Animals in Sight

Rahm's Readers Summer Learning Challenge Brain Builder

Have you ever wondered how scientists learn about animals? In order to better understand wildlife, scientists observe animals’ everyday behaviors, such as a meerkat looking for food or a bird preening its feathers. As they carefully observe animals, scientists track their behaviors in set time intervals. Scientists use an ethogram to record these observations.

Take some time to observe the animals you see in your neighborhood. What behaviors do you notice?

Read

Me-- Jane: Follow in the footsteps of the famous zoologist Jane Goodall as she begins her lifelong love of animals, nature and Africa.

Step Gently Out: Observe our creepy crawly friends as they explore their world.

Discover

• Choose an animal in your neighborhood to observe. This could be your family pet or animals you see at the park or in your backyard. Print an ethogram and record the animal’s behavior every 30 seconds for 5 minutes.
• If you can’t find an animals to observe, try one of the Zoo Animals Cams at the San Diego Zoo
• Visit a zoo and try the activity with one of your favorite animals. Does the zoo animal’s behavior differ from your first observations?
• Go on a nature walk and observe different species. Watch their behavior and make a list of the unique behaviors for that species.

Dig Deeper

• Do you think people should adopt wild animals as pets? Explore more in Wild Animals as Pets.

Rahm’s Readers is in partnership with Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools, The Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago, Brookfield Zoo/Chicago Zoological Society, Lincoln Park Zoo, the Museum of Science and Industry and Chicago City of Learning.

Rahm’s Readers is made possible by The James & Madeleine McMullan Foundation, Cubs Care, Comcast, Dr. Scholl Foundation, CPL Foundation Junior Board, Helen M. Harrison Foundation, Macys, Peoples Gas, Robert R. McCormick Foundation, ComEd, R.R. Donnelley, The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation, Verizon and RPM Advertising through the Chicago Public Library Foundation.