How Do Animals See In the Dark? is a TED-Ed lesson that can help your students understand why their pet cats and other animals are more active at night than during the day. In the video students learn how the eyes of various animals have adapted to provide them with night vision that is far better than ours. The lesson teaches students that even though many species of animals see well at night, not every species that sees well at night has adapted in the same way. The video is embedded below. The complete lesson is available on the TED-Ed website.

Applications for Education

With younger students you might introduce this lesson by asking them to brainstorm a list of their favorite animals. Then ask them to put forward ideas about how those animals see in the dark.

Older students may already be familiar with some of the basics of this lesson. To extend the lesson have them research nocturnal animals and evaluate role of night vision in relation to other adaptations those animals have made to survive and thrive.