Activity Instructions - Stream Critters Station


1. Some animals live all of their lives in the water, like fish or crayfish, but some animals have adapted to living in the water for part of their life cycle. Sometimes the underwater stage is much longer than the stage we see on land, like dragonflies, who can live for a year or two underwater, and then a few weeks or months on land and in the air.

Show a picture of a dragonfly, and then a "baby picture" of the nymph.

2. The stream habitat needs to have plenty of oxygen, which is stirred in as the stream flows over the rocks, and is also provided by the green plants in the water. It also needs to have food for all kinds of critters, including plants that fall in or grow in it, and various sizes of animals. There need to be places to hide from predators and safely grow up, like under rocks. See anyplace like that around here? Think any critters live here? Let's find out.

Use the net to catch some critters. Rub the rocks and agitate the substrate to dislodge some. Bring up the net and place it on a white cloth in the middle of the deck. Ask the students to look closely and gently move the critters into a container of water you place at the edge of the net. Model getting down on your hands and knees and looking for critters.

3. Who are these critters; can you identify them using these picture?
Put ID cards out on the deck. Point out tails, gills, wing pads, hooked feet for holding on against the current. Use magnifying boxes and glasses.

4. Try out dragonfly eyes.
5. Give students the baby critter cards, and ask them to find their mothers from the adult critter cards.
6. Take shoes off and sit on bottom step to dangle feet.

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Last modified 9/22/06 1:11 PM by menichol (history)
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