Wild Ones, Observing City Critters

Wild Ones, Observing City Critters
Grades K to Grade 5
ISBN-13: 978-1584695547
Dawn Publications, 2016

Recommended Reading

A new children’s picture book called Wild Ones, Observing City Critters offers readers a tour of wildlife that can thrive in urban areas. 

The main character is Scooter, a dog who wanders away from home. Readers are invited to follow Scooter’s neighborhood travels and use their senses to discover city wildlife. Scooter uses his eyes, ears, and nose to help detect the wildlife around him. On a few occasions he even uses his senses of touch and taste, too!

Readers play a game of I Spy along with Scooter, using this book’s colorful illustrations to find urban wildlife that Scooter both does and does not detect.

For example, Scooter does not seem to notice the bald eagle taking flight near the safe habitat created by a city bridge, but readers won’t miss it. The bald eagle pictured in this book was inspired by the mating pair that currently resides on the riverbanks of Washington, DC. These bald eagles have nested in the same tree two years in a row, hatching two juveniles just this month (March, 2016). Their nest can be viewed online via a live camera feed, 24 hours a day. 

Try the following PLT activities to explore urban wildlife near you: 

Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood:
# 2 – Sounds Around
# 10 – Trees as Habitats

PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide:
# 9 – Planet Diversity
# 22 – Trees as Habitats
# 23 – The Fallen Log
# 46 – Schoolyard Safari
# 47 – Are Vacant Lots Vacant?

• Bio

Jackie Stallard

Jackie is Director of Curriculum for Project Learning Tree. Jackie oversees the next generation of PLT’s PreK-12 environmental education materials, as well as other instructional materials and resources. She also directs strategic alliances that advance curriculum implementation with other environmental education and sustainability resource providers.

• Bio

Jackie Stallard

Jackie is Director of Curriculum for Project Learning Tree. Jackie oversees the next generation of PLT’s PreK-12 environmental education materials, as well as other instructional materials and resources. She also directs strategic alliances that advance curriculum implementation with other environmental education and sustainability resource providers.

• Bio

Jackie Stallard

Jackie is Director of Curriculum for Project Learning Tree. Jackie oversees the next generation of PLT’s PreK-12 environmental education materials, as well as other instructional materials and resources. She also directs strategic alliances that advance curriculum implementation with other environmental education and sustainability resource providers.