Tag: ecology for kids

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7 Engaging Ecology Topics to Elevate Your Science Lessons

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Are you searching for a fun and unique ecology topic to teach in your science classroom? Look no further! In this post, I’ve compiled seven fascinating ecology topics that will spark curiosity about the natural world in your students. Additionally, this post compiles resources and science lessons related to bioindicators, symbiotic relationships, ecological succession, and more – to help you plan and find materials for teaching your next ecology lesson. Whether you’re a science teacher or a homeschool parent, these engaging subjects will inspire your students and make your lessons unforgettable.

A note for educators: The activities from this blog post come from my complete Ecology Units. These units are packed with all the materials you need for teaching ecology – including hands-on activities and visual aids designed to deepen understanding. These units make teaching ecology fun and easy – and every purchase helps support this blog!

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More Ecology Units

1. Symbiotic Relationships

A symbiotic relationship is a long-term interaction between two species. Symbiotic relationships typically benefit at least one and sometimes both of the two species involved. Symbiosis is a great topic to cover when teaching students about ecology. There are so many examples: pollination, lichens, seed dispersal, parasites, and more!

Resources for teaching symbiotic relationships:
a classroom handout for studying the symbiotic relationships of trees
Teach your students about the symbiotic relationships of trees with my set of Symbiotic Relationship learning materials

2. Biomimicry

This is a fun, interdisciplinary topic that relates to both ecology and engineering! Biomimicry, also called biomimetics, is when people draw inspiration from nature to design items and solve problems. Plant, fungi, and animal species evolved features and behaviors over vast periods of time to overcome challenges they face in their habitats. Engineers may mimic these features and behaviors from nature to improve their own designs.

Resources for teaching biomimicry:
tree frog with a close up on its toe, next to an image of tire tread

3. Camouflage

Camouflage is an adaptation that helps an animal disguise its appearance. Studying camouflage goes hand-in-hand with learning about animal adaptations. There are many types of camouflage. Camouflage may help an animal blend into its background or look like something inedible or toxic.

Resources for teaching camouflage:
  • Read about the types of animal camouflage in my blog
  • Find a free animal camouflage lesson on the PennState extension website (external link)
  • Read my step-by-step directions for setting up a fun camouflage lab activity
  • Get the worksheets for the lab activity when you purchase my camouflage mini study (external link)
classroom handouts of reptiles and worksheets

4. Adaptations & Natural Selection

Animal diversity and adaptations teach us about the roles of competition and natural selection in shaping life in the animal kingdom.

Resources for teaching adaptations & natural selection:
A plate with seeds next to some chopsticks, a clip, a spoon, and worksheets.
This bird beaks lab activity is a great way to learn about adaptations and natural selection – find the directions for this activity in my blog.

5. Bioindicators & Aquatic Macroinvertebrates

Macroinvertebrates make an awesome ecology lesson because you can find them in almost any stream or pond near you! Just flip over a few rocks in shallow water, and you’re sure to start finding aquatic macroinvertebrates! This can make a great field trip activity!

Furthermore, macroinvertebrates are a type of bioindicator used by scientists. A bioindicator is a type of organism whose wellbeing relates closely to ecological conditions and is studied by scientists. Certain macroinvertebrates are very sensitive to poor water quality and other human impacts. They are a great way to teach your students about healthy aquatic ecosystems.

Resources for teaching bioindicators & aquatic macroinvertebrates:
Scientist sits on the shore of a lake while sorting through a pan containing a lake benthic sample, looking for aquatic insects.
Looking through a lake sample for aquatic insects.

6. Disturbance and Succession

Disturbance and succession are good ecology topics to tie in with studies of wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters. These are natural events in ecosystems. A disturbance is some sort of event that causes a large and rapid change in an ecosystem – like a wildfire or a volcanic eruption. Succession is what follows – the natural and gradual change in an ecosystem over time. 

Resources for teaching disturbance and succession:

I think you’ll love my wildfire & succession mini study! Click to learn more.

7. Food Webs

Studying food webs is a fantastic way to learn about the flow of energy between organisms. A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem. Energy flows from the organism being eaten to the organism doing the eating.

When you study food webs, you can also teach related topics such as predator-prey relationships, trophic cascades, and the important role of decomposers in ecosystems. Best of all, kids can be creative and learn about wildlife by mapping their own example food webs.

Resources for teaching food webs:
a picture of animal and plant flashcards on the sidewalk with chalk arrows between them
Try this fun food-webs activity, detailed in my blog post

Study Ecology with Wild Earth Lab

I’ve saved you the trouble of putting together materials for an awesome ecology unit. Choose from my large collection of science lessons, which all include activities, worksheets, handouts, posters, and more:

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Build Your Own Food Webs: a creative ecology activity your students will love!

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Are you searching for an engaging and educational ecology activity to try with your students? Building your own food webs is a fantastic way to study the flow of energy between organisms – all while allowing kids to be creative! Best of all, this is an activity that you can complete outside, making it perfect for homeschool parents and teachers who enjoy having class outdoors! Get ready to inspire your students with this unique and interactive ecology project!

A special note for educators: are you planning to teach this food webs activity? If so, I’ve already created all the worksheets, printable materials, handouts, and directions that you will need. Find these materials in my complete Food Webs Unit – and you’ll support this blog with your purchase! 💚

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What is a food web?

A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem. Energy flows from the organism being eaten to the organism doing the eating. We represent food webs using diagrams with arrows between the organisms. Food web diagrams map the many paths for the movement of energy between organisms.

I wrote a separate blog post in which you and your students can read more about food webs and food chains. It includes lots of diagrams and examples!

What types of organisms make a food web?

Flashcards of animals, plants, and fungi sorted into piles labeled consumers, producers, and decomposers

All the different lifeforms coexisting in an ecosystem form a community. The community is made of many individual, diverse lifeforms – like plants, animals, and fungi – called organisms.

When you build your food web model, it will include many different types of organisms. These organisms fall into three main categories, based on the roles they play in the food web. Knowing the difference between these roles will help you and your students build food webs.

In an ecosystem, you will find the following types of organisms:

1. Producer:

An organism that produces its own food through photosynthesis. Producers use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food. They also need soil nutrients.

Examples: trees and other plants, some plankton, moss, some microorganisms

2. Consumer:

An organism that eats other organisms as food. Consumers cannot make their own food. Consumers can be herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, and scavengers.

Examples: insects, birds, frogs, deer, other animals

3. Decomposer:

An organism that recycles nutrients back into the soil by eating and digesting decayed plant and animal matter and waste.

Examples: mushrooms, some worms, soil bacteria

Make your own food webs activity:

Gather your materials and follow these steps to create your own food webs with your students. You can all work on one big food web together, or each student can make their own mini-food web! There are many possibilities!

Materials

  • Flashcards or pictures of the organisms in an ecosystem (plants, animals, fungi, etc…)
    • Find an easy-to-use set in my food webs unit
    • Or, get a set for an ecosystem of interest (e.g., desert, arctic, forest, etc…)
    • You can also make your own set!
  • Sidewalk chalk
  • A large, paved area outdoors that is free of cars and heavy foot traffic

Step-by-Step Directions

Set-Up:
  1. Sort the organism cards into 3 piles:
    • producers
    • consumers
    • decomposers
  2. Look through your producers pile.
    • This pile represents the food sources for herbivores and omnivores (primary consumers) in your ecosystem.
  3. Look through the consumers pile.
    • Sort these cards further or make a mental note of which organisms are likely to eat plants (herbivores and omnivores) and which organisms are likely to eat animals (carnivores and omnivores).
  4. Research the diets of unfamiliar animals.
    • If students are unfamiliar with some of the animals and their diets, it may help to research the animals online. You can take notes on the backs of the cards if needed.
    • Note: if you’re using my food webs unit, a handout is provided with info on the diets of the included animals!
Build Your Food Web:
  1. Choose your producers.
    • It is easiest to start with one to three producers.
  2. Which consumers eat your producers? These are your primary consumers.
    • Place the primary consumers above your producers and draw arrows to represent the flow of energy from food to eater.
  3. Which consumers eat your primary consumers? These are your secondary consumers.
    • Place the secondary consumers above your primary consumers and draw arrows to represent the flow of energy from food to eater.
  4. Which consumers eat your secondary consumers? These are your tertiary consumers.
    • Place the tertiary consumers above your secondary consumers and draw arrows to represent the flow of energy from food to eater.
  5. Repeat this process as needed, until your reach a consumer that is not eaten by anyone else – this is your top predator!
    • You can make your food web as big or small as you’d like! It could include dozens of organisms or just a few.
  6. Add additional arrows as needed.
    • Food webs can be messy! Many any animals have multiple food sources and are preyed on by multiple predators.
  7. Optional: place any decomposer cards underneath the food web. Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the soil to help producers like plants grow!

Example Food Webs:

A food web made from printed pictures of animals and plants connected with arrows drawn with sidewalk chalk on a sidewalk
An example of building your own food web!

Study Food Webs with Wild Earth Lab:

Of course, you can put together your own food web materials to complete this activity. Or, save time and support my blog when you purchase my food webs unit! The unit includes everything you need to complete this activity plus additional handouts, worksheets, and readings!

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If you enjoyed this post, I know you will love using my other environmental science materials in your classroom!

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Camouflage Lab: try this simple science activity in your classroom to learn about animal adaptations!

A banner that says "study natural selection and adaptation! Camouflage Lab!"

Are you studying animal adaptations with your class? If so, there is nothing quite like a camouflage lab to learn first-hand how concealing coloration can help animals avoid being eaten by predators! This lab activity is very simple and effective for showing students how natural selection favors animals that can hide from predators.

This lab is entertaining because students get to be the “predators” by hunting for different “prey” (black and white beans) in a “habitat” made of white rice. Which prey will they capture most easily? Which prey will survive? Try this lab activity to find out!

Find these worksheets and handouts in my camouflage lab mini study!

In this post, you will learn how to set up a camouflage lab in your classroom. You can also get printable versions of these directions, worksheets, handouts, and classroom posters to use during this lab in my Camouflage Lab Mini Study!

If you are looking for even more ways to study animal adaptations, I think you will also like my bird beaks lab – read the separate post about the bird beaks lab.

This bird beak adaptations lab is another great way to study animal adaptations!

Gather Your Materials

Gather the following materials for the camouflage lab. Each lab group will need:

  • Dry white rice
  • Dry black beans
  • Dry white beans
  • Tweezers
  • Pie tin or shallow bowl
  • Paper cup
  • Stopwatch
  • Student lab handouts (1 set per student)

Set-Up & Directions

  1. Pour some rice into each bowl. The rice will be the background or habitat.
  2. Mix equal numbers of black beans and white beans into each bowl. The black beans are the regular animals. The white beans are the camouflaged animals.
  3. In each lab group, one student will be the predator and another student will be the timer. Students can take turns in these different roles.
  4. The predator will use the tweezers or “beak” to catch as many beans as possible in 30 seconds and place them in the paper cup or “stomach”.
  5. After 30 seconds, count how many beans of each color were captured, and how many beans of each color survived.
  6. Repeat as needed so all students have a turn being the predator.
  7. Check with your students: which “animal” was eaten the most? Which avoided the predators the most?
  8. After the activity, discuss the benefits of concealing coloration with your students.
  9. Students should complete the reflection questions.
Don’t forget to download the worksheets and printable directions for this camouflage lab activity!

Reflection Questions

  1. Did more black beans or white beans survive?
  2. Which beans were easiest to spot in the rice?
  3. How does camouflage help animals?
  4. Would the results of the lab activity be different if you used black rice as the background? How so?
  5. Would the results of the lab activity be different if you used gray rice as the background? How so?
  6. Which would get eaten more in a forest with lots of leaves and moss: a green lizard or a yellow lizard?
  7. Which would get eaten more in a desert with lots of sand, rocks, and dry plants: a greenish blue snake or a tan and gray snake?

Expand on this Activity

Try these ways to expand on your camouflage lab:

1. Natural selection over several generations:

Expand on this activity to learn about natural and adaptations.  Repeat the activity a few times to represent successive generations. Use the proportion of beans of each color after predation to determine the proportion of beans of each color in the next generation.

For example, if you started with 50 total beans (25 black beans and 25 white beans), and 5 black beans and 20 white beans remained after predation, then you should start the next generation with 10 black beans and 40 white beans.

Have students perform these calculations to add math to this lab.  Afterwards, discuss which coloration thrived in the long run. Did either coloration disappear from the population after several generations?

2. Mimicry:

Did you know that some harmless animals mimic dangerous animals? A good example of this is the harmless viceroy butterfly, which looks very similar to the poisonous monarch butterfly. Another example is a non-venomous milk snake, which has nearly the same red and black stripes (called “warning coloration“) as a venomous coral snake! This type of disguise is called “mimicry“, and it is a type of camouflage.

Expand on your camouflage lab by adding in a mimicry lab activity. The purpose of a mimicry activity is to show how pretending to be dangerous benefits prey animals. There are many versions of a mimicry lab, such as the activity shown in this candy camouflage YouTube Video from Science Buddies.

This lab comes from my Reptiles Unit!

Your students will love the illustrated learning materials, plus you’ll support Wild Earth Lab with your curriculum purchase!

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If you enjoyed this post, I know you will love using my environmental science materials in your classroom!

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What is a keystone species? Definition and four examples!

banner that says "heroes of biodiversity: keystone species!" and pictures of a beaver, wolf, saguaro cactus, and prairie dog

A keystone species is an organism that plays an exceptionally large role in its ecosystem. It provides materials or services that enrich the lives of other organisms in the ecosystem. Without the keystone species, the ecosystem would look very different and other organisms that rely on the keystone species would suffer. Now, let’s look at a few examples of keystone species!

Beavers in Wetlands

A common example of a keystone species is a beaver in a wetland. Beavers build dams on streams, causing water to back up and form ponds and wetlands. The result is a much more complex ecosystem with a greater variety of habitats.

A beaver wetland can support a very diverse plant and animal community. Beaver ponds provide a place for other animals to live and forage. A beaver wetland is a great habitat for wetland plants that like to grow in standing water. Without the beaver, the wetland ecosystem slowly degrades.

Saguaro Cactus in the Sonoran Desert

close up photo of prickly cactus plant

Like the beaver, the saguaro cactus is a keystone species. In the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, the saguaro plays a central role providing shelter and food for many other species.

Birds like elf owls, hawks, and woodpeckers live in cavities within the saguaro’s trunk. The saguaro’s flesh helps keep these homes temperature regulated so their occupants stay cool during hot desert days.

The saguaro flower provides nectar that feeds desert pollinators, like bats, doves, and bees. Once pollinated, the saguaro makes large fruits that are also a vital food source for desert animals. Coyotes, tortoises, birds, and others eat the fruit and disperse the saguaro’s seeds in their scat.

Many desert animals have a type of symbiotic relationship with saguaros known as mutualism. This means both the animal and the saguaro benefit from the relationship.

If you are studying keystone species in your classroom, I highly recommend checking out my Saguaro Cactus learning materials, and my Desert Ecology Unit!

Prairie Dogs in Grasslands

Prairie dogs are keystone species in grasslands and prairies because of their tunnels. They are exceptional excavators that build large networks of underground tunnels. These tunnels actually help keep the soil healthy. Digging tills and aerates the soil, and prairie dog scat provides a fertilizer for prairie plants.

Additionally, when prairie dogs abandon burrows, other prairie animal species can move in and use these homes. Not all animals are as good at digging as prairie dogs, so they rely on abandoned prairie dog homes for shelter. Finally, prairie dogs are a food source for grassland predators like coyotes and hawks.

Wolves in Forests

Although scarce today, wolves are a natural keystone species in many types of forests. Wolves help keep the populations of deer, elk, and other undulates under control through hunting them. Amazingly, this impacts the plant community of the forest! Let me explain: deer and elk are voracious plant eaters. When deer and elk numbers grow unnaturally high, plants struggle to grow fast enough to keep up with the hungry undulates. But when wolves are around, the deer and elk populations stay in check, and the plants benefit.

Even a few wolves can really make an impact. These is because the presence of wolves changes the behaviors of deer and elk, scaring them into more protected parts of a habitat. When there are no wolves around, deer and elk will more freely browse in any part of the habitat, including open areas like meadows and riparian zones.

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References and Further Reading

  1. Donegan, C. (2021). Leave It to Beavers: Keystone Species Provides Nature-based Restoration. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Available: https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2021/01/01/leave-it-to-beavers-keystone-species-provides-nature-based-restoration/
  2. Fortin, D., Beyer, H. L., Boyce, M. S., Smith, D. W., Duchesne, T., & Mao, J. S. (2005). Wolves influence elk movements: behavior shapes a trophic cascade in Yellowstone National Park. Ecology, 86(5), 1320-1330.
  3. Kotliar, N. B., Baker, B. W., Whicker, A. D., & Plumb, G. (1999). A critical review of assumptions about the prairie dog as a keystone species. Environmental management, 24, 177-192.
  4. McDonald C. (n.d.). Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). Plant of the Week. U.S. Forest Service. Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/carnegiea_gigantea.shtml
  5. National Park Service (n.d.). Prairie Dogs: Pipsqueaks of the Prairie. Badlands National Park. Available: https://www.nps.gov/articles/prairie-dogs.htm
  6. Ripple, W. J., & Beschta, R. L. (2004). Wolves and the ecology of fear: can predation risk structure ecosystems?. BioScience, 54(8), 755-766.

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The Saguaro Cactus Life Cycle: step-by-step guide with pictures!

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Some saguaro cacti live for 200 years or longer! Saguaro cacti grow very slowly. The speed of growth depends on many factors such as precipitation, temperature, and soil quality. Let’s explore the saguaro cactus life cycle in five steps! Notice that desert animals play a key role in two of these steps.

For Teachers and Parents: If you’re an educator planning to teach kids about cacti in your classroom or at home, great activities and visuals are key to deepening understanding! I think you and your students will love my complete Cactus Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

1. Germination

Saguaro cactus seedling

A seed germinates. The two cotyledons open to form a tiny plant. Seeds that germinate in shady areas such as beneath palo verde trees are most likely to survive through the fragile young stages and reach maturity.

The seedling cactus grows through its first summer and develops more areoles and spines. At just a few millimeters in height, the seedling is so small that it can be difficult to spot.

2. Maturity

It may take ~35 years for a saguaro cactus to reach maturity and produce its first flowers.

The rate of growth depends on environmental conditions such as precipitation, temperature, soil quality, and the type of cactus. For saguaro cacti, growth happens very slowly over many years.

When a cactus reaches reproductive maturity, it can produce its own flowers. Time to reach maturity depends on the cactus species. For example, the saguaro cactus takes several decades to reach maturity.

3. Flowering & Pollination

The lesser long-nosed bat is a nighttime pollinator of the saguaro cactus

The cactus flowers bloom. Cactus flowers make tasty nectar to attract pollinators like bats, bees, and doves. Pollen is transferred between plants by the pollinators. This is a type of symbiotic relationship called mutualism because both the pollinator and the plant benefit. The pollinator gets a tasty meal of nectar, and the plant gets pollinated.

4. Fruiting

Saguaro fruits are a food source for many animals in the Sonoran desert. People sometimes eat the fruit too.

Once pollinated, the cactus fruit begins forming from the ovary of the flower. Cacti can produce huge amounts of fruit. For example, a single saguaro cactus may produce upwards of 100 fruits each year. That’s a lot of fruit! The ripened fruit splits open, revealing sweet flesh and seeds.  This sends the signal to animals that the fruit is ready to eat!

5. Seed Dispersal

When an animal eats the saguaro fruit, it ingests some seeds. The seeds are then dispersed in the animal’s scat.

Desert animals like birds, coyotes, and tortoises eat cactus fruit and disperse seeds in their scat. This is another example of a mutualistic relationship between an animal and a cactus. The animal gets a meal of fruit, and the cactus gets its seeds dispersed. If the cactus is lucky, some of its seeds will be deposited in locations with good growing conditions. Over its lifespan, a single saguaro may produce millions of seeds. However, only a few of those seeds will germinate, grow, and reach maturity.

Classroom cactus materials:

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References and Further Reading

  1. Ceotto, E. (2009). Cultivation of Carnegiea gigantea from seeds: a journey in desert ecology. Desert Plants, 25(1), 10. Available: https://repository.arizona.edu/bitstream/handle/10150/556548/dp_25_01-010-015.pdf?sequence=1
  2. Dimmitt, M. (n.d.). Cactaceae (cactus family). Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Available: https://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_cactus_.php
  3. Helmy, Olga. 2021. Carnegiea gigantea, saguaro. In: Fire Effects Information System, (Online). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/cactus/cargig/all.html
  4. National Park Service (n.d.). The Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Available: https://www.nps.gov/orpi/learn/nature/saguaro-cactus.htm
  5. National Park Service (2017). How Saguaros Grow. Saguaro National Park. Available: https://www.nps.gov/sagu/learn/nature/how-saguaros-grow.htm

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Types of Cacti: explore the diversity of cactus species – with pictures!

banner with the text "Botany teaching idea: learn the types of cacti"

There are many types of cacti, which are found in dry places and deserts. Cacti are succulent plants. Succulent plants are thick and fleshy for storing water. While all cacti are succulents, not all succulents are cacti. Cacti are unique because they have areoles – cushion-like bumps that cover the outside of a cactus. One or more sharp, pointy spines are attached to each areole. Spines are a type of modified leaf. Most cacti species have no true leaves. They do, however, produce flowers and fruit, which provide an important food source to desert animals.

A note for teachers and parents: Are you teaching your students or children about cacti? I think you will love my complete set of printable cactus learning materials. Plus, you’ll support this blog with your purchase! ❤️

Cacti are a diverse group. There are more than one thousand different species of cacti. Some look like a single rounded shape (like a barrel cactus). Others have complex, branching arms or pads (like a prickly pear). They can be as tiny as a grape or grow taller than a house.

Without further ado, let’s explore some of the types and groups of cacti in the United States:

Saguaro Cactus

The saguaro is the largest cactus in the U.S., with some of the older individuals reaching heights of 40-50 feet or more! While it is probably the best-known cactus in the United States, the mighty saguaro actually has a fairly small range and is native to the Sonoran Desert only. The saguaro is actually a keystone species of the Sonoran Desert. Cavities in the large trunks of these tree-sized, columnar cacti provide homes to animals. Their flower nectar and fruit are also food for many Sonoran desert animals. The saguaro cactus is a single species (Carnegiea gigantea).

close up photo of prickly cactus plant
Photo by Nicole Ashley Rahayu Densmoor on Pexels.com

Organ Pipe Cactus

A relative of the saguaro, the organ pipe cactus (Stenocereusthurberi) boasts an impressive size. This large columnar species can reach 10 feet or taller! You can identify an organ pipe cactus by its many stems branching out from a single point at its base. Organ pipe cacti are found in the Sonoran Desert, especially in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. This cactus thrives in the heat and is quite sensitive to freezing temperatures.

Prickly Pears

Prickly pears are a group of cacti within the genus Opuntia. You can identify prickly pears by their branching, flattened pads. These pads are not leaves. But they do perform photosynthesis, like leaves. If identified and prepared properly, the pads can be a delicious food. The fruits of prickly pears are also eaten by both animals and humans. You will find prickly pears in many deserts. Some species of prickly pears grow outside of deserts too.

selective focus photography of prickly pear cactus
Photo by mali maeder on Pexels.com

Chollas

Chollas are a group of cacti within the genus Cylindropuntia . They are closely related to prickly pears and have a similar branching appearance, but their stems are cylindrical, not flattened. There are many species of chollas, such as the buckhorn cholla and the teddy-bear cholla (pictured). While some chollas look soft and cuddly from a distance, they are, in fact, covered in very sharp spines!

Hedgehog Cacti

Hedgehog cacti belong in the genus Echinocereus. They grow in clusters and are quite small, usually under a foot tall. They have ribbed stems and a rounded shape with no branching. Hedgehog cacti are beloved for their beautiful and brightly colored flowers. You can see hedgehog cacti in deserts and dry regions across the southwest United States and Mexico.

Barrel Cacti

Barrel cacti belong in two different cactus genera: Ferocactus and Echinocactus. They are named for their rounded, barrel-like shape. Species vary dramatically in size, with some barrels under a foot and others over 10 feet tall! They are found throughout the southwest United States and parts of Mexico.

Pincushion Cacti

Pincushion cacti belong in the genus Mammillaria. Types of cacti in this genus are also sometimes called nipple cacti. Pincushion cacti are characterized by hooked spines and a very small size. Often, they are just a few inches tall. There are many species of pincushion cacti. You will find pincushions across Central America and Mexico. A handful of pincushion species have ranges extending into the southwest United States.

Study types of cacti with Wild Earth Lab!

Want to learn about cacti with your students or children? Look no further than my cactus unit study. It includes posters featuring my watercolor cactus artwork and all the worksheets, flashcards, and lessons you need!

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References and Further Reading

  1. The American Southwest (n.d.). Cacti of West and Southwest USA. Available: https://www.americansouthwest.net/plants/cacti/index.html
  2. CactiGuide.com (n.d.). Notes for the Genus: Mammillaria. Available: https://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Mammillaria
  3. DesertUSA (n.d.). Barrel Cactus. Available: https://www.desertusa.com/cactus/barrel-cactus.html
  4. Dimmitt, M. (n.d.). Cactaceae (cactus family). Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Available: https://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_cactus_.php
  5. Gauna, F. J. (n.d.). Prickly Pear (Opuntia basilaris P. Mill.). Plant of the Week. U.S. Forest Service. Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/opuntia_basilaris.shtml
  6. Gauna, F. J. (n.d.). Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus sp., Britt. & Rose). Plant of the Week. U.S. Forest Service. Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/ferocactus_sp.shtml
  7. National Park Service (2005). Ecology of the Saguaro: II. NPS Scientific Monograph No. 8. Chapter 5. Available: https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/science/8/chap5.htm
  8. National Park Service (n.d.). The Organ Pipe Cactus (Stenocereus thurberi). Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Available: https://www.nps.gov/orpi/learn/nature/organ-pipe-cactus.htm
  9. North Carolina State University (n.d.). Echinocactus. Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Available: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/echinocactus/
  10. Notes from the Road (2022). Types of Cactus in the Desert Southwest. Available: https://www.notesfromtheroad.com/desertsouthwest/cactus-species.html

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Bird Beaks Lab: try this hands-on classroom activity to learn about adaptations and natural selection!

materials for a bird beaks lab activity for studying natural selection and animal adaptations
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Maybe you have already heard of a bird beaks lab. But if not, the basic idea is this: students use different “beaks” (e.g., chopsticks, tweezers), to pick up different “food sources” (pasta, seeds, peas). Throughout this process, students figure out which beak is the best for “catching” each food.

This is a hilarious and hands-on way to experience competition between species and learn about natural selection and animal adaptations. Students will experience first-hand how specialized beaks can help birds quickly gather the most food and outcompete other types of birds.

In this post, you will learn how to set up your bird beaks lab in your classroom!

Get the most out of this activity: If you’re an educator planning to teach this activity, you’ll find all the worksheets, printable directions, and visual aids you need in my Bird Beaks Lab Mini Study and also within my complete Waterbirds and Waterfowl Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

Find these printable lab materials, featuring watercolor bird illustrations, in my Etsy shop

Gather Your Materials

Gather the following materials for the bird beaks lab:

Beaks:

  • Binder clip or chip clip
  • Tweezers
  • Fork
  • Slotted spoon or small strainer (holes should be smaller than a pea)
  • Chopsticks
  • Eyedropper

Food Sources:

  • Gummy candies (20+)
  • Sunflower seeds or grains of uncooked rice (20+)
  • Marshmallows (20+)
  • Peas (20+)
  • Cooked pasta such as bowties or spirals (20+ pieces)
  • Skinny container filled with water and food coloring (for use with eyedropper)

Other Materials:

  • Liquid measuring cup
  • 2 large bowls filled with water
  • 6 Paper cups or other containers
  • Paper plates
  • Food coloring
  • Permanent marker
  • Timer/watch
  • Towel for cleaning up spills
  • Lab worksheets (1 set per student)
Find these worksheets and handouts in my bird beak adaptations lab mini-study!

Set-Up

  1. Start by setting up six “food source” stations:
    • Place 20  gummy candies on a plate. Label the plate “insects”.
    • Place 20 grains of rice or seeds on a plate. Label the plate “seeds”.
    • Place 20 marshmallows on a plate. Label the plate “rodents”.
    • Place ~20 tsp (~100 mL)of food-colored water in a skinny container. Label the container “flower nectar”. Place a liquid measuring cup next to the container for students to deposit the water into.
    • Place 20 peas in a large bowl of water. Label the bowl “aquatic plants”.
    • Place 20 pieces of pasta in another large bowl of water. Label the bowl “fish”.
  2. Write “stomach” on each paper cup.
  3. Give each student a “stomach” and one of the 6 “beaks”. You can have each student use just one beak, then share answers with students who used other beaks afterward. Or, if you have a small group (and lots of time), you may wish to have each student try out each beak.

Lab Activity

  1. Have students rotate through the food source stations with their beaks.
  2. Instruct students to use their beaks to pick up as much food as they can in 20-60 seconds, placing food into the “stomach” containers. Start the timer and say “go!” (Longer periods may be necessary for very young groups).
  3. After 20-60 seconds, say “stop!”. Students should use the lab datasheets to record the number of pieces of food they picked up (or the volume of liquid at the flower nectar station).
  4. Instruct students to empty their “stomach” cups and put the station back the way it was before moving to the next station.
  5. Once finished with all stations, ask each student to share their beak’s results with the class. Determine which beak(s) worked best for each food source.
  6. Ask students to complete the graphing activity. Students will make a graph for each food source comparing the amount caught by each of the 6 beaks.
  7. Have students work through the reflection questions in groups or individually.

Other Suggestions

  • For groups larger than 6 students, create multiple copies of each station. Or, have groups of 6 take turns rotating through the stations for this lab while the rest of the class completes other work.
  • After or during this lab, discuss adaptations and natural selection. Explain how in nature, animals compete for the same food sources. Birds that can quickly and easily gather lots of food have the best chances of surviving and raising offspring. Ask students to consider what happens when two birds with different beaks compete for the same food source. Discuss how the availability of different food sources may affect the shape of birds’ beaks over time.

Reflection Questions

  1. Which beak(s) worked best for each food source?
  2. Imagine a habitat where two groups of waterbirds compete for aquatic plants to eat. One group of birds has a filtering beak (like the slotted spoon), and one group of birds has a short, grasping beak (like the clip). What do you think would happen to each group of birds over time?
  3. Imagine a bird species with a large, pointy beak (like the chopsticks) that eats seeds. Imagine that one year a few birds are born with shorter, more precise beaks (like the tweezers). Do you think the birds with the new beak type will thrive? What could happen to this bird species over time?

Printables for this Activity:

Find the printable materials for this activity in my Bird Beaks Mini Study. These same materials are also found within my complete Waterbirds and Waterfowl Unit:

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Nocturnal, Diurnal, and Crepuscular Animals: differences explained, plus examples!

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The change from daytime to nighttime creates a world of difference for animals. Different animals are more active at different times of the day. This is an important animal adaptation that helps animals survive and find food in their habitats. Wildlife biologists sort animals into three categories based on the time of day when they are most active. Diurnal animals are most active during the daytime. Nocturnal animals are most active at night. There is also a third, less well-known category: crepuscular animals. Crepuscular animals are most active at dusk and dawn.

For Teachers: Animal adaptations (including nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular) are one of many topics covered in my Desert Unit! Your students will love learning about nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular desert wildlife with this illustrated activity set–plus you’ll support this blog with your unit purchase! 💚

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These categories–nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular–are not always cut and dry. Animals may shift between categories depending on conditions. For example, some animals that are normally nocturnal or diurnal become crepuscular for part of the year to avoid extreme heat or extreme cold.

Additionally, animals will adjust their behavior depending on their habitat. An animal species that is crepuscular in a mild climate may be fully nocturnal in hotter parts of its range to avoid overheating. Furthermore, human activity impacts the behaviors of animals, including the times of day when animals are most active. Wild and domestic animals living in close quarters with humans may alter their natural patterns of activity and rest.

Let’s take a closer look at nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular animals!

Nocturnal Animals

Owl. Photo by Francesco on Pexels.com
Moth. Photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels.com
a bat hanging upside down on a rope
Bat. Photo by Stephen Chantzis on Pexels.com

Nocturnal animals are most active at night!

Benefits: coolest temperatures to prevent overheating; prey can avoid diurnal predators like hawks and eagles

Challenges: difficulties seeing in the dark for some animals; in winter or in cold climates, it is difficult to stay warm enough at nighttime; nocturnal predators like owls are active

Examples: bats, owls, some rodents, raccoons, moths, badgers, some frogs and toads, geckos

Diurnal Animals

Falcon. Photo by Susanne Jutzeler on Pexels.com
The European honey bee or
Honeybee. Photo by Philippe Donn on Pexels.com
close up of insect on yellow surface
Lizard. Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi on Pexels.com

Diurnal animals are most active in the daytime!

Benefits: full daylight makes it easy to see; easy time to stay warm enough; prey can avoid nocturnal predators like owls

Challenges: in summer or hot climates, it is easiest to overheat during the daytime; diurnal predators like hawks and eagles are active

Examples: many snakes and other reptiles, hummingbirds, hawks, eagles, falcons, ducks, bees, butterflies, moose

Crepuscular Animals

photo of a cougar near a log
Cougar. Photo by Nicky Pe on Pexels.com
brown deer under trees
Deer. Photo by Devon Rockola on Pexels.com
close up photo of rabbit
Hare. Photo by Ray Bilcliff on Pexels.com

Crepuscular animals are most active during twilight – at dusk and/or dawn!

Benefits: cooler temperature than daytime; partial light for visibility

Challenges: for prey animals, many predators are also active at this time

Examples: deer, cougars, some rabbits and hares, some songbirds, coyotes, foxes, some beetles, some frogs and toads

Nature Journaling Activity

close up of woman writing in a journal outdoors

Head out to a natural area in the middle of the day. Sit for 10-15 minutes as you look and listen for animals that are active during the day. Make a list of all the diurnal animals that you observed. Then brainstorm some benefits and drawbacks of being active during the daytime.

Repeat this exercise at either dawn or dusk to observe crepuscular animals, and at night to observe nocturnal animals. Compare your lists.

New to nature journaling? There are many wonderful options for guided nature journals and handmade notebooks on Etsy. Here are a few popular options to help get you started with nature journaling:

Studying Animal Adaptations?

Animal adaptations (including nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular activities) are one of many topics covered in my Desert Unit! Your students will love this illustrated activity set, plus you’ll support Wild Earth Lab with your unit purchase!

More Units from Wild Earth Lab:

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What are aquatic macroinvertebrates? Their role in food webs and use as bioindicators!

Drawings of macroinvertebrates overlaid with the text "Let's learn about aquatic macroinvertebrates!" and "topics covered : ecological importance, role in food webs, uses as bioindicators"

What is an aquatic macroinvertebrate? Perhaps you are studying ecology or ponds and came across this term. Fortunately, the name provides us with a few hints… Let’s break it down:

Aquatic – lives in or on water.

Macro – large enough to be seen by the naked eye.

Invertebrate – an animal with no backbone.

So… an aquatic macroinvertebrate is an animal with no backbone that lives in or on water and is big enough that you can see it with your naked eye. This includes animals like aquatic insects, other aquatic arthropods (e.g., crayfish, water mites), aquatic mollusks (e.g., mussels), aquatic worms, and more.

What do these ten animals have in common? They are all aquatic macroinvertebrates! 1. stonefly, 2. caddisfly, 3. mayfly, 4. aquatic beetle, 5. water strider, 6. freshwater snail, 7. freshwater mussel, 8. aquatic worm, 9. water mite, 10. crayfish.

Why do aquatic macroinvertebrates matter?

Aquatic food webs

Now that you know what aquatic macroinvertebrates are, your next question is likely… “Why should I care about them?” True, these tiny critters may seem unremarkable, or even “icky”. However, these creatures have important roles in aquatic ecosystems. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are key members of aquatic food webs. Many macroinvertebrates help recycle nutrients back into the food web by consuming detritus (decaying matter) that settles to the bottom of the water. All those nutrients would be lost if the aquatic macroinvertebrates were not around to use them!

Macroinvertebrates are a key food source for other aquatic animals. Many fish, birds, and amphibians eat macroinvertebrates. If the macroinvertebrate community is not thriving, all the animals that rely on macroinvertebrates as food will feel the impact. Problems for the macroinvertebrate community are problems for the whole ecosystem.

An example of an aquatic food chain

Use as bioindicators

Certain macroinvertebrates are very sensitive to poor water quality and other human-caused impacts to aquatic ecosystems. For this reason, scientists consider macroinvertebrate species to be excellent bioindicators. A bioindicator is a type of organism whose well-being relates closely to ecological conditions and is studied by scientists

Scientists sometimes struggle to find ways to quantitatively measure overall ecosystem health. Ecosystem health depends on many factors (e.g., temperature, nutrient cycling, water chemistry). How do we know if an ecosystem is healthy? How can we tell if our actions are improving or harming an ecosystem?

To help answer these questions, scientists created indexes of biological integrity. Indexes allow scientists to give an ecosystem a score for its overall health, based on its community. Indexes use things like species richness to represent ecosystem health. A popular index for aquatic ecosystem health looks at “EPT richness” – that is the number of different types of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies).

Indexes of biological integrity use the relationships between number of taxa and the level of human impact on an ecosystem

Study macroinvertebrates in your classroom!

If you enjoyed this post, I know you will love my Macroinvertebrates Unit. It includes posters, lab activities, readings, worksheets – everything you need for an awesome aquatic macroinvertebrates unit with your students. Find it in my shop.

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References and Further Reading

  1. Merritt, R. W., Cummins, K. W., & Berg, M. B. (2008). Aquatic insects of North America (4th edition). Kendall Hunt, Dubuque.
  2. Pyron, M. (2010) Characterizing Communities. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):39. Available: https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/characterizing-communities-13241173/
  3. Stumpf, S., Valentine-Darby, P., & Gwilliam, E. (2015). Aquatic Macroinvertebrates – Habitat and Life History. NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program, 2009. Available: https://www.nps.gov/articles/aquatic-macroinvertebrates-habitat.htm
  4. UNH Center for Freshwater Biology (2013). An image-based key to stream insects. Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 USA. Available: http://cfb.unh.edu/StreamKey/html/index.html
  5. Ward, J. V., Kondratieff, B. C., & Zuellig, R. E. (2002). Mountain stream insects of Colorado (2nd edition). University Press of Colorado.

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10 pond activities to try in your classroom!

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Wild Earth Lab is supported by readers like you. This post includes links to my own products and affiliate products. If you purchase through links on my site, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Ponds are an amazing place to teach children about ecology, biodiversity, and wildlife. Here are 10 fun pond activity ideas to try out with your students! I hope these lesson ideas help you have a great pond field trip or pond unit study with your class.

A Special Note For Teachers: are you planning to teach your students about ponds? For great printable handouts, worksheets, and activity directions, look no further than my complete Pond Ecology Unit. Plus, you’ll support this blog with your purchase! 💚

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1. Bird Biodiversity:

Grab your binoculars and go birdwatching for waterfowl at a local pond or wetland! How many different types of birds can you spot? Find a bird guidebook or waterfowl species checklist for your local area. Can you identify any of the birds you see? And if you are ready to take flight into the amazing world of wetland birds, I recommend trying my Waterfowl and Waterbirds Unit or reading my blog post about Waterbird Activities.

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2. Aquatic Insects:

Did you know that the larvae of many common insects like dragonflies and mayflies live in pond water? Flip over rocks and logs in shallow water and see how many aquatic insects you can find! Learn more about the different types of aquatic insects in my recent blog post or grab some materials and worksheets for identifying common aquatic insects in my Aquatic Insects Mini Study! Finding aquatic insects is one of my personal favorite pond activities and I think your students are going to love it too!

photo of printed classroom handouts for learning about aquatic insects
Study aquatic insects – the cool critters living at the bottom of ponds and streams- with these unique printable study aids!

3. Pond Dipping:

Learn about some of the tiniest of pond plants & critters. Grab a sample of pond water and look at it under a microscope or with a magnifying glass. What can you see?

Beulah Hill Pond
Beulah Hill Pond by Stephen McKay is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

4. Petite Pond:

Create your own mini model of a pond habitat in an aquarium or tank. Include abiotic features like rocks and sand, and biotic features like pond plants, algae, and sticks. You can even go a step further and capture a few aquatic insects such as water beetles to release into your habitat!

Prefer a kit? Skip the hassle of gathering materials by trying a Wabi Kusa Ecosystem Kit – perfect for making your very own pond ecosystem in a pretty vase!

5. Froggy Fun:

Study the frog life cycle and learn about the roles that frogs play in pond ecosystems. Then learn to fold an origami frog with this tutorial!

Frog arts and crafts for kids, fold an origami jumping frog
You can also grab this Origami Frog activity in my Frog STEM Unit!

6. Riparian Research:

Teach students about riparian areas: the ecologically important boundary zones between water and land. After teaching students about riparian areas, ask students to research a favorite plant or animal that lives in or uses riparian areas – there are many possibilities, including cattails, willows, waterfowl, and frogs. I’ve created some complimentary animal research project worksheets that you can download for free. To access these worksheets and my full library of free learning resources, sign up for my newsletter using the link below:

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Find these free worksheets and more on my free learning resources page!

7. Give Back to Nature:

Participate in a clean-up day at a local pond or wetland. Help pick up trash to improve a pond ecosystem! Then you can stick around afterwards to complete some of the other pond activities. You can also read about the signs of a healthy aquatic ecosystem in these two blog posts:

8. Try nature journaling!

Use different senses to observe the pond! Then write or draw about it. You can find guided natural journals with weekly prompts on Etsy like this one (external link). Or, for a free option, I’ve put together this free pond nature journaling page for kids. To access the free journaling page (and more free resources), sign up for my email newsletter below:

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A worksheet for a visit to a pond

9. Pond Scavenger Hunt:

Ponds are a great place to observe tons of biodiversity! See how many different species you can spot with this free pond scavenger hunt worksheet:

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A worksheet for a scavenger hunt

10. Try out my Pond Ecology Unit:

If you enjoyed these pond activity ideas, I think you’re going to love my Pond Ecology Unit! It includes tons of activities, worksheets, posters, and more for an awesome pond unit study – all featuring my artwork!

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Or, find more Wild Earth Lab Units to try…

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