Snowshoe Hare and Cottontail Rabbit



	Snowshoe Hare and Cottontail Rabbit Evelyn Carter, D'Lisa Pinkham, Jackie Taylor Nez Perce Reservation, Lapwai, Idaho
	Summary Students explore how animals are adapted to their habitats. Grade level First Time required 2 hours Materials The Nez Perce story, "Snowshoe and Cottontail Rabbit" "Country Mouse, City Mouse" story Furs, feathers, track casts and skulls for activity centers Pictures of animals, animal tracks and their habitats Internet access Science journals Goals By completing this lesson, students will explore how animals are adapted to their habitats, be able to use environmental vocabulary accurately, gain experience in using science process skills and become familiar with a traditional Nez Perce story. Science standards addressed National Science Standards Abilities to do scientific inquiry Organisms and environments American Indian Science Standards Characteristics of various animals as exemplified in traditional American Indian stories, legends, songs and dances Teacher tips Before telling the attached Nez Perce traditional story, explain to your class that some Native American stories are not only for entertainment but also contain lessons within the story. One main science concept found in this story is the specificity of the habitats of species, in this case, rabbits. Set up the activity centers for pairs of students to do independent exploration. State and tribal wildlife agencies should have skulls, feathers, furs and track casts that can be borrowed for use in these centers. The book or story "Country Mouse, City Mouse" is readily found in most children's library collections. Background information Organisms have specific habitat requirements, and possess adaptations that help ensure their survival. Beaver, for example, have webbed feet especially suited for their lives in and around water. Snowshoe rabbits change colors, wearing brown fur in summer and white fur in winter, to help camouflage them. Moose have long strong legs that enable them to stand in deep water while eating aquatic plants and plow through deep snow in the winter. The traditional fable "Country Mouse, City Mouse" is similar to the Nez Perce story "Snowshoe and Cottontail Rabbit", focusing on two characters of the same type who choose to live in two different habitats that suits each of them. These stories provide a basis for students' examination of habitats and adaptations of animals indigenous to the Nez Perce Reservation. Procedure Engagement Use an imagining game to find out what the class knows about animals and their habitats. Tell students to pretend that they are on an adventure in a variety of habitats, a jungle, the mountains, under the ocean, etc. Ask them what they see on each adventure. Read "Country Mouse, City Mouse", a story that illustrates how each mouse is adapted to their specific habitat. After reading this fable, facilitate a discussion about it, using the words habitat and adapt in context to talk about each mouse's characteristics and it's home. Create a class list. Tell the attached Nez Perce story called "Snowshoe and Cottontail Rabbit". After telling this story, again work together to create a list of each animal and its habitat. Exploration Have students rotate through activity centers to explore animals and how they are adapted to their habitats. Camouflage center - Students experiment by putting animals in different habitats to find the one in which each animal would be best camouflaged. Pictures of animals and habitats are included with this lesson. Animal tracks center - Students try to match the correct track with each animal and its habitat. Pictures of tracks and the animals that make them are included with this lesson. Furs and feathers center - Students examine each sample of fur or feathers to try to determine which animal it belongs to. Skulls center - Students look at the size and shape of the skull and teeth to determine which animal it belongs to. Explanation After all students have rotated through the activity centers, facilitate a discussion in which students identify how animals are adapted to their habitats. Ask students to write a journal entry about one of the centers, and how it showed that animals are adapted to their habitats. Elaboration Ask students about how humans are adapted to their environments. Use the map of North American Indian tribes to facilitate a discussion about tribally specific traditional clothing and shelter. Use familiar examples, such as the igloo of the Inuit, the tipi used by plains Indians, etc. Visit web sites on traditional North American Native shelters and clothing and allow students to explore them. Suggested web sites are listed in the Resources section. Evaluation Ask students to create their own animal. Have them draw their animal in its habitat, then ask each student to make an oral presentation explaining how their animal is adapted to its habitat. Encourage them to use vocabulary such as camouflage, habitat, and adaptation in their explanations. Vocabulary adaptation habitat camouflage Resources Minnesota State University Mankato E Museum - Pictures of and information about traditional North American Native shelters htt://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/prehistory/settlements/index.shtml Great Dreams - Pictures of and information about traditional North American Native shelters http://www.greatdreams.com/native/nativehsg.htm NativeTech - Pictures of and information about traditional North American Native clothing http://www.nativetech.org Native American Indian Resources - Maps of reservations, U.S. maps of all Indian lands. http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maps/mapmenu.html