterns to deceive predators”).
• Cultural note: Reference Halloween costumes when discussing “disguise” to connect to the transcript’s analogy, if relevant to students’ experiences.