Squirrel Study

It's almost fall, the bees are busy pollinating golden rods, the squirrels are collecting and eating nuts, and the leaves are beginning to change colour. Let's take our children outside for some great learning opportunities about nature in late summer.

In this September newsletter, I'll introduce you to a great game you can do to help kids learn about strategies that different squirrels use for hiding food and how to be inquisitive about different insects you can find lingering on the fall flowers. 

Let's go! 
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Squirrels 

In order to get your kids interested in squirrels, just start by asking them some inquisitive questions such as...

1) Why do squirrels bury nuts?
2) How do squirrels organize their nut hoard?
3) Do red squirrels and grey squirrels hid their nuts in groups or individually? Why?
4) Where do squirrels hide their nuts?
5) Do squirrels remember where they hide their nuts? 
6) Which predators eat squirrels nuts?
7) How much do you think a squirrel weighs?
8) What do squirrels do when they perceive danger?
9) How many squirrels are in ... Toronto? Why are there so many squirrels?
10) Do squirrels hibernate in the winter? 

Activity Ideas- "Oh Nuts!" from 'The Big Book of Nature Activities' by Drew Monkman/Jacob Rodenburg 

• You'll learn- strategies that different squirrel species use for hiding food
• You'll need- package of dried macaroni and enough ziplock baggies for each participating squirrel. Fill each baggie with 20 macaroni noodles. Have one baggie for each squirrel (both red and gray). Optional- arm bands (blue for jays, red for red squirrels and yellow for red fox).
• Background- Gray squirrels prefer to hide nuts and seeds individually, while red squirrels hide their food in large piles. Which strategy is more effective? Red squirrels need to work hard to protect their hiding spots, since they've stored more food in fewer scatted caches. They are renowned for their feisty behavior and can often be seen chasing away gray squirrels. On the other hand, gray squirrels might spend more time looking for food, but whether they find their own seeds (most of the seeds they find are their own) or another squirrel's doesn't matter so much, as long as they can find enough food. So gray squirrels tend to be quieter and less conspicuous than their raucous red cousins. Tell the children that both species have a remarkable sense of small to help them locate nuts and cones, even under a cover of snow.
• Procedure- This game works best in an open area with scattered trees where children can run without encountering hazards such as low branches. Make sure to designate clear boundaries.
• Instructions- Give the children roles. Select children to be gray, red, jays and foxes. For example- 1 is the jay, 1 is the fox, 2 are gray squirrels, and 2 are red squirrels.

Red squirrels- Hide their food in "piles". They'll need to find their food during winter. When encountering danger, squirrels touch a tree, indicating that they have climbed to safety.

Gray squirrels- Hide their food "one by one". Like red squirrels, they'll need to find their food during winter. When encountering danger, they too touch a tree". 

Jays- Can steal food. Jays are free to watch squirrels hide their food.

Red fox- Eat squirrels and jays. Foxes simply tag an animal to indicate that they have eaten it. Tagged squirrels and jays must return to the start area. 

• Round One- tell the squirrels it is now fall. There is plenty of food for both species. Red squirrels prefer cones (spruce, pine), while gray squirrels prefer acorns, walnuts, and various seeds. Give each squirrel one baggie filled with 20 macaroni noodles. Each noodle represents the type of food they eat. Gray squirrels must hide theirs in piles (minimum 3 per pile, up to all 20 noodles). Have each child select hiding spots for their food. Foxes and jays are free to watch. They'll be joining in soon.
• Round Two- Call all squirrels back. Explain that some months have passed and now it is early winter. the temperature has dropped, the forest is getting cold and the squirrels are hungry. They need food! Squirrels are free to search for the nuts they have hidden. If they find another squirrels nuts, they can keep them. Meanwhile the jays are hungry, too. They are free to attempt to steal the nuts and cones that the squirrels have hidden (as jays will do). The red fox, too, is hungry and would like nothing better than a taste of fresh squirrel and, as an appetizer, a jay or two. Remind the fixes that this is just a game and that pushing or tackling is not permitted. Tagged squirrels and jays must return to a designated home base. To indicate that squirrels can and do climb trees, any squirrel touching a tree is safe from the fox's jaws. Any jay that has flapped at least five times before the fox tags them is considered to be "flying" and is safe. If time permits, play one more round. Explain that winter is almost over and squirrels are relying on their food cache to make it until spring. Squirrels must find at least ten nuts/cones to have survived the winter.
• Discussion- after the game, discuss the advantages of hiding the nuts as gray squirrel versus a red squirrel. Which squirrel do you think is the more aggressive and why?

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