Activity Overview
Girl Scouts learn about similarities and differences in animal habitats.
- Discuss with Girl Scouts how the habitats of pets and wild animals are alike and different.
- Have them first draw an animal’s home in the wild, then how it might look for a pet.
- Have Girl Scouts share their designs with everyone if they’d like.
Leader Guidance
Say:
- Pets live in homes, while wild animals live outdoors in their natural habitats.
- How do you think the habitats of pets and wild animals are different? How are they the same? (Wait for answers. If needed, ask questions like: How do pets get their food compared to wild animals? How are pets safe from predators, and what about wild animals? How much space do pets have compared to wild animals? What fun things do pets have that wild animals might not have?)
- Today, we’re going to explore how animals live in the wild and compare that to how they live as pets. You’ll pick an animal and design two homes for it!
Discuss some examples of different habitats.
Have each Girl Scout choose an animal. Give them a sheet of paper and a pencil. On one side of the paper, have them draw the animal’s home in the wild. They might show how the animal finds food, where it lives, and how it stays safe from predators.
Once they finish drawing their animal’s home in the wild, have Girl Scouts flip their paper over and draw what that animal’s home would look like as a pet. They might show things like how it gets food and where it sleeps.
When drawings are done, encourage Girl Scouts to share their work with the group if they’d like.
Say:
- Which habitat do you think is easier for your animal to live in? Why? (Wait for answers.)
Closing Question
How do we help pets stay safe, and how do animals protect themselves in the wild?
