3rd Grade Habitat Walk
Identify and observe organisms, habitats and biomes.
(Morning trip: 9:30-11:30; Afternoon trip: 12:20-2:00)
Units - "No Place Like Home” & “Stick Together"
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Family Letter Translations (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish)
Students begin learning as soon as they board the bus! Naturalists discuss the basic needs of organisms for survival, characteristics that help animals and plants thrive in a particular habitat, and intersection of many plants and animals within one habitat. Learning to OBSERVE and make a "best guess" or SCIENTIFIC HYPOTHESIS of what is happening in the field is an important aspect of this trip.
Food and water are necessary for survival. Many animals will shift their food sources depending on the time of year. For example, a rabbit will eat leafy green plants in summer, and then shift to the bark of small trees in winter. Water sources can also change depending on the season.
Shelter from the weather and protection from predators are also necessary for survival. Students look for nests, boroughs, thickets and other places of safety.
Examples of nests include (below): goldfinch, hornet, oriole, and squirrel.
Insects are studied, including their connections to various plants and other aspects of their habitats. Below: home of an oak gall wasp, a spittle bug, a garden spider, and a hummingbird moth feeding on a bergamot flower.
Plants and fungi are studied. Below: a carnivorous sundew plant, trillium, cat tails, and aconites.
For a species to survive, it needs territory large enough to provide food and shelter, plus an opportunity to mate and produce young. Below: frog eggs, a stinkpot turtle hatchling, a leopard frog, and a crayfish "chimney" that is a byproduct of tunnel digging.
Ever heard a strange bird calling "peep, peep" in the night? Chances are, it is not a bird at all. Flying squirrels make a "chirping" or "peep" sound as they call to other squirrels in the same territory. This nocturnal rodent glides from tree to tree at night, often leading people to wonder who, or what, is making that noise. Our trips take place during the day, when the flying squirrels are asleep in their nests - but you can click HERE for a video to learn more about this fascinating local resident.
Proper Trail Etiquette Protects Students and Wildlife
Naturalist guides are positioned at the front of students groups. A calm walking pace and quiet voices mean increased opportunities to observe and learn about plants and animals in the area.
Michigan is home to a wide array of wildlife, including the eastern massasauga rattlesnake. This small, shy snake is Michigan’s only venomous snake. It is a protected species that is increasingly rare due to habitat loss. Massasauga means “great river mouth” in Chippewa, a nod to this snake’s preference for marshes and wetlands where its favorite foods - frogs and small rodents – can be found. The massasauga is a member of the pit viper family (Viperidae), considered to be the most highly developed of all the snakes. Pit vipers are named for the heat-sensitive “pits” located behind their nostrils. Curved fangs retract when not in use. When compared to other rattlesnakes found in the United States, the massasauga is the smallest and has the least toxic venom. Nonetheless, any bite from a massasauga should receive prompt professional medical attention.
Female massasaugas mature at three years. Massasauga rattlers are ovoviviparous (unshelled eggs develop in the body of the parent and hatch within or immediately after being expelled). Young are born in litters of 2 – 19.
Once out of hibernation in spring, massasaugas may “sun” or warm themselves during the day, but are generally nocturnal. On the trails, approaching footsteps alert the snake to arriving humans, giving the snake time to retreat to safety. Students should stay behind the naturalist guide on field trips. If a group encounters a massasauga, their guide will facilitate viewing from a distance and discussion of the snake’s special adaptations.
Learn more about massasaugas at:
State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Michigan Society of Herpetologists
Learn more about Michigan Snakes at: