Habitat Dos Animais

by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J.
Wynne
NEW YORK
MEXICO CITY
TORONTO
LONDON
NEW DELHI
AUCKLAND
HONG KONG
SYDNEY
BUENOS AIRES
Easy Make & Learn Projects: Animal Habitats 2010 by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J. Wynne, Scholastic Teaching Resources
For Carolyn Cathey, who loves to read

and care for animals
DMS
To Phyllis Zara Young,

who loved discovering nature
PJW
Scholastic Inc. grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducible pages from this book for classroom use. Purchase of this
book entitles use of reproducibles by one teacher for one classroom only. No other part of this publication may be reproduced in
whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to
Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
Editor: Maria L. Chang
Cover and interior design by Kathy Massaro
ISBN-13: 978-0-439-45337-0
ISBN-10: 0-439-45337-2
Copyright 2010 by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J. Wynne
All rights reserved.
Printed in the U.S.A.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
40
17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 4
Cave................................................................................................................... 5
City ....................................................................................................................10
Coral Reef........................................................................................................15
Desert .............................................................................................................. 20
Grassland........................................................................................................ 25
Island ............................................................................................................... 30
Marsh .............................................................................................................. 35
Mountain .......................................................................................................40
Ocean .............................................................................................................. 45
Polar Regions ................................................................................................ 50
Pond ................................................................................................................. 56
River .................................................................................................................61
Seashore .........................................................................................................66
Tropical Rain Forest .....................................................................................71
Tundra ............................................................................................................ 76
Introduction
nimals and plants live just about everywhere

on earthat the North and South Poles, in
the hottest deserts, on the tallest trees, and in
the oceans depths. The place where a plant or animal
lives is called its habitat. The 15 easy-to-make and
easy-to-read mini-books and manipulatives featured
in this book provide students with a first look at
habitats around the world and the plants and animals
that live in each. The content in this book meets life
science curriculum standards, including:
plants and animals need certain resources for
energy and growth (e.g., food, water, light, air)
living things are found almost everywhere in the
world, and distinct environments support the life
of different types of plants and animals
organization of simple food chains and food webs
the transfer of energy (e.g., through the
consumption of food) is essential to all living
organisms
an organisms patterns of behavior are related to
the nature of that organisms environment
changes in the environment can have different
effects on different organisms
all organisms (including humans) cause changes
in their environments, and these changes can be
beneficial or detrimental
Whats Inside
The mini-books and manipulatives are independent
and can be used in any order. Each chapter contains
the following features:
Habitat Hallmarks:
Background information for
teaching the lesson

Making the Mini-Book or Manipulative:
Easy-to-follow instructions with diagrams for

assembling the mini-book or manipulative
Teaching With the Mini-Book or Manipulative:
Discussion questions for after reading

More to Do:
Resources:
As with any new instructional material, it is always a

good idea to make the mini-books and manipulatives
yourself before introducing them to your class. This
way, you can anticipate any questions and be ready
to help students as needed. When students are ready
to assemble their own mini-books and manipulatives,
model the steps for them and invite them to follow
along. Or, present your finished mini-book or
manipulative as a guide.
Keep in mind:
The thickest black lines on the reproducible pages
are CUT lines. Dashed lines are FOLD lines.
Some mini-books and
manipulatives have interior
flaps that require cutting. An
easy way to cut them is to
use the pinch method: Use
your thumb and forefinger
to fold the paper near
one line and, taking your
scissors, snip an opening. Then insert the scissors
through the opening to easily cut out the flaps.
If possible, enlarge the pattern pages to make the
mini-books and manipulatives easier for students
to assemble.
If students plan to color the mini-books/
manipulatives and use tape, have them color first
so they wont have to color over the tape.
Encourage students to bring their mini-books/
manipulatives home and share them with their
families. You may also want to put additional
copies and extra materials in a learning center so
students can make and read them on their own.
Further activities to extend learning
Related books and Web sites
Reproducible Pages: Templates
for each minibook or manipulative to be distributed to students

4
Helpful Hints
We hope that you and your students get as much

fun and excitement out of these mini-books and
manipulatives as we had in creating them. Enjoy!
Cave
Starting at the entrance, delve deeper into this
mini-book to see what lives inside the cave.
Habitat Hallmarks
cave is a large, open space underground or inside a mountain. Most caves

were formed over thousands of years as underground water slowly dissolved
limestone to create the open spaces. Inside a cave, water containing
dissolved minerals may continue to seep through cracks in the rock. As the water
evaporates, the minerals it leaves behind crystallize and form stalactites (icicleshaped rocks that hang from the ceiling) and stalagmites (rounded rocks that rise
from the cave floor). Where stalactites and stalagmites meet, they form a column.
Some animals, such as deer, raccoons, and skunks, might sometimes wander in
and out of a cave. Daylight can penetrate only the opening part of the cave, where
ferns, mosses, and a few other plants can make food and grow. Swallows, barn owls,
and phoebes often build nests on the cave walls. Wood rats nest here, too. These
animals move in and out of the cave to hunt. In places with cold winters, snakes,
frogs, and bears might also seek shelter in a cave.
Deeper inside, very little to no light reaches the rest of the cave. No plants can
grow there. A few animals, however, have adapted to life in total darkness. Blind
cave beetles and daddy longlegs feel their way around using antennas or other body
parts. Blind cavefish find food by sensing movement in the water. Bats emit very
high-frequency sounds that echo back to their ears. From these echoes, bats are able
to fly in and out without hitting the cave walls or one another. Millions of bats live
in very large caves. They sleep by day hanging upside down from the cave ceiling
and fly out by night to feed on moths, mosquitoes, and other insects.
Making the Mini-book
Photocopy pages 79.
Materials
Reproducible pages
7 9
Scissors
Cut out all the pieces along the thick, solid

lines. Fold pages 1 to 4 of the mini-book
along the dashed lines lengthwise. Then fold
again, as shown. Repeat for pages 5 to 8.
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
CCave
av e
More to Do
World of Caves
Carlsbad Caverns in New
Mexico and Mammoth
Cave in Kentucky are two
of the most famous caves
in the world. So are the
Lascaux Cave in France and
the Waitomo Caves in New
Zealand. Challenge students
to research one of these
caves and report on what
kinds of animals live there
or why the cave is famous.
Resources
Hello, Bumblebee Bat

by Darrin Lunde and Patricia
J. Wynne (Charlesbridge,
2007).
Readers follow an inch-long

bat as it flies in and out of a
cave, answering questions
about where it lives and what
it does.
http://www.mostateparks.
com/onondaga/animals.htm
This unusual site describes

the five main groups of cave
animals. Click on the link
food chains and pyramids
to learn about bats and a
cave food pyramid.
Stack pages 1 to 4 on top of pages

5 to 8 and tape together at the left
along the folded spine. Tape page 9
to page 8 along the spine.
Insert one flying bat into the

opening on page 1 and tape in
place. Tape the barn owl to page
4; the cave swallow, phoebe nest,
and scorpion to page 5; and the
remaining bats around the opening
on pages 7 and 8.
Fold the stalactite and stalagmite

pieces along the dashed lines. Tape
the folded flap of the stalactite
to the back of page 9, as shown.
Repeat with the stalagmite at the
bottom of the page.
Teaching With the Mini-book

Invite students to color, assemble, and read the text on their mini-books.
Then check for understanding by asking them these questions:
1
2
3
4
Unfold the pages and cut out the center sections of pages 1 and 3 to 8
along the thick, solid lines. Fold the mini-book pages again.
What is a cave? (A large open space underground or inside a mountain)

Which part of a cave receives some light? (The part just inside the cave
entrance)
How can bats fly around without hitting cave walls or one another?
(They use echo sounds to tell them where to fly.)
Can all cave animals see? (Some, such as bats, can; others, such as
cavefish, are blind.)
Orb spider
Centipede
Cricket
Cut out.
Cut out.
American toad
Cut out.
Snail
a
n
i
Cave
s
t
a
h
W
Cave
swallows
Black bear
Red cave
salamander
A little daylight
shines just inside
the opening of
a cave. Look!
A barn owl flew
in with food for
its young. Hungry
baby phoebes
wait for their
parents to bring
them food.
Eastern phoebe
A cave is a large,
open space
underground
or inside a
mountain. Bats
and birds fly
in and out of a
caves opening.
Bears sometimes
enter, too.
2
Barn owlets
Cave
Cut out.
Bats
8
Blind cave
salamander
Wood
rat
Cut out.
White cave cricket
Cut out.
Blind cavefish
Cut out.
Daddy
longlegs
5
Deep inside
the cave,
there is no
light. Thats
okay. Bats
use echo
sounds to tell
them where
to fly. Blind
cavefish swim
in a stream.
Blind animals
feel their way
around.
6
Cave swallow
nests
Cave
Cave
Stalactite
Stalagmite
Phoebe nest
Barn
owl
Bat
Scorpion
Bats
Bat
Cave
swallow
City
Peek into this three-dimensional panorama
of a city filled with numerous plants and animals.
Habitat Hallmarks
t first glance, a city may not seem to be a natural habitat for plants and
animals. But depending on where its located and how it developed, a city
can host a variety of habitats. A city in the temperate zone, for example, may
have a wooded park surrounding a small lake. One in the desert may have cactus
gardens with a nearby pond. The variety of plants that grow in an urban setting
will depend on what kind of soil is naturally found there or whether the soil for
parks, gardens, and backyards has been specially brought in from elsewhere.
A schoolyard, park, or backyard may be filled trees, flowers, grasses, weeds,
mosses, bushes, or other plants. Seeds may sprout in sidewalk cracks. Living among
the plants may be ladybugs, spiders, beetles, grasshoppers, snails, caterpillars,
squirrels, chipmunks, lizards, or birds. Ants, earthworms, centipedes, daddy
longlegs, moles, or shrews may burrow in the ground, while birds, bees, and
butterflies may take to the air. Hawks and eagles may build nests on top of tall
buildings. At night, skunks, raccoons, mice, bats, moths, owls, or fireflies may
come out in search of a meal. Ants, roaches, and other insects, as well as spiders
may find their way into houses and apartments.
City animals interact with people and their pets. Dogs chase after birds and
squirrels, cats attack mice invading homes, and food people drop or throw away
becomes a meal for birds, raccoons, and other animals. As long as they are able to
meet their basic needs of food, water, and shelter, animals and plants will survive
anywhere, including the city.
Making the Manipulative
Materials
Reproducible pages
1214
Photocopy pages 1214.
Scissors
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
10

outer lines. Be sure to cut open the lines on
flaps A and B.
City
5
6
Fold in the sides and bottom half

of the city scene along the dashed
lines, as shown. Fold flaps A and
B and tape to the back of the
upright piece.
Fold up the flap on the inside of
the house. Tape the inside of the
house behind the outside of the
house, as shown. Cut open the
windows of the house. Tape the
house to the left side of the city
scene, as shown.
Tape the magnifying glass to
the lower left of the text box,
as shown.
Fold under all the flaps on the
remaining pieces. Tape each one to
its respective number on the city
scene. Slide the raccoon headpiece
into the slit at the top of the trash
can, as shown. Tape the other
raccoon to the front of the trash
can, and the bumblebee to the top
of the purple coneflower.
More to Do
What Lives Here?
Every day for a week or
two, have students make
note of animals they see
in their homes, backyard,
schoolyard, park, and so on.
Make a list of the animals
and where students saw
them. If students dont know
an animals name, have
them describe the animal
or draw it. Do the same for
plants. Be sure students
do not disturb animals or
plants and do not try to
capture them or break off
flowers, stems, leaves, or
other plant parts. Where
were most animals spotted?
Which plants were most
common?
Resources
Take a City Nature Walk by
Jane Kirkland (Stillwater,
2005).
Teaching With the Manipulative
While taking a nature walk

in a city, readers identify
plants and animals as they
learn about urban ecology.
Invite students to color, assemble, and read the text on their manipulatives.
http://australianmuseum.
net.au/Wild-Kids-Animalsof-urban-habitats
1
2
3
4
What lives in the park? (Squirrel, grasshopper, Canada geese, raccoon,

purple coneflower, bumblebee, rabbit, owl, ducks, songbirds, trees, etc.)
What lives inside the house? (Mouse, centipede, cockroach, fly, fleas,
aphids, spider, ladybird beetle, little black ant, cat, dog, people, etc.)
Journey to a city in Australia

and discover which plants
and animals live in houses,
high-rise buildings,
gardens, parks, and the
harbor.
What lives underground? (Earthworm, snail, bacteria, fungus, springtail)

What is the raccoon doing on the trash can? Why? (It is climbing inside
to look for food.)
11
City
Tape inside of house here.
17
24
14
19
28
25
27
26
15
A
16
10
11
13
29
g
in
fy
ni .
ag re
m he
pe lass
g
Ta
12
Do you live in a city or a town? Plants and animals live there, too. Plants
grow in soil and need water to live. They make food using energy from
the sun. Some animals eat plants. Others eat the animals that eat plants.
Animals live in houses, in backyards, in parks, underground, and on top of
tall buildings. They eat what they can find even food people throw away.
Which of these plants and animals live near you?
and Patricia J. Wynne, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Wildlife in the City:

House & Park
Easy Make & Learn Projects: Animal Habitats 2010 by Donald M. Silver
Park bench
City
INSIDE OF HOUSE
OUTSIDE OF HOUSE
7
8
Cut
out.
Cut
out.
Cut out.
10
Bumblebee
Tape outside of house here.
Cut out.
10
10
Purple
coneflower
BASEMENT
3
6 Aphids
12
Rat
9
Little
black
ant
8 Ladybird
beetle
7
Spider
12
5
Fleas
PARK BENCH
11
11
Raccoon
4
Fly
11
1
Mouse
2
Centipede
3
Cockroach
11
Trash can
11 Raccoon
13
City
27
Turtle
17
Peregrine
falcon
29 Canada geese
23
Springtail
DOG WALKER
13
Grey squirrel
with acorn
14
Screech
owl
18 Earthworm
24
Songbirds
MAGNIFYING
GLASS
18
19 Ducks
20
U
20 Snail
21
Bacteria
14
15 Rabbit
eating grass
26 Grasshopper
eating plants
E
ND
21
25
Tick
28
Toad
O
GR
UN
23
22
22
Fungus
16
Cat
Coral Reef
Discover the wonders of a coral reef
with this lift-and-look mini-book.
Habitat Hallmarks
oral reefs can be found in clear, warm, shallow ocean water, usually around
50 feet (15 m) below the surface. Millions of tiny animals called coral polyps
build these reefs out of limestone. Each polyp builds a rock-hard cup around
its soft body using calcium carbonate dissolved in seawater. The polyp hides inside
its cup during the day, but at night reaches out its stinging tentacles to catch tiny
sea creatures to eat. When a polyp dies, its hard cup remains behind, and new coral
polyps build on top of it. Over time, all the new and empty cups create a coral reef.
Algae, small plantlike organisms, also help build coral reefs by providing polyps with
food and oxygen. Different types of coral polyps build different shapes of limestone
rock, such as fans, horns, brains, and more.
Coral reefs are home to thousands of species of sea animals, such as colorful fish,
sponges, jellyfish, eels, crustaceans, sea worms, mollusks, and so much more. Reefs
are often referred to as the rain forests of the oceans because of the huge diversity
of creatures that live here. (See Tropical Rain Forest, page 71.) Reefs provide a rich
source of food for people.
The largest reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia,
spans about 1,250 miles (2,000 km) in length. It took millions of years for the Great
Barrier Reef to reach this size. Other reefs are found in the Caribbean Sea, off the
coast of Florida, in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and in the Red Sea. These reefs
help protect coastlines from getting eroded by pounding ocean waves. And yet many
reefs are in danger of being destroyed by pollution, overfishing, and careless divers
and boats. Many organizations are now working to preserve reefs from these threats.
1
2
Materials
Reproducible pages
1719
Scissors
Tape
Cut out the mini-book pages (pages 1718)

along the thick, solid lines. Fold each in half
along the dashed lines so the text is visible on
both sides.
Stapler
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
15
Coral Reef
More to Do
Go Fish
Living things depend on
one another to stay alive
and healthy. Challenge
students to research the
following coral reef fish and
report how they interact
with other reef life: cleaner
fish, damselfish, clown fish,
false cleaner fish, pearl fish,
parrot fish, flashlight fish.
5
6
Resources
One Small Square: Coral Reef
by Donald M. Silver and
Patricia J. Wynne (McGrawHill, 1998).
Focusing on the Great Barrier

Reef, this book examines a
small patch of reef and all of
the creatures that live there.
Cut out the magnifying glass, the NEW CORALS piece, and the map
(page 19).
Place the magnifying glass over
the stony cup on page 2 of the
mini-book so the circles overlap.
Tape the handle to the minibook, as shown.
Tape the map to page 4 of the
mini-book.
Fold the flap on the NEW CORALS
piece and tape over the EMPTY
CUP area in the lower left of the
mini-books page 3. Place pages 1
and 2 on top of 3 and staple the
mini-book together along the left
spine, as shown.
Cut out the animals (page 19).
Tape them to pages 2, 3, and 4
of the book as desired.
http://www.seaworld.org/
animal-info/info-books/
coral/index.htm
This Web site is chock-full of

reef information, including
animals that live in a reef
and ways to conserve reefs.
Invite students to color, assemble, and read their mini-books. Then check
for understanding by asking them these questions:
1
2
3
4
16
How is a coral reef made? (A coral reef is created from the stony cups
built by tiny coral animals to protect themselves. New cups are built on
top of empty cups left behind by coral animals that have already died.)
Describe a coral animal. (A coral animal is a tiny creature that captures
food with its stinging tentacles, makes a stony cup to protect its soft body,
and builds reefs.)
Name some animals that live on coral reefs. (Brightly colored fish, giant
clams, purple sponges, eels, crabs, sea stars, shrimps, etc.)
What is the largest reef in the world and where is it found? (The Great
Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia)
Coral Reef
Striped
damselfish
Reef shark
R
l
a
e
r
ef
o
C
Grouper
Basket
sponge
Shrimp
A coral reef is home to brightly

colored fish, giant clams, and
purple sponges. Eels, crabs,
sea stars, and shrimps live
here, too. Thats why sharks
come to hunt for a tasty meal!
Brittle
star
Moray
eel
Tape magnifying
glass here.
Leaf
coral
Butterfly
fish
Star coral
Lift the magnifying glass.

See the tiny coral animal? It
captures food with its stinging
tentacles. Each coral makes a
hard, stony cup to live in.
The stony cup is part of a reef.
Stony cup
tentacles
Staghorn
coral
Sea
star
Crab
17
Coral Reef
Elkhorn coral
Parrot fish
Columnar
coral
Fungus coral
Empty cup
Brain coral
A reef is an underwater
wonderland made from these
cups. Most cups are empty.
The animals inside have died
long ago. New corals build
their cups on top of empty
ones. What do these corals
shapes remind you of?
Leaf
coral
4
Easy Make & Learn Projects: Animal Habitats
Tape map here.
The Great Barrier Reef off

the coast of Australia is the
largest reef in the world.
It is in danger because
of pollution and careless
divers and boats.
Scholastic Teaching Resources
2010 by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J. Wynne,
18
Coral Reef
Sea fan
Pacific
octopus
Moorish idol
Queen trigger
fish
MAGNIFYING
GLASS
Goby
fish
Blue
sea star
Giant green sea

anemone
Pacific
white-sided
dolphin
Moon
jellyfish
New corals
Great
Barrier Reef
Australia
Damselfish
Butterfly fish
19
Desert
Compare day and night in the Sonoran and
Sahara deserts with this back-to-back mini-book.
Habitat Hallmarks
eserts cover about one-fifth of the earths land surface and can be found on all the
continents, except Europe. Deserts receive less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain each
year. The entire amount may fall over just a few days, a few weeks, or not at all.
Parts of the Sahara Desert in northern Africa have received no rain for 20 years.
Stretching from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, the Sahara is the largest desert in the
world. It covers more than 3.5 million square miles (9 million sq km). Much of the desert
consists of stony plains swept free of sand by desert winds, but large areas are also covered
by sand dunes. Summer temperatures typically reach up to 110F (43C). The highest
temperature on Earth136F (58C)was recorded in the Sahara in 1922. During winter
nights, however, temperatures can plunge to below freezing. With such intense conditions,
few kinds of animals can survive herejackals, jerboas, lizards, cobras, oryx, aoudads, and
the worlds deadliest scorpion. About 3 million people also call the Sahara home, and many
still use camels to travel around the desert. Palms and a few plants grow at oases, nourished
by underground water.
The Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States, on the other hand, contains
the greatest diversity of desert plants found anywhere. This desert is only about 120,000
square miles (311,000 sq km), but it is home to saguaro cacti that grow up to 50 feet (15
m) tall; yuccas that store water in their stems; shrubs that grow leaves only when it rains;
and American mesquite trees with roots that reach deep underground for water. Daytime
temperatures can reach above 115F (46C), and so most animals here hide under rocks, in
plant holes, or in underground burrows. When the desert cools off at night, these animals
come out to hunt for food. But they would do well to watch out for other night predators,
such as tarantulas, rattlesnakes, and Gila monsters, which use poison to kill their prey.
Materials
Reproducible pages
2224
Scissors
Tape
Stapler
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
20
1
2

Cut out the mini-book pages along the
thick, solid lines.
Desert
4
5
6
7
Cut out the center of each cover

along the thick, solid lines. Then
cut out the text block from the
center of each piece. Tape each
text block to the back of its
respective cover, as shown.
Cut the windows on the interior
page so they fold open, as shown.
Place the page with spot art
behind the interior page so that
the illustrations match behind
their respective windows.
Fold the pages in half along the
dashed lines. Place the Sonoran
Desert cover on top of the cactus
illustration.
Turn the mini-book over and
place the Sahara Desert cover on
top of the sand dune illustration.
Staple the mini-book at left, as
shown.
More to Do
Desert World
Invite students to research
other deserts, such as the
Gobi in east-central Asia,
Death Valley in the United
States, the Kalahari in
southern Africa, the Arabian
on the Arabian Peninsula,
and the Atacama in Chile
and Peru. Describe the
plants and animals in each
desert and how they are
adapted to survive. You
may also want to encourage
students to find out
about the dinosaur fossils
discovered in the Gobi
Desert.
Resources
One Small Square: Cactus
Desert by Donald M. Silver
and Patricia J. Wynne
(McGraw-Hill, 1998).
Students explore the

wonders of the Sonoran
Desert by day, by night, and
after it rains.
Invite students to color, assemble, and read their mini-books. Have them
read the Sonoran Desert side first, then turn over the book to read about
the Sahara Desert. Check students understanding by asking them these
questions:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.
edu/exhibits/biomes/
deserts.php
1
2
3
4
How are the Sonoran and Sahara deserts alike? (Both are very hot
and dry, but cool down at night.)
Photographs and simple text

offer a glimpse of different
types of deserts around the
world.
How are the two deserts different? (Different plants and animals live
in each desert. The Sahara has sand dunes and oases, and the Sonoran
Desert doesnt.)
Where do cactuses get water? (They store water when it rains.)
When do animals come out in the desert? (Most come out in the
morning before it gets too hot and at night when the desert cools.)
21
Desert 5 Cover
Sahara Desert
Most of the Sahara is stony and flat.
In some parts, winds blow sand into
hills, called dunes. Some sand dunes
are more than a hundred feet high.
Cut out.
Sonoran Desert
Hedgehog
Cactus
wren
Some animals hunt for food in the

morning. To escape the afternoon
heat, they hide in holes, under
rocks, or underground.
Desert tortoise
Cut out.
Horned
lizard
The Sonoran desert is very hot and dry.

It does not rain here very often. When it rains,
cactuses store water inside them. Without
water, they cannot stay alive.
22
Gambels quail
Sandgrouse and chicks
The Sahara Desert is very hot and dry.

Palms and other plants grow in the deserts oases.
Water comes from deep underground.
Desert 5 Interior pages

Lanner falcon
Dromedary camels
Scimitar-horned
oryx
Horned
viper
Spiny
mouse
Desert
wheatear
Aoudad
These animals come out in the morning before the

Sahara heats up. Open the flaps to see creatures
that come out in the cool Sahara night.
Turkey vulture
Harriss
hawk
Spiny-tailed
lizard
Vermillion
flycatcher
Gila
woodpecker
Hummingbird
Roadrunner
Saguaro
cactus
Pronghorn
Antelope
squirrel
Whiptail
lizard
Lift the flaps. These animals come out at night

when it is cool. Watch out! Both rattlesnakes
and Gila monsters are poisonous.
Jackrabbit
23
Desert 5 Insert
Scorpion
Jerboa
Fennec
fox
Sphinx
moth
24
Bobcat
Javelina
Diamondback
rattlesnake
Gila monster
Bat
Elf
owl
Grassland
Compare the American prairie to
the African savanna with this double-sided diorama.
Habitat Hallmarks
rasslands are mostly flat or gently sloping regions where, as the name implies,
grasses grow predominantly. These include the prairies in North America, the
African savanna, the pampas in South America, the South African veldt, and the
steppes in Central Asia.
The North American prairies extend south from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta
in Canada, across the Great Plains in the United States, and down to southern Texas and
nearby Mexico; and from the Rocky Mountains about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) east to
Indiana. Seasonal rains deliver 10 to 30 inches (25 to 75 cm) of precipitation each year.
Grasses grow tallest in those parts where it rains the most. Grass roots hold the soil in place
while underground grass stems keep growing even after herds of bison, cattle, and other
grass-eaters feed on leaves and stems that grow aboveground. Prairie dogs and gophers dig
underground tunnels to escape eagles, hawks, and other predators. However, ferrets and
snakes often slip inside these same tunnels, waiting to prey on these underground dwellers.
Much larger animals live in the African savanna, which stretches across more than 25
countries. During its short rainy season, 30 to 40 inches (75 to 100 cm) of rain may fall,
spurring the growth of acacia trees, baobabs, and other non-grass plants scattered across
the savanna. The animals that live here include the largest (elephant), the fastest (cheetah),
and the tallest (giraffe) land animals in the world. Large herds of zebras and wildebeests, as
well as other herbivores, graze on savanna grasses. They are preyed upon by fast, powerful
lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hunting dogs. Vultures, jackals, and hyenas scavenge for dead
animals to eat. As dry season approaches, plant-eaters migrate in search of water and food,
but return again with the rain.
1
2
3

lines. Cut open the centers on pages 28 and 29.
Be careful not to cut the dashed lines.
Fold page 27 in half along the dashed line so
the illustrated backgrounds are facing out.
Materials
Reproducible pages
2729
Scissors
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
25
Grassland
More to Do
Keep on Growing
Even though animals keep

eating grass, grasslands
dont run out of it.
Challenge students to find
out why. Give students a
hint by asking how many
of them have lawns that are
mowed. What happens to
the lawn after it is mowed?
(Grass-eaters help grass
plants keep growing for the
same reason.)
6
7
8
Resources
Tape the ostrich and lion to the background with the elephants.
Tape the giraffe and fishing eagle to the
African Savanna front piece, as shown.
Tape both sides of the front piece to the
illustrated background, as shown.
Tape the African savanna text to the
bottom front, as shown.
Turn the diorama over. Fold back the
sides of the underground piece along
the dashed lines. Tape the ferret inside
the tunnel, as shown. Then tape the
entire underground piece to the bottom
of the prairie background, as shown.
Prairie Food Chains by

Kelley MacAulay and Bobbie
Kalman (Crabtree, 2005).
Explore the North American

prairie with this book
that includes information
about prairie habitats, food
chains, and ways animals
survive.
10 Tape the coyote and the hawk to the
http://www.blueplanet
biomes.org/savanna.htm
For advanced readers, this

site is full of facts about
savannas, including the
African and Australian
tropical savanna.
prairie front piece, as shown.
11 Repeat steps 6 and 7 on the prairie side

to complete the diorama.

1
2
3
4
26
Tape the gopher, owls, and prairie dog

to the illustrated background.
Why are the American prairie and the African savanna considered
grasslands? (Because mostly grasses grow in both places)
How are the prairie and savanna alike? How are they different? (Both
are mostly flat grasslands. Very few trees grow on the prairie, but trees are
scattered about on the savanna.)
What do prairie animals eat? (Cattle eat grass, while other animals hunt
prairie dogs and gophers.)
What are the largest, fastest, and tallest savanna animals? (The elephant
is the largest, the cheetah is the fastest, and the giraffe is the tallest.)
Grassland
AMERICAN PRAIRIE
Cattle
Pronghorn
Cheetah
Green
monkey
Zebras
Rock
hyrax
Hippopotamus
Termite
mound
AFRICAN SAVANNA
UNDERGROUND
Baby
prairie dogs
rowing o
w
Bu r
l
Tape here.
Tape here.
Prairie
dog
Rattlesnake
African elephants
27
e
Tap e.
her
AMERICAN PRAIRIE FRONT PIECE
Herds of cattle chomp on the tall grasses that grow on the prairie.
Very few trees can be found on this vast, flat land.
Near the cattle, prairie dogs and gophers pop out

of tunnels they dug underground. If they sense
danger, they quickly run back in. Sometimes
hawks grab them before they reach safety.
Sometimes snakes and ferrets sneak into the
tunnels to catch their meal.
Cricket
Cut out.
in g
owls
Swainsons
hawk
28
Ta
he pe
re.
Prairie
dog
ro
Black-footed ferret
Gopher
Bur
Harvest
mouse
The American Prairie
Grass
spider
Yellow
sulfur
butterfly
Painted lady
butterfly
Grassland
Coyote
Lion
Ostrich
Tortoise
Cut out.
e
Tap e.
her
AFRICAN SAVANNA FRONT PIECE
The mostly flat African savanna has plenty of grass for zebras and
other animals to nibble on. As they feed, zebras watch out for hungry
lions that may attack them.
The largest savanna animal is the African elephant.

It can weigh 7 tons! The fastest is the cheetah. It
can run 70 miles per hour! The tallest animal, the
giraffe, can nibble on leaves growing on tall trees.
Ta
he pe
re.
Agama
lizard
The African Savanna
Dung
beetle
Octavia
butterfly
Dwarf
mongoose
Grassland
ing
Fish le
eag
Giraffe
29
Island
Learn what animals live on the Galpagos Islands and
how they arrived there with this map-like manipulative.
Habitat Hallmarks
A
Resources
Galpagos Means
Tortoises by Ruth Heller
(Gibbs Smith, 2003).
With rhyming text and

detailed illustrations, this
book reveals how giant
tortoises, blue-footed
boobies, marine iguanas,
and other creatures survive
on the Galpagos Islands.
http://www.
wildmadagascar.org/kids/
Learn about Madagascar,

another island nation, at
this site. Students can tour
Madagascar and learn about
its unique animals and
plants, as well as about its
environmental problems.
30
n island is land completely surrounded by water, whether by an

ocean, lake, or river. The largest island in the world is the nation of
Greenland. (Australia, which is three times bigger than Greenland,
is considered a continent.) Depending on its size and location, an island
may contain several habitats. All islands have shorelines; some might
also have mountains, rivers, lakes, ponds, deserts, wetlands, grasslands,
tundra, or forests. Some land animals might swim to and from islands if
they are near the mainland or the shore of a river or lake. Others might be
transported to an island on a floating tree branch or tree trunk.
Some of the animals that live on the Galpagos Islands may have first
arrived there in this manner. The 13 large and six smaller volcanic islands
of the Galpagos lie about 600 miles (965 km) off the west coast of
South America. They are so isolated that many of the plants and animals
on these islands live nowhere else in the world. Because the islands (and
more than a hundred islets) are home to giant tortoises that can weigh
up to 600 pounds (272 kg), the islands were named Galpagos after the
Spanish word for tortoise. Just as impressive as the tortoises are its yardlong (1-m) marine iguanas and 5-foot-long (1.5-m) land iguanas, as well
as sea lions, red crabs, foot-long centipedes, frigate birds, boobies, even
penguins!
Cacti, which grow in the hot, dry desert-like parts of the Galpagos
Islands, provide food for the giant tortoise. Tall trees rise in the islands
rainy, mountainous regions. Some of the islands, however, are desolate
with just a few hardy plants. Land iguanas may feed on plant leaves and
berries, while marine iguanas fill their stomachs with abundant seaweeds.
Because of its natural wonders, the Galpagos Islands get more and
more visitors every year. Unfortunately this onslaught of tourists may be
harming the islands and the animals that live there. Some people bring
new animals that compete with the native animals for food and may even
eat them. In recent years, Ecuador, which owns the Galpagos Islands, has
introduced laws to protect this important habitat.
Island
1
2
3

Cut out the pages with the islands along the thick, solid lines.
Tape the two pages together.
Cut out each animal, one at a time. Read the animals name and the
island on which it belongs. Find the island and tape the animal on it.
Tape the rafting lizard in the lower left corner of the model to show
that it is drifting toward the islands.
Materials
Reproducible pages
3234
Scissors
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)

Invite students to color, assemble, and read the text on their
manipulatives. Explain that only 12 of the islands are shown with their
Spanish and English names. Check students understanding by asking
them these questions:
1
2
3
4
What is an island? (Land completely surrounded by water)

Why do you think the islands are named Galpagos? (They are named
for the giant tortoises that live there. The Spanish word for tortoise is
galpago.)
Describe the Galpagos Islands. (They are located off the coast of South
America; some islands have volcanoes that no longer erupt; some have
deserts; some have mountains.)
More to Do
Grow Me an Island
The Hawaiian Islands stretch
across more than 1,500 miles
(2,400 km) in the middle of
the Pacific Ocean. Challenge
students to find out how
these islands formed and
why there will be more
islands in the future.
How do animals get to the Galpagos Islands? (Birds fly there, sea
animals swim, an animal might drift there on a tree branch.)
31
32
Fernandina
(Narborough)
Galapagos
e
h
T
Islands
Isabela
(Albemarle)
Rabida
(Jervis)
Pinta
(Abingdon)
Pinzon
(Duncan)
Floreana
(Charles)
Santiago
(James)
Santa Cruz
(Indefatigable)
Marchena
(Bindloe)
Island
Genovesa
(Tower)
San Cristobal
Ga
l
wk
ha
os
g
pa
Sea
lion
u
ig
Ma
rin
e
Galpagos hawk
Santiago
is e
Abingdon torto
Espanola
(Hood)
La
Sea lion
San Cristobal
(Chatham)
ff the coast of South America

lie the Galpagos Islands. Each
island is completely surrounded by
water. Some islands have volcanoes
that no longer erupt. Some have
deserts, while others have mountains.
These islands are home to giant
tortoises ( galpagos in Spanish),
marine iguanas, and land iguanas.
There are even Galpagos penguins!
Birds fly to these islands, and sea
animals swim there. See the little lizard
drifting on a tree branch? On which
island do you think it will land?
Island
i gu
an
a
Marine iguana
Everywhere
a
an
Sharp-beaked
ground finch
Abingdon tortoise
Land iguana
Sharp-beaked ground finch
Pinta
Fernandina
Santiago
Tape here.
33
Narborough
tortoise
Cactus finch
an
t
h tortoise
oug
or
rb
Espanola
tle
ss
c
or
Fernandina
or
Na
Island
Flightless
cormorant
Fli
gh
Cactus finch
Fernandina
Fur seal
Rabida
Fur
seal
Warbler
finch
ow
Br
Warbler finch
np
Galpagos
penguin
can
e li
Marchena
Galpagos penguin
Isabela
Du
nc
an
or
is
to
Duncan tortoise
Brown pelican
Pinzon
Flamingo
San Cristobal
Santa Cruz
Flamingo
Bl u
e-fo
Woodpecker
finch
oted booby
Blue-footed booby
Lizard on branch
Espanola
Woodpecker finch
Isabela
ng
Lo
Red-footed
booby
Genovesa
l
-bi
Tree finch
l ed
b
ing
ck
mo
ird
34
Long-billed
mockingbird
Floreana
Tree finch
Redfooted
booby
Marchena
Marsh
Discover some of the secrets of life in a marsh
with this lift-and-look mini-book.
Habitat Hallmarks
arshes are a type of wetlandland that stays wet all the time or for most
of the year. Wetlands are found worldwide in lowland areas. Marshes can
contain freshwater or salt water, depending on where they are located. The
water can be as deep as 6.6 feet (2 m).
Marshes are typically treelessunlike bogs and swamps, which are other types
of wetlands. Grasses, sedges, cattails and other plants grow in and around marshes.
Sedges look like grasses but have solid, triangular stems. Grass stems are hollow
and round. Water lily flowers and leaves float on the water and are connected by a
leafstalk to their stems buried in the mud below. Sago pondweed grows below the
water surface. Pitcher plants and bladderworts trap flies and other insects, then
digest their bodies to absorb nitrogen and minerals the plants need to grow.
Marsh plants provide ducks, bitterns, herons, and other birds with places to nest,
rest, and hide from predators. Theres also plenty of food to eat. Mosquitoes, flies,
dragonflies, and mayflies are common in marshes, as are frogs, turtles, and water
snakes. Large fishing spiders capture fish and other prey with their front legs, then
bite and inject venom into their victims. Green water snakes are not poisonous, but
can swim easily as they hunt for fish to eat.
Wetlands are important because by holding water, they help prevent flooding,
especially when rivers rise during and after powerful storms. When wetlands slowly
return water to rivers, they release it through the soil. The soil filters out harmful
materials in the water, such as chemicals that come from factories and homes.
Materials
Reproducible pages
3739
Scissors
Cut out all three pages along the thick,

solid outer lines. Cut open the windows
along the thick, solid lines.
Stapler
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
35
Marsh
More to Do
Where Do They Come

From?
Where do marshes and
bogs come from? Challenge
students to find out how a
pond turns into a marsh and
how a lake turns into a bog.
How long can it take for this
to happen?
Fold each page along the horizontal dashed line with the illustrations
facing out. Then fold again along the center dashed lines.
Open the pages with the

windows and the spot
illustrations. Place the page
with the spot illustrations
behind the other page so that
an illustration is centered
behind each window. Refold
the pages.
Place the refolded pages inside

the folded cover pages, as
shown.
Resources
About Habitats: Wetlands
by Cathryn Sill (Peachtree,
2008).
In this beautifully illustrated

and simply written book,
students are introduced
to wetlands, including the
variety of life in them and
their importance to people
and nature.
http://www.mbgnet.net/
fresh/wetlands/index.htm
Click on the links to find out

what freshwater wetlands
are, what lives in them, why
they are important, and why
they are in danger.

Invite students to color, assemble, and read their mini-books, opening
each window as they read. Then check for understanding by asking them
these questions:
1
2
3
4
36
Open the mini-book to

the center page and staple
together.
What is a marsh? (A marsh is a wetland, which means its stays wet all or
most of the year.)
What plants grow in marshes? (Grasses, sedges, cattails, water lilies,
pondweed)
Why do some marsh plants trap insects? (For food)
Why are marshes not wastelands? (They are home to lots of plants and
animals.)
Marsh
2
Fishing
spider
Snapping
turtle
Green
water snake
Water lily
Mallard
duck
No trees grow in marshes.

But lots of other plants do.
Grasses, sedges, and cattails
grow here. Water lily flowers
and leaves float on the water.
Great blue
heron
Gull
A saltwater marsh near the

ocean also has many plants and
animals. Remember, wetlands
are not wastelands. They are
home to lots of living things.
Mallard
duck
Cordgrass
Egret
Killifish
Fiddler
crab
Periwinkle
snail
Life in
a Marsh
Shrimp
Oyster
Mussel
elcome to this freshwater

marsh. It is a wetland. The land
stays wet all or most of the year. This
marsh is under six feet of water.
Eelgrass
1
37
Marsh
3
6
Theres food for everyone in
the marsh. Some animals feed
on plants. Birds, turtles, and
snakes feed on fish. Even a
spider fishes for food.
Pondweed grows
underwater. What
eats pondweed?
Lift the flap to see.
Mallard duck
Splash! What
bird just dived
underwater to
find food?
Bulrush
Sedge
American
bittern
Tiny
marsh
life
Cattail
Yellow-throated
warbler
Sedge
Pussy
willow
The marsh buzzes with flies

and other insects. Watch
out! Pitcher plants and
bladderworts trap insects for
food. Lift the flap to see what
the bladderwort caught.
What bird hides in

plants that match
its colors? Lift the
flap to see.
Pitcher
plant
Bladderwort
Pondweed
Fish, frogs, turtles, ducks, and water

snakes swim among the water plants.
Bullfrog
4
38
Duckweed
Red-eared
slider
Tadpole
Marsh 5 Insert
Young
insect
Bladders catch larva
Woodcock
Pied-billed
grebe
Mallard
duck
39
Mountain
Explore a mountains dierent zones in this
back-to-back diorama that features its forests and meadow.
Habitat Hallmarks
mountain is any elevated area that has two or more climate zones that change
as the altitude increases. In general, the higher the altitude, the cooler and
wetter the climate. Each zone supports a different type of habitat.
At the bottom of a mountain, a broadleaf (deciduous) forest might grow. This
type of forest is filled with flowering trees, such as maples, oaks, elms, beeches, and
hickory trees, whose broad leaves change color and fall off in autumn. The fallen
leaves decay and return nutrients to the soil, feeding other trees and forest plants,
such as bushes, shrubs, mosses, and other ground plants.
Higher up the mountain, the broadleaf forest might give way to cone-bearing
(coniferous) trees, such as firs, spruces, and hemlocks. They grow waxy, needlelike
leaves that do not fall in autumn. Such leaves can survive long, cold winters as well as
months when little rain falls. The soil, however, is often thin and poor in nutrients.
Both forests are home to many animals. Some birds live in the woods all year long,
while others fly to warmer places for the winter. Squirrels scurry along branches to
search for food and escape danger. Engraver beetles tunnel beneath tree bark. Forest
deer and rabbits feed on plants and in turn are preyed upon by foxes, bears, and
wolves. Under fallen leaves, the soil crawls with insects, spiders, worms, and snails.
Wildlife is not as varied higher up in the alpine zone, where few, if any, trees can
grow. Winters are bitterly cold in this zone. But in the warm summer months, its
mountain pastures come alive with plants and animals. Depending on the height of
the mountain, its top may be covered in ice and snow year-round. The area near the
top of a mountain where trees can no longer grow is called the tree line.
Materials
Reproducible pages
4244
Scissors
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
40
1
2
3

Cut out the background page along the thick,
solid lines. Fold the sheet in half along the dashed
line and tape the halves together, as shown.
Cut out the two foreground pieces along the
thick, solid lines.
M o u n ta i n
5
6
7
Turn the diorama so the MOUNTAIN

FOREST side faces you. Take the
foreground piece with the beaver
and tape the left edge to the
diorama, as shown. Then tape the
right edge to the diorama.
Turn the diorama around so the MOUNTAIN MEADOW faces
you. Repeat step 4 with the other foreground. The completed
back-to-back diorama should stand.
Cut out the animals. Tape the wolf, fox, moose, pine marten,
lynx, and puma to the MOUNTAIN FOREST foreground and
background.
Tape the rest of the animals to
the MOUNTAIN MEADOW side of
the diorama, both on the lower
half of the background and to the
foreground. Tape the eagle near the
top of the background.
Tape the corresponding text boxes
to the bottom of the foregrounds,
as shown.

Invite students to color, assemble, and read their manipulatives. Then
check for understanding by asking them these questions:
1
2
3
4
What is a mountain? (A landform that rises a thousand feet or more

above the land around it.)
What is the deciduous forest at the bottom of the mountain like?
(Maples, oaks, and elms grow here. Their broad leaves change color and
fall off in autumn.)
More to Do
Mountain Zones
Not all mountains are like
the one described in this
chapter. Challenge students
to find out how plant and
animal life changes on a
mountain in Arizona where
cactuses grow. If there are
mountains in your state,
have students do the same
for one of those mountains.
Resources
About Habitats: Mountains
by Cathryn Sill and John Sill
(Peachtree, 2009).
Simple text and beautiful

illustrations feature
mountains around the world
and animals and plants that
live there.
http://wwf.panda.
org/about_our_earth/
ecoregions/about/habitat_
types/habitats/mountains/
This easy-to-navigate
Web site gives a quick
description of the mountain
habitats and the animals
that live there.
Describe the coniferous forest that grows higher up on the mountain.

(The trees stay green all year.)
Describe the meadow above the coniferous forest. (Trees dont grow
there. It is bitterly cold in winter, but in summer it is alive with plants
and animals.)
41
Mountain
MOUNTAIN
MEADOW
Marmot
Warbler
Nuthatch
Porcupine
Elk
Grizzly
bear
MOUNTAIN
FOREST
42
Swans
Mountain
MOUNTAIN
FOREST
ANIMALS
Puma
Squirrel
Lynx
MOUNTAIN FOREST FOREGROUND
Moose
Fox
Pine
marten
Wolf
Ta
he pe
re.
Beaver
e
Tap e.
r
e
h
MOUNTAIN FOREST
A mountain rises a thousand feet or more above the
land around it. At the bottom of this mountain grows
a deciduous forest with maples, oaks, and elms.
Their broad leaves change color and fall in autumn.
Higher up the mountain, a coniferous forest grows.
Firs, spruces, and hemlocks stay green all year.
What animals live in this forest?
43
Mountain
Grizzly bear
agl
de
Bal
Pine marten
Pica
MOUNTAIN
MEADOW
ANIMALS
Bighorn sheep
Mountain
goats
Marmo
MOUNTAIN MEADOW FOREGROUND
Ptarmigan
Ta
he pe
re.
e
Tap e.
her
MOUNTAIN MEADOW
The mountain gets colder the higher up it goes.
Above the tree line, where the coniferous forest
ends, trees dont grow. Winters are bitterly cold
this high up on a mountain. But in the warm summer
months, the mountain meadow comes alive with
plants and animals. In higher mountains, snow and
ice cover the top all year long.
44
Ocean
Flip open the pages of this mini-book
to shed light on the layers of the ocean.
Habitat Hallmarks
he ocean covers about 71 percent of the earth. The shallow part of the ocean
lies above the continental shelf, which extends from the shoreline to the edge
of each continent. Beyond that, the ocean can be more than six miles deep.
Sunlight reaches to about 492 feet (150 m) beneath the waters surface. Within
this sunlit zone live one-celled algae that make up the plant plankton. Like plants,
algae make food using energy from the sun. One-celled animals, copepods,
shrimp-like krill, and baby fish make up the animal plankton, which feed on algae.
Plankton serves as food for small fish, basking sharks, and toothless whales. Killer
whales, meat-eating sharks, and other large fish swim in to feast on the millions of
small fish attracted to plankton-rich waters.
Beneath the sunlit zone is the twilight zone, where light is very dim. During
the day, shrimps, small fish, and even some animal plankton might dive there to
hide from predators. As darkness falls, these hiders rise to feed. Somewhere in the
twilight zone a sperm whale might hunt for a giant squid to eat.
Below the twilight zone are the cold waters of the zone of darkness. There, the
only light comes from special body parts on some fish. By flashing light, these fish
can attract a mate or a meal, or scare away a predator. Very few animals live in the
near total darkness, and no plants grow there. Food particles that sink from the
upper zones provide food for these deep-sea dwellers.
Still farther down, chemicals seep out of openings in parts of the deep-sea floor.
Bacteria use these chemicals to make food. The bacteria live inside some deep-sea
creatures, such as tube worms, and share food with them.
Materials
1
2
Photocopy pages 4749. Cut out all the pieces

along the thick, solid outer lines.
Fold down THE OCEAN piece along the dashed
line, as shown. Fold down the blank part of the
ZONE OF DARKNESS piece along the dashed line.
Reproducible pages
4749
Scissors
Tape
Blue construction
paper or white paper
to be colored
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
45
Ocean
More to Do
Deep Sea Dive
The Mariana Trench in the
Pacific Ocean is the deepest
part of the sea. Challenge
students to find out about
the trench: where it is,
how people reach it, and
what lives there. Encourage
students to draw maps
and pictures about this
mysterious part of the
planet.
Resources
I Wonder Why the Sea Is
Salty and Other Questions
About the Oceans by Anita
Ganeri (Kingfisher, 2003).
Theres more to learn about

the ocean than the animals
that live in it. This book
answers basic questions
most students have about
the ocean.
http://www.cybrary.org/
ocean.htm
Theres an oceanful of
information on this site,
ranging from sea life to
waves and tides to the sea
floor to the deep ocean
trenches.
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Insert the folded ZONE OF DARKNESS

piece into THE OCEAN piece. Matching
up their folds, tape the two pieces
together, as shown.
On the blank page under the SUNLIT
ZONE, tape the TWILIGHT ZONE text box
and the animal piece for page 2, as
shown.
Lift page 3. Tape the DEEP SEA FLOOR
text box on the blank page. Tape the
animal piece for page 4 at the bottom
of the page, as shown.
Tape the cutout piece with five fish
above the whale on page 2. Tape the
jellyfish to the left of the SUNLIT ZONE,
as shown.
Tape the nautilus with its tentacles
sticking out anywhere on page 3.
Tape the remaining pieces around THE
OCEAN at the top of the book.

1
2
3
4
46
Lift THE OCEAN flap and tape the SUNLIT

ZONE on the underside.
What are the four zones in the ocean where creatures live? (Sunlit
zone, twilight zone, zone of darkness, deep-sea floor)
What makes up plankton? What eats it? (Algae that make food and
one-celled animals make up plankton. It is food for small fish and some
sharks and whales.)
Describe the twilight zone. (This part of the ocean is dim because little
sunlight reaches the twilight zone. Some fish hide there. Whales hunt
squids to eat.)
Where does light come from in the zone of darkness? (Certain fish
give off light to attract animals to eat.)
Sperm
whale
TWILIGHT ZONE
Very little sunlight reaches down to the twilight

zone. Some small fish dive here to hide during
the day. In the cover of night, they swim up to eat
plankton. In these depths, a hungry sperm whale
might battle with a giant squid in order to eat.
47
Swordfish
Tiger shark
Giant squid
c
O
e
a
e
n
h
T
Ocean
Ocean 5 tk
Ocean
Tube worms
Tripod fish
Stomach
eel
DEEP-SEA FLOOR
Anglerfish
Lanternfish
The deep-sea floor is miles below the surface of the

water. Bits of food slowly sink from above. A tripod
fish inches along on its three very long fins. Giant tube
worms sway back and forth. Every year, new kinds of
life are found at the bottom of the ocean.
No sunlight ever reaches the zone of darkness. But

flashes of light might blink from fish, such as anglerfish
and eels. These fish give off light to attract animals into
their large, open jaws. The water temperature stays
very cold this far down in the ocean.
Snipe eel
Sea
pen
48
ZONE OF DARKNESS
Ocean
SUNLIT ZONE
Nautilus
ish
lyf
el
Plankton
In sunlit parts of the ocean, tiny algae use the suns

energy to make food. Algae, along with equally tiny
animals, make up plankton. Plankton serves as food
for small fish. In turn, bigger fish prey on the small
fish. The sunlit zone teems with life.
Gull
Sea
turtle
Dolphin
Plan
Mackerels
kto
49
Polar Regions
Turn the double-sided wheel to learn
about the Arctic and Antarctic regions
and their food chains.
Habitat Hallmarks
N
Resources
Here Is Antarctica by
Madeleine Dunphy
(Web of Life, 2008).
This book of verse relates

how penguins, seals, fish,
and other animals form the
food web that keeps the
Antarctic alive.
http://www.seaworld.org/
animal-info/info-books/
penguin/index.htm
This excellent site provides

a wealth of information
about penguins, including
physical characteristics,
diet, and hatching of young.
There are even penguin calls
to listen to.
50
orth of the tundra lies the Arctic Ocean, which until recently
was almost completely covered by floating ice. This ocean, along
with land at the tips of North America, Greenland, and Eurasia,
make up the Arctic. On the opposite side of the world lies the Antarctic,
comprised of the continent of Antarctica and the ocean waters that
surround it. Glaciers more than half a mile (l km) thick cover Antarctica.
Because the North Pole is in the Arctic and the South Pole is in the
Antarctic, these areas are referred to as the polar regions.
The Arctic and the Antarctic are the two coldest places on earth.
Winters last six to nine months. In summer, the Antarctic temperature
rarely rises above freezing, though it may reach 50F (10C) in the
Arctic. Around the North and South Poles, summer brings 24 hours of
daylight, while winter months are spent in complete darkness.
Despite its extreme conditions, the Arctic is home to polar bears,
Arctic foxes, seals, walruses, and whales. Polar bears grow thick fur to
stay warm throughout the frigid winter. Seals and walruses rely on a layer
of fat, called blubber, to insulate them from the cold. Walruses use their
tusks to dig for food and to pull themselves out of the water. Seals swim
underwater to hunt for fish, squids, and krill.
The cold waters around Antarctica also teem with millions of
creatures, including one-celled algae and animals that make up plankton,
which forms the base of the Antarctic food web. They are eaten by
shrimplike krill, which in turn are food for fish, great blue whales,
and penguins. Killer whales hunt fish, seals, and penguins. Millions
of penguins live on the Antarctic continent, where they form colonies
and huddle together to keep warm. To protect themselves from the
cold, penguins have a thick layer of blubber under their skin and have
waterproof feathers. Though penguins cant fly, they are excellent
swimmers, skillfully darting in and out of the water to hunt fish and
escape predators.
Po l a r R e g i o n s

Cut out the four pieces along the thick, solid lines.
Cut open the windows on the circles.
Reproducible pages
5255
Scissors
2
4
Materials
Place the ARCTIC circle with

the open windows on top
of the ARCTIC piece with the
animals. Repeat with the
ANTARCTIC pieces.
Tape
Brass fastener
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
Insert the brass fastener

through the black dots at the
center of the ARCTIC pieces.
Turn the pieces over. Insert
the fastener through the black
dots on the ANTARCTIC animal
and circle pieces, as shown.
Secure the fastener.

To reveal the animals in the food chains, have them turn each circle so that
the arrow above TOP PREDATOR is aligned to the triangle on the text
box. Check for students understanding by asking them these questions:
1
2
3
4
How are the Arctic and Antarctic alike and different? (The Arctic and
Antarctic are both covered in ice and are cold. The Arctic is mostly ocean
and some land; the Antarctic is mostly land surrounded by ocean.)
Where do polar bears live, and what do they eat? (Polar bears live in the
Arctic, where they eat ringed seals and fish.)
Where do leopard seals live, and what do they eat? (Leopard seals live in
the Antarctic, where they eat penguins, krill, and squids.)
More to Do
Arctic Melt
Recently, Arctic sea ice had
started to melt. Challenge
students to find out why,
and what scientists fear may
happen to the Arctic if the
ice disappears.
Why is plankton so important? (Plankton is food for squids and krill,

which in turn are food for seals, penguins, and fish, which are hunted by
polar bears and killer whales.)
51
Polar Regions
THE ARCTIC
Brrr. . . its cold at the top of the world. The Arctic is made
up of the ice-covered Arctic Ocean and land around it. In
the chilly water, squids and shrimp-like krill feed on tiny
algae and animals called plankton. Larger polar animals
eat the squids and fish. To keep warm, polar bears, seals,
and walruses have a layer of fatty blubber.
Polar bear
Ringed seal
Fish
Krill
52

2010 by Donald M. Silver and
Patricia J. Wynne, Scholastic
Teaching Resources
Squid
Polar Regions
THE ANTARCTIC
Brrr. . . its even colder at the bottom of the world.
Thick ice covers the continent of Antarctica. This
large landmass and the waters around it make up the
Antarctic. Millions of penguins nest on the thick ice each
year. They feed in the water along with killer whales,
seals, fish, squids, krill, and plankton.
Killer
whale
Leopard
seal

2010 by Donald M. Silver and
Patricia J. Wynne, Scholastic
Teaching Resources
Penguin
Krill
Squid
53
TS
EA
EA
TS
TS
EA
Cut out.
Cut out.
Cut out.
Cut out.
S PLAN
KTON
EAT
PREDATOR
TOP
C
I
CT
R
A
54
EA
Polar Regions
The
EATS
Arctic
TS
A
NT
TS
TS
EA
A
EA
Polar Regions
ED
TOP PR ATOR
C
I
CT
Cut out.
EAT
EA
T
The
EATS
Cut out.
Cut out.
Antarctic
EA
Cut out.
S PLAN
KTON
55
Pond
Turn this model to witness how pond life
changes with the seasons.
Habitat Hallmarks
Resources
Butternut Hollow Pond by
Brian J. Heinz (First Avenue
Editions, 2005).
Detailed illustrations and

informative text describe life
at a pond from sunrise to
sunset.
http://www.microscopy-uk.
org.uk/ponddip/index.html
Students dip into a jar of pond

water to learn about different
kinds of microscopic life that
live there.
56
pond is a small body of freshwater surrounded by land. It is

smaller and shallower than a lake. Water lilies, water hyacinths,
cattails, and other similar plants grow in ponds. The stem of a
water lily grows underwater while its leaves and flowers float on the
surface. Cattails and reeds grow along the waters edge. One-celled,
plant-like algae drift in the water with microscopic animals. Together,
these tiny organisms form freshwater plankton that serves as food for
small fish, water insects, and other larger animals.
In summer, animal life flourishes at every level of a pond. On
the waters surface, ducks paddle, water striders skate, and whirligig
beetles turn round and round. Fish, water bugs, and snails glide
below the surface. Tadpoles swim underwater, breathing through
gills. As they grow, they develop lungs that will help them breathe
air above water. The muddy pond bottom is crawling with hungry
crayfish and turtles in search of worms or dead creatures that sink
from above.
As autumn approaches, most pond birds fly off to warmer weather.
Lily flowers fall apart and their pads sink. Most insects die after laying
eggs. As the water chills, theres less food to eat, and fish, frogs, and
turtles move at a slower pace.
In the winter, a thin layer of ice might form over the pond surface.
This ice protects the cold water below from freezing solid as the
temperature continues to drop. Most fish can survive the cold water
under the ice. Frogs and turtles sleep through winter buried in the
mud.
With the arrival of spring, frogs and turtles awaken from their
winter sleep. As the days get warmer, plants such as pondweed start
growing, fish and frogs lay eggs, dragonflies and other insects hatch,
and algae start to multiply. Birds and other animals return to the
pond to hunt or nest. The pond comes back to life.
Po n d
1
2
3

Cut out all the pieces along the thick, solid lines.
Tape the right edge of WINTER to the left edge of SPRING; the right
of SPRING to the left of SUMMER; the right of SUMMER to the left of
AUTUMN; and the right of AUTUMN to the left of WINTER.
Scissors
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
Position the seasons on the circle base,

matching each season to its text. Tape
the bottom four corners to the dashed
lines on the base, as shown.
Reproducible pages
5860
Pinch one of the taped edges and tape

together along the top and bottom,
as shown. Repeat with the other three
taped edges.
1
2
Materials
In which season is the pond most active? (Summer)

What happens to the pond in autumn? (The lily flowers and insects are
gone. Pond life slows down, and there is less food to eat.)
Why is a layer of ice good for the pond in winter? (It protects pond
animals from cold winter weather.)
What happens to frogs in spring? (They awaken from their winter sleep
at the bottom of the pond and lay eggs.)
More to Do
Food Chains and Webs
Invite the class to make
a pond food-web poster.
Challenge each student to
select a pond animal and find
out what it eats and what
eats it. Have students draw
and label their food chains
on the poster and figure out
how they are interconnected
to form a food web.
57
Pond
Spring
Dragonfly
hatching
Eggs
ot
Sp
sa
ted
lamander
Insects
Swallow
Wood duck
Algae
Frog
eggs
Bluegill
Dace
Bullfrog
Red-winged
blackbird
Summer
Great blue
heron
Cattail
Ducklings
Swallow
Water lily
Mosquito
Caddis
fly
Whirligig
beetles
Green
dragonfly
Water
boatman
Diving
beetle
Dragonfly
larva
Tadpole
58
Snail
Giant
water
bug
Pond
Autumn
Canada
geese
Mallard
ducks
Water
strider
Deer
Bullfrog
Monarch butterfly
Bluegill
Winter
Owl
Crow
Raccoon
Cattail
Ice
Plankton
Largemouth
bass
Green sunfish
Water lily t
u
Painted
turtle
ber
Leopard frog
59
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60
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Pond
River
Unfold this mini-book to learn about plants
and animals that live in and around a river.
Habitat Hallmarks
river is a long body of water that constantly flows across the land to a sea or a lake.
The place where a river begins is called its source and where it flows into a sea or lake
is its mouth. Often, one river joins another as they make their way to the sea. Most
rivers are freshwater, though some may be salt water.
Near a rivers source, shallow water flows rapidly downhill, tumbling down waterfalls
and rushing over rocks. Algae that grow directly on rocks provide food for insects, such as
mayfly nymphs, that cling to the rocks using hooks or suckers. Under the rocks, crayfish
stay safe from the waters strong current. Strong swimmers, such as trout, sculpins, and
salmon, can swim upstream against the current.
Further downstream, the river becomes wider and deeper. The current slows, allowing
plants to grow underwater and along the riverbanks. These plants provide food and shelter
for river animals. As small fish search for insects, snails, worms, and freshwater shrimps and
limpets, they may fall prey to larger fish, turtles, alligators, and birds, such as kingfishers
and great blue herons. In some rivers, bears snatch salmon in midair as they leap out of the
water. At night, raccoons and opossums may visit the river to drink or search for insects,
crayfish, and fish to eat. Rivers are also home to river otters, water voles, and muskrats that
build their dens along riverbanks, where the water moves slowly.
At the mouth of a river the current can slow so much that mud and sand carried by the
river are left behind as the water enters the ocean. Over time the mud and sand can build
up land called a delta. During and after powerful storms, rivers can overflow their banks
and flood the land that makes up their flood plain. People build dams and reservoirs to
control how much water flows into a river and to help prevent flooding. To enable fish to
safely swim past dams, they also build fish ladders. When rivers flow past cities and farms,
they are in danger of being polluted by chemicals and wastes dumped into the water.
1
2

Cut out the mini-book pages (pages 6364)
along the thick, solid lines. Be sure to
cut apart the pages along the thick, solid
centerline as well.
Materials
Reproducible pages
6365
Scissors
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
61
River
More to Do
Rivers of the World

Divide the class into small
groups. Assign each group
one of the following rivers:
Mississippi, Amazon, Nile,
Yukon, Hudson, and Yangtze.
Have each group research
what plants and animals live
in each river. Where is the
source of each river? Where
does each river end?
5
Resources
A Journey Into a River
by Rebecca L. Johnson
(Carolrhoda, 2004).
This photographic journey

into a river introduces
students to river plants
and animals and how they
depend on one another
to stay alive. Includes
definitions of current,
riverbank, rapids, and
flooding.
fresh/rivers/index.htm
This Web site features a

slideshow of river creatures
and information about river
life. Students can also learn
how a stream becomes a
river and what happens
when rivers meet the sea.
6
7
Starting with section 1,

accordion-fold the pages along
the dashed lines so that the first
page is on top of the accordion.
Stop folding at the page without
a dashed centerline.
Starting from the back of the
book, accordion-fold the pages
until you reach the page without
a centerline. The full title of the
mini-book should be on top of
the two sections, as shown.
Tape each title page to the page
below it so the book opens, as
shown.
Cut out the animals and tape them to the different parts of the river.

1
2
3
4
62
Tape the right side of section 1 to the left side of section 2, tape the
right side of section 2 to the left side of section 3, and tape the right
side of section 3 to the left side of section 4.
What is a river? (A long body of water that flows across the land to an
ocean or lake)
Why do you think water insects cling to rocks near the rivers source?
(To keep rushing river waters from carrying them away)
How does a river change downstream? (It becomes wider and deeper;
the water slows; plants grow underwater; fish feed on river animals or
each other, etc.)
When are rivers in danger? (When people in cities and towns dump
chemicals and wastes into the water)
Crayfish
Algae grow
on rocks.
Kayak
Dam
Fish
ladder
river is a long body of water

that flows across the land to
an ocean or a lake. The source of
a river is the place where it begins.
Life in
Moose
People build dams to control the

rivers flow and to prevent flooding.
Fish ladders help fish swim safely
past dams. A moose cools off in
the water.
Dipper
Waterfall
Source
Snail
Sculpin
Trout
A mayfly nymph
clings to rocks.
Salmon
Brown bear
City
Near its source, a river rushes over

rocks and tumbles down waterfalls.
Water insects cling tight to the rocks.
A salmon leaps out of the river and
almost gets caught by a bear.
River
63
Gar
Paddlefish
Bowfin in eelgrass
Great blue
heron
Alligator
Downstream, the river becomes

wider, deeper, and slower. Plants
grow underwater and along the
banks. Little fish search for insects,
snails, and worms to eat. Big fish
gobble up little ones.
Adult
mayflies
Farm
Heron nest
64
Barge
The river flows through cities and

towns. Sometimes people dump
chemicals and wastes into the
water, putting the river in danger.
Wood ducks
The end of a river is called its

mouth. Unfold the book and find
out what moves up and down
the river.
a River
Muskrat
den
River
River
Freshwater
clam
Minnow and
mosquito larva
Dragonfly
Muskrat
River otter
White-tailed deer
Snapping turtle
Frog
Caddis
fly
Mayflies
Bass
65
Seashore
Open the double pages of this mini-book to reveal
what the ocean leaves behind on a rocky shore
when the tide pulls out.
Habitat Hallmarks
S
Resources
Life in a Tidal Pool
by Alvin and Virginia
Silverstein (Dover, 2005).
The variety of creatures

trapped in a tide pool
provides the focus of this
fact-filled book about a
rocky shore.
http://www.montereybay
aquarium.org/efc/rocky.
aspx
This site features the

Rocky Shore exhibit at the
Monterey Bay Aquarium,
complete with interactive
activities for kids.
66
eashores are found at the edge of the sea where land meets
water. Some seashores are sandy, while others are rocky. Since
the sea covers about 71 percent of the earths surface, thousands
of miles of shoreline can be found on every continent. Every day the
tide comes in and goes out at the shore. When the tide comes in, the
water level rises, and seawater covers the shore and the animals that
live there. When the tide goes out, the water level falls, exposing shore
animals to the air. For this reason, shore life must be able to survive
both in and out of water.
Snails use their muscular foot to cling tightly to rocks to prevent
pounding waves from pulling them into the sea. Barnacles cement
themselves to rocks by a long stalk, while mussels produce tough,
ropelike byssal threads to fasten and secure themselves to rocks.
Seaweeds also anchor themselves to rocks. When the tide goes out,
snails, worms, and other animals hide under wet seaweed to protect
them from drying winds and the hot sun. Mussels, snails, and
barnacles pull into their shells, trapping water inside. These animals
breathe through gills that absorb oxygen in the water.
As the tide moves out, seawater can get trapped in shallow, open
spaces in the rocks, forming tide pools. Left behind in these little
pools may be fish, sea slugs, even a small octopus. Snails, barnacles,
sea stars, sea anemones, worms, and other tide pool animals feed on
smaller creatures likewise caught within the pool. From above, birds
hunt for tide pool animals to eat. If too much water evaporates from
a tide pool under the hot sun, the animals may become sluggish or
die before the tide returns with fresh oxygen. When the tide pulls in
again, fish that spent a few hours trapped on shore are finally free to
swim out to sea again.
Seashore
1
2
3

Cut out the pages along the outer thick, black lines.
Place the TIDE IS OUT

page on top of the IN A
TIDE POOL page. Tape the
pages together at each
side. Cut the TIDE IS OUT
page along the thick,
solid centerline.
3
4
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)
Place SEASHORE on top

of the TIDE IS OUT page
and tape together at each
side. Cut the SEASHORE
page along the thick,
solid centerline to open
the mini-book.
Reproducible pages
6870
Scissors
Materials
Where is the seashore found? (At the edge of the ocean, where land
meets water)
What happens when the tide comes in and goes out? (When the tide
comes in, it covers most of the shore with water. When the tide goes out,
the shore is no longer underwater.)
What do some shore animals do when the tide goes out? (Some trap
water inside their shells and seal up tight so they can breathe; others hide
under damp seaweed.)
What is a tide pool? (A place where water gets trapped in spaces between
rocks when the tide goes out on a rocky shore)
More to Do
By the Sea
Many students have visited
a sandy shore, or as they
call it, the beach. Ask them
to describe their visits. Were
they there when the tide
came in? went out? Did they
see any shore animals or
signs of animal life, such as
empty seashells? Challenge
the class to research life on
a sandy shore. Have them
make a chart of sandy shore
animals. How is a sandy
shore alike and different
from a rocky shore?
67
t the edge of the ocean, where

land meets water, lies the
seashore. Some seashores are
sandy, while others are rocky. Waves
come crashing on these shores.
Periwinkle
Barnacles
Mussels
Every day, the tide goes in and out at

the seashore. When the tide comes in,
seawater covers part of the shore and
the animals that live there. When the tide
goes out, water pulls back into the ocean.
68
Rock kelp
Rock kelp
Orange lichen
Black
lichen
Seashore
The tide is out on this rocky shore.

Barnacles, mussels, and sea
anemones trapped water inside their
shells and sealed up tight. They can
breathe only in water. Some animals
hid under damp seaweeds. Water got
trapped between the rocks, forming
a tide pool. What do you think is in it?
TIDE IS OUT
Mussels
Rock
kelp
TIDE POOL
Barnacles
Limpet
Seashore
69
70
Sea star
Sculpin
Look what the ocean left behind: a baby octopus,

a sea slug, an abalone, a sea star, a purple sea
urchin, and a fish! They are trapped in the tide pool
until the tide returns. Why do the barnacles, snails,
and sea anemones stay open in the tide pool?
IN A TIDE POOL
Periwinkle
Abalone
Green sea
anemone
Barnacles
Limpet
Rock
kelp
Whelk
Rock
kelp
Dogwinkle
Purple sea
urchin
Baby
octopus
Nudibranch
(sea slug)
Seashore
Tropical
Rain Forest
Unfold the layers of a tropical rain forest
to discover the animals and plants that live there.
Habitat Hallmarks
ropical rain forests flourish in the tropicsthe region around

the equator between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Here
the sun shines 12 hours a day, daytime forest temperature hovers
around 81F (27C), and between 100 and 150 inches (250 to 375 cm)
of rain falls each year. More than a million kinds of plants and animals
live and grow in the worlds tropical rain forests. No other biome boasts
such variety.
A rain forest is divided into four layers: the forest floor, the
understory, the canopy, and the emergent layer. Very few plants grow
on the forest floor, where hardly any sunlight reaches the ground.
Termites and ants crawl along the floora feast for hungry anteaters.
In the understory, shade-loving trees and other plants grow large leaves
to capture as much sunlight as possible. A jaguar might rest hidden on
an understory tree branch, where geckos search for insects to eat. The
canopy, or roof, formed by the dense layer of green leaves at the top
of very tall trees is bathed in sunlight. Orchids and air plants grow on
canopy branches. Vines that climb trees into the canopy hang down to
the understory, while colorful parrots, hummingbirds, and toucans flit
from branch to branch. Above the canopy rise the tallest trees, which
can reach up to 200 feet (60 m) high, forming the emergent layer.
Here, harpy eagles nest, ready to pounce on a monkey or sloth in the
canopy below to feed itself and its young.
More than just a home to so many plants and animals, rain forests
play an essential role in the earths ecosystem. Rain forest trees absorb
carbon dioxide from the air. Too much carbon dioxide in the air leads
to global warming, which can endanger life on earth. But rain forests
themselves are in danger because people cut down trees to clear the
land for timber and for farms. We need to work together to stop this
destruction and save this vital habitat, with all its plants and animals,
from disappearing.
Resources
Explore the Tropical Rain
Forest by Linda Tagliaferro
(Capstone, 2007).
As students explore a
tropical rain forest, they
collect facts, learn about
climate, and discover why
rain forests are so important
and need to be conserved.
https://www.msu.edu/
user/urquhart/tour/
Tour a tropical rain forest

by clicking on hidden plants
and animals, discovering
facts about each, then
returning to the forest to
find out more.
71
Tr o p i c a l R a i n F o r e s t
Materials
Reproducible pages
7375
Scissors
Tape
Crayons, colored
pencils, or markers
(optional)

Cut out the three pages along the thick, solid lines.
Hold the pages horizontally so
that the text is right side up. Tape
the bottom of the EMERGENT layer
to the top of the CANOPY layer.
Then tape the bottom of the
CANOPY layer to the top of the
UNDERSTORY layer.
With the title TROPICAL RAIN

FOREST facing outward at
the top, accordion-fold the
assembled page along the
dashed lines, as shown.
More to Do
Saving the Rain Forests
Why are tropical rain forests
so special to life on earth?
Invite students to find out
by researching the answers
to the following questions:
How do rain forests help
prevent global warming?
How do they recycle water?
What kinds of foods and
medicines come from rain
forests? Which people live
in rain forests? What might
happen if people continue
to destroy rain forests?

Invite students to color, assemble, and read the text on their
manipulatives. They can start at the top with the emergent layer or
unfold from the bottom and read the forest floor first. Check for students
understanding by asking them these questions:
1
2
3
4
72
What is the lowest layer of the forest? Describe it. (The forest floor;
little light reaches the ground because the trees above block it.)
What makes up the understory? (Shorter trees that grow slowly)
Describe the rain forest canopy. (Tree branches open like umbrellas to
form the forest canopy. Colorful plants and animals live there.)
What forms the emergent layer? (The tops of the tallest trees, which
poke above the rest of the rain forest.)
Vine
snake
The tops of the tallest trees poke above the

tropical rain forest to form the emergent
layer. Harpy eagles build their nests up here
and hunt monkeys below. Rain forests help
protect the earth from global warming.
But they are in danger because people
keep cutting down trees.
Emergent Layer
Harpy eagle
Scarlet
macaw
Blue morpho
butterfly
Eagle
chick
Tropical
Rain Forest
Tropical Rain Forest
73
Crested
owl
Geoffroys
tamarin
Jaguar
Quetzal
Mouse
opossum
White
tent bat
Three-toed sloth
Kinkajou
Red-eyed
Frog
Tanager
Sunlight bathes the rain forest canopy.

Tree branches open up like umbrellas.
Beautiful orchids and other plants grow
on these branches. Colorful parrots,
hummingbirds, and toucans fly from
tree to tree. Monkeys play tag nearby.
74
Black-crested
hummingbird
Toucan
Canopy
Understory
Hercules beetle
Leafcutter ants
Tall trees block most sunlight from

reaching the forest floor. Millions
of ants crawl along the ground.
Some carry pieces of leaves to their
colonies. Others attack beetles,
spiders, and other small animals
to feast on later.
Forest Floor
Shorter trees that grow slowly make

up the understory. This layer is shaded
from sunlight. Long vines climb trees
and hang from above. While a jaguar
rests on a branch, other animals search
for food. At night, the jaguar will join
bats and owls on the hunt.
Poison
dart frog
Tinamou
Ant wren
Tayra
Millipede
Baby tapir
Curassow
Baby white
tent bats
75
Tundra
Locate the tundra and the plants and animals
that live there on this hemisphere-shaped manipulative.
Habitat Hallmarks
he tundra is a mostly flat, frozen land that lies south of the Arctic Ocean. It
includes parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. The tundra ends where the
vast forests of the taiga begin (see More to Do, next page). Only about 10 inches
(25 cm) of precipitationmostly snowfall on the tundra each year. Tundra winters
are long and bitterly cold, with icy winds and temperatures dropping to 50F (45C).
Even the short summer is cool, with temperatures rarely rising above 50F (10C).
During summer, only the top 1 to 3 feet (1 m) of soil thaws. The rest of the soil, called
permafrost, remains frozen all year long. The permafrost prevents melted snow from
being absorbed into the ground. However, the melt water fills the tundras ponds, lakes,
and bogs.
Although the word tundra means treeless, dwarf trees do grow there. At about 3 to
4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) tall, dwarf trees and other short tundra plantsgrasses, mosses,
poppies, and some flowering plantscan withstand the strong, cold summer winds and
are protected from frigid winter temperatures by the blanket of snow.
Few animals can survive the tundra winter. Herds of plant-eating musk oxen, as
well as predatory wolves and foxes, grow thick fur that keeps in body heat. Smaller
mammals, such as lemmings and voles, dig tunnels in the snow to keep warm. Around
mid-May, with snow still covering the ground, the first flocks of migrating birds arrive
at the tundra to build nests, lay eggs, and raise their young. Herds of large deer (caribou
in North America, reindeer in Europe and Asia) also arrive from the south to raise their
families. When summer ends, migrating animals return to their warmer winter homes,
leaving behind those creatures adapted to the bitter tundra conditions.
Materials
Reproducible pages
7880
Scissors
1
2
Tape

Cut out all the pieces along the thick, solid lines.
Crayons, colored pencils,

or markers (optional)
76
Tu n d r a
4
5
Place the piece labeled NORTH

AMERICA/GREENLAND on the left.
Position the piece labeled EUROPE/
ASIA on top, as shown. Tape
together to form a circle.
Tape each of the four open slits

together, as shown, to form a
hemisphere.
Position text pieces A, B, and C

in their respective places next
to the hemisphere. Fold up the
three flaps on each piece along
the dashed lines. Then tape the
flaps to the underside of the
hemisphere, as shown.
Fold up the name flaps on each animal piece along the dashed lines
and tape as many as desired to the hemisphere. (NOTE: All the
animals/plants on page 78 belong to North America; all the animals
on page 79 belong to Europe/Asia.)

Check students understanding by asking them these questions:
1
2
3
4
Where can we find the tundra? (North America, Greenland, Europe,

Asia)
Describe the tundra. (The tundra has long, bitterly cold winters and
short, cool summers; the ground is frozen; very small trees grow here.)
How do tundra animals stay warm in winter? (Some grow thick fur,
while others hide in tunnels under the snow.)
What animals come to the tundra in summer? Why do they come?
(Birds come to nest, lay eggs, raise their young; large deer raise families.)
More to Do
Whats the Taiga?
South of the tundra in
North America, Europe,
and Asia is the taigaa
broad belt of mostly
coniferous forest that is the
largest biome in the world.
(Conifers, such as pines
and firs, are trees that bear
cones.) Like the tundra,
the taiga experiences short
summers and long, cold
winters. Invite students to
label the taiga around the
world on their hemisphere
models. Challenge students
to research how far the
taiga extends in different
parts of the world and
what kinds of plants and
animals live there.
Resources
Explore the Tundra
by Linda Tagliaferro
(Capstone, 2008).
Part of the Explore the

Biomes series, this volume
offers a basic overview
of the tundras plant and
animal communities.
sets/tundra/
This simple, easy-tomaneuver site introduces

students to life in the
tundra and offers links to
other interesting tundrarelated sites.
77
Tundra
Snowshoe
hare
Siberian
crane

Siberian salamander
Red-breasted
goose
Tape edge of other piece here.
Greenland
sulfur
Dwarf willow
Willow ptarmigan
78
Musk oxen
Arctic wolf
Lemming
Reindeer
Bumblebee
Ermine
Arctic fox
Gyrfalcon
Polar bear
2010 by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J. Wynne, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Tundra
79
Tundra
Ta
he pe
re
.
pe
Ta re.
e
h
Tape
here.
Tape
here.
Tundra winters are bitterly cold. Even the ground

freezes over. Thick fur keeps musk oxen, wolves,
and foxes warm. Small, furry lemmings and voles
hide in tunnels they dug in the snow. There, they
find plants to nibble.
pe
Ta re.
he
Ta
he pe
re.
T
a
he pe
re
.
Tape
here.
Tundra summers are cool, not warm. Melted snow fills

up ponds and lakes. Millions of birds fly here from the
south to build nests, lay eggs, and raise their young.
Herds of large deer also arrive to start a family. At
summers end, visitors return to their winter homes.
pe
Ta re.
he
In the far north lies the land of shaggy musk oxen,

white snowy owls, and howling Arctic wolves.
This is the tundra. The word tundra means
treeless. Tall trees dont grow here. Only dwarf
trees and small plants grow.
80

Habitat Dos Animais

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Habitat Dos Animais

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by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J.

For Carolyn Cathey, who loves to read

To Phyllis Zara Young,

nimals and plants live just about everywhere

Background information for

teaching the lesson

Easy-to-follow instructions with diagrams for

Discussion questions for after reading

As with any new instructional material, it is always a

Further activities to extend learning

Related books and Web sites

Reproducible Pages: Templates

for each minibook or manipulative to be distributed to students

We hope that you and your students get as much

cave is a large, open space underground or inside a mountain. Most caves

Making the Mini-book

Photocopy pages 79.

Cut out all the pieces along the thick, solid

Hello, Bumblebee Bat

Readers follow an inch-long

This unusual site describes

Stack pages 1 to 4 on top of pages

Insert one flying bat into the

Fold the stalactite and stalagmite

Teaching With the Mini-book

What is a cave? (A large open space underground or inside a mountain)

Making the Manipulative

Photocopy pages 1214.

Cut out all the pieces along the thick, solid

Fold in the sides and bottom half

Teaching With the Manipulative

While taking a nature walk

What lives in the park? (Squirrel, grasshopper, Canada geese, raccoon,

Journey to a city in Australia

What lives underground? (Earthworm, snail, bacteria, fungus, springtail)

Tape inside of house here.

and Patricia J. Wynne, Scholastic Teaching Resources

Wildlife in the City:

Tape outside of house here.

Making the Mini-book

Photocopy pages 1719.

Cut out the mini-book pages (pages 1718)

Focusing on the Great Barrier

Teaching With the Mini-book

This Web site is chock-full of

A coral reef is home to brightly

Lift the magnifying glass.

Tape map here.

The Great Barrier Reef off

Scholastic Teaching Resources

2010 by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J. Wynne,

Giant green sea

Making the Mini-book

Photocopy pages 2224.

Cut out the center of each cover

Teaching With the Mini-book

Students explore the

Photographs and simple text

Some animals hunt for food in the

The Sonoran desert is very hot and dry.

Sandgrouse and chicks

The Sahara Desert is very hot and dry.

Desert 5 Interior pages