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Grade Course6th Grade Science

Unit FocusObtain information about different ways animals communicate—auditory, visual, or both.Design a solution for how to evaluate a noise reduction strategy or device with an emphasis on reducing the effects of noise pollution on animal communication and the resulting loss of biodiversity.

Week of 5/4 – 5/8Standard(s)

6.LS2.7 Compare and contrast auditory and visual methods of communication among organisms in relation to survival strategies of a population.

Online & Paper Resource(s)Monday:Phenomenon: Watch “You’ll Never Guess Which Animals Make These Sounds” Additional video resource: “11 Weird Ways Animals Communicate”.

Make observations about the different ways animals communicate. Develop questions about the causes for the different behaviors and sounds. Discussion questions:

o How are these sounds related to survival? Construct an explanation that describes which form of communication relates to what specific

survival strategy (e.g. competition, finding food, avoiding predators, avoiding disease, migration, reproduction, warning, etc.).

Complete the following table with your observations from the video.

Tuesday: Obtain information about different ways animals communicate—auditory, visual, or both—using the videos and article below:https://video.nhpbs.org/video/natureworks-natural-communication/

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Complete the following questions as you watch.

1. How do adaptations help organisms survive?

2. Explain how communication as an adaptation that is important for survival.

3. Give an example of the different types of communication; i.e., visual, tactile, chemical, auditory.

4. Give 3 examples of communication in living organisms.

5. List 3 uses for communication in the natural world.

6. What are the distinct characteristics of the red fox and songbirds?

7. Describe how the red fox and songbirds use communication to survive and reproduce.

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Communication Behavior in Animals: ck-12 - Read the article below

What reptile has a built-in communication device?

The rattle of this rattlesnake is used to communicate with other species. The rattle is a warning device for predatory animals that might be a threat to the rattlesnake. It produces a signal to drive them away.

Communication

A necessary condition for cooperation among members of a species is communication. Communication — in the context of animal behavior — refers to any process or behavior that allows organisms to send and receive information. When you think of communication, you many think of human language, but communication is not limited to humans. Every transfer of information between living organisms is an example of communication.

Animal communication most often takes place between members of the same species. This is called intraspecies (“within species”) communication. Many examples of intraspecies communication are described below. Animal communication may also take place between members of different species. This is called interspecies (“between species”) communication. An example of interspecies communication is the wriggling “worm” that protrudes from the head of an anglerfish (see the Aquatic Biomes: Marine (Advanced) concept). It serves as a lure to other species of fish. When they try to eat the “worm,” they are captured by the anglerfish. The rattle of a rattlesnake is also an example of interspecies communication. The rattle warns potential predators to stay away from the rattlesnake, which has a poisonous bite. Intraspecies communication is demonstrated by the waggle dance of the honeybees, discussed in the Animal Behavior: Innate (Advanced) concept.

Auditory Communication

The rattle of a rattlesnake is an example of auditory communication. Auditory communication is the use of sounds to send and receive information. Auditory communication is particularly important in birds. They use sounds to communicate warnings, attract mates, signal other birds to flock together, and for other important purposes. Some of the sounds made by birds are called birdsongs. Birdsongs are relatively long and melodic and are always more or less the same in a given species (see the Understanding Bird Song Table in the Animal Behavior: Introduction (Advanced) concept). Many other species also use auditory communication:

Monkeys cry out a warning when a predator is near. The warning call gives other members of the

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troop a chance to escape. Vervet monkeys have different calls, depending on the predator.

Bullfrogs croak to attract female frogs as mates. In some frog species, the sounds can be heard up to a mile away.

Gibbons use calls to mark their territory. This helps to keep potential competitors away. A paired male and female and even their young may make the calls together.

Visual Communication

In addition to calls and other sounds, gibbons and many other animals use visual communication. Visual communication involves signals that can be seen. Visual communication may include gestures, facial expressions, and body postures. Like gibbons, most other primates use visual communication. For example, chimpanzees communicate a threat by raising their arms, slapping the ground, or staring directly at another chimpanzee. The “grin” on the face of the young chimpanzee shown in Figure below actually communicates fear and submission. The “fear grin” is used by young chimpanzees when approaching a dominant male in their troop.

The “fear grin” on this chimpanzee’s face shows that he is willing to submit to a dominant male.

In many species of monkeys, including baboons and some macaques, the skin around a female’s genitals periodically becomes swollen and brightly colored (usually bright red). This occurs when she is fertile and receptive to mating. This communicates to male monkeys that she may be approached for mating.

Human Communication

Human communication can be considered to be a highly developed form of animal communication. Humans

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show exceptional skill in communicating with one another through both auditory and visual means. In fact, the human ability to communicate may be one of the species’ most important capabilities. It is also key to most of the species’ achievements.

The most significant means of human communication is language. Language is the use of symbols to communicate. Although some other animal species are said to communicate through language, human language is far more complex than any other type of animal communication. Words in human languages are symbols that represent objects, actions, emotions, or ideas. All humans, regardless of their genetic makeup or the culture into which they were born, are able to learn any human language, especially if they are exposed to it early in life. During the first few years after birth, humans can learn a language without any formal education and long before they develop many other mental abilities. All it takes is being surrounded by the speech of parents or other people and practicing the language.

Humans also communicate a great deal of information visually. Like other primates, humans use facial expressions, gestures, and body postures to send and receive information. In humans, this is called body language. Examples of body language include smiling, shrugging the shoulders, and shaking the head. Can you think of other examples? What body language would you use to express affection? To express fear? Another way in which humans communicate visually is by writing and reading language or using images such as pictures and charts.

Display Behavior

Without communication, social living would not be possible. In fact, many social behaviors serve mainly as a means of communication among members of a species. A special type of social behavior that many species use for communication is called display behavior. Display behavior is ritualized behavior that communicates specific information. A ritual is a fixed set of actions that is symbolic. In other words, the set of actions stands for something else. For example, the honeybee “dances” that were described in the Animal Behavior: Innate (Advanced) concept communicate to other members of the colony where to find food. Another example of display behavior is a peacock (male peafowl) fanning out his big ornamental tail feathers (see Figure below). This display may be used to warn other peacocks to stay away or to attract peahens (female peafowls) for mating. Many species of birds perform “dances” to attract mates. Display behaviors are described in more detail in later sections in the contexts of aggression and mating.

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By displaying his large fan-shaped tail, this peacock is trying to communicate to peahens that he is an attractive mate. The display may also “tell” other peacocks to stay away.

Pheromones

Another way many animals communicate is with pheromones. Pheromones are chemicals, secreted by special glands, that trigger responses in other organisms, usually members of the same species. The other organisms smell the pheromones or detect them in some other way. Pheromones are especially important in eusocial insects such as ants and bees, but they are also common in mammals. Pheromones may be secreted in urine, feces, or sweat. For example, when male dogs urinate on fire hydrants or trees, they are using pheromones in urine to mark their territory so other dogs will stay away. Pheromones may also be secreted directly on the ground, on objects, or on other organisms.

Ants secrete many different pheromones, and they use their antennae to detect pheromones secreted by other ants. In fact, pheromones explain how ants are able to cooperate and maintain their complex, well-organized societies. Different ant pheromones have different purposes. Some attract mates, others signal all the ants in the colony to come together, and still others warn of danger. For example, when any potential danger — from a spider to a lawnmower — threatens an ant colony, the first ant to detect the threat will secrete a warning pheromone that alerts all the other ants of the danger. Several different pheromones are secreted only by the queen of the colony. One of these prevents young female ants from becoming fertile. When the queen dies and stops producing this pheromone, young females can become fertile, and one is raised by the workers to become the new queen.

Other ant pheromones are used to mark trails. When an ant finds a source of food, it marks its trail on the way back to the nest by secreting a pheromone on the ground. Other ants follow the pheromone trail to the food source. On their way back to the nest, they reinforce the trail by secreting more of the pheromone. This continues until the food is gone.

Insect pheromones are used to trap insect pests, including Japanese beetles and gypsy moths. For example, a pheromone that Japanese beetles secrete to attract mates is placed on bag traps. Japanese beetles are

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attracted by the pheromone and fly into the bags. They are unable to get out again because of the way the bags are constructed.

Bees are also well known for communicating with pheromones. Like ants, bees use pheromones for a variety of purposes. For example, honeybees release pheromones to mark both food sources and their hives. Other pheromones stimulate bees in a hive to group together in a swarm, like the one shown in Figure below. Like a queen ant, a queen bee produces a pheromone that interferes with the reproductive systems of other females in the colony. This ensures that the queen is the only fertile female in the hive. The same pheromone also attracts drones to the queen for mating.

This swarm of bees is preparing for flight. Pheromones from other bees in the hive signaled the bees to swarm.

Some studies suggest that humans secrete pheromones that influence the behavior of other humans. For example, when mature females live in close quarters, such as college dormitories, their menstrual cycles may become synchronized. In other words, after awhile, their menstrual periods start and stop at the same time. This has led researchers to speculate that human females secrete pheromones around the time of menstruation that influence the menstrual cycles of other females with whom they have close contact. A similar phenomenon occurs in mice. Female mouse reproductive cycles are regulated by pheromones secreted by male mice.

Complete the questions after reading

1. What is the difference between interspecies communication and interspecies communication? Give examples of both.

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2. Give an example of each of the following:

a. Auditory communication.

b. Visual communication.

c. Display behavior.

d. Pheromones.

3. Do humans communicate using pheromones?

Wednesday:Research and Web quest completion on types of communication. Copy of research is available at the bottom for those without internet access

Animal Communication WebQuestWebsite: http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep3.htm

Communication- Home Page1. Communication is a _____________________ that helps animals __________________.2. What are the 4 reasons animals use communication? (not the 4 types of communication)

1. ________________________________________________2. _________________________________________________3. ________________________________________________4. __________________________________________________

Click on Visual Communication3. A structural adaptation that is used to communicate is called a ________________.4. What is an example of a structural adaptation?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. A display is when an animal displays ______________________________________________________________________________________________________.

6. Displays can be used to __________________________ or ___________________________.7. What does the sage grouse do to attract a mate that is an example of display? (2 things)

_____________________________________, _____________________________________________

8. What do the antlers on the male white-tailed deer symbolize? ___________________________________

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9. How do wolves and dogs show submission? ___________________________________________________________________________________

10. Many male bird's, like the ___________________ have brightly colored feathers. The _______________ a male bird’s feathers, the ________________ it is. 

11.  The gila monster's bright _____________ colored splotches are a _____________ to predators that the gila monster is ___________________ and they should back off.

Click the back button, Click on Auditory Communication 12. Auditory Communication is the __________________ an animal makes. 13. Red squirrels make a series of _____________________, __________________ and _________ to

warn off _________________.14. What is the noisiest animal in America?15. What is a common animal who uses auditory communication to warn people?

__________________________________________________________________________________16. When a __________ is defending its territory it will ________ across the water, _______its wings and

use a vocalization called a ______________.17. Each dolphin also has its own unique _______________ sound that it uses to identify itself. Dolphins

use sound or ________________ to locate food.Click the back button, Click on Tactile Communication

18. Tactile communication is another way to say _________________.19. Touch helps primate groups form ______________ and stay ___________________.20. Sea otters use touch to establish _____________ ____________ and to scent _____________.21. What are three examples of touch in the beginning paragraph? _________________________,

____________________________________, _______________________________________________

22. Female primates do what three things to their young? ___________________________, ________________________________, _______________________________________________

Click the back button, Click on Chemical Communication23. Claw marks are a ___________________ sign, but can also be a ________________ one. Many

animals have ___________________ __________________________ in their claws! 24. Domestic cats have _________ glands near their ____________, on their _______________ and at the

________ of their tails. They use these glands to mark territory. 25. Snakes use their forked tongues to ____________ or collect ___________________ of prey animals

that are in the air. Click the back button, Click on Chemical Communication

26. What is another word for chemical communication? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

27. Animals use smell to ____________ ______________ and identify ____________ _______________.28. Animals use chemical marks to mark territory. They leave ________________ or chemical marks

behind. Click the back button, Use the Communication home page NatureFiles on the right hand side

29. What are two examples of auditory communication? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

30. What are two examples of tactile communication? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday::Choose six organisms, two from each category, to research their methods of communication and how this enables them to survive in their population. Compare and contrast auditory and visual methods of communication among organisms in relation to survival strategies of a population.

Organism List: Choose at least 6 animals (2 from each list) and research their communication methods. Determine if each uses visual communication, auditory communication or both types of communication.

Communication type A Gray Bats Gray Squirrel Raccoon Sandhill Crane Bottle nose dolphin Whales Elephants

Communication Type B

Rainbow Trout Cobra Glow worms Gila Monster Fiddler Crab Peacock

Communication type C Channel Catfish Opossum Eastern Box Turtle Bobwhite Quail Moose Cardinal

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Friday:Animal Communication Check for Understanding

Watch the following Video as a review. Types of animal communication: Khan Academy Complete the following student handout identifying what each animal is trying to say and how it aids

in the animals survival.

Animal Communication: A. What are these animals trying to say? B. How does their communocation aid in their survival?

Timber rattlesnake rattles and hissesA.

B.

Mockingbirds mimic songs and noises such as car alarms and whistles A.

B.

Type A Animal Name How does the animal communicate? What does is do?

What is the animal saying and how does it help with their survival?

1.

2.

Type B Animal Name How does the animal communicate? What does is do?

What is the animal saying and how does it help with their survival?

3.

4.

Type C Animal Name How does the animal communicate? What does is do?

What is the animal saying and how does it help with their survival?

5.

6.

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Whitetail deer raise their tails and point their earsA.

B.

Bluegill males change colorA.

B.

Honey bees dance aroundA.

B.

Coyotes howlA.

B.

Fireflies use light toA.

B.

Ladybugs play deadA.

B.

Turkeys raise and display feathersA.

B.

Skunks spray A.

B.

Additional Activities and Observational Task(s)Obtain information about the consequences of human activity, particularly noise pollution, on animal populations and ecosystems and how noise pollution is being reduced in national parks from the following resources:

Noise pollution threatens animals How noise pollution from humans is wreaking havoc on U.S. wildlife Noise Pollution Threatens Birds Infographic: Noise pollution and animals Reducing Noise in National Parks

Design a solution for how to evaluate a noise reduction strategy or device with an emphasis on reducing the effects of noise pollution on animal communication and the resulting loss of biodiversity. (Click here for a

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rubric.)

Go on a nature walk and observe different organisms and their forms of communication. Keep a journal describing the organism, its communication, and how this communication helps it survive.

Observe human communication and record how it is used. Take the students to an area where people are gathered. Design a "field guide" with categories for visual, auditory, tactile, and chemical communication. Have each student pick a "subject" and record how they communicate and what they are communicating.

https://www.slideshare.net/damarisb/animal-communication-27039458?from_action=save

Expected Outcomes

Click here for a Parent Guide list of organisms

WebQuest Info Below

Rutherford County Schools – Individual Learning Modules

Rutherford County Schools – Individual Learning Modules

Rutherford County Schools – Individual Learning Modules

Rutherford County Schools – Individual Learning Modules

Rutherford County Schools – Individual Learning Modules

Rutherford County Schools – Individual Learning Modules