Aquatic Animal Adaptations

Last week we explored the types of homes animals live in near water. Try these fun hands-on activities to help children learn more about how aquatic animals protect themselves and find their way around under water.

Beaver Tail Painting
Use a rubber flipper cut to the shape of a beaver tail or fly swatters and let children paint/slap with mud.  Discuss how beavers use their tails to slap the water to warn others of danger.  Explore how water habitats aid other animals in protection (e.g., turtle--swim fast and dive where predators cannot follow; ducks--escape land predators by swimming to the middle of the water; frogs--camouflage on lilly pads, dive into water etc.)

Whisker Science Experiment
Place small items in a tub, fill with 2 inches of water.  Provide pipe cleaners and blindfolds. Have children wear blindfolds or close their eyes and use pipe cleaners to “feel” the objects in the tub. Discuss how animals such as beavers, catfish, muskrats, etc. find their way under water using their whiskers.

Reading Connections
Arnosky, J. 2002. All About Frogs. Scholastic, Inc.

Arnosky, J. 2008. All About Turtles. Scholastic, Inc.

Arnosky, J. 2000. Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats. Alladin.

Arnosky, J. 1989. Come Out, Muskrats. HarperCollins Publishers.

Beltz, E. 2009. Frogs: Inside Their Remarkable World. Firefly Books, Limited.

Chottin, A. 1992. Beaver Gets Lost. Research & Education Association.

Dennard, Dl, and K. Kest. 2002. Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle. Soundprints.

Dexter, R. 1996. Frogs (Troll First-Start Science). Troll Communications.

DK Publishing. 2006. Duck Pond Dip. DK Publishing, Inc.

Ehleert, L. 2001. Fish Eyes. Harcourt Children’s Books.

Fleming, D.  1998. In the Small, Small Pond. Henry Holt and Co.

Fredericks, A.D. 2005. Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs and Leaping Frogs. Dawn Publications.

Gall, C. 2006. Dear Fish. Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

Gallimard, J. 1998. Fish. Scholastic.

George, W.T. 1989. Box Turtle at Long Pond. HarperCollins Publishers.

Heller, R. 1995. How to Hide a Meadow Frog and Other Amphibians. Groslett & Dunlap.

Jordan, S. 2002. Frog Hunt. Roaring Book Press.

Knudson, M. 2005. Fish and Frog. Candlewick.

Korman, S., and S. Marchesi. 2001. Box Turtle at Silver Pond Lane. Soundprints.

Lavies, B. 1993. Lily Pad Pond. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated.

McCloskey, R. 1941. Make Way for Ducklings. Viking Children’s Books.

Moignot, D. 1998. Frogs” A First Discovery Book. Moonlight Publishing.

Pfeffer, W. 1996. What’s it Like to be a Fish? (Let’s Read-and-Find-Out Science 1). Harper Trophy.

Sayre, P. 2007. Trout, Trout, Trout: A Fish Chant. Northwood Books for Young Readers.

Stewart, M., and H. Bond. 2010. A Place for Frogs. Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.

Stockdale, S. 2008. Fabulous Fishes. Peachtree Publishers.

Stoddard, S., and L. Munsinger. 1997. Turtle Time: A Bedtime Story. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Turnage, S., and J. Stevens. 1984. Trout the Magnificent. Harcourt Children’s Books.

Wood, A., and B.R. Wood. 2004. Ten Little Fish. Blue Sky Press (AZ).