Water Map and HabitatLesson 3, Week 2

Lesson Overview Map the water in the schoolyard and provide water for insects and birds

Teaching SummaryGetting started: 5 minutes

1. Review where water was found outside

Activity #1: 20 minutes (New Learning)1. Make habitat for birds and insects by providing water

Activity #2: 25 minutes (Reinforcing Learning)1. Create maps of where water is found outside

Wrap-up: 10 minutes (Reflection)1. Share maps

Lesson Objectives The student will know and be able to:

✓ Identify where animals can get water from the environment

Teaching GuideMaterials, Resources and Preparation

For the Students● Terracotta dish, deep dinner plate, shallow bowl, or other water-tight

shallow dish. A good source is a second hand store. Chipped or damaged dishes work well, and are less expensive. Do not use paper, as it will break down too quickly.

● Pebbles, marbles, and/or small rocks. These can be bought at Michaels or collected from the gravel/rocks around the school

● Art materials for drawing maps● Paper for maps (same as Week 1)● Copies of school map, such as a Google Map from Week 1

For the Teacher● Group water map from Day 2 of this week ● Pictures of Insects Drinking● Water pircher to carry water outside to fill dishes● Optional: bird bath (Scroll to bottom for low cost ideas)

Getting started: 5 min1. Look at the map of where you found water yesterday

2. Talk about where you would want water if you were an insect or bird. Think about clustering habitat needs of food, water, and shelter. Birds should have water in a location away from places that predators could hide.

Activity #1 Instructions: 20 min1. Show images of insects drinking water2. Discuss how we can make these water sources3. Distribute materials (a dish, rocks, etc) to each student4. Have students arrange the pebbles and other materials in their dish5. Bring the dishes outside and arrange them in the areas that need water to

improve the habitat, which you identified as a group 6. Fill them with water, keeping the tops of the pebbles exposed to provide a

place for insects to perch while drinking. You can also add sugar and salt to the water to make it more appealing to a wider variety of insects, including butterflies.

7. Optional: Make a sign to explain what the dishes are there to do, so that others know to leave them alone

8. Optional: Also install a bird bath. Low cost ideas are included below. These materials are not included in the materials list above.

Activity #2 Instructions: 25 min1. Look at the map you created yesterday to map water outside and review

what you found2. Add the water sources that you made and installed today to the map3. Have students make their own maps showing where an animal, plant, or

insect could find water, following instructions from Week 1 map activity 4. Keep the maps for the final celebration

Wrap-up: 10 min1. Do a map walk, having all the students visit all the maps, explaining their own

work

Assessment Questions● Why is it important to have water sources in the schoolyard?● What can we do to improve habitat at our school or home?

Background information (Optional reading assignment for students) ● The Best Book of Bugs by Claire Llewellyn

Suggested Differentiation for Learners● Hands-on making of objects, including optional bird bath● Observation activities

● Mapping, let younger and ELL students draw and orally describe what they map. Ask older students to label their maps.

Optional: Birdbath Ideas● Water should not be deeper than 1-1.5 inches to prevent birds from drowning. You

can place rocks in the bath as well to allow perching. It should be elevated slightly to allow the birds to see predators.

● Change the water and allow the bath to dry every couple of days to prevent disease passing between birds.