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1A Q U A T I C C R E A T U R E F I E L D G U I D E

C A T E G O R Y : W A T E R S

AQUATIC CREATURE FIELD GUIDE

Learning Objectives

To learn the various small creatures that live in and around ponds or man-made lakes, how to identify them, and how they live.

Materials

Materials for collecting aquatic creatures (refer to the “Fishing for Pond Creatures” activity lesson plan found in the “Waters” section in this manual), pencils, white paper (tabloid size 11 inches by 17 inches or legal size 8½ inches x 14 inches), crayons or fine-tipped markers, clipboards, stapler, staples, and possibly a personal computer.

Note: Tabloid-size paper works best because the papers will be folded. Otherwise, legal-size will suffice.

Activity Description

Before conducting this activity, you’ll need to take the kids out to a local pond or stream with collection tools and pans in hand. (Note: Refer to the “Fishing for Pond Creatures” activity lesson plan found in the “Waters” section in this manual.) Encourage the kids to look for aquatic creatures under rocks and attached to the sides of rocks. Alternately, you can collect the aquatic creatures prior to your event and have them ready for observation by the youth. If you take this approach, describe exactly where you found each one to give the youth a better idea of each creature’s habitat.

Once the youth have collected pond creatures, have them write and illustrate a local pond creature field guide. This will encourage them to observe the creatures closely and give them the opportunity to educate other people in the community. Kids can work individually or in pairs, each with a sheet of white paper. The kids should draw the creatures as best they can, label the drawings, and include some basic information about each creature such as where it was found and what it eats. (Have books on hand from the “Related Sources” section of this activity for reference.) If you have hand lenses, they can use them to observe the creatures up close. When you are done, be sure to release the aquatic creatures safely where you found them.

Once the kids have illustrated all of the creatures, ask them to sign their work and then combine the sheets into a guide. Fold the papers in half and staple them together at the spine (the folded edge) to make a simple booklet.

You may choose to produce a more polished product using a computer desktop publishing program. Make as many copies as the kids have stamina for (or make color copies before you staple the pages), and give the guides to chapter visitors to use.

Izaak Walton League of America Engaging Youth in the Outdoors

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S U G G E S T E D Y O U T H A C T I V I T Y L E S S O N P L A N

2 A Q U A T I C C R E A T U R E F I E L D G U I D E

Discussion Questions

What aquatic creatures fascinated you the most and why?

What interesting features or adaptations did you notice about “your” creature?

What questions do you have about your creature? What would you like to know?

Answer(s): Will vary depending on body of water and available aquatic species.

Estimated Time

45 minutes to create the guide; additional time to capture stream creatures.

Ages

Recommended for 5 to 8. Note: The “Explore Life of the Pond” Web site (see “Related Sources”) is a great introduction for young children.

For ages 9 to 11, no specific changes to this activity are needed. Encourage these children to make more detailed drawings of their creatures. They can also provide more in-depth information about their creatures and include questions they have about the life forms they illustrated.

Related Sources

A Field Guide to Freshwater Fisheries (Peterson Field Guide), by Lawrence M. Page, Brook M. Burr, and Roger Tory Peterson, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1991.

A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guide), by Roger Conant and Joseph T. Collins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Third Edition, 1998.

A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Western North America (Peterson Field Guide), by Roger Conant and Joseph T. Collins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Fourth Edition, 1998.

A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America, by J. Reese Voshell, Jr., McDonald Woodward, 2002.

Explore Life of the Pond: http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00228/animals.html

Flash Card of Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America, by J. Reese Voshell, Jr., McDonald Woodward, 2010.

Insects: A Guide to Familiar American Insects (A Golden Guide), by Clarence Cottom and Herbert S. Zim, St. Martins Press, 2001.

Izaak Walton League of America Engaging Youth in the Outdoors

www.iwla.org www.creekfreaks.net