Station 4: Animal Tracks

Class Activity: Animated Animals

Materials: print-out flashcards of wetland animals (optional: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CiMF6c659TxUCrOjfTl2ckprGQfO0MU_QUYEosGpP6s/edit?usp=sharing , Mammal Movements mini-poster https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jcyiMu-lbhraFbLhv6xwQ4NSzQOk0q6Hg-_IEDqddDY/edit?usp=sharing )

• Begin the activity by repeating that animals move in many ways-- we can sort animals into groups based on how they move
• Pass out animal flashcards to students, allow each student to pick a favorite animal, or assign small groups of students to represent different animals
• Ask students to sort themselves into groups based on how their animal moves
  • Group ideas-- Animals... that walk with 2 legs, 4 legs, that swim, fly, hop, or climb trees
• Share 'Mammal Movements' mini poster with the class
  • Briefly explain Mammal characteristics: warm-blooded, hair or fur, and a backbone
  • Ask students to decide if the card they are holding is a mammal
    • If their card is NOT a mammal, what other group would they fit in?
    • Ex. the insects, fish, or birds could each form pairs
  • Read the information about the Dog Walk and the Giraffe Walk to students and have them practice each type of walk using all four limbs!
• Wrap-up/ Extension
  • Collect & re-distribute cards to students; ask the class to form groups based on how their animal moves-- including the difference between the Dog Walk and Giraffe Walk animals

Class Discussion:

What is your favorite animal?

What are some animals that may be found at the wetlands?

This is a long list! Various birds, fish, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, salamanders, deer, coyote, opossum, fox, bobcat, rabbit, turtles, mice, insects, etc.

** No crocodiles, alligators, or bears would live in our wetlands!

What are different ways that mammals move in the wetlands?

Mammals that live in wetlands may walk on four feet, swim, hop, or climb

What mammal could we find flying in the wetlands? (hint: they like to be active at night)

Bats are flying mammals that we may find our wetland

What are different ways that reptiles move in the wetlands?

Reptiles that live in wetlands may walk on four feet, swim, and slither!

What animals may visit the wetlands and walk on two feet?

Humans!

The above image shows a snake that is moving to the right-- the yellow bars show how the snake has lifted part of it's body off the ground to move

Class Discussion:

What is your favorite animal?

What are some animals that may be found at the wetlands?

This is a long list! Various birds, fish, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, salamanders, deer, coyote, opossum, fox, bobcat, rabbit, turtles, mice, insects, etc.

** No crocodiles, alligators, or bears live in our wetlands!

What are different ways that mammals move in the wetlands?

Mammals that live in wetlands may walk on four feet, swim, hop, or climb

What are different ways that reptiles move in the wetlands?

Reptiles that live in wetlands may walk on four feet, swim, and slither

What are different ways that birds move in the wetlands? (hint: think of birds that live near bodies of water)

Birds that live in the wetlands or other aquatic environments will fly and swim!

• Scientists are even studying how to create robots that move like snakes to help explore Mars!
  • Why might this be a smart idea?
    • Snakes are found all over the world and can move over every type of terrain, unlike wheels that may become stuck in sand, rocks, ice, etc!
    • Also, a snake robot can't tip over
    • Other ideas?

• In this activity, we will examine how different bird beak types are inherited to help birds become more efficient at catching and eating prey!
• Begin the activity by splitting students into groups of 3-4; each group will receive a paper plate and a brown paper bag with 'prey' inside
  • Have students place the plate and bag on the ground, and kneel or sit next to the plate
• Pass out 1 'beak' to each student, giving each group multiple different beaks (so students can compare beaks in their group)
• Once class is prepared, have one student per group dump the prey in the brown paper bag onto the paper plate
  • When the instructor says 'Go!,' students will try to capture as much prey as they can with their beak-- using ONLY their beak (hold captured prey in empty hand)
  • If students are too rough and knock prey off the plate, this prey can not be captured (it has gotten away!) -- although do make sure to pick it up at the end of the activity!
• After all prey has been captured, each group will discuss which beaks were more beneficial for each prey item
  • Example-- students may find that chopsticks are best at picking up foam pieces, tweezers at picking up strings, and spoons at picking up pasta pieces
• Ask 1-2 groups to explain their findings
• Explain to students that each brown paper 'prey' bag contains different ratios of prey species to represent different environments!
  • Give students a moment to determine which environment their beak would fit in best, and allow students to move groups
• Repeat capture activity with students in new groups that have an abundance of their targeted 'prey' (or have students trade beaks)
• Wrap up the activity by asking students to think of bird species that could correspond to their beak type
  • Examples: woodpeckers pull insects out of bark like a pair of tweezers, herons stab at food quickly like chopsticks, pelicans scoop fish like a spoon

Class Discussion:

What are some animals that can be found in our wetlands?

This is a long list! Various birds, fish, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, salamanders, deer, coyote, opossum, fox, bobcat, rabbit, turtles, mice, insects, etc.

** No crocodiles, alligators, or bears live in our wetlands.

In your own words, define biodiversity.

Biodiversity can be defined as the variety of living things in an environment or habitat

"Bio" = life ; "diversity" = variety or a range of different things

Environments that have a high Biodiversity are considered stronger than environments that have a low Biodiversity. Why might this be?

When an environment is confronted with a change (ex. loss of a certain species, a natural disaster), environments that have a high biodiversity are less likely to be affected in a drastic way since there are more species to handle the change

Demonstration: Biodiversity and Food Webs

Materials: Food Web Examples (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16ZvPazCMFBvL2CXjX5CXXw5NRiYZX5mpU5c0nstcaig/edit?usp=sharing )

• Pick 3 students to represent the three different environments on worksheets; give each student one of the worksheets and ask them to hold the page so the class can see
• Each of these worksheets show an example food web from three places in Athens: Lake Lanier, the Jefferson Wetlands, and an urban forest in Athens
  • (These food webs are only examples-- many more connections could potentially be made!)
• Which ecosystem has the highest biodiversity, or is the most biodiverse?
  • In this example, the JCS Wetlands are the most biodiverse since the food web contains the largest species diversity (the most different species)
• Have students discuss what would happen if half of the vegetation in each environment was removed-- possibly land was cleared for building projects or an invasive plant outcompeted this native vegetation (but can not be eaten by native species)
• Cover each branch of the food web that would be affected if vegetation was destroyed, either with a marker slash or with hands
  • Continue up the food trees beyond the herbivores to demonstrate how most species would be affected
• Which food web is least affected by this event?
  • The JCS Wetlands is least affected because there is a higher biodiversity in this example ecosystem. Herbivores may be able to find other plants to eat, and carnivores can vary their prey.

• Introduce the activity by explaining that students will hear two different accounts or views of life in South Georgia from two people who have lived near Okefenokee Swamp
  • Students may take notes or be given time to reflect on the differences and themes highlighted in a writing assignment
• First, students will read aloud a quote from Janisse Ray's Ecology of a Cracker Childhood (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kYPYu1wWHPUMpJ-sCQssatU4XBnNUWHCiHDfXfd_wWU/edit?usp=sharing)
  • Janisse Ray is a Georgia author and naturalist, who writes eco-poetry and environmental nonfiction
• Second, students will listen to a radio show Wiregrass Ways: Sounds of South Georgia interview with Bobby Johns (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pGSFjkR2GvAvXg3eqEB_KG_W1eUKR3pG/view?usp=sharing)
  • Mikko Bobby "Bearheart" Johns was Chief of the Perdido Bay Tribe and is a descendant of the Native American Creek Tribe that hails from South Georgia
  • The Okefenokee swamp acted as a refuge for Native Americans during removal periods--Native Americans found protection in the swamp, and were able to hide and stay in South Georgia by hiding their heritage and intermarrying European settlers

Class Discussion:

What are some animals that can be found in our wetlands?

This is a long list! Various birds, fish, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, salamanders, deer, coyote, opossum, fox, bobcat, rabbit, turtles, mice, insects, etc.

** No crocodiles, alligators, or bears live in our wetlands.

In your own words, define biodiversity.

Biodiversity can be defined as the variety of living things in an environment or habitat

"Bio" = life ; "diversity" = variety or a range of different things

Environments that have a high Biodiversity are considered stronger than environments that have a low Biodiversity. Why might this be?

When an environment is confronted with a change (ex. loss of a certain species, a natural disaster), environments that have a high biodiversity are less likely to be affected in a drastic way since there are more species to handle the change

What are some threats to biodiversity?

Major threats to biodiversity include habitat destruction, introduced/invasive species, overexploitation (too much farming, hunting, etc), climate change, and human overpopulation