Animal Behavior Study for Kids - Watching Squirrels

Age: 3rd grade and up.

This is a good summer activity to keep kids writing, drawing, and thinking about inquiry.

Objectives: Watching squirrels on a regular basis to record what they do and how they interact with other squirrels, animals and people.

Materials: A journal (small spiral notebook or sketch pad), pencil, watch to keep track of time.

(If watching from a sunny place, wear a hat and sunscreen.)

Procedures:

1) Ask some questions and make some hypothesis (ideas). For example, Question: Why do squirrels chatter?

Hypothesis: To scare away intruders?

Or Question: Why do squirrels cross roads?

Hypothesis: For better food collection?

Or Question: Do squirrels live alone or in groups?

Hypothesis: In groups?

Or Question: What foods do squirrels like best?

Hypothesis: Acorns?

2) Find a tree where squirrels regularly live near your house.

Sit on the ground about 25 feet away and watch them quietly for 15 minutes, at the same time of day, 2-3 times a week.

Try not to make sudden moves or noise to frighten them.

You can watch them longer -- more than once a day and/or more days a week, but make sure you watch them for at least 15 minutes each time.

Be sure to write down the date and time of each observation.

3) Record what the squirrels are doing.

Describe how they sit, how they act toward each other, what things scare them, what things they ignore, what foods they collect, where they take the food, what makes them chatter, is their chatter different for different things, do they get more used to you after a few days, if there are more than one, can you tell the squirrels apart, do they each act differently, do they act differently at different times of the day?

4) Draw and describe the squirrels.

Draw how they sit when they eat, watch, chatter, move, interact with other squirrels.

Make notes under your drawing so you can remember later what they were doing.

Practice drawing squirrels with the instructional sheet to make study drawings easier.

See the "Draw and Describe" page for an example of how to make entries in journal about the squirrel`s behaviour.

5) At the end of the summer, read over your notes and make comparisons. Note patterns.

Note changes over time.

Record what things surprised you.

Did you answer any of the questions you asked at the beginning of the summer?

Did this project make you think differently about squirrels?

Do you notice squirrels and other animals more now?