Activity Overview
Girl Scouts design a neighborhood shelter for local wildlife.
- Talk about ways humans can help protect animal habitats.
- Show Girl Scouts some examples of shelters, then have them design their own animal shelter that could be placed in the wild.
- Encourage the group to share their designs with friends, family, or younger Girl Scouts.
Leader Guidance
Preparation: Before the start of the activity, find an age-appropriate educational video showing examples of wildlife in your area that are living in their natural homes, or visit a local community garden, botanic garden, or nursery to see wildlife in action. If you choose the video, have it ready to play during the meeting.
Say:
- Just like humans, animals need a place to call home. They need space to move and ways to find food and water. Many animals’ habitats are in trouble. By protecting habitats, you help take care of our planet. What are some things you can do to help protect animal habitats?
- Most animal homes in the wild experience pollution or endangerment. It’s important that, as animal explorers, we preserve their homes and make sure they are safe from harm’s way.
- Like us, animals also observe their surroundings and realize what they need to safeguard their home.
- Take a moment to look at some animal homes. Get inspired—you’ll be designing your own shelter for an animal!
If you selected a video to share with the group, play it for them. If you group decides to visit a community garden, botanic garden, or nursery, encourage them to observe any wildlife they can find. Explain that the best way to know what an animal needs to survive is to watch how it lives in its shelter! Then share Neighborhood Shelter Design to give Girl Scouts some ideas. They can make their own version of one of the shelters shown on the handout, or come up with something totally different.
Give Girl Scouts time to design their shelters. Remind them to think about how the shelter will keep the animal safe and protect it from weather like rain or wind.
When they’re finished designing, have Girl Scouts share their work with the larger group. If possible, Girl Scouts can choose to actually build their shelter and place it in the wild. Have them observe any animals that visit the shelter, track what they do, and report back to the group!
Say:
- Why do animals need a safe place to call home, just like people do?
- How can trash, loud noises, or people getting too close affect an animal’s habitat?
- Why do you think observing animals is better than guessing what they need?
