Habitats

of

BLuff Lake

Nature Center

What You Need Today:

• “Habitats with Bluff Lake” Worksheet

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• Pen or Pencil

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• Paper

What we will learn today:

-What a habitat is

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-Different types of habitats

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-Different types of habitats at Bluff Lake

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-How the types of habits are similar and different

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BRAINSTORMING!

1.Find your Bluff Lake Worksheet

2. Go to section 1: “Brainstorming”

3. Use this space to brainstorm the answers to the questions on the next slide.

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*Remember! It is okay to not know the answers….we will be learning them during this Field Trip! Now is a time to get your brain thinking about what it already knows and what it wants to know.

BRAINSTORMING!

-What is a habitat?

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-What are some examples of different habitats?

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-What are some reasons plants and animals would want to live in different types of habitats?

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What is a habitat?

A habitat is a place where an animal or plant lives and grows. Your habitat would be your home.

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What is a habitat?- Question 1

Compare and contrast your habitat to habitats found in nature. What types of materials, plants, animals, resources are around?

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What is a habitat?

What four things do habitats need to be healthy and support life?

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Think about the things in your home that you could not live without!

Find “What is a Habitat” on your worksheet and brainstorm the question

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What is a habitat?

What four things did you think? Habitats need these 4 things:

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1. Food

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3. Water

4. Shelter

8. Space

What is a habitat?

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Remember the 4 things a habitat needs to be healthy and support life!

Can you identify if these habitats are healthy?

Find “Are these habitats healthy?” on your worksheet and answer the question

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What is a habitat?

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Are these healthy habitats? Why?

What is a habitat?

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NO - there is space but there is no food, water, or shelter

Are these healthy habitats for animals? Why?

YES - there is food, water, shelter, AND space

What is a habitat?

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Are these healthy habitats? Why?

What is a habitat?

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NO - there is space and possibly food, but it does not appear to have shelter, or water source.

YES - there is food, water, shelter, AND space for marine animals

Are these healthy habitats? Why?

What are the three different habitats at Bluff Lake?

Prairie

Wetland

Riparian

Comparing Habitats

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Find “Comparing Habitats” on your worksheet and fill in the question as we learn about the habitats

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Prairie Habitat

Take a look at these pictures of the prairie habitat. How do you think animals get food? Water? Shelter? Do they have enough space?

Prairie Habitat

Characteristics:

• Dry soil
• Mainly grasses and shrubs, few trees
• No lakes or rivers
• Plants have long roots to reach for underground water
• Animals eat the plants to get water
• Plants often have defenses (such as cactus spines!) so animals won’t eat them
• Animals (such as prairie dogs) have learned ways to still eat the plants without hurting themselves

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Wetland Habitat

Take a look at these pictures and short video of the wetland habitat. How do you think animals get food? Water? Shelter? Do they have enough space?

Canada Goose

American Coot

Deer in cattails

Wetland Habitat

Characteristics:

• Large water source - at Bluff Lake it’s our lake!
• Tall trees, bushes, and grasses
• Some plants (such as cattails) even grow right out of the water!
• Many different animals
• Space is more limited, so animals (such as red-winged blackbirds) defend their own territories

Wetland Habitat

Think:

• What plants or animals can you see?

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• What noises do you hear?

Riparian Habitat

Take a look at these pictures of the riparian habitat. How do you think animals get food? Water? Shelter? Do they have enough space?

Beaver Crawdad Willow Algae

Riparian Habitat

Characteristics:

• Near river, stream, or other MOVING water source - at Bluff Lake it’s Sand Creek!
• Several different types of plants and animals
• Has trees, but trees are not as large as in the wetland habitat
• Several animals (such as beavers!) make their shelters in this habitat
• Algae grows on the water in areas where there’s little movement

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Riparian Habitat

• What can you see that was left by humans?

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• What plants or animals can you see?

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Think:

The 3 Habitats

Great job! Now you can answer all of these questions!

-Which habitat has the hardest time getting water?

-Which habitat looks like it has the most food?

-Which habitat has the most space?

-Which habitat would you build a shelter in?

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Thinking about all these questions, which habitat do you think has the most wildlife?

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Activity you can do at home!

• Go to your backyard or nearby park
• Find sticks and other nature objects to make your very own animal shelter
• Pick out a good spot to build your shelter - remember you want to be near water, food, and have enough space so other animals don’t crowd you
• Build your shelter!

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Build a shelter!

Thank you!

Great work today.

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Come visit us at Bluff Lake to see all of our habitats and animals for yourself!