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Animal Homes Underground

Animal Homes Underground

Discover animal habitats under sidewalks, tree roots, or stand at the beach. Fascinating creatures can be found almost anywhere!

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Color Sticks Colored Pencils
  • Natural Materials

Steps

  • Step 1

    Who lives beneath our feet? Explore the areas around your school for critters. Have children sketch the insects and other animals they spot, such as ants, worms, a chipmunk or squirrel. Ask them to collect fallen leaves, tiny stones, twigs, and other natural materials for use in their collage.

  • Step 2

    Read a book about animals and their subterranean habitats, such as "underGROUND" by Denise Fleming, and discuss why they might live below the surface. Mention that these creatures help make our environment healthier. Digging and burrowing help to aerate the soil, and some underground species keep the environment clean by consuming byproducts that need to be removed.

  • Step 3

    Ask children to create a collage depicting the underground homes of a creature that intrigues them. You might want to help them find some interesting facts about their choice. They can draw a scene on dark paper and embellish the drawing by gluing on some of the items they collected on their walk around the school.

  • Step 4

    Have them present their collage and talk about the animal and its habitat.

Standards

LA: Add drawings or other visual displays to written text to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

LA: Integrate visual information (e.g., in drawings, graphics, maps, or videos) with other information to convey meaning.

SCI: Convey designs through sketches, detailed drawings, or physical models to communicate ideas and solutions.

SCI: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information based on evidence.

Adaptations

Read "Over and Under the Pond" and talk about creatures that live underwater.

Talk about jobs and careers that involve digging in dirt - landscaping, architecture, archeology, farming, etc.

Did you know there are places where people live underground? Talk about some of these fascinating communities, such as Coober Pedy in the Australian desert, where above-ground temperatures can go above 125 degrees F. Or Setinil de las Bodegas in Spain, where dwellings are built into rock overhangs.

Start an ant farm. Follow the instructions carefully to ensure that there's no harm to the ants, which have a life span of a few weeks to a few months. Observe and discuss the behaviors and actions.