Make-a-Mammal

Overview: Students will create their own mammal to live in one of three biomes: rainforest, chaparral, or tundra.

This lesson is part of a series. Select this text to learn more about the series and how to extend its usefulness, or proceed directly to a list and summary of related mammal activities.

Subjects: Science and Art

Grades: 3-4

Length: Involved

Materials:
- Story Cards 1, 2
and 3 (provided)
- Drawing paper
- Markers, paints, crayons, etc.

Procedures:
1. Refer to the biomes section for background on the rainforest, chaparral, and tundra. Consider using guided imagery, during which students close their eyes in an uninterrupted setting while the instructor narrates a “walk ” through the biome.
2. Distribute Story Cards to students or student teams. Using the Story Cards as a guide, students will create an imaginary mammal that meets the criteria on the cards. Encourage students to think of creative adaptations that will allow their mammals to live successfully in the assigned biomes. Don’t forget—students are creating mammals which share basic characteristics including hair or fur and milk production.
3. As students read their Story Card, have them identify specific helpful adaptations. You may want to refer to the polar bear, elephant , or chimpanzee pictures in the biome section to provide examples. Once students have identified the desired features, ask them to draw their mammal and label the adaptations they decided to include.
4 . Ask students to share their completed creations with the class.
Extension: Encourage students to sculpt their creations using clay or build them with cardboard. They can also list potential predators of their new mammal or animals it may prey on. Another option is to have them write a story about their new mammal.

Possible adaptations to include:
- Sharp teeth and forward facing eyes for predators
- Blubber or thick fur for mammals living in colder areas
- Sensitive hearing for nocturnal animals