Interdependence of Animals and Plants - Activities

NC Standard:  1.06

Activity:  Keeping Score

Question: What are the "cause and effect" relationships that affect wildlife in your community?

Vocabulary:  cause and effect

Background:  Some of us live in areas where limited wildlife is in evidence. Many of us forget to see wildlife around us, even when it is there. Sometimes it is easy to take birds, butterflies, squirrels, and earthworms for granted. Our actions impact the other living things around us. This activity is to increase students' perceptions of cause and effect relationships affecting wildlife in their immediate communities.

Procedure:

• 1.  Ask the students to go home after school and look for "cause and effect" relationships in their neighborhood or community that seem to help or hurt wildlife - and some that seem not to affect wildlife at all. Ask every student to come back to school the next day prepared to share at least one example.
• 2.  Ask students the following questions:
• What were some of the most surprising observations you made?
• What problems are affecting wildlife in your community?
• What kinds of actions are people taking that directly affect wildlife?
• How can you help improve your "Community Wildlife Score?"

Line of Learning:  This line is drawn to provide students with a space to share their experimental learning in words or pictures.
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