There's No Place Like Home!   Animals have their own unique likes and dislikes--related to their unique needs for food, water, shelter, and space. Food, water, shelter, and space are building blocks that, when in the proper arrangement, help make a habitat--an animal's home. When one of these building blocks is missing or significantly altered, the habitat may no longer suit that animal's needs. There is an impact upon that animal (which also causes impacts on other animals--and often plants--that live in the same area). These impacts can range from being minor to catastrophic. Disease, predation, pollution, accidents, weather, and changes in the land caused by people all affect animals and their populations.   You'll Need: Paper Pencil Lap or clipboard 1. Go outside. Best of all, go to an area near a wetland, pond, or stream. Pretend you are a specific wetland animal. (Some examples are frogs, salamanders, toads, dragonflies, butterflies, mosquitoes, ducks, geese, wading birds, and owls.) 2. Think about habitat needs of your chosen animal, and choose the best spot to spend some time as that animal. Sit in or close to your chosen location, and be quiet for 5-10 minutes. Observe the world around you and think of what it would be like to be your chosen animal. As you are thinking, check out your site to look for potential hazards to avoid. Hazards might be a boat or a predator animal looking for a meal. Think about food you will need to eat the next day (or during the night). You can choose another location if you decide it is a better spot for your animal. 3. Then, write down at least three reasons why where you are is a good spot, considering your animal's needs. You may want to draw a picture of your habitat. Later After you are finished, you may want to read a book that can tell you more about your animal and its habitat needs. (See the Book List section of this website for ideas.) You might even want to write a short story of your own! Give your animal a name and tell about one day in its life.