The answer to the clues may be found at the bottom of this column.
Teachers and Parents: Enter to win an entire set of Dawn’s nature books of one title for your home or classroom. It's fun and easy!
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Just read the clues below. They describe an aspect of nature—a plant, animal, mineral, habitat, or natural process. |
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When you're ready to make your guess about who or what I am, click ENTER NOW. |
Who Am I?
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Clue 1: I'm a member of the "dog family." |
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Clue 2: I live throughout North America in deserts, prairies, forests, and even in towns and cities. |
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Clue 3: You might hear me howling at night to communicate with my pack. |
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Clue 4: Don't let me trick you—I am NOT a wolf. |
Do you think you know who I am? ENTER NOW.
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Entries should be submitted no later than noon on Friday. |
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If you guessed correctly, you’re automatically entered into the monthly drawing for a set of nature books from Dawn Publications. |
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A contest winner will be announced at the end of September. |
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Throughout the school year, clues for a new Who Am I are posted no later than Sunday night, so you can use them with your class on Monday morning.Good luck! |
Building a Prairie
Building a Prairie—Under, Over, and In
At first glance a prairie may look flat, but if you look closer you’ll discover layers of life. In the book The Prairie that Nature Built, children are introduced to three levels of prairie life—creatures living under the ground, in the prairie grasses, and flying over the prairie in the sky.
In this activity, students “build a prairie” by creating a mural of prairie animals and their homes at all three levels.
Suggested Grade Level: 1-3
Materials Needed:
- The book, The Prairie That Nature Built
- Roll of newsprint taped to the wall–long enough to accommodate pictures of prairie animals
- Crayons
- Index cards and pen
- Non-fiction resources about prairie animals
Procedures:
- Read the book, emphasizing the different levels of a prairie—under, on, and below.
- Explain to students that they will create a mural on the newsprint by drawing the prairie animals and their homes on the prairie, above the prairie, or below the prairie.
- Use the illustrations in the book to review the animals in the story, writing their names on index cards. Sort the cards into three piles: UNDER, OVER, ON. Have each student choose one card making sure that an equal amount of students pick from each pile.
- Give students time to use resources to find out three facts about their animal. Have them write their facts on the back of their index card.
- Provide students with pieces of newsprint the appropriate size for their animal, and ask them draw a picture of the creature and its home. Tell them to draw their picture so it fills up their entire piece of paper, which will keep the animals in the correct proportion.
- When finished, have them cut out their animal and give them to you to tape to the newsprint on the wall. Some pictures will overlap. If some students finish early (probably those with small animals), have them choose a second animal to illustrate.
- Once everyone is finished, “build the prairie” one student at a time, beginning underground and working up to the sky. Have students, one by one, identify their animal, read three facts about the animal, and describe its home.
- Conclude by asking students which level would you most like to live on and why? Which creature would you most like to be and why?
Common Core Standards (ELA K-2)
- ELA Writing: Research to Build and Support Knowledge K.7, 1.7, 2.7 3.7
Next Generation Science Standards (K-3)
- LS1.A: Structure and Function
- LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
- LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems.
