Infrared Zoo Lesson 3 The Invisible Zoo

DAY 2: WHAT CAN INFRARED IMAGES OF ANIMALS TELL US?

A. Visiting the Infrared Zoo

Activity Time: 45 minutes

In this activity your learners will explore the Cool Cosmos Infrared Zoo database and make connections between the animals characteristics/biology and their new understandings of infrared image technology.

1. Form learning groups of 3-4 members each. Set each group up at an internet-computer station with the Infrared Zoo website, or, hand out your Infrared Zoo booklets that you have printed from the internet. The Infrared Zoo booklets are described in the Getting Ready section of this lesson.

2. Learner task: Choose 4 animals (at least 1 cold-blooded and at least 1 warm-blooded) from the Infrared Zoo that come from at least 3 different habitats. For each animal, they are to discover answers to the following questions using the infrared and visible light image sets:

• How does the animal retain body heat?
  
• How does the animal lose body heat and cool off?
  
• What are the characteristics of the natural habitat?
  
• How can the animal get warmed if needed?
  
• How can the animal get cooled if needed?
  
• How has this animal adapted to its environment and how can you infer this from the infrared images?

3. During this time, take a few minutes to walk around and survey the groups to see which animals they are choosing to explore. Compile the list and decide which animals you will be discussing as a class during the next portion of this lesson. Due to time constraints, each animal may not be covered. Some good ones for discussion:

• Long/thick hair vs. short/sparse hair --- baboon vs. pig/elephant
  
• Rainforest vs. temperate forest --- parrot vs. duck
  
• Warm temperatures vs. cold temperatures --- sea lion vs. tiger
  
• Shade vs. Sun Bathing --- alligator, collared lizard, turtle in shade vs. the same animal in sunlight

B. Help Your Learners Explain (possible Day 3)

Activity Time: varies

Here you will help your learners bring together everything they have discovered and at the same time get them all "on the same page" in regards to the content presented.

Hold a class discussion/presentation on their discoveries and to reinforce content. The following points are important to cover:

• Cold-blooded animals externally regulate their body temperature. The body temperatures are directly related to their metabolic activity. For example: a snake warms itself in the sun to increase its energy before hunting. These "ectotherms" regulate their temperature by seeking warmer places or cooler places, like shade, water, or mud.
  
• Warm-blooded animals thermoregulate internally. However, sometimes they seek help with this by seeking warmer places or cooler places to dissipate excess heat. Some areas of their bodies are designed to keep body heat in while others may have less hair/fur to help release body heat. Example: A baboon who is trying to keep warm will curl-up in a fetal-like position trapping body heat. This same baboon can get hot in mid-day and will sprawl out under the shade of a tree letting the body heat escape through the thin hair of the belly and underarms/legs. (see infrared image)
  
• Infrared imaging helps us see these things. Some observations and information cannot be gathered by just looking at an animal in visible light wavelengths.