Grade Level: 1-2

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Next Generation Sunshine State Standards

SC.1.E.6.2; SC.1.L.14.1; SC.1.L.17.1

SC.2.L.17.1; SC.2.L.17.2

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Program Overview

Encounter live animals in the Dalton Discovery Center, look for jumping fish on

an electric boat ride, and take a peek into the von Arx Wildlife Hospital where we

care for more than 3,200 wild animals per year. Learn how you can help the

Conservancy protect Florida’s water, land, and wildlife.

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Learning Objectives Students will be able to:

1. Recognize that all plants and animals, including humans, need the basic

necessities of air, water, food, and space.

2. Recognize and explain that living things are found all over Earth, but each is

only able to live in habitats that meet its basic needs.

Pre-Program Activity 1: Animal Classification Foldout

Duration of activity: 30 minutes

Materials: Animal pictures, types of animals, characteristics sheet, construction paper, scissors,

glue, pen or pencil, colored pencils or crayons

Background: Mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, and amphibians are all classified by unique

characteristics.

Directions: Instruct the students to cut out the animals and characteristics. Fold the construction

paper into thirds and then glue the six animal pictures and the animal classification card evenly

onto the “doors.” Cut slits in the “doors” in between the pictures. Write the animal categories on

the board and work with the students to write the matching characteristics underneath the animal

type. Point out that while some of them share characteristics, they’re all different types of

animals! Have them glue the correct characteristics on the inside of each type of animal. When

the foldable is complete, the animals will all be on the outside, with the characteristics on the

inside. The foldout will resemble the image

to the right.

(See below for worksheets and

answer key)

Fish Bird Mammal Reptile Amphibian

warm blooded

covered in fur or

hair

live on land or

in water

covered in scales

have fins

live in water

have a beak

covered in feathers

live on land or

in water

adults breathe air

moist skin

live on land or

in water

cold blooded

dry, scaly skin

live on land or

in water

Animal

Classification

By___________

Answer Key:

Mammals:

warm blooded

covered in fur or hair

live on land or in water

Fish:

covered in scales

have fins

live in water

Birds:

have a beak

covered in feathers

live on land or in water

Amphibians:

adults breathe air

moist skin

live on land or in water

Reptiles:

cold blooded

dry, scaly skin

live on land or in water

Pre-Program Activity 2: Where do I Live?- Intro to Southwest

Florida Habitats

Duration of Activity: 45 minutes

Materials: Habitat sheets, animal sheets

Background: The main habitats in the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s Dalton Discovery

Center are uplands, hardwood hammock, wetlands, mangrove estuaries, and the patch reef.

Uplands are characterized by dry, sandy soils, and drought-tolerant plants such as slash pines

and saw palmettos. These habitats are shaped by fire. Animals include gopher tortoises, snakes,

small mammals and birds. Hardwood Hammocks border wetter areas and contain hardwood

trees such as oak and gumbo limbo trees. This is Florida panther habitat. Wetlands are

freshwater habitats that are regularly flooded. Cypress trees tend to grow in dense clusters, called

“cypress domes.” This habitat supports animals like alligators, fish, turtles and wading birds.

Mangrove estuaries are brackish water habitats (mix of fresh and salt water) that are made up of

red, white, and black mangroves. The red mangrove’s prop roots provide cover for juvenile

wildlife. Manatees, birds, and turtles also use the mangrove forest habitat. Coral reef habitats

are made up of limestone, soft coral, seagrasses, and algae. Reefs support a wide variety of

aquatic species including sea turtles.

Directions: Before the lesson, print out the various southwest Florida habitat pictures, and place

in different areas of the room. Review the different habitats with students. Divide students into

groups and assign each group an animal. Then allow them to explore the room and place their

animal in the correct habitat. Review all of the animals and habitats.

Uplands/Scrub

Dry, sandy soil

Shaped by fire

Hardwood Hammock

Wet soil

Oak trees

Wetlands/Swamp

Usually flooded

Freshwater

Mangrove Estuary

Brackish water

Nursery habitat

Coral Reefs

Saltwater

Algae also grows here

I’m a gopher tortoise! I like a

dry habitat. I dig burrows so

that I’m safe from fires.

I’m a Florida panther! I like to

live under the shade of oak

trees.

I’m an alligator! I like living in

freshwater by cypress trees.

I’m a baby pufferfish! I like

to use tree roots as a nursery

so I can grow big and strong.

I’m a loggerhead sea turtle! I

like to use soft coral and

seaweed to rest and find

food.

Post-Program Activity 1: Birds and Worms- Intro to Camouflage

Adapted from “Birds and Worms” from the Project Learning Tree

Curriculum Guide

Duration of Activity: ~ 1 hour

Materials: 60 small objects in green, yellow, and blue (indoor use: pipe cleaner segments, yarn,

string, paper shapes, etc.), (outdoor use: biodegradable items such as breakfast ceral, colored

pasta), 2-4 containers, chart paper or white board.

Background: Animals use camouflage to blend in with their environment in order to hide from

other animals. Prey animals often blend in with their environment to hide from predators, but

some predators are camouflaged to better sneak up on their prey. Some animals, like the

American alligator, are camouflaged when they’re young and lose that coloration as they grow.

Directions: You’ll need a large, open area for the activity. Spread your 60 objects randomly

across the area. Ask your students to name animals that are “color coded” to their environment

and why they think that coloration is beneficial (i.e. frogs and polar bears). See if they can come

up with the term camouflage and review that term. The students will be “birds” searching for

some “worms” (the 60 small objects). Divide your students into 2-4 teams for the relay race.

Place the bins by the start line so teams can deposit their worms once they catch them. The

object of the race is to be the first team to “feed” all of the birds on their team. On “Go”, the first

bird will fly over the field and pick up the first “worm” they see, and then they will immediately

fly back to the start and deposit the worms into the container. Then the next bird will do the

same. Once all of the birds on a team have found a worm, the team will sit down. Repeat this

process one more time.

Take the containers back to the classroom and tally each number of colored objects that were

collected. Ask the students why they think there is more of one color than the other. The brighter

colored worms do not camouflage well because they aren’t “color coded” to their environment

like the other colors.

Post-Program Activity 2: A Home for a Reptile

Adapted from “What Bear Goes Where?” Project WILD Curriculum Guide

Duration of Activity: 45 minutes

Materials: Reptile pictures (below), construction paper, scissors, glue, optional craft materials to

attach to the posters such as felt, pipe cleaners, etc.

Background: Snakes, alligators, and sea turtle are all reptiles, so they share common

characteristics such as they have dry, scaly skin, are cold-blooded, and breathe air. Have students

recall the reptiles that they saw and met at the Conservancy:

Snakes. Snakes are carnivorous and eat things like small mammals, birds, and even other

snakes! While some snakes prefer wetter environments, many snakes live in dry, upland

habitats. Uplands are characterized by dry, sandy, well-drained soils. Plant species

include slash pine trees, saw palmetto, and wiregrass.

Alligators. American alligators live in swampy, freshwater environments, but can

sometimes be found in brackish water (mix of fresh and salt water). Alligators have

stripes when they’re young to aid in camouflage and lose their stripes as they grow older.

Once mature, alligators will eat birds, fish, turtles, and other reptiles. Rivers, lakes, and

wetlands are prime alligator habitat. This habitat is characterized by cypress trees, ferns,

and sawgrass.

Sea turtles. Like all reptiles, sea turtles have dry, scaly skin and breathe air. They spend

their entire lives at sea. Females only come onto land to lay their eggs. They use coral

reefs and seaweed drifts to rest and forage for food. Sea turtles have streamlined,

elongated flippers that make swimming long distances easier. The Conservancy’s

loggerhead sea turtle can use her powerful jaw to crush through shells and eat the

organism inside. She also eats fish, crabs, jellyfish, and lobsters.

Directions:

1. Print out enough reptile pictures for each student to have one. Discuss the characteristics

of each animal, including similarities and differences. Discuss what each animal eats.

2. Ask the students to imagine where each animal lives. Have them come up with

characteristics of each habitat.

3. Have students use construction paper to create a habitat for their animal. Make sure they

include food, water, shelter, and plant life. Suggestions for the posters are as follows:

Snake: Pine trees, short palm trees, mammals, birds, and eggs to eat; bushes or

burrows for shelter; a rock for sunning itself.

Alligator: cypress trees, birds, mammals, and fish to eat; sawgrass.

Sea turtle: coral reefs; fish, squid, shellfish, and seagrass to eat; seaweed.

4. Once the posters are completed, discuss the similarities and differences for each animal’s

habitat. To further discussion, ask the students if they think the animals would be able to

live in habitats they don’t belong in.