Station 2: Beaver Dam

Class discussion:

What does a beaver dam do?

A beaver dam causes running water to flood and create a pond or other body of water that is flowing very little, if at all

Why do beavers build dams?

Many people think that beavers build dams to live in-- but in fact, beavers build dams so that they can flood an area and create a safe place to build their homes, called lodges. Beavers want their lodges to be surrounded by water, so they build dams to create small ponds first.

What is a beaver dam made of?

A beaver dam is made of different organisms, objects, and materials. Sticks, logs, and leaves are no longer alive, but are from living plants and trees. Mud used to fill in holes is a non-living material.

Many different living and non-living things can be found in nature.

Class Activity: The Shape of Things

Materials: construction paper and string (or plastic shapes), paper, crayons or writing utensils

• Practice identifying construction paper shapes on string 'shape necklaces' with class
  • Ask students if they can name something that they have at home that has that particular shape
• Hand out shape necklaces to each student or pair of students to play 'I Spy' with shapes in nature
• When students find something that matches one of the shapes, ask them to say "I spy something shaped like a _________ "
• Allow students a few minutes to explore the immediate area and look for something in nature that is the same (or similar) shape to one of the shapes in the necklace
• If time permits, allow students to draw one of the shapes they saw in nature
• Take-away message:
  • Forests and Wetlands contain habitat for a diverse population of living and non-living things
  • Organisms are varied in size and structure (and shape!)

Class Demonstration:

Materials: picture of beaver and beaver skull to show teeth

• View picture of a beaver and/or beaver skull and point out the size of teeth
• What other living things have teeth that look like a beaver's teeth?
  • Squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits all have large teeth to chew plants