Note: Teacher’s notes are in red

“Habitat Detective”

Purpose

The below process of identifying native plant and animal species and of thinking critically about biodiversity and about habitats and ecosystems suitable for wildlife is intended to give students a greater understanding and appreciation of the importance of conservation.

Seeing Green

Get the scoop on your region’s native habitat and find out what you can do to help wildlife thrive.

Relevant Subjects: Geography, Science

Relevant U.S. National Geography Standards: 1, 3, 8, 14

Past

Stand outside your school and look around. Now close your eyes and try to imagine the landscape as it appeared several hundred years ago. Was the grass greener? What animals were around? Check out these sites to learn about the native species of your region of the U.S.:

Wildlife

National Wildlife Federation (http://www.nwf.org/affiliates)

At this Web site teachers may be able to find an expert who will visit the classroom.

Fish and Wildlife

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (http://www.nctc.fws.gov/fedaid/
mat/website/statelinks.html)

This Web site links to fish and wildlife organizations in the Canadian provinces, as well as in the United States.

Wildflowers

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (http://www.wildflower.org/links.html)

This Web site offers a Native Plant Species Fact Pack, which lists native plants in your U.S. state and sources for seeds
in your region (U.S. $10).

Butterflies

The Butterfly Zone (http://butterflies.com/guide.html)

This site highlights the most popular butterflies and details which types of plants will serve to attract them to your garden.

Present

What does the landscape near your school look like today?

1. List ways in which people have changed the landscape (buildings? basketball courts? roads?), and consider how habitats for wildlife have been affected.
2. Have some landscape features remained the same?
3. Draw a rough map of the area around your school. Be sure to include any parks, gardens, or other places that planners and communities have set aside to conserve natural resources.
4. Keep a journal of the birds, plants, and other wildlife you see on or around school grounds. You can learn how to conduct a bird census at BirdSource (http://www.birdsource.org). Are these plants and animals native to your region? Were any introduced?

If you want information on landscaping for wildlife beyond what the Web sites listed in this activity can offer, gather pamphlets and brochures. You may be able to get information from local nurseries, garden clubs, and/or public libraries. Perhaps a local wildlife gardening expert would talk with students. If students’ parents are plant or wildlife enthusiasts, invite them as well.

Future

You’ve considered the past and the present. Now look into the future and see how we can have a positive effect on the landscape—and on wildlife.

• Check out the guidelines of the National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Wildlife Habitats project (http://www.nwf.org/nwf/habitats/) to restore natural habitats and take a look at how other students have transformed their school grounds into National Wildlife Federation certified habitats (http://www.nwf.org/habitats/schoolyard/sample/
  llewellyn.cfm).
  
  This long-term class project is an invaluable way for students to become familiar with native plant and animal species and to gain firsthand understanding of the importance of conservation.
  
  

• Create a Community Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation (http://www.nwf.org/habitats/community/index.html)
  
  
• Plant a butterfly garden. Visit The Butterfly Zone (http://www.butterflies.com).
  
  
• Plant trees or create a pond. Check out Natural Resources Conservation Service (http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/CCS/Backyard.html).
  
  
• Conserve a habitat for birds. Visit Audubon Online (http://www.audubon.org/).
  
  
• Get tips on how to attract wildlife, including lists of foods birds commonly eat, from Windstar Wildlife Institute (http://windstar.org/wildlife).
  
  
• Find out how to incorporate the four essentials for wildlife into a habitat. Visit the National Wildlife Federation (http://www.nwf.org/habitats/schoolyard/
  basics/provide.cfm).
  
  
• Younger students can simulate a habitat for wildlife in the classroom. Divide the class into teams and have each team bring in something for their miniature habitat—small plants, small branches, and other items. For ideas, go to the National Wildlife Federation (http://www.nwf.org/habitats/schoolyard/
  basics/provide.cfm). Create the “habitat” in a box.
  
  
• Elementary students can take a miniature field trip into their playground and write down the features that make up the habitat—trees, plants, and animals they see. Then discuss with them ways this habitat can be maintained or improved.

Future Perfect

Draw or paint a picture of how your school grounds could look if you restored or added natural habitats.

Adapted from the 1996 Geography Awareness Week teacher’s handbook.
© 1996 National Geographic Society.

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