Wildlife Reports at the Science Corner

Animals on the Classroom Screen

At the classroom science corner, a third-grade class studies wildlife reports and video clips. Students record what animals do, not just what they look like. Their reports describe real animal behaviors. Later, they will use a graph with made-up fish counts to practice comparing evidence.

In one clip, several meerkats dig for insects. Their heads are often down. Another meerkat stands on a raised spot and looks around. A large bird that could hunt meerkats approaches. The watching meerkat gives a call. The digging meerkats lift their heads and hurry into nearby burrows. The class does not see a lookout catch food for the others.

Another report follows pelicans in shallow water. A pelican feeding alone swims toward scattered fish. In a group, several pelicans form a curved line. They paddle toward shore together. Fish move ahead of the birds into a smaller area of shallow water. The pelicans dip their bills into that area and catch fish.

The last clip shows emperor penguins on a cold, windy day. Many penguins stand close together in a huddle. Penguins inside have other penguins around them, while those at the outside edge face the wind. As the huddle slowly shifts, different penguins take places along the edge. Birds that were on the edge move farther inside. No penguins catch food during this clip. Like other animals, these penguins need food, suitable warmth, and protection from danger to survive.