Monday, May 24, 2010

Life at the Pond


Next weekend, we will once again be traveling to one of our favorite spots, our camp up in the mountains.  The kids are looking forward to getting their hands, feet, and everything else dirty while they investigate pond life.  Tadpoles, frogs, dragonflies, salamanders, striders, and more inhabit the pond near our camp.  Using nets, the kids scoop the wildlife out of the water to enjoy for just a small amount of time before returning them to their own habitat. 

As I was looking through my teacher resources, I found this great Pond Animal worksheet.  After teaching the kids about what life is like in a pond, the kids can invent a new animal that has adapted to pond life.  What would the animal eat? How will it fend off predators? How will it breathe? After thinking about these questions and discussing, a great project idea would be to sketch and label their new creature or to create the animal with clay or other materials. 

Pond Animal Worksheet 

Invent an animal that has adapted to pond life. Think about what life is like in a pond.



Name of pond animal:

 _______________________________


What does your animal eat?




What adaptations does your animal have for the following?

finding food:




moving around:




protection:




reproduction:




other amazing facts:







Worksheet above adapted from-
(Challenge Magazine May/Summer 2000 Vol 18 No. 5 Issue 90)
___________________________________________________


Other great resources:

Pond Explorer
Virtual Pond
Ponder This

Other ideas:
Discuss organisms that the kids can't see with the naked eye.  If available, use a microscope to view pond water.  Share PowerPoint: Using a Microscope & Life in a Pond

Discuss senses-What do you hear at the pond? Describe what you see?  What do you feel? What does the critter(s) feel like? Discuss.

Books that look like fun:
What's in the Pond? (Hidden Life)From Tadpole to Frog (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1)Tale of a Tadpole (DK READERS)In the Small, Small Pond

Let me know if you investigate pond life with your children.  I'll update you with our finds once we return from our camping trip. 

Enjoy this beautiful day!

Jen

3 comments:

Adriana said...

Thanks! We are doing a pond unit this summer. I just bookmarked your post!

Preschool Playbook said...

I wish was at a pond right now! I am cooking here. Way too hot for this time of year!

I hope you all enjoy your great weekend away!

Trish

seven thirty three said...

Thanks for the great ideas and for linking up with What are little boys made of?

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