A-5: Great Swamp Water Address

Appendix 5. Great Swamp Water Address

The Great Swamp Water Address activity is adapted from the Water Address activity in the Project WET: Curriculum and Activity Guide (see the Teacher Resources section for more information on Project WET). Every living organism needs water in one or more forms to survive. Some plants and animals have evolved to accommodate an abundance of water, such as those that actually live in streams, lakes or oceans. Others have evolved to survive with only minimal amounts of water, such as animals and plants living in deserts or other arid areas of the world. Often you can learn a lot about the "water address" of animals or plants by the mechanisms or characteristics they have adopted to deal with the amount of water they have readily available to them.

The Great Swamp is generally a very moist, water abundant ecosystem. The following activity will introduce students to some of the plants and animals that live in the Great Swamp. After students take part in the activity, have them learn more about the particular plants and animals found in the Great Swamp, and how those organisms take advantage of the relatively wet ecosystem.

Procedure:

To begin, discuss the importance of water to all life, particularly human beings. How long can an individual last without water? What percentage of our body is made up of water? How do people in different parts of the world adapt to arid climates? Excessively wet climates? What are some examples of plants or animals that have very distinct adaptations (such as cacti or camels in arid climates)? How many different ecosystems can students list with differing levels of water availability (e.g., deserts, rainforests, polar areas, etc)? What kinds of special adaptations might plants and animals that live in the Great Swamp have developed?

Tell students they are going to play a riddle game in which they must guess an organism’s identity. Ask them to form groups of three or four.

Hand out a set of the Great Swamp Water Address cards to each group. Instruct students not to look at the cards before the game starts (see samples at the end of this appendix).

Explain that each card lists four clues (some involving water, some not) to a certain animal or plant. Based on the clues, students will try to guess the name of the plant or animal.

Each group should initially pick one student as a "reader." This student will read clues, one at a time, until someone in the group can guess the plant or animal. Answers are listed at the bottom of each card.

The group receives points based on the number of clues that were read before a group member was able to guess the organism (e.g., 1 for 1 clue, 2 for 2 clues, etc). The group with the lowest number of points at the end of the activity "wins."

The student who correctly guessed the plant or animal becomes the reader and moves on to the next clue card. Continue the activity until all cards have been read.

Extensions

Have each student pick one of the organisms listed on a card and research that organisms adaptation to water.

Have each student write a creative story about a brand new organism that has been discovered living in the Great Swamp. What is the ecosystem of the Great Swamp like? What water adaptations does this organism have that makes the Great Swamp a good place for it to live?

Have K-2 students look for pictures of the plants and animals that live in the Great Swamp and make them into a collage.

Sample Great Swamp Water Address Cards

– 1 –

My call is very difficult for the human ear to detect. When I am hunting near humans they might hear a clicking sound.

I am found roosting in tree in tree cavities and under leaves throughout most of North America.

I am nocturnal and over the course of evolution I have lost my eyesight.

I use radar to hunt insects such as mosquitoes and midges.

Answer: Bat
More specifically, Little Brown Bat, Myotis lucifugus, are numerous in the Great Swamp but are rarely seen due to their nocturnal nature.

– 2 –

My paws resemble human hands, which give me agility and allow me to get into trouble.

I like to make my den in a hollow tree.

I am an omnivore. I eat plants and animals. My diet includes fruits, vegetables, small birds, and insects. In an urban setting I eat scraps from the garbage.

It is a common misperception that I was my food before I eat.

Answer: Raccoon
Raccoons, Procyon lotor, are abundant throughout the Great Swamp.

– 3 –

Although I am a waterfowl, I perch in branches and nest in tree holes near the water.

My call is unlike a quack and more like a squeal.

The male of my species has a very brilliant crest consisting of blue, green and purple and a distinctive white chine patch.

When couples fly to find a suitable nest, the females leads the male.

Answer: Duck
Wood Ducks, Aix sponsa, nest in tree holes and next boxes in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and throughout the watershed. They are abundant in the spring, summer and fall.

– 4 –

I like to spend my days basking in the sun to maintain a constant body temperature and diving and burying myself in the muddy bottoms of streams when I need protection.

I lay my eggs (1-6 per clutch) in a two-inch cavity dug in the bank, covered by tussocks and other vegetation for protection.

I am the smallest native species of my type in the United States.

My carapace is brown with a light center often decorated with a sunburst. My plastron is brown to black.

Answer: Turtle
More specifically, the Bog Turtle, Clemmy muhlenbergii, is an endangered species who makes it home in the great Swamp. They are rare but do occur in the Great Swamp. Bog Turtles are very secretive and difficult to view. The carapace is the top half of a turtle's shell. The plastron is the bottom of the shell.

– 5 –

Although I am a member of the rodent family, I bulid my nest with twigs and leaves in tree branches.

My tracks are often mistaken for rabbit tracks because I have small front paws and elongated hind paws.

I can adapt to almost any environment and I thrive in an urban setting.

I am easily recognized by my grayish-brown fur and bushy tail.

Answer: Squirrel
Common to the GSNWR, the Easter Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, prefers upland forests but adapts to any environment. When hew hollow trees are available, observers can see leaf nests constructed by squirrels in high tree branches.

– 6 –

I have very few predators because I am armed with a chemical defense.

In the wild I build my burrow at the base of trees. In an urban setting, I take up residence under porches, houses, decks, and sheds.

I am known for my shiny black coat and large white marking.

My scientific name means odor.

Answer: Skunk
Striped skunks, Mephitis mephitis, are fairly common but rarely seen.

– 7 –

I can fly backwards and hover over flowers as I gather nectar.

I am the only species of my kind to breed east of the Mississippi River.

To stay alive, I must visit thousands of flowers each day.

My name is attributed to the sound of my rapidly beating wings.

Answer: Hummingbird
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilocus colubris, is an example of a hummingbird that lives in the Great Swamp and surrounding areas. They can be viewed in the spring through fall. They migrate to their wintering grounds in Mexico. Ruby-throats are only 3+ inches long and weigh less than one ounce. The population is increasing at a rate of 1.5% per year.

– 8 –

I am related to the beaver, but am slightly smaller.

Like beavers, I am adapted to aquatic environments. I have waterproof hairs, webbed feet, and a flat tail for propulsion through water.

I like to live in marshes and at the edge of ponds, lakes, and open bodies of water.

I build mound-shaped homes on the bank or burrows with underwater entrances.

Answer: Muskrat
The Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus, is abundant where water is present. They can be found by looking for dome-like homes.

– 9 –

I am the most widely distributed big game animal in North America.

Observers know I am in the vicinity when they see the bark rubbed off the lower trunks of trees.

My young are born with other 100 white spots that fade and disappear over four months.

I get my name from the color of my tail.

Answer: Deer
Whitetail deer, Odocolileus virginanus, are very abundant in the Great Swamp. They are mostly seen in the early morning and evening. New antler growth has a tender velvet covering. Bucks rub their antlers on trees to assist the process of shedding the velvet. The lining is completely lost by September.

– 10 –

I am a marsupial. I am related to koalas and kangaroos.

I am a slow runner. I escape from predators by climbing trees. My hind paws look like human hands with a thumb.

My tail is strong enough to support my weight when I hang.

I am know for my long snout, pink nose, scaled tail, and hairless black ears.

Answer: Opossum
Opossum, Didelphis virginiana, are commonly seen near streams and marshes that are located along forests.

– 11 –

I spawn in salt water and my young mature in fresh water.

I have a long dorsal and caudal fin that runs more than half the length of my body.

I move like snake through swampy waters.

When my meat is smoked, it is considered a delicacy.

Answer: Eel
The American Eel, Anguilla rostrate, inhabits the GSNWR. They prefer to live in the murky, muddy bottoms of fresh water bodies like the Great Swamp.

– 12 –

Unlike other reptiles, my young are born alive, rather than hatched from eggs.

I am identified by an orange or yellow strip running down the length of my slim body.

I cannot hear so I use my tongue to get a feel for my surroundings.

When I eat prey larger than me, I unhinge my jaw and swallow it whole.

Answer: Garter Snake
Garter snakes are common in moist forests, fields, and marshes, including the great Swamp, which is home to the Eastern Garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis. The average nest of snakes consists of 50 to 60 young. If a young garter snake survives to adulthood, it can live for twelve years.

– 13 –

I live in a variety of habitats including wooded areas, open fields, and marshes. In the summer I eat grass herbs and crops. In the winter I eat bark, twigs and buds.

I have four litters each year consisting of three to eight young.

Some researchers think that when I thump my large hind foot on the ground, I am communicating with other members of my species.

I am known for my long ears, big hind feet and fluffy white tail.

Answer: Easter Cottontail Rabbit
Easter Cottontails, Sylvilagus floridanus, are most frequently seen in the upland forest areas of the Great Swamp.

– 14 –

I have bumpy warty skin that can change color with my environment.

I breed in calm pools of water in swamps and ponds in April and May, but I spend the rest of the year in trees.

I lower my body temperature every winter and enter hibernation.

Many people mistake me for a toad because of the texture of my skins and my terrestrial environment.

Answer: Tree Frog
The Gray Treefrog, Hyla versicolor, is common in the Great Swamp. They breed in pools of water but can spend the duration of their adult life in trees in a variety of habitats.

– 15 –

I get my name from my appearance from a distance. I have a white head and brown body when I am an adult.

I am classified as a raptor because I hunt, especially for salmon and herring.

I soar through the air with my wings held horizontally.

I am the symbol of a larger western nation.

Answer: Bald Eagle
Bald Eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, are an endangered species, although their population is increasing. They are occasionally sighted year round throughout the Great Swamp. Bald Eagles soar with their wings held horizontally compared to Osprey, which droop their wings, and Vultures, which raise their wings.

– 16 –

I can fly from tree to tree but I am not a bird.

I live in tree holes or bird boxes.

I have a membrane-like fold of skin that extends from the wrist of my front leg to the angle of my back leg that helps me glide.

I have gray fur and a white underbelly.

Answer: Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans, or Flying Squirrel, are common, but rarely seen in the GSNWR because they are nocturnal.

– 17 –

I prefer to grow in wet soils near bodies of water or in swamps.

When my stems are cut, they easily take root when replanted. I am often used to stabilize streams and other wet areas and to slow soil erosion.

One of my genus' most famous species has branches that reach to the ground in a weeping fashion.

The many species in my genus crossbreed.

Answer: Willow
Willows, Salix sp, are rarely used as an urban forestry tree because their extensive root system often clogs storm drains.

– 18 –

I have pale blue spots on my legs, side and tail. I will lose my tail if a predator grabs it.

I lay my eggs one at a time on rocks or at the base of plants in water.

You can find me by turning over rocks and logs in damp forests near my aquatic breeding ground.

For years, the Jefferson salamander and I were thought to be one species. We evolved into two separate species during the Wisconsin Glaciation. This is the same geologic event that formed the Great Swamp watershed.

Answer: Blue-spotted Salamander
The Blue-spotted salamander, Ambystoma laterale, is an endangered species. They are common but rarely seen in Essex, Somerset and Morris Counties.

Copyright 2000. Great Swamp Watershed Association.


Appendix 5. Great Swamp Water Address The Great Swamp Water Address activity is adapted from the Water Address activity in the Project WET: Curriculum and Activity Guide (see the Teacher Resources section for more information on Project WET). Every living organism needs water in one or more forms to survive. Some plants and animals have evolved to accommodate an abundance of water, such as those that actually live in streams, lakes or oceans. Others have evolved to survive with only minimal amounts of water, such as animals and plants living in deserts or other arid areas of the world. Often you can learn a lot about the "water address" of animals or plants by the mechanisms or characteristics they have adopted to deal with the amount of water they have readily available to them. The Great Swamp is generally a very moist, water abundant ecosystem. The following activity will introduce students to some of the plants and animals that live in the Great Swamp. After students take part in the activity, have them learn more about the particular plants and animals found in the Great Swamp, and how those organisms take advantage of the relatively wet ecosystem. Procedure: To begin, discuss the importance of water to all life, particularly human beings. How long can an individual last without water? What percentage of our body is made up of water? How do people in different parts of the world adapt to arid climates? Excessively wet climates? What are some examples of plants or animals that have very distinct adaptations (such as cacti or camels in arid climates)? How many different ecosystems can students list with differing levels of water availability (e.g., deserts, rainforests, polar areas, etc)? What kinds of special adaptations might plants and animals that live in the Great Swamp have developed? Tell students they are going to play a riddle game in which they must guess an organism’s identity. Ask them to form groups of three or four. Hand out a set of the Great Swamp Water Address cards to each group. Instruct students not to look at the cards before the game starts (see samples at the end of this appendix). Explain that each card lists four clues (some involving water, some not) to a certain animal or plant. Based on the clues, students will try to guess the name of the plant or animal. Each group should initially pick one student as a "reader." This student will read clues, one at a time, until someone in the group can guess the plant or animal. Answers are listed at the bottom of each card. The group receives points based on the number of clues that were read before a group member was able to guess the organism (e.g., 1 for 1 clue, 2 for 2 clues, etc). The group with the lowest number of points at the end of the activity "wins." The student who correctly guessed the plant or animal becomes the reader and moves on to the next clue card. Continue the activity until all cards have been read. Extensions Have each student pick one of the organisms listed on a card and research that organisms adaptation to water. Have each student write a creative story about a brand new organism that has been discovered living in the Great Swamp. What is the ecosystem of the Great Swamp like? What water adaptations does this organism have that makes the Great Swamp a good place for it to live? Have K-2 students look for pictures of the plants and animals that live in the Great Swamp and make them into a collage. Sample Great Swamp Water Address Cards – 1 – My call is very difficult for the human ear to detect. When I am hunting near humans they might hear a clicking sound. I am found roosting in tree in tree cavities and under leaves throughout most of North America. I am nocturnal and over the course of evolution I have lost my eyesight. I use radar to hunt insects such as mosquitoes and midges. Answer: Bat More specifically, Little Brown Bat, Myotis lucifugus, are numerous in the Great Swamp but are rarely seen due to their nocturnal nature. – 2 – My paws resemble human hands, which give me agility and allow me to get into trouble. I like to make my den in a hollow tree. I am an omnivore. I eat plants and animals. My diet includes fruits, vegetables, small birds, and insects. In an urban setting I eat scraps from the garbage. It is a common misperception that I was my food before I eat. Answer: Raccoon Raccoons, Procyon lotor, are abundant throughout the Great Swamp. – 3 – Although I am a waterfowl, I perch in branches and nest in tree holes near the water. My call is unlike a quack and more like a squeal. The male of my species has a very brilliant crest consisting of blue, green and purple and a distinctive white chine patch. When couples fly to find a suitable nest, the females leads the male. Answer: Duck Wood Ducks, Aix sponsa, nest in tree holes and next boxes in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and throughout the watershed. They are abundant in the spring, summer and fall. – 4 – I like to spend my days basking in the sun to maintain a constant body temperature and diving and burying myself in the muddy bottoms of streams when I need protection. I lay my eggs (1-6 per clutch) in a two-inch cavity dug in the bank, covered by tussocks and other vegetation for protection. I am the smallest native species of my type in the United States. My carapace is brown with a light center often decorated with a sunburst. My plastron is brown to black. Answer: Turtle More specifically, the Bog Turtle, Clemmy muhlenbergii, is an endangered species who makes it home in the great Swamp. They are rare but do occur in the Great Swamp. Bog Turtles are very secretive and difficult to view. The carapace is the top half of a turtle's shell. The plastron is the bottom of the shell. – 5 – Although I am a member of the rodent family, I bulid my nest with twigs and leaves in tree branches. My tracks are often mistaken for rabbit tracks because I have small front paws and elongated hind paws. I can adapt to almost any environment and I thrive in an urban setting. I am easily recognized by my grayish-brown fur and bushy tail. Answer: Squirrel Common to the GSNWR, the Easter Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, prefers upland forests but adapts to any environment. When hew hollow trees are available, observers can see leaf nests constructed by squirrels in high tree branches. – 6 – I have very few predators because I am armed with a chemical defense. In the wild I build my burrow at the base of trees. In an urban setting, I take up residence under porches, houses, decks, and sheds. I am known for my shiny black coat and large white marking. My scientific name means odor. Answer: Skunk Striped skunks, Mephitis mephitis, are fairly common but rarely seen. – 7 – I can fly backwards and hover over flowers as I gather nectar. I am the only species of my kind to breed east of the Mississippi River. To stay alive, I must visit thousands of flowers each day. My name is attributed to the sound of my rapidly beating wings. Answer: Hummingbird The Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilocus colubris, is an example of a hummingbird that lives in the Great Swamp and surrounding areas. They can be viewed in the spring through fall. They migrate to their wintering grounds in Mexico. Ruby-throats are only 3+ inches long and weigh less than one ounce. The population is increasing at a rate of 1.5% per year. – 8 – I am related to the beaver, but am slightly smaller. Like beavers, I am adapted to aquatic environments. I have waterproof hairs, webbed feet, and a flat tail for propulsion through water. I like to live in marshes and at the edge of ponds, lakes, and open bodies of water. I build mound-shaped homes on the bank or burrows with underwater entrances. Answer: Muskrat The Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus, is abundant where water is present. They can be found by looking for dome-like homes. – 9 – I am the most widely distributed big game animal in North America. Observers know I am in the vicinity when they see the bark rubbed off the lower trunks of trees. My young are born with other 100 white spots that fade and disappear over four months. I get my name from the color of my tail. Answer: Deer Whitetail deer, Odocolileus virginanus, are very abundant in the Great Swamp. They are mostly seen in the early morning and evening. New antler growth has a tender velvet covering. Bucks rub their antlers on trees to assist the process of shedding the velvet. The lining is completely lost by September. – 10 – I am a marsupial. I am related to koalas and kangaroos. I am a slow runner. I escape from predators by climbing trees. My hind paws look like human hands with a thumb. My tail is strong enough to support my weight when I hang. I am know for my long snout, pink nose, scaled tail, and hairless black ears. Answer: Opossum Opossum, Didelphis virginiana, are commonly seen near streams and marshes that are located along forests. – 11 – I spawn in salt water and my young mature in fresh water. I have a long dorsal and caudal fin that runs more than half the length of my body. I move like snake through swampy waters. When my meat is smoked, it is considered a delicacy. Answer: Eel The American Eel, Anguilla rostrate, inhabits the GSNWR. They prefer to live in the murky, muddy bottoms of fresh water bodies like the Great Swamp. – 12 – Unlike other reptiles, my young are born alive, rather than hatched from eggs. I am identified by an orange or yellow strip running down the length of my slim body. I cannot hear so I use my tongue to get a feel for my surroundings. When I eat prey larger than me, I unhinge my jaw and swallow it whole. Answer: Garter Snake Garter snakes are common in moist forests, fields, and marshes, including the great Swamp, which is home to the Eastern Garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis. The average nest of snakes consists of 50 to 60 young. If a young garter snake survives to adulthood, it can live for twelve years. – 13 – I live in a variety of habitats including wooded areas, open fields, and marshes. In the summer I eat grass herbs and crops. In the winter I eat bark, twigs and buds. I have four litters each year consisting of three to eight young. Some researchers think that when I thump my large hind foot on the ground, I am communicating with other members of my species. I am known for my long ears, big hind feet and fluffy white tail. Answer: Easter Cottontail Rabbit Easter Cottontails, Sylvilagus floridanus, are most frequently seen in the upland forest areas of the Great Swamp. – 14 – I have bumpy warty skin that can change color with my environment. I breed in calm pools of water in swamps and ponds in April and May, but I spend the rest of the year in trees. I lower my body temperature every winter and enter hibernation. Many people mistake me for a toad because of the texture of my skins and my terrestrial environment. Answer: Tree Frog The Gray Treefrog, Hyla versicolor, is common in the Great Swamp. They breed in pools of water but can spend the duration of their adult life in trees in a variety of habitats. – 15 – I get my name from my appearance from a distance. I have a white head and brown body when I am an adult. I am classified as a raptor because I hunt, especially for salmon and herring. I soar through the air with my wings held horizontally. I am the symbol of a larger western nation. Answer: Bald Eagle Bald Eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, are an endangered species, although their population is increasing. They are occasionally sighted year round throughout the Great Swamp. Bald Eagles soar with their wings held horizontally compared to Osprey, which droop their wings, and Vultures, which raise their wings. – 16 – I can fly from tree to tree but I am not a bird. I live in tree holes or bird boxes. I have a membrane-like fold of skin that extends from the wrist of my front leg to the angle of my back leg that helps me glide. I have gray fur and a white underbelly. Answer: Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans, or Flying Squirrel, are common, but rarely seen in the GSNWR because they are nocturnal. – 17 – I prefer to grow in wet soils near bodies of water or in swamps. When my stems are cut, they easily take root when replanted. I am often used to stabilize streams and other wet areas and to slow soil erosion. One of my genus' most famous species has branches that reach to the ground in a weeping fashion. The many species in my genus crossbreed. Answer: Willow Willows, Salix sp, are rarely used as an urban forestry tree because their extensive root system often clogs storm drains. – 18 – I have pale blue spots on my legs, side and tail. I will lose my tail if a predator grabs it. I lay my eggs one at a time on rocks or at the base of plants in water. You can find me by turning over rocks and logs in damp forests near my aquatic breeding ground. For years, the Jefferson salamander and I were thought to be one species. We evolved into two separate species during the Wisconsin Glaciation. This is the same geologic event that formed the Great Swamp watershed. Answer: Blue-spotted Salamander The Blue-spotted salamander, Ambystoma laterale, is an endangered species. They are common but rarely seen in Essex, Somerset and Morris Counties.



Copyright 2000. Great Swamp Watershed Association.