Prairie Dogs

Objectives:

• Students will be able to describe the physical characteristics of prairie dogs.

• Students will be able to identify the behavioral characteristics of prairie dogs.

• Students will be able to explain how prairie dogs are organized into groups and how they communicate with each other.

Suggested Grades:

3rd Grade - 4th Grade - 5th Grade

Lesson Procedure:

Print the reading comprehension worksheet passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions. Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt:

Prairie dogs are not dogs at all. They are rodents that are actually a type of ground squirrel. They are short and chubby with bushy tails, and they are very fast runners for their size. A prairie dog can run up to 35 miles per hour for a short distance. Their ability to disappear quickly is their main defense against predators. Prairie dogs get their name from the bark-like sound that they make. They use this sound to warn each other of danger. They use different "barks" to identify different enemies, which include birds of prey, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, snakes and ferrets.

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