Butterfly Colors and Biomimicry

Introduction

National Middle School Science Standards

Life Science, Physical Science, Engineering Design

Key Terms

butterfly, coloration, adaptation, camouflage, nanostructure , biomimicry  

Key Concepts

• Coloration as adaptation to hide or show
• Butterfly color adaptations
• Pigmented vs. structural coloration
• Nanostructure of butterfly wings
• Technology used to study coloration

Resource Types

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

The Butterfly Coloration teaching resources support students in meeting the following middle school NGSS Performance Expectations:

Life Science

MS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• MS-LS2-2 Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

MS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• MS-LS4-4 Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals' probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.

Physical Science

MS-PS4 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

• MS-PS4-2 Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

Engineering Design

MS-ETS1 Engineering Design

• MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.