A research-based project by 4th grade students based on the book Creature Features by Steve Jenkins.

1. Inspired by
Creature Features
by Steve Jenkins
Researched
by the
4th
Grade
Students

2. As part of our author study, the students read the book
Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look
The Way They Do and discovered many unusual animal
features.
Then, as an extension activity, each student chose an
animal to research. Each child created a slide to include a
picture, a question to the animal about a unique feature,
and had the animal “answer” the question.

3. Why do you jump really
high?
I jump high so I can find the
location of hunting seabirds, and
they can show me where to find
the fish.
Alexis S.

4. My mouth is so big so I
can eat birds and sheep.
Andrew B.

6. Dear Wolverine: Why is Michigan’s
nickname the Wolverine state?
My type of species
was once very
common there.
Daniel G.

7. WHY IS THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY SO
HARD?
IT IS HARD FOR PROTECTION,SO OTHER SEA
ANIMALS CAN’T HURT ME.
Dear Dinichthys:

8. Why is your
tail so
bushy?
It’s bushy, because it gives me more
balance when I move on trees. Elodie S.
Dear
Eurasian
Pine
Marten,

9. Potto
Henry M.
Why do
you grasp
branches
with your
hind legs?
I use them for
holding on to
branches for long
periods.
Dear Potto,

10. Dear great white shark: why can
you detect blood so far away?
It’s very handy for eating. I’m a
predator, and it’s good for me to eat
wounded things so I don’t have to
waste energy.
Chris D

11. Desert jerboa, why are your
legs so skinny?
My legs are so skinny so they can jump
high to reach food. I can jump up to 10
feet, the equivalent of a human
jumping up to 165 feet.
By Jonathan P.

12. Dear naked mole rat:
Why don’t you have
hair? You’re naked!
I don’t have hair because I live
in the dry grasslands, and it is in
a hot climate.
GEORGE M.

13. DEAR
PORCUPINE:
WHY DO YOU
HAVE SO
MANY SPIKES
AND
MOVE
BACWARDS?
I MOVE
BACKWARDS
BECAUSE I
NEED TO
SCARE OFF
MY
PREDATORS,
AND I HAVE
MY SPIKES
ON MY BACK.

14. Dear Blue Whale
Why do you have weird things in your mouth?
They’re like teeth but they’re baleen,
and I use them to strain little fishes out
of the water. Instead of biting, I just
swallow them whole. By Jack C.

16. Actually, I’m a male Tree
Kangaroo. The colors are to
attract mates.

17. Dear three-toed
sloth: why is some
of your fur green?
I MOVE SO SLOWLY
THAT GREEN MOSS
GROWS ON MY FUR,
AND IT KEEPS ME SAFE
FROM PREDATORS.
NICHOLAS

18. Dear bottlenose
dolphin:
What do you eat, and
how do you
communicate with
humans ?

19. Dear Indian
Flying Fox,
Chase F.
Why are your wings so big?
My giant wings, which can be up to four
times bigger than my body, help me glide
in the air.

20. DEAR TASMANIAN
WOLF:
WHY DON’T PEOPLE KNOW A LOT
ABOUT YOU?
PEOPLE DON’T KNOW A LOT ABOUT
ME, BECAUSE I WAS EXTINCT
BEFORE THEY COULD STUDY ME.
By KATIE S.

21. Dear American pika: why are
your cheeks so big?
I can carry a lot of food in my mouth,
even plants that are toxic.
By: Jared

22. Sarah