Students Who Love Animals Love Maps101

Dear Educator,

Spring is officially here, and with it is a mix of still-cold weather with warming days and rain in many parts of the United States. Animals that have hibernated or stayed hidden during winter are returning and readying for their mating season. It’s a great time for Maps101 to look at features on animals in our content collection. Students who already love animals will be engaged by the content available on Maps101. And all students will become the stewards of Earth as they grow into adults. Every student can benefit from learning about the amazing animals we share our planet with, so they can grow to appreciate the importance of all species. With that, let’s take a look at animals this week!

First, let’s look at hibernation, now that the weather is warming in the Northern Hemisphere, and animals are more visible than during winter. Many animals besides bears hibernate. This GNN article was written for elementary students, but all of us can be reminded of the intricacies of hibernation. We live in houses that provide shelter. Most people stay warm with appliances designed to warm homes, such as furnaces and space heaters. Animals do not have these conveniences to help them in the cold months. What do they do? Have students read this article to find out. Would students like to hibernate too? Why or why not? 

Most U.S. cities have a zoo. Zoos provide a way for people of all ages to see animals they may not otherwise have access to. By experiencing animals firsthand, zoos can spark in new generations a lifelong interest in animal conservation and protection. This exclusive, interactive Field Trip is like a trip to the zoo without leaving home. See pictures of and learn about animals that live on each of Earth’s continents, including alligators, macaws, polar bears, elephants, tigers, gorillas, and more. Find out if students have been to a zoo. What did they like? How do they feel about zoos? Are they beneficial, because people can see animals firsthand, or is it wrong for humans to keep animals outside of their wild habitat? Have students support their point of view.

We can’t talk about animals without focusing on conservation. Human settlement has affected all of the biomes on Earth. People are adaptable enough to live nearly anywhere—and nearly everywhere there are plants and animals. Altering habitats to build housing or stripping areas for energy resources affects the food cycle. Learn more about endangered species and protecting them in this Geography News Network article. Then, ask students what they suggest we should do to protect endangered species.

This is a small sample of the kind of content available to you with your Maps101 subscription. Every week, the editors at Maps101 will provide you with highlights from our extensive collection in this GeoJournal newsletter. We suggest you make a folder to store them for future reference. Expand your students’ world with Maps101!