Hibernation, Migration, Adaptation, OH MY!

Everyone is planning on getting warm this winter!  How do you stay warm? How do animals stay warm during the long, cold winter? That was the question on everyone’s mind this week! We learned about hibernation, migration and adaptation through games, discussions, and hands on exploration.  Out on the trails we kept our eyes peeled for any area that looked like a good place for an animal to cozy up for the cold months. If we saw a hole in the ground, a hollowed out log, or nook under the rocks we called out, “Hibernation Station!” and gathered round to explore!  We humans prepare for winter by wearing warming clothing, adjusting to the shortened daylight hours, and stocking our kitchen cupboards! How do animals adapt to make it through winter?  Some animals get harder to see because they change color to camouflage with the bare branches or white snow. Out on the trail we hid several different woodland puppets and the children used their best “owl eyes” to search out those camouflaged critters!

One of our most exciting activities was a live animal encounter! It hibernates, has a shell, and moves slowly! Can you guess what it was? Another favorite adventure was exploring a dead tree that had fallen across the road! It knocked down a smaller tree that was still living and the children made several comparisons between the two! We made deer tails and all the girls (does) and boys (bucks) frolicked through the meadow! We went into the tall grass to act out hiding from predators and discovered grass that had been bent over from real deer making their beds! How exciting! Keep your eyes peeled there are signs of animals preparing for winter all around us!