Beavers Make a Home

 

Beavers Make a Home PDF Black and White(line drawings, 4 pages to a sheet)

Beavers Make a Home PDF Colored(colored-in drawings, 1 page to a sheet)

Sight Words: make, a

Why do beavers build dams? They build dams of logs, mud, and stone across a stream to make ponds several feet deep. That way, the lodges they build can have underwater entrances to protect them from predators.  Beavers also store their food, small leafy branches and young trees, in the water where it can keep fresh all winter long.

Beavers are not the only animal that engineers its own habitat, but they do it on such a large scale it makes habitat for other species. This makes beavers a KEYSTONE species. Because the ponds create large openings in the middle of forests, they let in lots of light. This allows shrubby plants, grasses, and water plants to grow on the edge of the pond.  Moose and deer browse on these plants. Fish, frogs, and insects lay their eggs among the plant stems, so their offspring have a place to grow.  Ducks, herons, kingfishers, and red-winged blackbirds take advantage of the places to nest and feed. And otters, mink, and racoon find plenty of fish and other small animals to dine on. 

Can you think of any questions about beavers?
                        

NGSS Science Standard Learn more about the NGSS Science Standards

• DCI: K-ESS2-2 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.
• CCC: Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed and used as evidence. Systems in the natural and designed world have parts that work together.
• SEP: Use observations (firsthand or from media) to describe patterns in the natural world in order to answer scientific questions. Construct an argument with evidence to support a claim.

Common Core State Standards Connections: ELA/Literacy

R.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer qustions about the key details in a text.