NAM*AN*IMALS - Pelts A

NAM*AN*IMALS

A Social and Academic Resource for Animals Student Leaders at Namanu Outdoor School.

Cue Card

Pelts A
the "measuring" pelts station
The pelts are very fragile! Please handle them gently and treat them with respect. Open your field notebook to the pelts page.

Observations
Look at your pelt. What color is it? Are there different colors on different parts of the pelt? Is it large or small? Feel your pelt. Is the fur thick or thin? Is it coarse or fine? Record your observations in your field notebook.

Measurements
Measure the length of the body from the nose to the beginning of the tail. Measure the length of the tail. Measure from the foot to the shoulder. Record these measurements in your field notebook.

Identification
Look at the pictures in the mammal field guide. Find the picture of your animal. Use the guide to find the description of your animal. Do your measurements fit the description? If not, go back to the pictures and try again.

If your measurements fit, write down the name of your animal and use the description to fill in the rest of the blanks on your pelts page. Share your findings with the rest of the group.

Tips

Use the poster showing the page in the student notebook as a guide for your lesson. You can answer each question as a group for an example pelt, and then break into smaller groups for filling out individual notebooks.

The example on the poster is a FAKE animal! Do not copy the poster exactly. Use the poster to show the type of information that should go in each box.

When dividing your students into groups, be sure to pair strong readers with those who are not so strong. The field guide information is dense; you will probably have to help your students find the information they need.

Remember to keep the pelts on the crate tables or on top of the pelts tub at all times. The measuring tapes and pencils frequently fall to the bottom of the tub, so dig around a bit.