FOREST LAB RESOURCE PACKAGE
Program Outline
1. Sense Of Place: Students will explore the forest floor and collect interesting natural objects to late
examine under a microscope.
2. What Is A Scientist?: Students will learn about what a scientist does and what tools and equipment
they use.
3. Scientific Method. Students will review the steps of the scientific method.
4. Bird Beak Adaptations: Students try collecting different types of “bird food” using a variety of tools
representing bird beaks and record their findings.
5. Owl Pellet Dissection: Students will use probes and forceps to dissect an owl pellet, identify the
bones and examine the owl pellet under a microscope.
Vocabulary
adaptation
analysis
beak
data
digest
dissect
food chain
forceps
habitat
hypothesis
magnify
microscope
pellet
pipette
predator
prey
regurgitate
research
scientific method
scientist
Extensions
1. Owl food web. Create a poster or a mural demonstrating an owl food web. Count how many food
chains are in your food web.
2. Bird activity map: Birds can use your school grounds to feed, bathe, rest, attract a mate, and even
nest. Make a map of how birds use your school grounds by plotting the places where these things
happen.
3. Create a bird feeder. Create a simple bird feeder out of a milk or juice carton. Cut out equally sized
“windows” in three sides of the carton, leaving 1-2 inches of space from the bottom of the carton. Then
poke two holes at the top of the carton and feed in fishing wire or other sturdy string, so you can hang
the feeder from a tree. Try different bird food, such as sunflower seeds, nuts, fruit, and suet to see if you
can attract different birds.
Resources
1. Bird Education Network – Bird resources http://www.birdeducation.org/
2. Cornell Lab of Ornithology – Bird information, activities, and curriculum resources
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/page.aspx?pid=1673
3. Owl Pages – Owl resources & links www.owlpages.com
4. KidWings – Virtual owl pellet dissection & pellet information http://www.kidwings.com/owlpellets/
Pre- and Post-Program Worksheets
A set of pre- and post-program worksheets are included. Please copy and use them with your class at your
convenience. They are meant to help prepare the students for the vocabulary and concepts used in the
programs as well as reinforce what they’ve learned afterwards. Feel free to do some additional research on
Owls and Bird Beak Adaptations to get ready for the Forest Lab!
City of Surrey | Surrey Nature Centre 14225 Green Timbers Way Surrey
T 604.502.6065 F 604.588.6855 www.surrey.ca/naturecentre
British Columbia Canada V3T 0J2
Before my visit to the Surrey Nature Centre... Soon, I will be going to the Surrey Nature Centre for a program called Forest Lab. I think this program will be about: ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Three things that I already know about birds are: 1._________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 2._________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 3._________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Three things that I would like to learn at the Surrey Nature Centre are: 1._________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 2._________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 3._________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 Forest Lab Bird‐to‐Food Match Bird beaks are a good example of a structural adapta on. Because of compe on, not all birds have the same diet. Some feed on bugs and worms, others on tree cones and others on small mammals. Below are four different examples of birds, that are specially adapted to feed on different foods. Match the bird with the food it eats. Look closely at the beak, it may give you a hint at what the bird eats! White‐winged Crossbill Grasses Canada Goose Insects Bald Eagle Tree cones Northern Flicker Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 Rodents Forest Lab Bird‐to‐Food Match Answer sheet White‐winged Crossbill Grasses Canada Goose Insects Bald Eagle Tree cones Northern Flicker Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 Rodents Create Owl Food Web Owls are predators and depend on other animals for food. In fact, owls o en eat other predators, such as bats, weasels and shrews. Owls perform a valuable service by helping to keep rodent popula ons in check. Draw arrows to connect images and show which organisms provide food for the other organisms to create the Owl Food Web. Barn Owl Shrew Mouse Vole Worms and insects Berries and nuts Dead leaves Grasses Trees and shrubs Sun, rain and soil Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 Create Owl Food Web Answer sheet Barn Owl Shrew Vole Mouse Worms and insects Berries and nuts Dead leaves Grasses Trees and shrubs Sun, rain and soil Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 CriƟcal Thinking
Use what you have learned at the Surrey Nature Centre to answer these ques ons. 1. Describe the difference in appearance between an owl and a duck. Owl ____________________________________ Duck ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ 2. Explain why owls and ducks don’t eat the same food. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 3. Explain what is inside an owl pellet and why. _____________________________________________________________
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Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 CriƟcal Thinking
Answers 1. Describe the difference in appearance between an owl and a duck. Owl 
Sharp, hooked beak 
Large feet with sharp talons Duck 
Flat, rounded beak 
Webbed feet 2. Explain why owls and ducks don’t eat the same food. Owls and ducks don’t eat the same food because they are not adapted the same way. Owls have sharp beaks and talons on their feet which help them catch and eat other animals. Ducks have flat, rounded beaks and webbed feet which help them eat seeds and grasses by plucking them from the ground. Birds look and eat different things because it’s nature’s way of reducing compe
on and helps ensure that all birds have something to eat!
3. Explain what’s inside an owl pellet and why. Inside an owl pellet are the bones and the fur or feathers of the animal they ate. The owl can not digest these so they are regurgitated (spit up) a few hours a er they eat. Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 Pick‐A‐Pellet Owls, like many other birds, eat their food whole. Since birds do not have teeth, they can't chew their food. Therefore, they use their strong and sharp beaks to rip their prey apart and then swallow large chunks whole. The owl slowly digests its meal by separa ng the so er materials (such as meat) from the harder material (such as bones). It then regurgitates (spit up) the harder material along with feathers and fur in the form of a pellet. See if you can iden fy the different bones found in the owl pellet below and what kind of animal they are from! Write the numbers in the circles to match the bones in the skeleton with the bones in a chart below. Owl pellet I think the animal bones found in the pellet are from a: A) Fish Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 B) Snake C) Rodent D) Bird (circle your answer)
Pick‐A‐Pellet Answers 8 3 1 4 2 5 7 I think the animal bones found in the pellet are from a: C) Rodent Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 6 Forest Lab Word Search See if you can find all of the words below. A D G R T Y E B R N S R N O I T I T E P M O C E S M E E K L T R D H I G R P S C T R F E P Y E U O A D A P T A T I O N R T D I G E S T P U O T G A C S N L O U P E S I I D F S T L Q Y B J K S T E G E B E R F L E N T A R M C O T A T I B A H T P H T H C A M O T S K E H F O O D C H A I N I P ADAPTATION FOOD CHAIN BEAK HABITAT COMPETITION LOUPE DIET PELLET DIGEST PREDATOR DISSECT PREY Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 Forest Lab Word Search Answers A D G R T Y E B R N S R N O I T I T E P M O C E S M E E K L T R D H I G R P S C T R F E P Y E U O A D A P T A T I O N R T D I G E S T P U O T G A C S N L O U P E S I I D F S T L Q Y B J K S T E G E B E R F L E N T A R M C O T A T I B A H T P H T H C A M O T S K E H F O O D C H A I N I P ADAPTATION FOOD CHAIN BEAK HABITAT COMPETITION LOUPE DIET PELLET DIGEST PREDATOR DISSECT PREY Forest Lab ‐ Grade 4&5 Student EvaluaƟon
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I enjoyed this program...
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My favourite part of the program was _____________________________________
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To make the program better, the Surrey Nature Centre should __________________
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If I could tell my friends & family one thing about the Surrey Nature Centre, it would be
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Student EvaluaƟon
Draw a picture to describe a favourite part of your trip to the Surrey Nature Centre.
Thank you! We hope you had fun and visit us again soon!