Exploring Growth and Camouflage in Nature
Welcome! Today, we're going on an exciting journey to discover how stick insects camouflage themselves and how seeds transform into plants. Let's explore these fascinating natural processes together!

by Colleen O'Rourke

What are Inputs and Outputs?
Inputs
Things that go into a system, like:
  • Food we eat
  • Water for plants
  • Buttons we press
Outputs
Things that come out of a system, like:
  • Energy for our bodies
  • Flowers growing
  • Lights turning on
Nature's Inputs and Outputs: Stick Insects

1

Leaves
Food for growth and energy

2

Branches
Places to hide and rest

3

Darkness
Safety from predators
Nature's Inputs and Outputs: Stick Insects
Leaves
Food for survival
Humidity
Essential for molting
Branches
Camouflage habitat
Nature's Inputs and Outputs: Stick Insects
1
Fresh Leaves
Stick insects eat and grow
2
Clean Water
They stay healthy
3
Safe Home
They feel protected
4
Gentle Care
They become our friends
Let's Use the Seek App!
We can be nature detectives! Let's take pictures of stick insects and plants. The app will tell us what we found. Then, we can plant some seeds and watch them grow while we learn about what stick insects like to eat!
Let's Plant and Watch!

1

Add Soil
First, we fill our pot with special plant soil

2

Plant Seeds
Next, we make a small hole and drop in our seeds

3

Water Gently
Give our seeds a drink of water

4

Watch Grow
Check every day to see our plant sprout and grow bigger!
Let's Draw Our Nature Study!
Let's show what we learned! Draw pictures of our seeds growing into plants, step by step. Then draw a stick insect finding the perfect branch to hide on. We can see how living things respond to their environment, just like our robots respond to buttons!