Grade 3M's
Storyline- Animal Reports
The following 'Animal Reports' were written as part of a learning project called 'STORYLINE'...in our classroom.
In this project, we studied 3 different communities (Native, Inuit, Edmonton) that are occuring in 3 different time periods (distant past, recent past, present).
While studying these communities, we created its members (characters), their homes (large diorama landscapes), features within their communities (animals, nature, culture) and how these communities meet wants and needs, and offer goods and services to their members.
In addition, the students come to know the importance of each community, and how these communities are inter-related.
The following are the 'Animal Reports' written by our class, to inform each other about the animals living in their individual communities.
Enjoy our informative writings!
NATIVE COMMUNITY ANIMALS
Animal: BUFFALO (Bison)
Live:
The Buffalo can be found living on the flat grasslands of parks and reserves across North America.
In the late 1800's they almost became extinct because of over-hunting...but their numbers are recovering.
The Buffalo can live a life span of 12-15 years.
Size:
The Buffalo is up to 1.8 m tall to the shoulder and can weigh up to 900 kg.
Males are larger and weigh more than the female Bisons. Buffalo are the heaviest land animals in North America.
Appearance:
The Buffalo ranges in color from brown to black, but there have been rare cases of white Buffalo, that have been born.
Both the male (Bulls) and female (cows) Bison have horns.
The fur of the Buffalo is thick and curly at the head and shoulders, with smooth short hair in the hind section of the animal.
Features:
Bison can run at speeds up to 48 km per hour.
Buffaloes swallow their food without chewing it, then later regurgitate cud, and chew that.
Eat:
Bison are HERBIVORES (eat plants). They graze on grass, twigs and shrubs.
Enemies:
Not many animals would be brave enough to hunt a Buffalo, unless it was slow or injured. Man is the only creature that could be considered an enemy of the Bison.
Animal: RABBITS
Live:
Rabbits live in a variety of environments including:
- deserts
- swamps
- marshes
- forests
- grasslands
- prairies
Rabbits are found on every continent except Antarctica
Size:
Rabbits can be 30-60 cm long.
Appearance:
Rabbits have soft fur that can be white, brown, black or patchy-colored. They have big ears, a short tail, whiskers, and big eyes.
Features:
Rabbits have very big and powerful hind legs which they use for hopping and for digging burrows.
Most rabbits live for a year in the wild, but rabbits have babies very quickly.
Eat:
Rabbits eat plants (HERBIVORES) like grass, leaves, bark, twigs, and vegetables.
Enemies:
Rabbits are hunted by dogs, foxes, raccoons, weasels, bobcats, lynxes, hawks, and eagles.
Animal: MOOSE
Live:
Moose live in the Northern forests of North America, Europe, Russia, and Asia.
Size:
Moose measure 2.3 m to the shoulder, and can weigh 360-620 kg. The adult males (Bulls) weigh more than the adult females (cows).
Color:
Moose can be almost black to very light brown. In winter the Moose turns gray in color, so they may not be seen so easily, in snow-covered surroundings (CAMOUFLAGE).
Appearance:
Moose have long legs (front legs longer than the rear legs), hooved feet, a small tail, loose skin, hanging skin from the chin called 'dewlap' and antlers (on Bulls only).
Features:
- Moose can live up to 17 years in the wild.
- Bulls antlers can grow to 1.5 m long or more, but fall off each year and grow again the next Spring.
- Antlers begin a tan to brown velvet color, but change to white as they get older and the velvet covering peels off.
- Moose can run at a very fast gallop, because of their long legs.
- Moose have a very good sense of hearing and smell, but not very good eyesight.
- Moose have a deep call and a strong scent.
Eat:
Moose eat plants (HERBIVORE) like willow, birch, aspen twigs, horsetail, sedges, roots, pond weeds, and grasses.
Enemies:
Grizzly Bear and man are the predators of the Moose.
Animal: GOLDEN EAGLE
Live:
They live in North America, Eurasia, and the far north of Africa. Eagles live in mountains, canyons, scrub, and grasslands.
They can live about 18 years in the wild, and 40-45 years in captivity.
Size:
Adult Golden Eagles have a 1.8-2.1 m wingspan and are 75-90 cm long. Females are larger than males, but have the same amount of feathers as the males (7,000).
Appearance:
Golden Eagles have a long, downward-curving, black-tipped yellow bill.
They have large, dark, piercing eyes.
Their feet have very sharp claws (TALONS).
Golden Eagles have brown feathers on their body and wings, and golden-brown feathers on their head and neck.
Young eagles have a patch of white feathers on their tail.
Features:
Golden Eagles:
- are strong fliers.
- build nests made of sticks and twigs that can be found high in tree or on cliffs
- can lay 1-4 eggs at a time
Eat:
Golden Eagles hunt and scavenge during the day. They dive down onto their prey and catch it with their sharp clawed feet.
They are CARNIVORES (eat meat) that like to eat rabbits, hares, large rodents, small animals, reptiles, and other birds.
Enemies:
The only enemy of the Golden Eagle is man. No other creature is usually fast enough to catch an Eagle in flight, unless it is injured.
Animal: FISH
Live:
Fish live in the cool waters of streams, lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans.
Size:
There are many kinds of fish and they range in size from a few millimeters to many meters in length. In mass, fish may vary from a few grams to over 15 tons.
Appearance:
Fish have gills to breathe, eyes, fins, a mouth and cheeks. Their bodies are rounded shape, narrowing at the tail. Some fish may have no bones but only cartilage. Fish are scaly gray but may also have a variety of colors appearing on their scales/body.
Features:
- Fish can live in fresh water (stream or lake) or salt water (sea or ocean). Some fish like the salmon live in both types of water for some portion of their lives.
- Fish hatch from eggs and usually live together/travel in 'schools' with other fish.
- Fish can live many years, depending on their species and ability to avoid being captured/eaten.
Eat:
Most fish eat plant and algae that are in the water, but some fish will eat bait that people give them, such as: worms, maggots, other fish etc.
Enemies:
The enemy of fish is man and other animals...especially other fish!
Animal: BROWN BEAR
Live:
Brown bears live in cool mountain forests, meadows, and river valleys of the Northern Hemisphere. Brown Bears can be found in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Brown bears live in dens (caves, hollow logs, holes they dig) in the winter, and wander around in their environment, the rest of the year.
Brown bears can live 25 years in the wild.
Size:
Male Brown bears are up to 2.1 m long and can weigh up to 680 kg. Females are 1/2 to 2/3 the size of males.
Appearance:
Brown bears can be black, brown, reddish-brown to blond in color.
Their fur hair is long, course, and thick.
They have a big head, long muzzle, and a large hump on their shoulder that is all muscle...to give their front legs extra power.
They are flat-footed and have sharp claws on their paws.
Features:
Brown bears can run up to 56 km per hour for short bursts.
Brown bears are not true hibernators because they can be wake up very easily.
Brown bear babies weigh less than 1 kg when they are born (the size of a rat).
Eat:
Brown bears are OMNIVORES (eat plants and meat). They eat plants, roots, berries, fungi, fish, small mammals, and large insects.
Enemies:
The greatest enemy to Brown bears is man. Other animals rarely attack or fight a bear, because the bear is so big and strong. Bears will attack if they feel threatened.
Animal: WOLF
Live:
Wolves can live in the forest and plains of North America, Europe and Asia.
Size:
Wolves can weigh 20-36 kg and have the stature of a big dog.
Appearance:
Wolves have long legs, long ears, a narrow head, and strong jaws with sharp teeth that can tear flesh.
Wolves can be many different colors; black, brown, gray, red, golden.
The wolf's tail is often tipped with black.
Features:
- Wolves like to hunt and run around/play in packs.
- Wolves howl to each other to tell each other the beginning and ending of a hunt, to tell if a wolf is separated from its pack, to warn other wolf packs, or just for the fun of it!
- Wolves have the same mate for life and can have 2-6 pups each spring.
- Wolves have good eyesight, hearing and sense of smell.
Eat:
Wolves are meat-eaters and often hunt animals that are much larger than themselves. They do this because they are in a pack and can surround the animal they are trying to catch.
Wolves mostly eat deer, and raccoons, but will eat almost anything like birds, fish, snakes, lizards and fruit.
Wolves swallow their food in large chunks, barely chewing it.
When they return from the hunt, they regurgitate some of the food for their pups.
Enemies:
Wolves don't usually attack people, but man is their greatest enemy. Other animals try to keep away from the wolf and the wolf pack.
INUIT COMMUNITY ANIMALS
Animal: RINGED SEAL
Size:
-Grows up to 1.7m long
-Weighs up to 130kg, but females are slightly smaller
Looks Like:
-Has a coat of coarse hair that is marked with white rings with dark centers
-Its ears and nose can close to protect them from the water
-Their whiskers are very sensitive and are used to help them feel
-Their teeth are sharp and pointed
-They have flippers to help them swim quickly
Eats:
-Carnivore
-Eats mainly fish and crustaceans
Predators:
-Killer whales, polar bears, and humans
Lives:
-In the Arctic Ocean, from Russia to Greenland to Canada
-Spends most of its time in the sea, but also goes on ice floes
Mating:
-In March or April the female seal builds a shelter where her pups will be born
-Baby seals (pups) are white and fuzzy in appearance
Animal: WHITE ARCTIC FOX
Size:
-39-99 cm long with a tail 18-51 cm long
Looks Like:
-Thick snowy white fur in wintertime
-In the summer it sheds its white fur and has a sleek blue-gray coat
-Black eyes and nose
-Thick pads of fur under its paw
-Tail is long and bushy and is used to keep warm when the fox sleeps
-Sharp curved claws and sharp teeth
Eats:
-Carnivore
-Eats rabbits, lemmings, eggs, birds, and berries Predators:
-Wolves and man
Lives:
-Arctic tundra
Life:
-Up to 13 years in captivity
-Male foxes are called reynards and females are vixens
Mating:
-Takes place in April
-Keep the same mate year after year
-About 6 pups born in May
Animal: POLAR BEAR
Size:
-Up to 30m long and weigh up to 770kg
Looks Like:
-White in appearance
-Thick, wooly fur keeps them warm
-Special guard hairs prevents them from getting wet
-Small head and black nose
-Wide front paws that are slightly webbed to help them swim
-Powerful swimmers and can run up to 40kph
Eats:
-Carnivore
-Eats mostly seals and sometimes walruses
-Do not drink water
Lives:
-Arctic
-May make temporary dens in the winter months in order to keep warm
Predators:
-Humans
Mating:
-Takes place in April and May on the sea ice
-Females make snow dens in which to give birth
-Sometimes a female gives birth to twin cubs
Animal: LEMMINGS
Size:
-8 to 16 cm long
-Weighs 14-113 grams
Looks Like:
-Brown fur and black eyes
-Pointed snouts with sensory whiskers
-Short legs with clawed feet
-Short tail
Eats:
-Herbivores
-Moss, grass, seeds, bark, and roots
Lives:
-Cold tundra, woods, marshes and meadows of North America and Eurasia
Life:
-Less than two years in the wild
Predators:
-Foxes, snowy owls, weasels, wolves, bears, and hawks
Mating:
-Population can soar if not regulated
EDMONTON COMMUNITY ANIMALS
Animal: RABBIT
Size:
-Between 30-60cm
Looks Like:
-Big and powerful hind legs
-Big eyes
-Short tail
-Big ears
-Soft fur that can be black, white, or brown
-Whiskers
Eats:
-Herbivore
-Eats grass, leaves, bark, twigs, and carrots Lives:
-In all parts of the world, except Antarctica Predators:
-Foxes, raccoons, weasels, bobcats, lynxes, hawks, and eagles
Animal: CAT
Size:
-Come in all different shapes and sizes
Looks Like:
-There is over 30 different breeds of cats
-They have different body shapes, colouring, fur length, eye colour and voice
-All cats have rounded faces, sand-papery tongues, and needle-like teeth
-Their skeleton is very flexible
-They have sensitive whiskers to help them feel objects
-They have very good hearing and see very well at night
Eats:
-Carnivore
-Small mamimals, birds, frogs, lizards, and snakes
-On farms, cats help control the rodent population by catching mice and rats
Lives:
-In all parts of the world, as housecats and wild feral cats
Predators:
-Dogs
Animal: TRUMPETER SWAN
Size:
-Largest swan in the world
-Wingspan up to 3m
Looks Like:
-Thick white feathers, which protect them from cold weather
-Long necks and black beak
-Black legs and black webbed feet
Eats:
-Mostly water plants like cattails, roots, and pondweeds
-Can reach far under the water due to their long necks
Lives:
-In North America
Life:
-12 years in the wild, and 35 years in captivity
-100 years ago these birds almost went extinct
-They now are protected and are recovering Mating:
-These birds mate for life
-Females lay 5-6 eggs at a time
Animal: POODLE (DOG)
Size:
-Three sizes: toy (smallest), miniature (medium), and standard (largest)
-Range in size from 25cm to 38 cm tall
-Weighs between 3- 32kg
Looks Like:
-Wiry, curly coat
-Muscular hind legs
-Tail is docked
-Long, straight muzzle
-Rounded skull and oval eyes
-Comes in a variety of colours, such as black, white, brown, or apricot
Eats:
-Carnivore
-Meat and commercial dog food
Lives:
-In all parts of the world
-Breed originated in Germany or France, over 500 years ago
Life:
-12 to 15 years
Animal: MOUSE
Size:
range in size from 8-35 cm long and weigh from 7-57 grams.
Color:
fur can be creamy white, brown, gray
Features:
- pointed snout with long whiskers
- round ears
- black eyes
- long brown scaly tail that is darker at the tip
- little legs that scurry along the ground (they can hop or jump too)
- front teeth that do not stop growing (that is why they like to chew on things...to help wear down their teeth)
Eat:
grain, seeds, grasses, fruit, stems, roots, small animals, insects and almost anything
Live:
- everywhere in the world
- in nests
- in the ground
Enemies:
cats, dogs, hawks, owls, weasels, racoons, snakes, skunks and people