Ohio Plants and Animals

Medill Elementary School

2nd Grade 2010

Northern Cardinal

• The cardinal is the state bird of Ohio.

• Cardinals can usually be found singing near the top of the tallest tree in their territory.

• It is well known for its rich distance call.

By: Tyler

American Toad

• An American toad eats insects and invertebrates.

• Male american toads are brown, gray, olive, or brick red.

• It lives on land and in water found in Ohio.

• American toads’ enemies are large animals.

By: Ariane

Muskrat

• A muskrat lives in a lodge made of sticks.

• It eats plants, clams, frogs, crayfish, and fish.

• A muskrat is 1 ¼ to 4 pounds and 16 to 24 inches long.

• A muskrat looks like a beaver but it is different.

By: Brenya

House Mouse

• It eats plants, insects, and meat.

• The house mouse is small.

• It is a gray-brown color.• The house mouse is

normally found in buildings.

By: Bryce

Red Fox

• A red fox lives in North America.

• A red fox eats mice, rats, rabbits, and groundhogs.

• A red fox is red.• The red fox is one of

two fox species in Ohio.

By: Caleb

Black Bear

• Black bears eat fish, fruit, and meat.

• Black bears live in the woodlands.

• It does not have an enemy.

By: Camden

Hackberry• The hackberry wing is

19-25 inches long.• Their flight period is

June, August, and September.

• Hackberries eat rotten fruit.

By:Chloe

Black Bear

• A black bear eats grasses, fruits, meats, berries, and insects.

• A black bear can get five to six feet tall.

• A black bear can be found in the southern part of Ohio.

By: Dominick

White-Tailed Deer

• Babies are born in mid-May through July.

• They live in parks, backyards, and woods.

• The white-tail deer has two seasonal coats.

By: Cody

Bald Eagle

• Bald eagles are black, yellow, and white.

• The bald eagle is our national symbol.

• The adult bald eagle is one of the most easily recognized species of wildlife.

By: Dylan

Laughing Gull

• A laughing gull eats insects, fish, shellfish, and crabs.

• It lives on beaches, islands, and salt marshes.

• It has a black hood, and a dark gray back and wings.

• The wing tips are black and its bill is red.

• Their nests are made of sticks, grass, and marsh vegetation.

By: Ellie

Striped Skunk

• A striped skunk eats fish, fruit, grass, and small leaves.

• Striped skunks can get as long as a house cat.

• A striped skunk lives everywhere from rural areas to the suburbs.

• It is black and white.

By: Houston

Snowshoe Hare

• Snowshoe hares are white and brown.

• Snowshoe hares live in the Northern forests of North America.

• A snowshoe hare eats grasses, clovers, and vegetable sprouts.

• A snowshoe hares enemies are foxes, lynx and raptors.

By: Justice

Snapping Turtle

• Snapping turtles eat plants, fish, birds, and small mammals.

• A snapping turtle goes in its shell when it is scared.

• It lives in its shell.

By: Liam

Red Admiral

• The red admiral is red, black, orange, and white.

• It has white spots at the tip of the forewing.

• It eats nectar on many flowers.

• The red admiral is found in woodland edges, fields near woods, and gardens.

By: Mallory

Bobcat

• Bobcats eat rabbits and white tailed deer.

• They are light grey in color.

• They live in the woods of Ohio and sometimes comes into areas where people live.

By: Bryan

Common Wall Lizard

• The common wall lizard eats flies, beetles, and spiders.

• The common wall lizard’s back is green or brown with black blotches and lighter in color on the belly.

• It’s illegal to release a common wall lizard into Ohio.

By: Morgan

Channel Catfish• A channel catfish eats

insects, larva, crayfish, mollusks and smaller fish.

• It lives in large streams, lakes, rivers, and farm ponds.

• Its size is 15-25 inches.• The channel catfish’s

color is blue gray.

By: Tanner

Coyote• The coyote looks like a

medium-sized dog.• Most coyotes are gray.• The coyote is most

active at night.• Coyotes eat small

mammals, vegetables, and nuts.

By: Willis

Eastern Foxsnake

• The eastern foxsnake squeezes its food.

• The eastern foxsnake is over five long.

• The eastern foxsnake lives wherever rodents are found.

• The eastern foxsnake is yellowish to golden brown.

By: Aaron

Henslow’s Sparrow

• The Henslow’s sparrow’s eggs are white with brown spots.

• The Henslow’s sparrow can lay 3-5 eggs at a time.

• The Henslow’s sparrow is area sensitive.

• The Henslow’s sparrow nests on the ground.

By: Adam

Bobcat

• Bobcats are rare today.• In 1850 bobcats were

common. • They have sharp claws

and teeth. • When they hunt they lie

down and wait for their prey.

By: Andrew

Green Frog

• Green frogs live near the water.

• Green frogs are green and brown.

• Green frogs can get 2.25-3.5 inches long.

• Green frogs are like bullfrogs.

By: Breanna

Red Fox

• There are usually 5 or 6 kits born at once.

• The young are called kits.

• The red fox tracks down animals.

• The red fox does not eat fish.

By: Chase

Monarch

• It is orange with yellow and red spots.

• A Monarch is 4 inches long.

• Monarchs eat milkweed.

By: David

American Robin

• An American robin lives in southern Ohio.

• American robins eat earthworms, insects, and fruit.

• American robins eat in the morning and evenings.

By: Hannah

Coyote

• A coyote eats small mammals, shrews, rabbits, mice, vegetables, nuts, and carrion.

• A coyote is gray, black, rusty brown, and white.

• Coyote babies are called pups.

• A coyote is similar to dogs and wolves.

By: Kaylee

Smooth Rose

• Smooth roses can be found on rocky shores, prairies, railroad grades, road banks, and old limestone quarries.

• They can get up to 2 meters high.

• Smooth roses flower from June to August.

By: Chloe

Wood Frog

• It lives in woodlands.• Wood frog eats small

invertebrates.• It looks tan and orange.

By: Nathan

Red Fox

• A Red Fox eats mice, rats, rabbits, groundhogs, birds, fruits, and some grass.

• The tail of a Red Fox is usually between 14 and 16 inches long.

• Red Foxes are nocturnal.

By: Deven

Blue Jay

• They eat nut and seeds.• They live in trees.• They swim in water.

By: Noah

Blue Catfish

• A blue catfish reaches up to 30-40 inches.

• A blue catfish feeds on other fish.

• A blue catfish can be gray or silver.

By: Preston

American Painted Lady

• It lives in meadows fields, and along roadsides.

• They are not colorful.• American Painted

Ladies eat milkweed.

By: Rachel

Iceland Gull

• An Iceland gull nests on cliffs or sandy places.

• The Iceland gull lives in Lake Erie.

• Aquatic fish are eaten by Iceland gulls.

• The Iceland gull can lay 2-3 eggs.

By: Grace

Raccoon

• Raccoons can live anywhere where they can find food.

• Raccoons eat baby birds, frogs, fish, acorns, and berries.

• To some animals a raccoon is dangerous.

• Raccoons are fat because they will eat anything.

By: Sarah

Spotted Turtle

• A spotted turtle has yellow spots and the rest of the shell is black.

• It lays eggs. • It lives in the wet

meadow and woods. • It eats plants and

animals.

By: Videl

Eastern Black Kingsnake

• The Eastern black Kingsnake can only be found near rivers.

• They can swim very good.

• It is very venomous.• It eats small animals.

By: Vincent

Flathead Catfish

• It feeds on live fish.• It grows up to 60 inches

long. • The flathead catfish lays

100,000 eggs.

By: Wyatt

Skunk

• Skunks eat small fish.• It weighs between 2-11

pounds and gets to 22-31 inches.

• It lives in rural areas and suburbs.

• It can spray up to 15 feet.

By: Adam

Blue Jay

• The blue Jay lives in oak woods.

• They build their nests out of twigs, leaves, and grass.

• It eats nuts, seeds, mice, and frogs.

• The female has 3 to 6 eggs.

By: Ethan

Small Mouth Bass

• Small mouth bass are about 12-15 inches long.

• They can be found in every county in the state of Ohio.

• Small mouth bass thrive in the streams with gravel floors.

By: Gabby

Mouse

• A mouse can be gray and brown with a gray or buff-colored belly.

• The tail is scaly.• A mouse eats corn and

cheese.• The house mouse

reproduces often with several litters per year.

By: Hannah

Lady Bug

• A ladybug lays 10-50 eggs.

• A ladybug eats aphids and other insects.

• You can find a ladybug anywhere.

• The seven-spotted lady beetle is also known as a ladybug.

By: Paige

Sunflower

• A sunflower can get as tall as 3-10 ft.

• Sunflowers live in large colonies.

• It produces seeds that people and animals like to eat.

• They are perennial plants.

By: Hannah

Coyote

• The coyote will eat smaller mammals.

• It hunts during daytime hours.

• Their babies are called pups.

By: Kami

Bobcat

• Bobcat eats rabbits and rodents which are their favorite.

• Bobcats like to live alone.

• Bobcats can weigh between 12 to 68 pounds.

By: Kerstin

Bull Frog

• A Bull frog can eat crayfish, insects, mice, and other frogs.

• Bull frogs can be 3-5 inches.

• They live in warm, still, shallow, waters.

By : Konner

Muskrat

• A Muskrat eats plants.• Muskrats are related to

mice and rats.• Muskrats can get very

large.• Muskrats have two

coats of hair.

By:Madison

Opossum

• An opossum can be found in suburbia and the city.

• An opossum can get as big as a house cat.

• At about three months of age, young possums emerge from the pouch for short periods and will hitch a ride on the mother’s back to get to place to place.

By: Max

Vulture• A vulture eats carrion.• A vulture can grow up to 6 feet.• A vulture can be found in

deciduous forests and woodlands.

• A vulture has feathers on it’s head to protect itself.

• Adult vultures have red heads and the babies have black heads.

By: Nicholas

Bald Eagle

• The bald eagle can eat fish and drinks water.

• It can be a prey or a predator.

• The bald eagle can be 3 to 4 feet tall.

By: Noah

Garter Snake

• A garter snake is found in every habitat type in the state .

• The garter snake is a predator.

• It can get 18 to 26 inches long.

• The young are born in July to October.

By: Riley

Cottontail Rabbit

• A cottontail rabbit eats clover, dandelion, and dry hay.

• It gets about seven inches high and ten inches long.

• It prefers open areas bordered by thickets or brushy areas.

By:Tae’Lyn

Brown Bat

• Bats live in caves, under bridges and buildings.

• It eats insects, especially stinkbugs.

• Bats are not blind, nor do they like to live in people’s hair.

• Attacks by bats are extremely rare, even when provoked.

By: William

Buckeye Tree

• The buckeye tree can grow to 60 feet tall.

• The flowers are green or yellow.

• The nut is a buckeye.• They have a golden

brown husk.

By: Dylan

Bibliography

• "Ohio Trees." Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources. 26 May 2010. 26 May 2010 <http://dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5361/Default.aspx>.

• "Species a to Z Guide." Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources. 26 May 2010. 26 May 2010 <http://dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/speciesguide_default/tabid/6491/Default.aspx>.

• “Native Plant Database.” Ladybird Johnson Wildlife Center 26 May 2010. 26 May 2010 <http://www.wildflower.org/plants/search.php?search_field=lakeside+daisy&newsearch=true&family=Acanthaceae>.

Message from the Staff

• The second grade students started this project with internet research. They located facts and photos of their plant or animal. Each student took notes and saved the photo on our network. They worked with in Language Arts and they wrote the facts in sentence form. They then created their slide using a template. All of the students did their own typing, inserted their photo, chose their own background color and learned to animate their slide.

• Congratulations on a job well done!