Wildlife in the Woods
Concepts:
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Wildlife includes mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
All types of wildlife are uniquely adapted to survive in a certain habitat.
Populations of wildlife are dependent on the limiting factors of a habitat.
Observation skills are frequently used to study wildlife.
Objectives:
 The students will form a
hypothesis as to how different
wildlife species survive by
observing their habitats, tracks
and signs.
 The students will determine
how limiting factors affect wildlife populations.
 The students will observe and
identify different wildlife adaptations and the functions of
those adaptations.
Equipment:
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Track And Scat Id Chart
Paper And Pencils
Food Pieces (Wood Pieces,
Chips, Etc)
Magnifying Glasses
2 Pieces Of Webbing
Hula Hoops
Blindfolds
Note to Teacher:
During this lesson take your time
to allow the students to develop
good observation skills, followed
by an excitement for exploration.
The real excitement in this lesson
comes when students become
aware that they have the necessary tools to discover where different kinds of wildlife have been and
what they were doing. Tracking is
a central part of any wildlife study,
but beware, it can dominate your
lesson. Your role is to offer the
students a guided discovery of
wildlife in the woods.
Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Activities in Lesson:
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Wildlife Whereabouts (10 min)
Junior Tracker (10 min)
Wildlife Tracking and Exploration (ambulator)
Camouflage (25 min)
Rabbits and Coyotes (35 min)
Create a Habitat (25 min)
Vocabulary
Adaptation- an alteration or adjustment in structure or habits,
often hereditary, by which a species or individual improves its
condition in relation to its environment.
Carrying Capacity- the maximum
number of individuals that a given environment can support
without detrimental effects.
Carnivore- a flesh-eating animal.
Habitat- the area or environment
in which an organism or ecological community normally lives or
occurs.
Herbivore- an animal that feeds
chiefly on plants.
Limiting Factor- environmental
factor that limits the growth or
activities of an organism or that
restricts the size of a population
or its geographical range.
Niche- the function or position of
an organism or population within
an ecological community.
Omnivore- an animal that feeds
on both animal and plant substances.
Population Density– the number
of a species living within a specific habitat area.
Predator- an organism that lives
by hunting other organisms.
Prey- an animal hunted or
caught for food.
Scat- excrement of an animal.
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Wildlife in the Woods
Wildlife Whereabouts? (10 min)
1. Begin by asking the students:
 What is a habitat?
 What is included in a habitat?
 Are habitats the same for all animals?
 What comes to mind when you hear the
word wildlife?
2. Gather the students into a circle and explain
that they will be trying to find out what certain
animals need to survive. We call these things
that animals need to survive a habitat.
3. Have the students imagine that they are all
going to be living in the forest for the rest of the
year. What will they need to survive? (food,
water, shelter, air, and space). Explain that all
five of these things make up a habitat. If are
unavailable, then the animal will either move to
find them, or not survive. Habitats are scarce
and animals often compete for a good habitat.
4. Put students into small groups to select an
animal. After a few moments have each group
announce their animal, where their animal can
be found and how it survives within its habitat
(i.e. rabbit, lives in the meadow next to forest
where the air is clean, eats green plants are
nearby, drinks dew from plants in the morning,
builds a nest of grasses and leaves and occupies an area large enough for the rabbit to find
enough food, without depleting a certain species the area and room to raise their young).
Junior Tracker (10 min)
1. Scientists who study wildlife, Wildlife Biologists or Wildlife Ecologists, have very good observation skills. They use these skills to collect
information about a certain species and their
habitat. Ask the students:
 What are observation skills?
 Do they include any other senses in addition to sight? (smell, sound, touch, taste)
 What about memory?
 How do Wildlife Biologists use observation
skills to study wildlife? (tracking/examining)
2. Tell the students that they will be learning to
be good trackers by using their observation
skills. Organize the students into pairs. One
student will turn around for 30 seconds while
the other student changes something about
their appearance (clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc.).
After 30 seconds, the student may turn around
and try to guess what changes were made. The
students then switch places and this time make
more subtle changes in their appearance.
3. After three or four rounds, ask the students:
 What sorts of changes were easy to detect?
 Which ones were difficult? Why?
 Do you think signs of wildlife will be more
like the easy changes, or hard ones? Why?
Wildlife Tracking and Exploration
(ambulator)
Materials: Track ID sheet, Animal Homes and
Signs Scavenger Hunt sheet
1. The wildlife in Bradford Woods is often out
and about trying to find the things they need for
their habitat. We can see signs of them scampering around trying to find food and water, building a shelter, or locating a suitable space to
raise young. Ask the students:
 What kinds of wildlife signs might we see?
(tracks, homes, partially eaten material,
scat, etc.).
 Where might we see them? (near the water,
on the ground, in trees, around logs).
2. Walk along the trail and have the students try
to find different signs of wildlife. Have the students carry the track ID sheet and the Animal
Homes and Signs scavenger hunt sheet as they
search.
3. As you find signs, ask students:
 What kind of animal was it?
 How do you know?
 What do you think it was doing when it
made this sign?
 Where were they going?
Camouflage (25 min)
1. Different creatures have different adaptations
to help them survive in their habitat. Some adaptations help creatures get food, while other
adaptations help them to stay away from predators or to build better homes for raising young.
2. Using some of the creatures you found signs
of earlier on your hike (you may need to pick an
easy one or use one that may be around Bradford Woods if the students are having trouble),
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Wildlife in the Woods
ask the students:
 How do some of these different creatures
stay away from predators?
 What adaptations make that possible?
 Do any creatures use camouflage to avoid
predators?
3. Gather the students into a circle near a flat,
fairly large forested area along the trail. Tell
them that they will be playing a game in which
they will all be animals trying to avoid a predator. The only adaptation they will be given is
that of camouflage.
4. One student will be the predator and will
stand at some point along the trail. The predator must keep one pivot-foot planted at all
times. The predator will be blindfolded for 30
seconds and the remaining students will spread
out in the forested area and try to camouflage
themselves so they are not seen by the predator.
5. However, one important aspect to being prey
is that you are not completely hidden, only camouflaged. Therefore, all prey must have one
part of their body sticking out (i.e. a finger, foot
or pony tail). If they are seen, they are food for
the predator and must sit down at the starting
point until the next round. The object is to come
as close as possible to the predator without being seen.
6. The predator must be able to describe (with
some detail) what the prey are wearing in order
for them to be caught and become food. If the
predator cannot see all of the animals, the predator will replace the blindfold for 15 seconds. All
of the prey must hide again, moving closer to
the predator this time. Play until there is one
prey remaining. After one or two rounds, ask
the students:
 Which prey were easy or difficult to see?
Why?
 Did the prey do anything that made them
particularly easy to find? (moving or talking)
 How did the prey feel?
 What creatures might you find in Bradford
Woods that might use camouflage to survive?
 Do creatures use camouflage to hunt?
Rabbits and Coyotes (35 min)
Materials: rabbit food, hoola hoops.
1. Lack of water, food, shelter, space, and air
can limit the number of animals that can live
together in the same place at the same time.
Tell the students they are going to play a game
where they are going to be animals trying to
survive in their habitat. There will be limiting
factors that will challenge their survival rate (i.e.
lack of food, predators, and/or shelter).
2. Assuming you have 14 students, choose
eleven students to be rabbits and three students to be coyotes. The goal of the rabbits and
the coyotes is to find enough food to survive
each season. Rabbits need to eat four pieces of
food in order to survive. Coyotes need to eat
three rabbits in order to survive.
3. Coyotes are predators that eat, among other
things, rabbits (it should be noted that coyotes
are omnivores and eat plant matter also). A rabbit may not be eaten by more than one coyote.
4. The rabbits must run from one edge of the
forest to the other and gain their food, however
in doing so, they must cross the dangerous field
where the three coyotes lie in wait for their food.
5. Rabbit food pieces are placed on the opposite side of the dangerous field in the forest.
Use wooden pieces, chips, or balls etc to represent rabbit food.
6. Rabbits may only collect one piece of food
per trip across the field and must return that
food to the starting side each time.
7. If a rabbit is tagged they are eaten and must
sit out until the next round.
8. The coyote must bring the eaten rabbit to the
sideline area before eating more rabbits.
9. In addition to running away, rabbits may
avoid being eaten by using any of the following
tactics that rabbits use to survive in the wild.
 When rabbits sense danger they often
freeze, or remain motionless to avoid being
seen. Therefore, if a rabbit is running and
suddenly freezes, they may not be tagged
until they are moving again. Coyotes may
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Wildlife in the Woods
not surround the frozen rabbit; a reasonable
get away space must be given. A rabbit may
freeze as many times as they like.
 Rabbits may also hide in the shrubs, hoola
hoops, scattered throughout the field. A
shrub can hold a maximum of two rabbits.
Both of the rabbit feet must be in the hoola
hoop in order to be safe. Coyotes must give
the rabbits a safe get away distance from
the shrubs as well.
10. After each round ask the students:
 How many coyotes and rabbits survived
that season?
 Do you think the shrubs allowed the rabbits
to survive better? Why?
 What techniques did the coyotes use to
catch enough rabbits?
 What do you think would have happened if
we had started with five coyotes? Eleven
rabbits? No place to hide?
**Note: You can play each new round with different
numbers of coyotes, rabbits, shrubs, or amount of
food necessary for survival, such as in colder
habitats or when raising young. Let the students
predict what the outcome will be. You can also
graph the fluctuating populations and introduce
hunters or diseases.**
3. Once students have chosen an animal, have
them spread out and begin to create their habitat. They may use any natural features of the
area or may import some leaves, twigs, or rocks
into their area as long as it is natural. Help the
students decide what kind of requirements may
be necessary for their animal (space and food
in particular).
4. Allow the students about 15 minutes to complete their habitat. Once all of the habitats are
complete, gather the students and have each
student take the group on a brief tour of their
habitat explaining the various details and special points of interest.
5. When everyone has completed the tour, ask:
 What kinds of things would you add to your
habitat now that you have seen others?
 Did your habitat meet all of the requirements for an animal to live there for a week?
A year? Ten years?
 What do you think would happen if your
habitat were logged? Or divided into housing plots? Or made into a shopping area?
 What are some things that decrease or increase the ways animals can continue to
survive in their current habitats?
Create a Habitat (25 min)
(Adapted from Project Wild)
Materials: string.
1. Continue down the trail and look for more
signs of wildlife activity. It is now time for the
students to create a habitat for a BW animal.
As they build this habitat remind them to keep
in mind all the concepts discussed: what makes
a good wildlife habitat; limiting factors; and adaptations for survival.
2. The students are going to pretend that they
are a miniature version of an animal and are
only as tall as a thumbtack; the only limitation is
that it must be an animal found at Bradford
Woods. Give the students a piece of string or
rope six to eight feet long to use as boundaries
for their habitat. They can also mark off a two or
three foot square. Tell the students that within
their boundaries they are going to create a habitat for their animal. The habitat must contain all
of the necessary factors for survival. Have the
students review the components of a habitat if
necessary.
 on their front feet. Lizards have 5 toes on
their front feet.
 If a salamander loses a tail or a limb it can
grow a new one. This is known as regeneration.
MAMMALS
Bats
 Bats are the only flying mammals.
 Nearly 1000 types of bats account for almost a quarter of all mammal species (k).
 The scientific name for bats is Chiroptera
meaning "hand wing." Bats' fingers are
lengthened to support the thin membrane,
which extends to their hind leg (13).
 The world's smallest bat weighs less than a
penny, and the largest bat has a 6-foot wing
span (k).
 Bats are nocturnal animals. They rest during the day upside down in trees, caves and
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Wildlife in the Woods
Evaluation
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Notes:
Students have used observation skills to
study animals, their habitats, tracks and
signs.
Students can state how limiting factors
affect wildlife populations.
Students can list wildlife adaptations and
their functions.
Keep in Mind
While students are sharpening their observation
and tracking skills, be sure that they are careful
not to touch or pick up any animals that they
track down!
Back in the Classroom
Donate to, or organize a fundraiser for the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund. Learn
more about Indiana’s endangered species and
other wildlife and share that with others. Work
to improve water quality in a stream or river
near your home or school.
191
Background
Habitat Encroachment
A worldwide problem in wildlife management in
recent years has been the topic of Habitat Encroachment. Habitat Encroachment is a process by which human developments and interests take habitat area away from the wild animals living there. When this happens animals
are forced to move to less suitable areas, migrate, adapt, or, sadly, decrease population
numbers. The wildlife of Indiana is subject to
the same types of encroachment as in other
areas. As a result, many species of animal have
either moved away or become threatened.
To combat this problem, there are many reintroduction programs where animals are bred in
captivity and then released into the wild as juveniles. One such program is the North American
River Otter reintroduction program run by Fish
and Wildlife services and Department of Natural
Resources. The North American River Otter is a
highly specialized, aquatic member of the weasel family with a long cylindrical, streamlined
body and short powerful legs. Habitat suitable
for River Otters can be defined broadly as high
quality rivers, larger streams and creeks, and
lakes often bordered by forested/brushy cover
and supporting a diverse prey base. Otters typically prefer secluded habitats, but can inhabit
large lakes and reservoirs that are used for recreation provided there is adequate prey (small
fish, crustaceans, amphibians, and reptiles),
escape cover, and good water quality.
The North American river otter once inhabited
aquatic ecosystems throughout Indiana. In the
mid to late 1800s, unregulated taking and loss
of habitat resulted in widespread population declines. By 1942, it is believed that breeding populations of river otters had disappeared from the
state. The Indiana DNR upgraded the otter's
status to endangered in 1994 in preparation for
this project.
In 1995, 303 river otters were released at
twelve sites in six different watersheds; three in
northern Indiana and three in southern Indiana.
Since their release, biologists have monitored
the otters through bridge stream surveys and
observations near their release sites
The river otters now occupy 35 counties in Indiana, with sightings (records) occurring in an ad-
ditional 23 counties. Reproductive activity has
been occurring in 11 of the 12 release sites as
well as other watersheds in Indiana. Many family groups, consisting of adults and several juveniles, have been reported throughout the state.
To date, 43 of the 303 released river otters
have died from various causes (incidental trapping, vehicle collision, etc.) 27 unmarked river
otters were also found dead of various causes.
These unmarked river otters show that the released river otters continue to reproduce and
expand their regions throughout Indiana.
Info. taken from http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/
endangered/otter.htm
AMPHIBIANS
The word amphibian comes from two Greek
words meaning "both" and "life" (2).
 Amphibians spend part of their life in water
and part of their life on land.
 Amphibians are different from reptiles, as
they do not have clawed feet or true scaly
skin (2).
 Amphibians are cold-blooded meaning their
body temperature changes with the surrounding environment. For this reason most
amphibians hibernate in winter underground
or in the mud beneath ponds (1).
 Adults usually eat insects and worms (1).
Lifecycle - Amphibians lay jelly-covered eggs in
clumps or in strings in quiet water or on moist
leaf mould. These eggs hatch into tadpoles or
larvae, which spend most of their time in water,
and breathe with gills. At this stage they feed
on microscopic plants. Later the tadpoles and
larvae go through a change known as metamorphosis, in which they develop lungs and
breathe air. Now they are adults and may
spend more time on land, but often return to the
water to mate and lay eggs.
Salamanders
 Salamanders are tailed amphibians.
 Salamanders differ from lizards, as they
lack a scaly skin and only have four toes on
their front feet while lizards have five.
 If a salamander loses a tail or a limb it can
grow a new one. This is known as regeneration.
192
Background
MAMMALS
Bats
 Bats are the only flying mammals.
 Nearly 1000 types of bats account for almost a quarter of all mammal species (k).
 The scientific name for bats is Chiroptera
meaning "hand wing." Bats' fingers are
lengthened to support the thin membrane,
which extends to their hind leg (13).
 The world's smallest bat weighs less than a
penny, and the largest bat has a 6-foot wing
span (k).
 Bats are nocturnal animals. They rest during the day upside down in trees, caves and
old buildings (13).
 Bats hibernate from the end of October until
the end of March (13).
 Most bats eat insects and other bats feed
on nectar from night blooming flowers.
 Many bats have poor eyesight, but they
have large specially adapted ears for echolocation.
 Insect-eating bats use echolocation to find
their food and locate prey as thin as a human hair.
 Bats emit high-pitched pulsing sounds from
their mouths or noses, which are too high
for us to hear. The sound bounces off obstacles and food and echoes back to the bat
giving them information about the size,
shape, identity and direction of flight of the
object. As a bat zeroes in on the prey, the
echo pulses increase and the hunt is refined
(k).
 More than 50% of American bat species are
in severe decline or already listed as endangered. Losses are occurring at alarming
rates worldwide (k).
 Bats are the slowest reproducing mammals
on earth for their size, most producing only
one young per year. They are therefore exceptionally vulnerable to extinction (k).
 Bat boxes can be seen nailed to trees
around Bradford Woods to help in their conservation. They have narrow slits underneath them so bats can squeeze in and feel
safe during the daytime.
Bats Common to Bradford Woods
Little Brown Bat
 The Little Brown Bar is the world's longest-
living mammal for its size, with life spans
sometimes exceeding 32 years (k). A single
little brown bat can catch 600 mosquitoes in
just one hour (k).
Big Brown Bat
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A colony of big brown bats can protect local
farmers from up to 18 million or more rootworms each summer. Bats are therefore
very beneficial (k).
Beavers
 Beavers are the largest rodents in North
America (h).
 They have thick fur, webbed feet and a paddle-shaped tail that are well suited for living
in an aquatic environment. They use their
tails as a rudder and their fur acts as a waterproof layer (h).
 Beavers have specially adapted eyes, ears
and nostrils that close when they dive under
water (h).
 They have strong constantly growing incisors that enable them to gnaw through
wood to build their lodges (h).
 Beavers have good engineering abilities.
They build dams with brush and tree trunks
to turn shallow streams into water deep
enough so they can swim into their lodge or
burrow. Some beavers do not build dams if
the water is deep enough already (h).
 They live in small, compatible colonies generally made up of a mated monogamous
pair of adults and their young of 2 years.
After 2 years the young have reached sexual maturity and are forced to leave the lodge
(h).
 Beavers do not hibernate during the winter,
but may be less active, spending most of
their time in the lodge (h).
 Beavers have built lodges in Sycamore
Creek, and around the banks of the lake at
Bradford Woods.
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Chipmunks
 Chipmunks are related to squirrels, however
do not have bushy tails and do not climb
trees.
 Chipmunks dig holes and burrows in the
ground. This is where they live and hibernate in the winter (16).
 There are several connecting chambers in
the burrow for nesting, toilet and storage
193
Background
facilities (16).
 Chipmunks eat nuts, seeds and fruit and the
occasional insect (13).
 Like squirrels, chipmunks collect and store
nuts to survive their winter hibernation. They
pack nuts into their cheek pouches and run
back and forth from source to storage till the
supply ends.
Coyotes
 Coyotes are members of the canine family
and are related to wolves (13).
 Baby coyotes are born in burrows or dens in
April and stay with their parents until the fall
(13).
 Coyotes howl like wolves. One coyote can
sound like a dozen when it howls at night
(16).
 Coyotes will eat almost anything from rodents and rabbits to large insects and fruit
(13).
 Sometimes coyotes cooperate with one other to hunt (16).
White-tailed Deer
 Deer have long skinny legs packed with
muscles that are perfect for out running their
predators (14).
 A fawn must try and untangle its long legs to
stand up at the age of 20 minutes, so it is
not helpless and can learn to escape from
predators. By the time it is 2 days old it can
stand up and walk around without trouble
(14).
 Deer run on their tiptoes. They have 4 toes 2 small outer toes called dewclaws and 2
middle toes that form the hoof. An extra
thick toenail covers the hoof in order for
them to run fast (14).
 Deer can see in almost every direction, except behind them, because their eyes are
on the sides of their heads (14). Deer are
herbivores. Their upper jaw has no front
teeth. It is used as a chopping board on
which the sharp bottom teeth will cut grass
(14).
 Every spring a male deer begins to grow a
new pair of antlers. While they are growing
the antlers are soft and tender and are covered in a soft skin called velvet. After about
3 months the antlers reach full size and by
late summer they are hard bones. At this
time the velvet is shed. By winter the antlers
get extremely hard near the skull and fall off
(14).
Why do Deer Grow Antlers? (14)
 Male deer use their antlers to protect themselves when in combat and during competition for females.
 The deer with the biggest antlers usually
attracts the most females.
 Antlers have a built in system that help to
cool the deer's whole body. Warm blood
that rushes to its antlers is quickly cooled by
the outside air.
Foxes
 The best time to see foxes is at night when
they go out to hunt. However they are very
shy and tend to stay out of human sight
(16).
 Foxes mostly eat small mammals but sometimes eat fruit and berries (13).
 Foxes live in small holes in the ground
called dens (13).
 Young foxes are born in the den during late
spring. Both parents look after the young
and teach them how to hunt. In the fall the
young fox leaves the den to fend for itself
(13).
Raccoons
 Raccoons eat almost anything from rodents,
insects and frogs to fruit, and scavenge
among human trash (13).
 Raccoons are nocturnal hunters (16).
 Raccoons can climb and commonly nest in
a hollow tree sometimes above ground.
They are not a burrowing animal (16).
 Raccoons nest usually within a mile of water
and their footprints can often be seen in riverbeds, especially in fern valley (16).
 They are the only mammals that habitually
wash their food (13).
Squirrels
 Tree squirrels do not hibernate but spend
more time in their nests in winter (m).
 Squirrels are territorial animals. They usually claim an area of 1-7 acres and mark their
territories by urinating on trees (m).
 The average adult squirrel needs to eat
about a pound of food a week to maintain
194
Background
an active life. They eat mostly nuts, seeds
and fruit; however, they will eat bird’s eggs
and animal carcasses, if there is no other
food source available (m).
 A squirrel's incisor teeth grow continuously
throughout its life to compensate for the
enormous amount of wear they endure (m).
 A squirrel will break the shell of a nut with its
teeth, then clean the nut by licking it or rubbing it on its face before it is buried. This
also applies a scent to the nut, which helps
the squirrel find it later, even under a foot of
snow (m).
 Squirrels hide their food in many places. If
another squirrel or animal were to find it the
entire winter food supply would not be lost
(m).
For what do Squirrels use their Bushy Tails?
 Balance.
 To enable it to maneuver quickly without
falling.
 To communicate with other squirrels.
 As a parachute if they fall.
 Squirrels build nests made of twigs and
leaves, and are lined with fur and feathers.
They are called dreys and are built high in
the trees for protection against ground predators (m).
 The mating season for squirrels is in late
winter or early spring. This is the best time
to see squirrel acrobatics, as the males
chase females around the trees (m).
 Squirrels are usually born in spring. At birth
they weigh approximately one ounce and
are one inch long. They do not have hair or
teeth and are virtually blind for the first 6-8
weeks (m).
Squirrels Common to Bradford Woods
Gray Squirrel
 Seen all over Bradford Woods, especially in
the morning before midday and a few hours
before sunset in summer.
Flying Squirrel

This species does not fly but it can glide
great distances. When its arms are extended, folds of skin between its body and its
arms form a wing. This species is nocturnal
and lives in different areas than the gray
squirrel because they fight when in the
same territory.
MARSUPIALS
Opossums
 Opossums are the only marsupial on this
continent (h).
 Opossums are nocturnal and are often seen
crossing the roads around Bradford Woods.
During the day they hide in hollow tree
trunks and brush piles.
 Opossums are usually solitary animals, other than during the breeding season in late
winter (h).
 Opossums have 50 teeth - more than any
North American mammal (g).
 Like other marsupials, opossums give birth
to almost embryonic young that crawl into
their mother's pouch where they remain
firmly attached to a nipple until they are
about 50 days old. When the pouch becomes too crowded, the young venture out
and ride on their mother's back (h).
 Opossums are omnivores and scavenge
carrion and garbage around the dumpsters
at Bradford Woods.
 Because of their long, naked tails, opossums are often mistaken for large rats.
REPTILES
 Reptiles have scaly skin to protect themselves (2).
 Reptiles feel dry to touch (2).
 Reptiles have clawed toes (2).
 Reptiles are cold blooded and therefore hibernate in the ground or mud during winter
(2).
Blue-Tailed Skinks
 They can discard their tails as a defense
mechanism. They evolved colored tails to
draw the predator’s attention; this keeps
them away from the head and trunk.
 They are fast and quickly disappear down
burrows they have dug or between decaying
logs.
 You can often see them around the wooden
edges of Hadley Circle in the warmer
months.
Snakes
 Lateral motion is the most common direction
of movement for all snakes. To move for195
Background
ward a snake pushes sideways against
rocks, sticks and other objects it finds on the
ground. By doing this, the snake is able to
get a grip on the ground at several places
along the length of its body (12).
 Snakes have more muscles than many other kinds of animals, since they must literally
muscle their way along the ground (12).
 Snakes keep growing until they die. The
rate of growth is faster when they are young
(12).
 Snakes shed their thin outer layer of skin
because they are constantly growing.
Snakes do this by rubbing their head
against something hard till the outer skin
breaks. Then the snake can begin to wiggle
out of it. The skin is turned completely inside out in the process (12).
 Snakes always seem to stare, even when
they are asleep. This is because they have
no eyelids and therefore cannot blink their
eyes (12).
 Snakes are carnivores. They eat worms,
slugs, insects, frogs, birds and small mammals (i).
 Amazing Fact - Some snakes eat eggs and
can swallow them whole. Inside the throat
of these snakes, a series of sharp bones cut
the eggs open as they are swallowed. The
contents of the egg continue down the
throat, while the crushed eggshell is pushed
back out the mouth (12).
 Snakes flick their tongues in and out constantly and pick up small specks of dust
from the air and ground. The snake can tell
what animals are near and other things that
are going on by tasting these specks of
dust. This makes up for their poor eyesight
(12).
 Some snakes have pits between their eyelids and their nostrils . These are sensitive
heat detectors that can detect a temperature difference of 1 degree higher or lower
for up to a foot away. Because of this these
snakes can detect and locate warm-blooded
prey in the dark (i).
 Some snakes can swallow an object wider
than their own heads because their upper
and lower jaws are loosely connected (12).
How to tell a poisonous from non-poisonous
snake (i).
 The pupil of the eye in Indiana's poisonous
snakes is elliptical like a cat. Non-poisonous
snakes have round eyes,
 Poisonous snakes have heat sensitive pits
and non-poisonous snakes do not.
 Poisonous snakes have two longer fangs in
their upper jaw, while the teeth on the upper
jaw of a non-poisonous snake are approximately the same size.
 The scales below the vent, on the underside
and below the tail of the snake, form a single row if the snake is poisonous. With nonpoisonous snakes, these scales are arranged in a double row.
**Note: It is not recommended that you pick up a live
snake in the wild in order to inspect it to see whether
or not it is poisonous.**
Snakes Common to Bradford Woods
Copperhead
 Copperheads are the only poisonous
snakes at Bradford Woods. They are mostly
24 to 36 inches long; however, they can be
up to 53 inches long (j). Small mammals
and frogs account for most of their prey. To
catch its prey the copperhead wiggles his
yellow tail to attract the prey’s attention,
while the front end of the snake gets into
position to strike (12).
Black Rat
 These snakes are powerful constrictors that
eat small mammals, lizards, birds and eggs.
Their average length in Indiana is 42 to 72
inches; however, occasionally they can get
up to 8 feet long. The young are often different in color from the adults and are blotchy
light gray, yellow or brown. This species is
active during the day in spring and fall, but
becomes nocturnal during the summer (i).
Common Garter
This species is usually less than 36 inches long.
They eat frogs, toads, salamanders, minnows
and occasionally mice. They are most active
during the day and most frequently seen amid
moist vegetation where they searche for food.
Garters hibernate in large numbers in community dens (i).
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Background
Animal Homes and Signs
Fur
Tracks
Pellet
__________
Bones
__________
Hole in the ground
_________
Leaves in a pile
_________
Sticks in a
tree
Scat
Hole in a tree
197
Standards
Grade 3
English/ Language Arts
3.7.3 Answer questions completely and appropriately.
3.7.15 Follow three- and four-step oral directions.
Science
3.1.5 Demonstrate the ability to work cooperatively
while respecting the ideas of others and communicating one’s own conclusions about findings.
3.2.3 Keep a notebook that describes observations
and is understandable weeks or months later.
3.4.1 Demonstrate that a great variety of living
things can be sorted into groups in many
ways using various features, such as how
they look, where they live, and how they act,
to decide which things belong to which group.
3.4.4 Describe that almost all kinds of animals’ food
can be traced back to plants.
3.6.1 Investigate how and describe that when parts
are put together, they can do things that they
could not do by themselves.
3.6.2 Investigate how and describe that something
may not work if some of its parts are missing.
3.6.3 Explain how a model of something is different
from the real thing but can be used to learn
something about the real thing.
Grade 4
English/Language Arts
4.7.1 Ask thoughtful questions and respond orally to
relevant questions with appropriate elaboration.
4.7.2 Summarize major ideas and supporting evidence presented in spoken presentations.
4.7.4 Give precise directions and instructions.
Science
4.2.6 Support statements with facts found in print
and electronic media, identify the sources
used, and expect others to do the same.
4.4.2 Investigate, observe, and describe that insects
and various other organisms depend on dead
plant and animal material for food.
4.4.3 Observe and describe that organisms interact
with one another in various ways, such as
providing food, pollination, and seed dispersal.
4.4.4 Observe and describe that some source of
energy is needed for all organisms to stay
alive and grow.
Social Studies
4.1.1 Native American Indians and the Arrival of
Europeans to 1770. Identify and compare the
major early cultures that existed in the region
that became Indiana prior to contact with Europeans.
4.1.2 Native American Indians and the Arrival of
Europeans to 1770. Identify and describe historic Native American Indian groups that lived
in the region that became Indiana at the time
of early European exploration, including ways
these groups adapted to and interacted with
the natural environment.
Grade 5
English/Language Arts
5.4.5 Use note-taking skills when completing research for writing.
5.7.1 Ask questions that seek information not already discussed.
5.7.2 Interpret a speaker’s verbal and nonverbal
messages, purposes, and perspectives.
5.7.3 Make inferences or draw conclusions based
on an oral report.
Mathematics
5.4.1 Measure, identify, and draw angles, perpendicular and parallel lines, rectangles, triangles,
and circles by using appropriate tools (e.g.,
ruler, compass, protractor, appropriate technology, media tools).
5.4.5 Explain how changes in an organism’s habitat
are sometimes beneficial and sometimes
harmful.
5.4.7 Explain that living things, such as plants and
animals, differ in their characteristics, and that
sometimes these difference.
Science
5.2.4 Keep a notebook to record observations and
be able to distinguish inferences from actual
observations.
5.4.4 Explain that in any particular environment,
some kinds of plants and animals survive well,
some do not survive as well, and some cannot
survive at all. s can give members of these
groups (plants and animals) an advantage in
surviving and reproducing.
Grade 6
English/Language Arts
6.4.5 Research Process and Technology: Use notetaking skills when completing research for writing.
6.7.3 Restate and carry out multiple-step oral instructions and directions.
Mathematics
6.5.1 Select and apply appropriate standard units
and tools to measure length, area, volume,
weight, time, temperature, and the size of angles.
6.5.2 Understand and use larger units for measuring length by comparing miles to yards and
198
Standards
kilometers to meters.
Science
6.4.1 Explain that one of the most general distinctions among organisms is between green
plants, which use sunlight to make their own
food, and animals, which consume energy-rich
foods.
6.4.3 Describe some of the great variety of body
plans and internal structures animals and
plants have that contribute to their being able
to make or find food and reproduce.
6.4.8 Explain that in all environments, such as
freshwater, marine, forest, desert, grassland,
mountain, and others, organisms with similar
needs may compete with one another for resources, including food, space, water, air, and
shelter. In any environment, the growth and
survival of organisms depend on the physical
conditions.
6.4.9 Recognize and explain that two types of organisms may interact in a competitive or cooperative relationship, such as producer/
consumer, predator/prey, or parasite/host.
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