In this introductory activity, use sweep nets to sample the variety of animals living in lawns.
Group Size: any size—could be done individually, but better with larger group so results can be compared
Suggested Age: 10 and up
Time: 35 min for instructions, activity, and discussion + 10 min for optional instructions and placing pitfall traps + travel time to site. 30 min the following day, if you have placed pitfall traps
Consider…
- Site: Lawn or other grassy area with relatively short grass. This will need to be an area that has not been sprayed with insecticides.
- Safety: If chiggers are a problem, suggest that the youngsters wear shoes and sock and use insect repellent around the ankles.
- Prep: Check the area by using a sweep net and pitfall traps before taking the kids there to see that there are plenty of critters present. For the large group the instructor will need a data board and a marking pen.
For each team of two, you will need a sweepnet, an OBIS Lawn Guide, plastic bags, and rubber bands. If youngsters are building the pitfall traps, each group of two will need squares of aluminum foil (or small vials or tin cans), a trowel, dinner knife or some other digging implement, and small pieces of bait. Be sure to consider how the pitfall traps can be marked somehow in order to locate traps on the next visit.
If pitfall traps are being used, be sure that the area will not be mowed or disturbed between the two visits to the site. If multiple groups will be visiting the site, you will need to spread out so that subsequent groups do not accidentally mess up the pitfall traps of earlier groups.
Focus Question:
How many different kinds of animals can you find living in our study site?
How many different kinds of animals can you find living in our study site?
Learning outcomes:
- Develop techniques for sampling the animals in a grassy area.
- Develop an appreciation for the variety of organisms in the study site.
Summary:
This is a good activity to introduce youngsters to the variety of animal life found at a grassy study site and to acquaint them with some techniques used to collect samples of that life. Lawns and grassy areas support many types of small flying, hopping, and crawling animals. Unless they are hopping or flying, many of these critters go unnoticed because of their small size, camouflage, and tendency to stay near the ground. Initially youngsters try to collect animals without the aid of nets, but these attempts are usually fruitless. When sweep nets and pitfall traps are introduced as tools, the variety of organisms found can be astonishing.
This is a good activity to introduce youngsters to the variety of animal life found at a grassy study site and to acquaint them with some techniques used to collect samples of that life. Lawns and grassy areas support many types of small flying, hopping, and crawling animals. Unless they are hopping or flying, many of these critters go unnoticed because of their small size, camouflage, and tendency to stay near the ground. Initially youngsters try to collect animals without the aid of nets, but these attempts are usually fruitless. When sweep nets and pitfall traps are introduced as tools, the variety of organisms found can be astonishing.
As an introduction to a study site and to sampling techniques, this activity can provide the stimulus for several other investigations in this or similar sites.
More Background:
If at all possible, arrange a second visit to the study site so that the youngsters can set the pitfall traps. This technique will usually produce a much wider variety of critters than they would find by using the sweep nets alone. There is also an opportunity to investigate the effectiveness of different baits in the traps and to see if some baits are more effective at attracting certain critters than other baits.
If at all possible, arrange a second visit to the study site so that the youngsters can set the pitfall traps. This technique will usually produce a much wider variety of critters than they would find by using the sweep nets alone. There is also an opportunity to investigate the effectiveness of different baits in the traps and to see if some baits are more effective at attracting certain critters than other baits.
Extension:
Animals in a Grassland offers many opportunities for study beyond what is mentioned in the OBIS folio. Here are a few questions and ideas to consider:
Did you find the same critters at all places across the study site?
Do you know of other similar places that you could explore? (a park, around your home, around a campsite, around a school)
Most youngsters will want to know “What is it?” In addition to the OBIS Lawn Guide, the small Golden Guides or additional field guides are handy to help identify some of the critters that you will find. Naming a critter is never where the discussion should stop or even focus. These guides will provide information so that later on students can enthusiastically answer questions like: What was the most interesting thing about your critter? What does it depend on in this study site? What depends on it? What else can you learn from other resources about these animals?
Animals in a Grassland offers many opportunities for study beyond what is mentioned in the OBIS folio. Here are a few questions and ideas to consider:
Did you find the same critters at all places across the study site?
Do you know of other similar places that you could explore? (a park, around your home, around a campsite, around a school)
Most youngsters will want to know “What is it?” In addition to the OBIS Lawn Guide, the small Golden Guides or additional field guides are handy to help identify some of the critters that you will find. Naming a critter is never where the discussion should stop or even focus. These guides will provide information so that later on students can enthusiastically answer questions like: What was the most interesting thing about your critter? What does it depend on in this study site? What depends on it? What else can you learn from other resources about these animals?
Download the activity PDF file: AnimalsInaGrassland.pdf
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