When Animals Are Thirsty... 1w2c5l

What Is This Video? 4iw2k

The kids have written a song for the Blorbians called “When Animals Are Thirsty.” Grab a kazoo or a drum and sing along with Plum! (“There’s water, water hiding—in a crevice or a nook. There’s water, water hiding—if you just know where to look!”)

Conversation Starters r711v

Ask: 1q2o3d
  • After a rainstorm, where do puddles form in your neighborhood?

  • Which puddles are usually the last to dry up? Why? Think about sun versus shade, wind versus calm, the size of the puddle, and whether it’s in a busy or quiet spot.

  • Where can animals get fresh water on a dry day? (Leaky outdoor faucets, fountains, where store owners hose down sidewalks, pet water dishes, and so on.)

Explore Some More 425s40

Make a Soak Meter 2x5u3k

Puddles form where water can’t soak into the ground or flow downhill. Measure “soak time” on a range of surfaces in your neighborhood. First, remove the tops and bottoms from four to six equal-sized cans. On each can, measure one inch from the bottom and draw a line with permanent marker. Next, go outside and scout out surfaces: loose soil, hard-packed dirt, gravel, grass, weeds, concrete, asphalt, etc. On each natural surface, jam a can into the ground up to the mark. On hard surfaces, flip cans upside down so that the mark is at the top; seal the bottoms with clay or putty. Finally, make sure the cans don’t leak. Fill each natural-surface can to the brim and the hard-surface cans to the one-inch mark. (This ensures that the same amount of water is added to each can.) Time how long it takes for the water to disappear. On which surfaces are puddles most likely to form and last?

Curriculum Topics 3h6b2b

water, water cycle, animals

Activity Type 281n38

indoor and outdoor

Standards 1d6044

Next Generation Science Standards 1r3g61

Disciplinary Core Ideas 3w6w50
Science and Engineering Practices 1r2b40
Crosscutting Concepts 14y2l