This document provides information and instructions for a student project where students take on the role of a wildlife researcher exploring a new habitat to discover a new animal species. It outlines the tasks of writing diary entries describing the journey and discovery, and creating a multimedia presentation about the habitat and new animal. Background information is provided on different habitats including forests, grasslands, wetlands, deserts, and human habitats to help students choose and research the habitat for their expedition. Resources for research are also listed.

1. Amazing Animals!!!
Jennifer Rebelo – EDC 5013

2. Animal Research
WebQuest
1
3
Introduction
Procedure
2
Task
4
Habitats & 6
Important 5 Grading
Terms Resources
for Research

3. Introduction
For most of us, animals are part of our
daily lives. Whether you enjoy
reading about them, watching TV
shows about them, going to the zoo,
or living with them; you know they can
be amazing creatures.
The world is filled with many different
animals that live in so many different
places.

4. Task
• You are a wildlife researcher who has
chosen to go on an expedition to find a new
and undiscovered species of animal.
• Before you begin your journey, it would be
a good idea to determine which habitat you
will be visiting by viewing videos and
researching all that you can.

5. Procedure
In a series of diary entries, describe the thrills of your journey and describe
your
experience as you discover a new animal for the world to see! You will also be
creating a
PowerPoint presentation to accompany your diary to give your readers a sense
of what it
was like to explore the habitat in which you found your animal! Your multi-
media
presentation will include animations, sounds, and clipart to really enhance the
experience for
those of us who weren’t on the expedition!
• Introduction - Start off your writing with an interesting beginning sentence.
Tell the reader about your decision to take this trip. How will you travel to this
destination? Will you have a crew to help you or will you be going on your
journey alone? How do you feel about taking this trip?
• Visiting a New Place - Which type of habitat you will be visiting on your
expedition? What is this place like and why are you interested in finding a
new species in this particular place? Describe how you found the new animal?
• Your discovery - What does it look like? What does it eat? Where does it
live? What is the name of your new species? How does it protect itself? How
does the animal act? Is it similar to animals we already know about in our
world?
• The Public - Now that you have found this new species, what do you plan to
do? Will you take pictures and present your findings to the public? If so,
what happens? Do you become famous? Will you continue to do research on
this animal?

6. Wall of Knowledge
Use the information below to give you more
insight on different habitats.
1 2 3
Animal
Forests Grasslands
Neighborhoods
4 5 6
Wetlands Desert Human Habitats

7. Animal
Neighborhoods
Animals and plants depend on one another for
survival.
Question:
What do habitats provide for animals?
Every habitat provides an animal with food,
water, shelter, and space to move around in.

8. Word Study
Habitat: The type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or
occurs. Every habitat provides animal species with food, water, shelter, and space
to move around.

9. Forests
Forests make good homes for many kinds of
animals.
Question:
Describe the differences between winter and
spring in the forest.
Fall Winter

10. Word Study
Habitat: The type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or
occurs. Every habitat provides animal species with food, water, shelter, and space
to move around.
Forest: A dense growth of trees, plants, and underbrush covering a large area.
A forest, also called woodland, is a habitat with lots of trees.

11. Grasslands
Although grasslands do not have trees that provide
food and shelter, many grazing animals and
burrowers live in this type of habitat.
Question:
What animals live in grassland habitats?

12. Word Study
Habitat: The type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or
occurs. Every habitat provides animal species with food, water, shelter, and space
to move around.
Forest: A dense growth of trees, plants, and underbrush covering a large area.
A forest, also called woodland, is a habitat with lots of trees.
Grasslands: Land where mainly grass or grasslike vegetation grows, such as a
prairie or a meadow. Some of the biggest animals living in the grasslands are
grazers, or grass eaters, such as bison.

13. Wetlands
Many types of animal species live in wetland
habitats.
Question:
How can wetlands support many kinds of wildlife?
Wetlands have many different places for animals
to find food and shelter.

14. Word Study
Habitat: The type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or
occurs. Every habitat provides animal species with food, water, shelter, and space
to move around.
Forest: A dense growth of trees, plants, and underbrush covering a large area.
A forest, also called woodland, is a habitat with lots of trees.
Grasslands: Land where mainly grass or grasslike vegetation grows, such as a
prairie or a meadow. Some of the biggest animals living in the grasslands are
grazers, or grass eaters, such as bison.
Wetland: An area of land where water covers the soil or is present either at or
near the surface of the soil year-round or for varying periods of time during the
year, including during the growing season. A wetland is any place where the soil
stays moist and wet, such as a bog, swamp, or marsh.

15. Deserts
Reptiles and other desert creatures have adapted
to life in a hot, dry environment.
Question:
How do reptiles survive in the desert?
The body temperature of a reptile depends on the
temperature of its surroundings. Reptiles warm up
in the desert heat so they can look for food. When
it’s too hot, they retreat to a burrow or a shady spot
to cool off.

16. Word Study
Habitat: The type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or
occurs. Every habitat provides animal species with food, water, shelter, and space
to move around.
Forest: A dense growth of trees, plants, and underbrush covering a large area.
A forest, also called woodland, is a habitat with lots of trees.
Grasslands: Land where mainly grass or grasslike vegetation grows, such as a
prairie or a meadow. Some of the biggest animals living in the grasslands are
grazers, or grass eaters, such as bison.
Wetland: An area of land where water covers the soil or is present either at or
near the surface of the soil year-round or for varying periods of time during the
year, including during the growing season. A wetland is any place where the soil
stays moist and wet, such as a bog, swamp, or marsh.
Desert : A dry, often sandy region that has little rainfall, extreme temperatures,
and sparse vegetation. Because the desert gets so little rainfall, very few plants
can grow there.

17. Human Habitats
Some wild creatures live in and around human
habitats.
Question:
What wild creatures you have seen where you live?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

18. Resources
Where can you find information?
• Books
• Encyclopedias
• Magazines - Zoobooks, Discovery, WildLife Explorer

19. Other Sites and Resources
• http://animal.discovery.com/guides/atoz/atoz.
html
• http://www.enature.com/
• http://www.seaworld.org/AnimalBytes/animal
_bytes.html
• http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.ht
ml
• http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/

20. Evaluation and Grading
You will be graded on:
• Using your time wisely
• Good note taking
• Well written diary entries
• Interesting and creative PowerPoint
presentation that includes animations,
sounds, and clipart