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Trees as HabitatsLesson PlanDuration:50minutesAge group: 4th-6thGradeProgram Description:Students will learn what an animal’s habitat is by answering basic questions for what an animal needs to live; food, water, shelter, safe place to raise young, and space. They will describe how different animals use trees as habitats.They will search the forest for clues of habitats in trees. They willalsolearn how an animal may have problems finding a habitat due to natural or man-made causes.Michigan GLCE’s:SCI: S.IP.03.11-15; S.IA.03.11-15; S.RS.03.18; E.ES.03.52. Sources consulted: 1.National Wildlife Federation: Habitats. Nature Scope Kit.pp. 1-6; 17-24.2.Stanforth, Kelly. Habitat Match. Family Science/Forest Night Program. 3.Pre K-8 Project Learning Tree Environmental Education GuideObjectives:At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:1.Listthe 5 needs of an animal that make up its habitat (food, water, shelter,space, and airin the proper arrangement).2.Give examplesofdifferenthabitats: wetland, conifer forest, grassland, polar ice caps, etc.3.Give examples ofanimals that use trees as part of their habitat. (squirrels, chickadees, eagles, woodpeckers, deer, cardinal, caterpillars, etc.)4.Find signs of animal habitat use outdoors.5.The students will discuss how humans can help or harm an animal’s habitatList of Materials NeededPer teacher:Basic Needs Game: ~25 paper plates/plastic lids, ~25of each type of basic need card (shelter(brown), water(blue), food(green)= paper squares or colored chipsAnimal Cards: tree frog, squirrel, woodpecker, owl, bear, fox, centipede, pillbug, deer, rabbit, coyote, spiderWhite bed sheetfor spider searchHabitat ImpactCards(place on a clipboard or in plastic sleeves): roads,invasive species, construction, loss of food, drought, storm/high windsPer student:Tree Habitat Scavenger Hunt & pencil1.Introduction: (5 min)A. Ask students about theirHome/Neighborhood? 1. Do you get food there? 2. Do you get water there?3. Do you have shelter (house or apartment)?4. Do you have enough space?That is your Habitat!
C. What is a Habitat?a habitat is a specific area where an animal liveswhere it can meet its needs for food, water, shelter, and space,like a neighborhood or community.D. Ask the students what they absolutely have to have to survive in their habitat? 1. Food 2. Water3. Shelter4. Space5. Air4. Animal Basic Needs ~ Musical Chairs(10 minutes)A. Arrangepaper plates/plastic lidsin a large circles so that there is one square for every two children. Spread out food, water and shelter cardsin the center of the circle, the number of each should be equal to the number of paper plates/plastic lidsyou are using. Explain that you will be playing a game.Students will need to chant:“shelter, water, food, space” or sing a song.B. Explain that the object is for the students to end upon a paper plate withall of their basic needs. Tell students that the paper plate represents space and they will gather their other basic needs. Explain that they won’t need to gather air because it is all around them.C. Explain that you will all sing the song and when the music stops they will have to grab onebasic needcardand getto a paper plateto survive the first round. Don’t necessarily tell them that they have to have one of each card to survive, just let them choose at random at this point. Any student that did not find a paper plate/plastic lidor get a basic needcardthe first round does not survive. They can go to the sideline and help chant. Repeat for round two and three. After round three, check to see if the survivors met ALL of their basic needs. They need to have one of each type/colorof basic need cards, otherwise they didn’t meet all of their needsand did not survive. Usually there are not too many students who survive. Ask the students what they would do differently if they played again? Discuss why all the animals didnot survive? Sometimes there is not enough for all animals to meet their needs. 4.Trees as Habitats (10 min.)Have students work with in small groups. Pass out oneanimal card to each pair/groupof students. The students have to decide how trees are an important part of their animal’s habitat. Have the students share their answers.Animal cards:tree frog, squirrel, woodpecker, owl, bear, fox, centipede, pillbug, deer, rabbit, coyote, spider5.Trees as Habitats Scavenger Hunt (20 minutes)Ask students to think of all the different animals thatmay use trees as part of their habitat.We are going to search for signs of shelter, food and water in trees.Ask them for examples of each of these that they think they might find on their walk.Give each group:Tree Habitat scavenger hunt sheet & pencilGo over unfamiliar terms on the scavenger hunt with the students (gall, lichen, etc.)Rememberthat insects are animals,too!Lead students on a walk through the forest and let them explore for signs of habitat. Remind students that they must always be able to see you.Tell students to replace any logs that they move tolook under during the scavenger hunt.