Other Material On The CD

Record spreadsheet and Activity Sheets

In the Animals UK directory on your Start Menu you will find a shortcut labelled Resources. Double click for easy access to the folder in the Animals UK directory. There you will find an Excel Workbook and a number of image files. They may also be opened from within the program, use the Information Index Page from the toolbar.

Record Sheets

An Excel workbook for recording abundance. You will need to have Excel 97 or later on your machine. You should use "save as" with a different name in Excel to save any changes you make.

Outline drawings

A small selection of outlines to print and colour in. Some are simplified for colouring within a paint program.

Activity Sheets

The aim of the Activity Sheets is to provide a framework for projects which promote an understanding of why Plants live in specific habitats and how their diversity is determined by the success of the food chain.

They provide a progression of skills within Levels 2 to 7, a structure for efficient recording and relevant questions for the logical evaluation of results.

The sheets may be printed out from MS Paint or another paint package.

  1. Sorting invertebrates by their numbers of legs.
  2. Sorting invertebrates with keys.
  3. Investigating invertebrates in light or dark habitats.
  4. Investigating leaf litter in different locations.
  5. Investigating food chains.
  6. Adaptations of Plants in water.
  7. Invertebrates, what they eat and their adaptations.
  8. Mammals, what they eat and their adaptations.
  9. Food webs and trophic levels.
  10. Freshwater invertebrates and what they eat.

Requirements for the projects

  1. A map on which to record the location of all investigations.
  2. Light and moisture meters, available at most garden centres.
  3. Petri dishes, white trays, trowels and buckets.
  4. Soft paint brushes for picking up/moving invertebrates.

Conservation

  1. Collect invertebrates carefully, using the soft paint brushes and place each creature in its own separate container, or some like spiders, will eat the others.
  2. Do not catch butterflies or their wings will be damaged.
  3. Collect only one sample of each species. (This does not apply to water invertebrates).
  4. Do not trample the habitats or edges of ponds.
  5. Observe, record and where possible, leave the animals where they are.

Health and Safety

  1. When working in natural habitats, remember that some plants, fruits, seeds and berries may be poisonous.
  2. Some individuals may suffer from Asthma or be prone to Hay Fever and this must be considered as a hazard in the pollen season.
  3. Some creatures can sting or bite, such as Bees, Wasps and Backswimmers.
  4. Exposure to the sun can cause sunburn and suitable clothes should be worn.