May 22, 1998
Elementary students learn what it takes to survive
By Cathy Willoughby
Staff Writer
Just like other animals, the students at Melmore Elementary learned they need certain things in order to survive.
And they learned that even a turkey vulture's featherless head is a special adaptation that he needs for his survival.
Students at Melmore and McCutchenville elementary schools were treated to a traveling science lesson when COSI on Wheels stopped by this week. Michael Schram, field educator for the museum, presented information on Ohio habitats.
It was one of six elementary presentations given to more than 250 schools across the state. Two middle school programs also are available.
The gymnasium at Melmore was filled with hands-on activities that showcased four native Ohio habitats: wetlands, forests, fields or meadows, and lakes.
Following a presentation for the entire school, about 60 students had a chance to experience the interactive sites with the help of parent volunteers.
Schramm used humor and plenty of student volunteers to teach the children about the different habitats, what animals need to survive in their homes and the special adaptations they have developed to help them survive.
Students provided answers to his queries about what they needed to survive.
''All right, you get your food from the store, restaurants and gardens. But I need to know more ... you need water from a well or a sink to brusk your teeth. And you go inside the house to stay warm and dry,'' Schram explained.
''What about a squirrel? Could he get everything that he needed from your habitat? Could he turn on the faucet for water?'' he asked.
''No. Animals are well-suited for their habitats; they have adapted to different habitats by developing beaks, teeth and claws,'' he said.
Schram said his favorite bird is the turkey vulture, a large bird with a six-foot wingspan. He happened to have a puppet of a vulture's head to show the children what it looks like.
''There is someting about him that makes him very different from most other birds. He has no feathers on his head, and there is a reason for this,'' Schram pointed out.
He explained that vultures eat the carcasses of other animals and ''he has to put his head inside the dead animal to get his food. If he had feathers there, he would have food stuck to the top of his head. There would be globs of dead, rotting meat, filled with germs, that would make the turkey vulture sick. So if his head stays clean, he stays healthy.''
Schram also explained how animals are banded so environmentalists can track their activities. He showed the children some of the tools he uses when tracking animals, including radio telemetry.
''Let's say we want to track a bear. There are now more than 100 bears in Ohio. Now when you tag a bear, the first thing you need to do is tranquilize the bear. They can range from 200 to 600 pounds, so you don't want to mess with a bear who is not calm,'' he said.
He said that the radio telemetry tool gives out a chirping sound if the tagged bear is nearby.
''It gives you the general vicinity where the bear is, and that tells me about his habitat. And that is what we are concerned with.''
The hands-on segment featured four large panels that divided the gym into the Ohio habitats. Different activities taught the students about food chains, animal camouflage, different types of native fish in lakes and rivers, bird identification and a wide variety of animals that were hidden in a grassland picture.
The students were enthralled with the displays and were actively involved with the various activities. Schram advised the students that when they see a wild animal, the best thing to do is to take its picture.
''And by not polluting, you are protecting the animals' habitat, but you are also keeping your own habitat healthy. All habitats are connected to each other.''