Habitat 2000 / Learning About Wildlife

Communities for Wildlife | Habitat Projects and Resources Registration and Funding | Featured School | News | Contact Us NWW Partners

Lesson Guide

Lesson Information | Procedure | Student Resource Sheet

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• collect and organize data relating to wildlife habitat and human and natural communities;

• follow a step-by-step strategy to improve wildlife habitat in their community, then maintain planting and building projects for continuing benefit to wildlife;

• appreciate the unique needs of wildlife living within or close to human communities;

• learn how to work in partnership with community members, such as parents, neighbours, naturalists, and local businesses;

• form a positive attitude towards wildlife species and their habitats and become motivated to conserve them;

• understand the link between habitat health and human activities;

• develop a sense of responsibility toward wild species and spaces by doing habitat projects

Lesson Information

Age: kindergarten through high school

Subjects: art, biology, environmental science, geography, health, industrial arts, language arts, math, physical education, science, social studies

Skills: analysis, classification, communication, composition, cooperation, discussion, drawing, evaluation, interpretation, observation, planning, problem-solving, reading, research

Duration: one or two 45-minute periods plus at least one full day for a wildlife habitat project

Group size: small groups working concurrently

Setting: classroom and outdoors

Procedure

1. Assign the resource sheet entitled Human Communities, Natural Communities to students as homework or as a classroom reading activity.
2. Discuss, on the basis of the reading assignment, the importance of wildlife habitats in our communities. Consider how these habitats sustain wildlife, how humans can help or harm these spaces, and the need for habitat enhancement projects. For deeper insight into these issues, see the Project WILD activities Planning for People and Wildlife, Can Do!, and Improving Wildlife Habitat in the Community.
3. Having grasped the basics, students are ready to tackle a wildlife habitat project according to the step-by-step strategy outlined under Launch Your Project at the Communities for Wildlife Web site.
4. Remember to register projects with WILD Education and to request assistance from the Habitat 2000 Fund before getting started. See Registration and Funding for more information.
5. Get permission from parents and your school principal, as well as your municipality or landowners, before launching projects. Ask an area by-laws inspector or conservation authority if there are any regulations that you must follow.
6. Network with your community, getting as many volunteers involved as possible. Seek help from parents, businesses, nurseries, naturalists, horticultural clubs, civic organizations, wildlife agencies, and seniors' groups.
7. Using one or more projects at the Communities for Wildlife Web site, students can now dig in and enhance habitat in their community.