Student Research Page

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No Place Like Home

This month let's look at animal homes! If you don't have a copy of the magazine, you may print a copy of No Place Like Home .

Spike painting

First, draw a map of your home. Is there a place to store food? Eat? Sleep? Stay out of the rain? Label each part of your home with its purpose. Is your home essential to your survival?

Not all animals need a nest or a den, but all animals need shelter for survival. Some wildlife find shelter, some build it and others carry it on their backs! Birds and insects build nests to raise their young. Beavers build dams. Prairie dogs dig tunnels. The hermit crab recycles old shells to live in. Sometimes shelter for wildlife is also called "cover" and means plants and vegetation where they can hide or travel and not be seen.

Which of these are reasons wildlife need shelter?

___A place to raise young
___Protection from weather
___Hide from predators
___A safe route to travel
___A safe place to rest
___A place to store food
___All of the above

If you said all of the above, you are correct!

 

Wild Geometry and Wild Architecture

Think of shapes and materials from nature. Did you know architects and engineers learn from nature? A wasp nest or honey comb from bees is one of best uses of space. Mud daubers have a special way of keeping mud from drying out while they build their nest. Bird nests come in all shapes and sizes and birds use all sorts of materials to build them. What interesting shapes and materials have you seen used in nature?

Spike with binoculars_left

  •  Look for signs of animal homes in a park, natural area and your neighborhood
  • Can you find evidence of wildlife above your head? On the ground? Evidence of wildlife that lives underground? Don't forget bugs!

Keeping It Wild!

Just for fun, go outside and make a fort, tent or club house. Use things you can find to build it and invite your friends to play!

Texas Wildlife Identification Guide 

Learn About Texas Birds

Beavers
Young Naturalist page: Beavers 
Luna moth video:
Video of Luna moth life cycle
Do you have any of these trees in your part of Texas? hickory, persimmon, sweet gum, walnut
Badger
Junior Naturalist web page: Badger
Badger Wildlife Fact Sheet
Prairie Dogs
Black-footed Ferrets and Prairie Dogs  (see pages 4-11, make a mask, draw a prairie dog town and more!)
Prairie Dogs, TPWD video
Bobcats
Young Naturalist page: Bobcats 
Bobcat wildlife fact sheet
Squirrels
Young Naturalist page: Squirrels 
Eastern Fox Squirrel fact sheet
The Neighbor Squirrel, TPW Magazine
Hummingbirds
Young Naturalist page: Hummingbirds