Children will create their own "perfectly adapted creature" using bird, mammal, insect, and made-up parts. This creature lives in the boreal forest year-round, so children must consider what adaptations are appropriate for winter and summer. This activity will help the students understand the relationship between birds and their environment.
Background
The boreal forest is the northernmost forest ecosystem in the world. The winters are long, dark, and cold. Summers are short, warm, and bright. Creatures who live in the boreal forest all have special adaptations that make it possible for them to survive in this harsh environment. Individual songbirds have different characteristics they use. These, along with other imaginary features, will make for some interesting boreal forest creatures.
Boreal Furantel
paper
pen/pencil/crayons
Procedure
- Begin this activity with a discussion about what adaptation means. Continue with adaptations the children have that help them survive in the interior of Alaska. Then talk about what adaptations songbirds have to survive in the boreal forest. Ask the children what adaptations they know of that birds have such as feathers and other items mentioned in the kids page of this chapter.
- Direct the students to draw a perfectly adapted boreal forest creature. This creature needs a name and a life in the boreal forest all year. Other items they might want to add are colors for camouflage, specialized mouths for different types of food, covering for insulation, and/or different appendages for specific duties. Students should be able to explain the reason for each characteristic.
- When the drawing is complete the children should write a report describing the characteristics their creature has and why they chose them.
- Completed projects may either be submitted to the teacher, presented to the class, or displayed in the classroom.
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