Fish live in water and bears live in the forest. Each living thing has its own place to live. The place each living thing lives in provides what it needs to survive. This place is called a habitat.

All living things get their energy from food. The food living things need is found within their habitat. A food chain is formed as one living thing eats another. Food chains begin with plants. For example, in a pond, a food chain could begin with a lily pad. Dragonflies eat lily pads and fish eat dragonflies. Men eat fish.

Select a living thing that lives in or near a body of water. Create a three dimensional scene of this living thing's habitat that also shows its place within a food chain.

1. Select a living thing.

2. Write two paragraphs telling what you think you already know about this living thing's habitat and its place within a food chain.

3. Conduct research via the Internet using the following websites:

http://www.yahooligan.com

http://www.google.com

Find out about where this living thing lives. What does it eat and who eats it. You may also use resource books from the library or an encyclopedia if you have no Internet access.

4. Make a drawing of what you want your three dimensional scene to look like. Make a list of the materials you will need and gather them.

5. Create your three dimensional habitat!

6. Be ready to present to your class and share all you have learned about this living thing, its habitat and its place within the food chain. Tell whether or not what you thought you knew about this living thing was correct or not.

Work in small groups. Look for pictures in magazines of animals in their natural habitats. Classify the types of habitats and make collages of each.

Work in small groups. Discuss different living things and their homes. Make a chart listing habitats, plants and animals. When done compare your chart with another group's chart.