Squirrel!

Educators Information

Squirrels are nimble, bushy-tailed rodents found all over the world. They belong to the
Sciuridae family, which includes prairie dogs, chipmunks and marmots.
There are more than 200 species of squirrels, according to the Integrated Taxonomic
Information System (ITIS), and they are categorized into three types: tree squirrels, ground
squirrels and flying squirrels. These three categories are further broken down into many
squirrel types, such as Albino, Mountain Tree, Antelope, Spotted, Grey, American Red,
Douglas, Fox, Pygmy, Northern Flying, Southern, Arizona Gray, Idaho, Arctic Ground,
Albert’s, Franklin, Richardson, Rock, White and Black squirrel.

Procedure

ENGAGEMENT

• To “hook” your class here is a video of a squirrel that stole someone’s GoPro camera
  and took it on a trip into the trees!

http://digg.com/video/squirrel-takes-gopro

• Where do eastern grey squirrels live?
•  What do they eat?
• How do they live?

EXPLORATION

• Students will be researching where and how the eastern grey squirrel lives. You
  could choose to have different groups work on different types of squirrels or you
  could make one big poster/bulletin board of different squirrel information.
•  The “big idea” is to use research to present new knowledge to the class. It should also get your students interested in doing squirrel observations at school.
  Here are some great websites for research:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/squirrels/

https://onekindplanet.org/animal/squirrel/

https://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html

http://facts.net/squirrel/

http://www.cincynature.org/media/events/SquirrelSelfGuided5.pdf

EXPLANATION

• Students will explain what they have learned about the eastern grey squirrel (or their
  species) of squirrel.
•  Students can ask the class what they think the information would be and then
  present the information that was researched. Compare to see if their information
  matched up.

ELABORATION

• Squirrels are smart! See if you can challenge one in your own backyard!
  Build a squirrel challenge course!

http://handbookofnaturestudy.com/2009/10/outdoor-hour-challenge-autum-series.html/

EVALUATION

• The poster that students make and present is their evaluation. Throughout the
  research process you should observe and correct any misconceptions.

Supplemental Reading

List books or activities that are relevant to the activity

Extensions

Some other fun extensions:

• https://www.kidsdiscover.com/parentresources/backyard-science-fun-with-squirrels/

Fitbits on squirrels?? http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/09/qa-why-researcher-putting-fitbits-squirrels

Resources

http://digg.com/video/squirrel-takes-gopro

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/squirrels/

https://onekindplanet.org/animal/squirrel/

https://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html

http://facts.net/squirrel/

http://www.cincynature.org/media/events/SquirrelSelfGuided5.pdf