Nov. 15, 2006: Wow! What A Migration

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of a wildebeest in the middle of a piece of paper. Draw three lines at different angles away from the wildebeest. At the end of one line, list the different foods the wildebeest eats. At the end of a second line, list the ways the wildebeest is good for African countries. At the end of the third line, list the problems the wildebeest faces.

2. Divide a piece of paper into four parts. In one section, paste newspaper words and pictures of American animals that live in dry climates, like the desert. In another section, paste words and pictures of American animals that live in rivers and lakes. In another section, paste words and pictures of American animals that live in the ocean. In the last section, paste words and pictures of American animals that live in grassy areas.

3. Look at the map of Africa in today's Mini Page. Mark a travel route for an animal lover who wanted to see a dugong, an oryx, a bonobo and an elephant.

4. Which African animals (a) swim in water, (b) are hunted for food, (c) travel with other animals, and (d) are popular with tourists?

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about one of the animals in today's Mini Page. Select an animal that is not familiar to you. Use these questions to guide your research:

• In what countries does the animal live?
• What is the animal¹s habitat?
• What does the animal eat?
• How large does the animal grow?
• What dangers threaten the animal?

Write a paragraph about your animal.

This week's standards:

• Students understand the characteristics and life cycles of organisms.(Science: Life Science)
• Students understand the interactions of animals and their environments.
  (Science: Life Science)
  
  (standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)