Science Fenns K-5Grades K to 5
A flock of geese flying in a V over a Texas lake at dawn, with a sleeping bear curled in a den in the corner.

Science / All lessons / Living Things and Where They Live

Weather and Animals

Migration and hibernation.

Lesson 34 of 41

Try this first

Before we start

Today’s story

Weather and Animals

It is a cold morning at the lake. A flock of geese skims over the water. Where are they going? In winter, food gets hard to find and the cold gets hard to bear.

Some animals migrate. That means they travel a long way to a warmer place. Monarch butterflies and many birds do this. Other animals hibernate. They sleep very deeply and live off fat stored in their bodies. Some bears and ground squirrels do this.

Heat and drought can push animals to move too. Temperature and rain change what animals need. Here are the steps.

See it

Five steps. Every time.

    Hands on

    Bird Count

    20 minutes a day for 3 days · Do this with a grown-up nearby

    You need

    • A notebook
    • A pencil
    • A window or yard to watch
    • Binoculars if you have them
    • A bird book or picture chart

    Do this

    1. Pick a window or yard spot.
    2. Watch for 10 minutes at the same time each day.
    3. Count and name the birds you see.
    4. Write the weather and temperature.
    5. Compare the days.
    6. Make a guess about why numbers changed.
    Write or draw: A table with the date, weather and bird count.

    Watch for: Notice if more birds come on cold or warm days. Notice if you see new kinds in different weeks.

    Safety: Stay in your yard or at a window. Do not touch wild animals.

    Same every time

    Three rules

    Rule 1Match the action to the weather.

    Cold, heat and rain each cause a response.

    Rule 2Animals do this to survive.

    It is not a choice for fun.

    Rule 3Say what you do not know.

    Scientists still study how animals find their way.

    Grandpa Fenn’s notebook

    Say it like a scientist

    migrate
    To travel a long way to find better weather or food.
    hibernate
    To sleep deeply through the cold season.
    survive
    To stay alive.
    temperature
    How hot or cold it is.

    Poppy’s quiz

    Six questions

    Tap an answer. Green means right. You will see why.

    Talk about it

    Say it out loud

    • How do you know animals are getting ready for winter? What might you see?
    • What animals leave or arrive in your area when the seasons change?
    Did you know

    The monarchs that fly to Mexico in the fall have never been there before. Their great-grandparents made the trip the year before.

    Someone who does this

    A wildlife biologist studies where animals go and why.

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