Habitats

What is a habitat?

A habitat is where an animal or plant makes its home. Ask your child to name an animal and where that animal’s home is. Before watching one or more of the suggested programs, have your child identify what he knows about raptors, hummingbirds, or water walkers and what he wants to know about those creatures. As you watch, identify the various homes or habitats for each creature. After watching, reflect by asking “What did you learn about this creature?”

Key Vocabulary: Habitat

You can also view the YouTube video for background information on Habitats.

Watch an episode of Wild Kratts.

Wild Kratts airs Monday - Friday on WITF TV at 7:30am and 12:30pm. You can also watch on WITFK 24/7 at 6pm and 6:30pm. The Wild Kratts episode you choose will help you explore animals and where they live.

Identify one animal and create or illustrate its habitat using paper. Maybe you’ll think about an animal from one the programs or one you have observed, Where does it live? What does its “home” look like? Where does it find its food? How does it hide from animals that might eat it?

Materials: Paper, Pencil, Crayons, art supplies

Extension: Make your habitat 3D by building it instead or include other animals and their habitats and how they may interact or coexist in the same space. You could use 3D materials like an empty cereal box or wrapping paper rolls.

• Draw a Habitat

• “Plum Landing: Habitat Sweet Habitat”

• Creature Connector

• A Beach for the Birds By Bruce McMillan

• A Place for Fish By Melissa Stewart

• The Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea By Sy Montgomery

Also check your local library! You can find a list on our main page of local library systems.

If you enjoyed this week's activity and resources, you could be a Biologist! Biologists, like Rachel Carson, are scientists who study living things and how they relate to the environment.

• You can also check out this blog by PA Wildlife Biologist J.T. Fleegle who studies Whitetail Deer.

Also check out our STEM Career Connections page for more ideas about STEM Careers!