This lesson plan aims to teach students about fox adaptations and how foxes thrive in urban environments. The objectives are for students to understand fox adaptations and circumstances in cities. Foxes are highly adaptable and live in many habitats, including forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts. They are also omnivores. Foxes are thriving in urban areas near farms, small communities, and large cities. Due to their adaptability, foxes have gained a reputation for being sly. However, they are considered nuisance animals and many are killed each year. The lesson includes reading a book, a craft activity to make paper foxes, and a nature hike to understand fox habitats in urban and forest settings.

1. Sly as a Fox
Hannah R. Holzschuh
Thematic Statement:
Foxes are often seen as nuisance animals; due to this belief,
many have been eradicated. This lesson plan will focus on the
adaptations and behavior of foxes in urban environments.
Lesson Objectives:
Students will be able to relay adaptations of foxes and the
unique circumstance of thriving in an urban environment.
Background Information:
Foxes (in general) are very adaptable to many habitats. They
live in grasslands, forests, mountains and even deserts. These
animals also eat a diverse amount of food. They are omnivores.
Meaning they feed on both vegetation and meat. These animals
are also thriving in urban environments. Such as farm fields,
small communities and even large metropolis environments.
Most people believe foxes to be evil and cunning.
Because foxes are so adaptable and resourceful they have
gained the notion of being sly. When foxes are a part of the
canine family that has developed exceptional skills for surviving
in an ever-growing human world. Most animals do not have the
adaptability foxes do. Therefore, these animals are nuisance
animals. They are resourceful and have been known to eat
vegetables, fruit, dig through garbage etc. These animals are
truly remarkable in ways of adaptations to their habitats.
Because they are nuisance animals, many are killed
every year. Mostly by people who are annoyed with foxes
coming onto their property. Foxes are kept on fur farms and
used for profit in the fur industry as well. They are also
euthanized in urban environments when humans get scared or
angry when foxes come onto their property within city limits.
People are often scared for their families and animals, this can
reasonable with disease as a potential option but truthfully
because foxes are adapting so well next to human neighbors it
is less common to see a diseased fox.
The fox life cycle begins during mating season in
January through March. Vixens produce four to five kits per litter.
Producing one litter each year. Kits will stay in the den for four to
five weeks, and then begin to emerge and play outside. Soon
Age level:
Ages 3-5
Content areas:
Art and Science
Method:
To understand how foxes are
Adapting to urban life vs.
The dangers of forest life.
Materials:
Craft sticks
Orange construction paper
Googley eyes
Glue dots
Scissors
Brown pom pom
Thumb tacks
Paper
Activity time:
60 minutes
People power:
One adult to every
three children
Setting:
Indoors and outdoors
Terminology:
Habitat
Urban environment
Omnivore
Adaptations

2. Sly as a Fox
they will begin to follow parents on hunting excursions and by fall they leave the den.
That winter they mate for the first time.
Procedures:
During the hour, long session three activities will take place:
❖ Read Brave Little Fox
➢ Written by: Patricia Jensen
❖ Fox craft
➢ Collect materials
■ Glue three craft sticks into triangle
shape
■ Place triangle orange construction
paper cut out behind craft stick
triangle
■ Glue on googley eyes
■ Glue on brown pom pom for nose
■ Glue smaller orange triangles on for
ears
➢ Take out fox pelts to show children
■ compare contrast grey fox vs. red
fox
● coloring
● size
❖ Nature hike
➢ Twenty minutes for nature hike with children
Extensions:
❖ Outdoor activity:
➢ Thumb tack pieces of paper with descriptions of:
■ Food for forest:
● Berries
◆ Less food
■ Food for urban environment:
● Garbage
◆ More diverse food and plenty of
■ Habitat in forest:
● Lost habitat: find new one
● Thicket
■ Habitat in Urban environment:
● Private garden
● Park
● Backyards
➢ Split children into two teams
■ Urban foxes

3. Sly as a Fox
■ Forest foxes
➢ Make sure to place more URBAN fox cards than forest fox cards amongst
trees
Goal: Children walk away realizing that in urban environments some predators such as
foxes are especially well suited for civilization.
Evaluation:
❖ Why is civilization good for foxes?
❖ What habitat was better for foxes?
❖ Why do think foxes are nuisance animals in both environments?