Ask students what they think they'll see on their walk. Have them draw their answers. ( Drawing prompt handout
Talk about looking for any animals — from birds in the trees to bees in the flower bed.
Discuss a “no squishing” policy for creepy crawly critters, like worms, beetles, and ants.
Tell students to listen for animal sounds (birds chirping, squirrels scolding) and to look for signs that animals have been there (spider webs, animal tracks, nests).
After the walk, have students discuss what they saw and draw something they want to remember. ( Drawing prompt handout

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animal

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a living thing that needs to eat other living things

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safety

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protection from getting hurt

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food

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something that animals eat

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needs

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things an animal or plant must have in order to live

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survive

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to stay alive

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behavior

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what an animal does

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different

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not the same

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similar

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having some things in common

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pattern

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something that happens again and again and again in a way that can be predicted

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person in boots walking in forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Alones

praying mantis spreading its claws by CaPro

snail on leaf by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: thechatat

video of gopher eating sunflower seeds by Alex Brandin

video of person lifting log by Hidden Villa Science and Nature Video Series

video of praying mantis applying self-defense by duncantakeru

praying mantis spreading its claws by CaPro

snail on leaf by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: thechatat

toad by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Tom Reichner

video of praying mantis climbing branch by Pond5

video of snail expanding its antennae by Epigrafx

video walking through forest by Zenvision TV

boy standing (1) by Hogan Imaging

boy standing (2) by Sergey Novikov

girl standing by Sergey Novikov

red eft by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Jay Ondreicka

snail on leaf by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: thechatat

video of praying mantis climbing branch by Pond5

video of snail expanding its antennae by Epigrafx

video walking through forest by Zenvision TV

boy blue sneakers and jeans by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Veja

boy standing (1) by Hogan Imaging

boy standing (2) by Sergey Novikov

girl standing by Sergey Novikov

ladybird beetle by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: BUFOTO

praying mantis on branch by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Viacheslav Matiukhin

praying mantis pose by Ferran Pestana

snail on leaf by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: thechatat

video of praying mantis applying self-defense by duncantakeru

gopher hole by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: schankz

owl in a tree hole by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Thitisak Mongkonnipat

praying mantis on branch by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Viacheslav Matiukhin

praying mantis pose by Ferran Pestana

snail on leaf by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: thechatat

snail shell by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Imageman

video of gopher eating sunflower seeds by Alex Brandin

video of praying mantis applying self-defense by duncantakeru

close-up of praying mantis by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Fernando Verdu Brufal

kid looking up at insects by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Philippe Put

praying mantis pose by Ferran Pestana

snail on leaf by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: thechatat

video of gopher eating sunflower seeds by Alex Brandin

video of snail expanding its antennae by Epigrafx

white soundflower seeds in palm of hand by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Shyripa Alexandr

child sitting on stump thinking by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Aleksandra Nikolaeva

father talking with children in forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Monkey Business Images

sitting praying mantis by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Muhammad Naaim

video of gopher coming out of hole and discovering sunflower seeds by Alex Brandin

video of gopher eating sunflower seeds by Alex Brandin

video of praying mantis applying self-defense by duncantakeru

young teen asian girl looking through gopher hole by dangdumrong

large hole looking upwards toward the sky by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Oppdowngalon

video of gopher coming out of hole and discovering sunflower seeds by Alex Brandin

video of praying mantis applying self-defense by duncantakeru

video of snail expanding its antennae by Epigrafx

video of woodpecker pecking wood by Benjamin Slade

young teen asian girl looking through gopher hole by dangdumrong

large hole looking upwards toward the sky by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Oppdowngalon

video of gopher coming out of hole and discovering sunflower seeds by Alex Brandin

video walking through forest by Zenvision TV

young teen asian girl looking through gopher hole by dangdumrong

video of person lifting log by Hidden Villa Science and Nature Video Series

white soundflower seeds in palm of hand by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Shyripa Alexandr

video of gopher eating sunflower seeds by Alex Brandin

white soundflower seeds in palm of hand by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Shyripa Alexandr

video of land snail moving across pavement by Wishlessness

white soundflower seeds in palm of hand by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Shyripa Alexandr

video of praying mantis climbing branch by Pond5

two children running in the forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Monkey Business Images

father talking with children in forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Monkey Business Images

video of crawling rolly polly by Walter Kessler

Credits

How can you find animals in the woods?

Animal Secrets Unit

Lesson 3 of 4

Animal Needs: Safety

4.8(6719 reviews)

Lesson narration:

Activity Prep

Print Prep

In this lesson, students observe different animal behaviors and work to discover another pattern: all animals seek safety in order to survive. The activity, Gopher in a Hole, includes physical movement in which students pretend to be snails hiding in their shells, praying mantises scaring away predators, and gophers popping out of holes.

Preview activity

Vocabulary

Assessments

No supplies needed for this lesson!

But be sure to check the prep instructions below.

Prep Instructions

Make sure students have enough space to move around as they pretend to be different animals.

Since there’s so little prep for this activity, we recommend you plan on doing one of the activities in the Extensions. To understand how animals seek safety, it’s important that children have a chance to observe them. You can provide that opportunity by keeping pet snails, exploring a grassy lawn, going for a nature walk, or watching videos to learn what animals make their homes in a hole in a tree.

K-LS1-1

Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

Exploration

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How can you find animals in the woods?

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Nature Walk Tips

animal

safety

food

needs

survive

behavior

different

similar

pattern

Image & Video Credits

Activity Prep

8 mins

25 mins

7 mins