wwBeyond the PondThird graders will classify animals found around the pond and consider structures for survival with this interactive database. To begin, teachers will need to show students examples of a: largemouth bass, bluegill, deer, dragonfly, duck, frog, Great Blue Heron, raccoon, salamander, snake, turtle, and water strider. Students will then use the database to classify these animals as: mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, and insects. Created by Natalie Harr and Pat Betteley. CXAttdataHas hard shellLong and slender Wide and flatWebbed Has hooves Has thumbs2 wings4 wingsHas tailNo tail Has no shellFur~Fur helps to keep animals warm. Fur comes in many different colors and patterns to help animals blend into their habitats. Fur.jpg Wet and scalyfAnimals that never leave the water need to keep their scales wet to stay alive. They have wet scales. fish scales.jpg Dry and scalyAnimals that live on land part of the time have dry scales. Some people are surprised that snakes and turtles are not slimy, but dry to the touch.dry scales.jpgFeathersBirds' bodies are covered with feathers to keep them dry and warm. Feathers also help birds fly and blend in with their habitat. Feathers.jpgMoist, thin skinAnimals that live in the water and on land have thin, moist skin that helps them breathe. Water passes through their skin, so they need a moist habitat to stay wet.moist skin.jpg ExoskeletonMany animals have a skeleton inside their bodies for support. But insects and other animals without a backbone have a skeleton OUTSIDE their bodies. This is called an exoskeleton. The exoskeleton helps animals to protect, support, and feed themselves. exoskeleton.jpg In the water In the airOn land On the water Slithers on belly Uses legs Uses wings Uses fins 1 fin on top 2 fins on top CXMenudata  Body Parts7Animals have different body parts to help them survive. Shell`A shell is made of scales that harden into bony plates. These protect the animal from predators.turtle shell.jpg BeakBirds have different kinds of beaks to help them catch and eat their food. Some birds have long, thin beaks for poking into water to spear fish. Another kind of beak is flat and wide for straining plants out of the water. beaks.jpg Feet or HandsfAnimals have different kinds of feet to help them survive. Some animals have hooves to help them run fast. Hooves are a hard coating around the foot. Other animals' toes and fingers are connected so they can swim better. These are called webbed feet. A few animals have hands with digits (or fingers) that they can use to pick up and open things.allhandsfeet.jpgWingsjBirds have one pair of wings to help them fly in the air. Some insects have two pari of wings for flying. allwings.jpgTailTails are important body parts for many animals. A kangaroo's tail helps it to balance. Animals that live in the water use tails to help them steer. A dog wags its tail to help keep cool. Monkeys use their tails to grasp when they swing through trees. Tails are very useful things. alltails.jpg  Body Covering;Animals have different body coverings to help them survive. Where It LivesAnimals that live around the pond can live by the water, in the water, on the water, on land, or in the air. Many animals live in more than one habitat. How It Moves5Animals move in different ways to help them survivie.FinsFish have fins at different places on their bodies to help them swim. Dorsal fins are at the top of their bodies and help fish keep their balance. Caudal fins are at the end of fish's tails and help them to steer. fish parts.jpgNClassification website: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.htmlXClassification website: http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/field_guide/index.cfm$For Kids: http://www.kidsplanet.org"For Kids: http/www.kidsgowild.comKChildren's Book: Around the Pond: Who's Been Here, Lindsay Barrett George9Children's Book: One Small Square Pond, Donald M. Silver?Children's Book: Tadpole's Promise, Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross4Children's Book: Butternut Hollow Pond, Brian Heinz CXItemnamefish,fish, mammal,insect,bird, amphibian,bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile,reptile,insect CXItemrec[A dragonfly is an insect with special eyes, two pairs of clear wings, and a long body. Dragonflies are predators that eat mosquitoes, flies, bees, and butterflies. They are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands because their young live in the water. Dragonflies do not normally bite or sting humans, but they will bite to get away if picked up by the abdomen. People sometimes get damselflies and dragonflies mixed up, but they are different. Most damselflies at rest hold their wings together above the body. Dragonflies at rest hold their wings horizontally (spread out). Dragonfly.jpg9 qWater striders are long, flat insects with no wings. They live on top of the water in ponds and slow streams. Their 6 legs have tiny hairs that hold air bubbles. These help them to skate on top of the water. Striders eat mosquito larvae and insects. They find their prey by feeling the smallest vibrations made on the top of the water. Then they catch and hold their prey with their short front legs. Striders have piercing, sucking mouths. They push their mouths into their prey and suck them dry. Water striders can escape predators by going underwater. When the danger is past, they pop back up to the surface. waterstrider.jpg9The Great Blue Heron is a wading bird that always lives near water. It uses its long legs to wade though shallow water and spears its food with its long, sharp beak. Herons eat fish, frogs, insects, snakes, turtles, rodents, and even small birds. Both parents feed the young at the nest by regurgitating (throwing up) their food. The first chick to hatch usually becomes better at getting food, and so it often grows more quickly than the other chicks. The call of the heron is a harsh croak. heron.jpg92The Duck belongs to the bird family. Ducks live in fresh water and sea water. They are smaller than their relatives, the swans and geese. Most ducks have a wide flat beak for scooping food out of the water. They eat grasses, water plants, fish, insects, small amphibians, worms, and small mollusks. mallard.jpg9The largemouth bass is a member of the fish family. It has a horizontal (sideways) stripe along the length of each side. It is named "largemouth" because the top part of its mouth is very long. It reaches beyond the back of the eye. The largemouth bass eats plankton and insects when it is young. Adults eat small fish, crayfish, frogs, mice, rats and small birds. Bass hide under grass, brush, or drop-offs,then catch their prey. Largemouth3.jpg9 The bluegill is a freshwater fish. It has a blue "ear" on its gill and vertical (up and down) stripes. The stripes help camouflage the fish when it hides among underwater plants. Bluegill eat small insects and fish. In June, the bluegill mate in shallow areas of a pond or lake. Males turn a very bold color and guard their nests. Some very tricky males turn the color of the female fish so that the males guarding the nest won't notice them. Then these "sneaker" males enter the nests and mate. bluegill.jpg9The frog is an amphibian. Adult frogs have long back legs, a short body, webbed feet, eyes that stick out, and no tail. Most frogs live in the water, but move easily on land by jumping or climbing. Fogs lay their eggs in puddles, ponds or lakes. Their babies, called tadpoles, have gills and grow in water. Adult frogs eat insects and worms. Frogs are known for the sound they make during their mating season. Leopard.jpeg9Salamanders are amphibians with slender bodies, short legs, and long tails. They live near water or under protection on wet ground to keep their skin moist. Some salamanders live in the water their whole lives. Some live in the water part of the time. Others live on land their whole adult lives. Salamanders are different from lizards because they have no scales. Salamanders have a special skill. They are able to grow back lost limbs.salamander2.jpeg9 Turtles are reptiles whose bodies are protected by a special bony shell. This shell makes it hard for predators to eat them. Turtles have tough jaws called "beaks" to cut and chew food. They use their tongues to swallow food, but they can't stick out their tongues to catch food like most reptiles. Turtles' bodies are the same temperature as the air around them, and they lay eggs which are slightly soft and leathery. turtle.jpg9 Snakes are reptiles. Their skin is covered with scales. Many people are surprised that snake skin is smooth and dry--not slimy. Snakes are carnivores that eat lizards, other snakes, rodents, birds, eggs, or insects. Snakes do not chew their food. They have special jaws which open so wide that they can swallow their prey whole. Snakes move by gripping with their belly scales. They have backbones and shed their skin at certain times. snake2.jpg9 A raccoon is a mammal which hunts at night. Raccoons have thumbs which help them to open many closed containers such as garbage cans and doors. They are omnivores that eat plants and animals. Raccoons are very clever, but some people feel they are pests. They raid campsites at night and growl and fight over scraps of food left out by campers. Raccoons are able to adapt to humans in their environment. Raccoon.jpg9 The white-tailed deer lives in many parts of the United States. It lives in or around the woods, but goes to ponds and lakes to drink. A deer's coat is reddish-brown in the spring and summer and turns grey-brown in fall and winter. Deer have white under their tails which they flash to other deer as a signal to escape. Males of one year or older have antlers which fall off in the winter. Females have 1-3 spotted babies, called fawns, in the spring.Deer.jpg Dragonfly Water StriderHeronDuckBassBluegillFrog SalamanderTurtleSnakeRaccoonDeer* CXDatablock SJELE JJ !J%* H H