Teaching children about animals is always fun. There are always stories about their various pets including cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. But what about animals that live in freshwater habitats and in ponds?
This can be a little tricky when you don’t have a direct water source at your fingertips. It doesn’t have to be though. Here are some ideas that will help make introducing the habitats of a pond and freshwater environment as clear as the water they swim in.
Create a class pond - Have the children color and cut out pictures of different animals and plants that are found in a pond. As the pond fills up, they will learn how such a small amount of water sustains so much life.
| | Worksheet Wednesday Just added... "What Lives at the Pond?" Cut & Paste Worksheet Activity Available in the PTF Members Area. |
Take a field trip - Make arrangements to visit a local freshwater habitat. Let the kids observe and write down what they see and hear. When you return to class, discuss everyone’s observations.
| Watch a movie - If there are no ponds or freshwater habitats in your area, you can always rent or purchase the episode Curious George Takes a Dive, found on Curious George Takes a Vacation dvd, to give your students a visual understanding of what lives in a pond. In this cute episode George finds a turtle and brings him home to make a pond habitat. Take the time to introduce your students to pond vocabulary like frog, fish, grass and lily pad previous to watching the movie. Afterwards, show the kids pictures of things in and around the pond and see what they have learned. |  Curious George Takes a Dive found on Curious George Takes a Vacation DVD |
Play Memory - Laminate two pictures of each pond animal and play with them like you would a traditional memory game.
Make Wearable Pond Critters-Order some pond critter beads from Oriental trading and let the kids make bracelets or necklaces with them.
Water Table/Inflatable Pool Pond-If it is warm enough outside, fill the water table or an inflatable pond with water and add toy fish, turtles, alligators, crabs, etc. Discuss the differences between an actual pond and the makeshift one you have created.
Storytime with Felts - The Freshwater Marsh Animals are having a pond party... get out the felt board to tell and retell this wacky story of pond life. The Marsh Party felt story details each creature's design and characteristic in a fun and humorous way. Children will quickly pick up on the story, especially when using the Animal Habitat audio cd recording.
As you can see, there are many fun ways to teach children about what lives in our ponds and freshwater habitats. By participating in these activities, the concepts and animals related to these areas should be swimming in their heads in no time.
Let us know your thought!
Happy Teaching :)
Let us know your thought!
Happy Teaching :)
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