Monarch Butterflies
Mystery
Monarch Adaptation
How Does it
Help the Creature Survive?
Digging Deeper: Hooked on Hooks! Nature-Inspired Products
- Click
to enlarge the black and white magnified images. How are these the
same? How are they different? How do you think their roles might be
similar? Can you guess what product you're looking at? Remember,
you're looking at greatly magnified pictures.
A young butterfly's adaptation A product made by people
- The product
on the right is Velcro! Think about Velcro's job.
Where have you seen or used it? How is its role similar to the role
of the young butterfly's cremaster? How do you think it works?
Here's how: Velcro has matched nylon loops and hooks that makes it hold fast to itself.
A scientist didn't just dream up Velcro out of thin air; he was inspired by another of nature's adaptations. What is it? Hint: It's part of a plant. Click below to see a picture of it.
Science
as Inquiry
Ask a question about objects, organisms, or events. (K-4)
Each plant or animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, reproduction. (K-4)
Life Science
Living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary
nature of structure and function. (5-8)
