NatureMapping Activities

3. Field Guide Frenzy

Purpose:
Students will learn to use a variety of field guides to identify species.

Materials Needed:

Field guides for mammals, birds, amphibians, insects, reptiles, etc. either hard copies or via the Internet.
The NatureMapping website contains information of many species. See Animal Fact Sheets
Species clue cards for Teachers and Students (pdf)
Species clues - web version >
Rubric (pdf)

Teacher’s Guide:

Collect field guides and web addresses for Internet sites.
Make copies of species clue cards (without names of species).
Prepare a list of additional species specific to your area.
Determine how to group students for this activity.
Teach students taxonomic groupings to increase their success in using field guides.
See the basic taxonomic structure for all living things. (below)

Striped Skunk Classification

Kingdom - Animal
  Phylum - Chordata
    Sub-phylum - Vertebrata
      Class - Mammalia
        Order - Carnivora
          Family - Mephitidae
            Genus - Mephitis
              Species - Mephitis mephitis

Create your own Field Guide Frenzy using PowerPoint:

Find local species
Students conduct research for the species clues
Use PowerPoint and experiment with shapes, colors, and sizes
Students present their PowerPoint show to their classmates for peer review & refinement.

Examples of 4th grade "Field Guide Frenzy"
- Sagebrush Lizard (ppt)
- Side-blotched Lizard (ppt)

Student Guide »

Definitions

Taxonomic group - animal or plant group having natural relations.

Species - a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.

NatureMapping Protocols