Untitled

My
Bufalo
Bayou
Activity Booklet
This program is generously provided by KBR.

Buffalo Bayou Ecology and Conservation
Buffalo Bayou Kids Day: After School Lesson I
Discussion
What is a bayou?
A bayou is a small river, with a very slow current (Merriam-Webster).
One of the first written records of the term bayou was found in a French
traveler’s journal in 1766, “we left New Orleans... and lay that night at the bayoue.”
However, contrary to popular belief, the term bayou is not French. We owe it to
the Choctaw Indians, who acted as guides for the French explorers in the
eighteenth century. The French were unfamiliar with the sluggish, muddy creeks
flowing into the Gulf of Mexico; these, the Choctaw told them, were called bayuk.
And, from this term, after a few spelling modifications (bayoo, byo and bayoue), we
eventually settled on bayou. Today, because of the many bayous that dissect its
terrain, Houston is known as “The Bayou City.”
How many bayous are in Houston?
Because of the many bayous that dissect its terrain, Houston is known as “The
Bayou City.” Count the bayous on your Harris County Watershed Map to find
out how many bayous cover our city’s terrain.
(Answer: 19 named bayous; over 40 creeks, bayous, tributaries in all)
Of these many bayous, Houston’s most historically and economically noteworthy
bayou is the Buffalo Bayou!
What is special about Buffalo Bayou?
• The Allen Brothers founded our city on the banks of Buffalo Bayou!
• Buffalo Bayou is one of our longest bayous: Buffalo Bayou runs for 55 miles! It
forms from 3 small creeks in the Katy Prairie in the west and running through
downtown Houston into the Houston Ship Channel, and finally, after widening into a
full-fledged river, converging with the San Jacinto River in the east.
• Buffalo Bayou is one of our last wild bayous. It was protected from
“channelization” (or “straightening”) in 1968 by Houston citizens just like you.
These citizens, led by Mrs. Terry Hershey, protected the wild bayou from the

Army Corps’ plans to strip the banks of plants and trees and to cover them with
concrete. Mrs. Terry Hershey had just moved to Houston and was living close to
Buffalo Bayou. Mrs. Hershey and several of her neighbors witnessed the Army
Corps removing trees, and she quickly called then Congressman George Bush, Sr., to
demand an explanation. Mr. Bush and Mrs. Hershey traveled to Washington D.C to
persuade the House of Representatives to abandon the Army Corps project.
Speaking about the many incredible values of the Buffalo Bayou waterway for
Houston, their pleas were successful, and the House withdrew funding from the
Corps’ channelization project. Buffalo Bayou as we know it today was saved! Today,
Terry Hershey Park, sitting on 500 acres along west Buffalo Bayou, honors Mrs.
Hershey’s legacy and the successful stewardship that citizens can offer to our
natural environments.
Who is the Buffalo Bayou Partnership?
In order to protect and beautify Houston’s historic bayou, the Buffalo Bayou
Partnership was established in 1986. This non-profit organization is dedicated to
preserving the native environments and developing improvements to the waterway
and its bordering lands. Their efforts have resulted in raising over $45 million for
improvements to the bayou, including creation of a 20-year master plan,
development of over 15 miles of new trails and 100 acres of park land, preservation
of historic buildings, and restoration of native green ways and tributaries. Read
more online at www.buffalobayou.org!
Buffalo Bayou’s Natural Environment
Buffalo Bayou is an amazing, wild place right in the middle of our huge city! The bayou covers
four main habitats:
o River: a large, flowing body of water that usually empties into a
sea or ocean
o Forest: a large area covered with tall trees, growing close
together and shading the ground and the plants and
animals that live in the trees’ understory
o Prairie: a grass and wildflower-covered plain, with very few trees
o Wetland: A place where the soil is very wet and the habitat is part
land, part water. Marshes, swamps, bogs and fens are
different types of wetlands. Wetlands provide food and
shelter to many kinds of animals.

In the bayou’s four main habitats, there are many wild animals and plants that find safe
homes away from the dangers of the city. This is why the Buffalo Bayou Partnership
conservation staff work to protect the bayou, for the wild plants and animals that call the
bayou home. They also protect the natural environment of the bayou for us, so that we can
enjoy the peace and beauty of nature, here in our own city.
It’s not easy to keep the bayou wild, especially with al the city growing up around the bayou.
In order to protect our city’s founding waterway, we all need to help fight the three main
problems facing Buffalo Bayou. Let’s learn more about these:
The Three Problems Facing Buffalo Bayou:
1. Pollution
Pollution is anything put into the environment by man that harms the
environment. There are four kinds of pollution: land, water, air and noise.
� Land Pollution includes and litter or chemicals we dump on the land.
� Water Pollution is any litter or chemicals people dump into the water.
Water Pollution is the number one problem in Buffalo Bayou.
� Air Pollution includes chemicals (like smoke and gas) that people release into
the air.
� Noise Pollution includes any unnatural, loud noises caused by people. These
include things like airplanes, cars and trains.
Discuss:
What can you do to fight pollution? What should you do when you see
someone littering?
2. Loss of Habitat
A habitat is an animal or plant’s home. There are four parts of a habitat that all
living things need to survive, even us! The four parts of a habitat are: food, water,
shelter and space. All living things need food to give us energy; water to keep our
bodies healthy; shelter from the environment (like storms and predators); and space
to roam in. Can you find these four things in your habitat (home)?
Here in Houston, we have lost many habitats to buildings, parking lots and streets.
This is called urban growth. Urban growth has destroyed forests, prairies, and
wetland habitats by cutting them down and covering them with concrete and buildings.
What do you think happens to the wild animals when we (humans) do this to there
habitats?
On Buffalo Bayou, when its habitats are destroyed and there is too much concrete,
another problem is that rain water cannot soak into the ground like it is supposed to.

This is why Houston floods so much. Watch the water next time it rains. Does it
disappear faster on the natural ground or on the concrete on your street?
Discuss:
What can you do to protect Houston’s natural habitats?
3, Nonnative, Invasive Plants
Nonnative plants are plants that were brought in by people from other far away
places. These plants come from places like China, Africa and South America. They are
called “invasive” because they invade the homes of our native plants, and take away
the sunlight and soil that our native plants need to grow. (Native plants are plants that
occur naturally in a local region.)
On Buffalo Bayou, nonnative, invasive plants crowd out the native plants and destroy
the bayou’s natural habitats for plants and animals. To fight these invasive plants, we
all should plant only native plants in our gardens and we should remove any nonnative
plants we find. This is what the staff and volunteers of Buffalo Bayou Partnership do
to protect Buffalo Bayou, and we need your help!
Discuss:
Bayou Definitions
What can you do to protect our city’s native plants from being invaded by
nonnative plants? What kind of plants should you plant at your home or
school?
bayou: a large stream or creek, or a small river, characterized by a slow or
imperceptible current
downstream: in the direction of or nearer to the mouth of a stream
upstream: in the direction nearer to the source, or beginning, of a river or
stream
habitat: a plant or animal’s home (made up of food, water, shelter and space)
fresh water: water that isn’t salty
mouth: the place where a river or stream enters a larger body of water
source: the beginning of a river (also called headwaters)
tributary: a smaller stream or river that joins a larger stream or main river
watershed: a tract of land drained by a river and its tributaries (also called
drainage basin)
native: animals and plants that occur naturally in a given area

nonnative: a plant or animal from another part of the world that is brought to a new area
by people
pollution: anything put into the environment by man that harms the environment
ACTIVITY: How many Beavers can live on Buffalo Bayou?
(Adapted from “How Many Bears Can Live in This Forest?” ProjectWILD, CEE)
Objective
Students will 1) define a limiting factor and 2) describe how limiting factors affect animal
populations
Method
Students will become “beavers” to look for one or more components of habitat during this
physically involved activity.
Materials
Five colors of construction paper (yellow, green, orange, blue and light blue); one black felt
pen; envelopes (one per student); pencils; one blindfold
Background
Beavers are the focus of this activity that illustrates the importance of suitable habitat for
wildlife. The activity demonstrates the consequences for a population if one or more habitat
components is scarce. Limiting Factors: When an element of a habitat is insufficient for the
needs of an animal or population, it directly affects the well-being of the animal(s) and may
result in death or population reduction. Thus, these factors “limit” the animals’ population
size.

Limiting factors include habitat components (food, water, shelter and space) as well as
life history parameters such as disease, predation and climatic conditions. Animal
populations tend to increase in size until limited by one or more of these limiting factors.
Many times, limiting factors are related to human activities such as development, pollution
and hunting. Animals’ habitats are often dissected (cut up into tiny pieces by road and
building construction) or even destroyed by human developments like new malls,
neighborhoods and parking lots. When the amount of food, water, space and shelter are no
longer enough for a wild animal population, this population will then decrease in size through
the animals’ moving in search of new habitats or dying.
In Houston, animals such as Black Bears, Buffalo and Cougars used to roam the swamps,
forests and prairies that once covered our landscape. Our bayous were lush, green homes for
these animals, and the animals used the bayous as travel corridors, i.e. “nature’s highways.”
Today, these once common animal species have been extirpated (locally extinct) because
limiting factors such as food, water and space are no longer sufficient to support these large
animals’ survival needs.
Today, the Conservation Staff and Volunteers of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership are working
to restore these habitat components for the wildlife species that still find homes in our
metropolitan city…and perhaps, if we work hard enough to restore their natural homes and
highways, one day, we may even see Black Bears and Cougars again in Houston!
Procedure
1. Make a set of 2” x 2” cards from the colored construction paper. Use the following
chart to determine how many cards of each color to make and what to label them as.
Paper Color Label Represents Number
(for 10-15
students)
Yellow B-20 20lbs, Bark 2
Yellow B-10 10lbs, Bark 8
Green G-20 20lbs, Leaves 2
Green G-10 10lbs, Leaves 8
Orange F-6 6lbs, Fruit 2
Orange F-3 3lbs, Fruit 8
Blue A-20 10lbs, Aquatic Plants 2
Blue A-10 5lbs, Aquatic Plants 8
2. This chart estimates the amount of food one beaver will need during one week of life,
56 lbs total (a rough estimate). Make sure that there is less than 56lbs of “food” for

each student, so that there is not actually enough “food” for all the beavers to
survive.
3. You can also make “water” squares as additional limiting factors for the students. To
make these, use light blue squares of paper, and to make the right amount, multiply
the number of students by 1.25 to get your total number of water squares. Divide the
water squares into five equal piles (or roughly equal) and mark each group with one of
the following letters: R, L, ST, SP, and M. These letters represent all the places where
a beaver could find water: rivers, lakes, streams, springs and marshes. Water is a key
limiting factor for beavers since beavers spend their entire lives in and around
waterways. Therefore, we highly recommend including this component.
4. In a fairly large, open area (50’ x 50’), scatter the colored pieces of paper.
5. Do not tell the students what the colors, initials and numbers on the pieces of paper
represent. Tell them only that the pieces of paper represent different kinds of
beaver food, and that beavers need to eat a varied diet in order to remain healthy.
Therefore, the students should collect different colored squares to represent a good
variety of foods.
6. Have each student write their name on an envelope. This will represent the student’s
“lodge” site and should be left on the ground at the starting line on the perimeter of
the field area.
7. Direct the students to line up on the starting line, leaving their envelopes on the
ground. Give them the following instructions: “You are all now beavers living in Buffalo
Bayou. All beavers are not alike, just as you and I are not exactly alike. Among you is a
young male beaver who has not yet established his territory. Last week as he was
searching for his own home, he was injured by a boat motor blade, and now he has a
broken hind flipper. (Assign one student as the injured beaver. He must hunt by
hopping on one leg.) Another beaver is a young female who was attacked by a local
alligator. In the frontal attack, her eyes were injured, and she is now blind. (Assign
one student as this beaver and put a blind fold over their eyes.) The third special
beaver is a mother beaver who must gather food for her two young “kits.” She must
gather twice as much food as the other beavers. (Assign a student as the mother
beaver.)
8. Students must “swim” through the water and “waddle” through the forest as the
gather food. Beavers cannot “run” so do not allow the students to do this. When
students find a colored square, they should pick it up {one at a time only} and return it
to their “lodge” before picking up another square. (Beavers return food to their
“lodge” to store for the winter months when plant food is scarcer.)
9. When all colored squares are collected, the food gathering is over. Have the students
pick up their envelopes of food and return to their desks.
10. Explain what the colors and numbers represent. Each color is a kind of food and each
number is an amount of food in pounds. Ask each student to add up the total number
of pounds of food they gathered, then writing this total amount on the outside of
their envelope.

11. Using the chalkboard, list “injured,” “blind,” and “mother.” Ask these special beavers
how much food they collected. Write how much food they collected after each of
their descriptions. Then, ask each of the other students how much food they found,
writing each amount on the board. Tell the students now that each beaver needs 56
pounds of food to survive for a week. Which beavers survived? Was their enough food
for all the beavers? How many pounds did the blind beaver collect? What about the
mother beaver? Was she able to collect 112 pounds? What will happen to her kits? Will
she feed her kits first or herself? Why? What would happen to her if she fed the kits
first? Why? What if she only fed herself? If the kits die, can she have more young in
the future? (The mother beaver would feed herself first because of this fact. She
must survive first if she is to hope for any of her young to survive.)
12. If the water squares were included, each student should have picked up at least one
square representing a water source. Otherwise, they do not survive. Water is essential to
all life and is a key limiting factor. Specifically, for beavers, water is necessary for all
components of their natural habitat: the river they swim in, the trees that grow on its
well-watered banks, and the marshes that grow the beavers’ favorite aquatic plant foods.
13. Ask each student to record how many pounds of each type of food gathered. Then,
direct the student to convert these amounts to percentages (if they can). Provide the
students with the background information on the typical diets of beavers (following the
diet chart included and any biology sources you research) so that they can compare what
they collected with the natural diet of beavers. How do beavers’ diets compare to
humans’ diets? Maybe we should take a lesson from them and eat more veggies!
14. Ask the students to arrive at a class total for all the pounds of food they gathered as
beavers. Divide the total by 56lbs. needed for each beaver in order to survive one
week (an approximation). How many beavers can Buffalo Bayou support? Why then did
only ___ beavers survive? What percentage of beavers survived? What percentage
would have survived had the food been evenly divided?
15. Ask the students to calculate how many food squares must be added in order to
support all of the beavers in the activity. If sufficient food were available for all the
beavers, would the population likely increase or decrease? Other than food, what
other factors, natural or human-caused, might also limit the growth of the beaver
population in the bayou? How would each of these factors (food, water, space, shelter,
pollution, etc.) affect the beaver population? Could the beaver population increase
indefinitely if there were unlimited food? There are plenty of trees around the bayou
aren’t there, so why don’t we see more beavers in Houston? What human-caused
factors are hurting beaver populations here? Do you think Buffalo Bayou is important
for beavers’ survival in our region?
16. Now, introduce the important science term they have been learning about: the Limiting
Factor. Based on their discussion, try as a group to define the term, limiting factor.
Have the students discuss limiting factors for other animals, and even humans. Do we
need to be concerned about having enough food and water for our own human
populations? (Yes!)

Supplemental Information:
Ecosystem Roles and Conservation Status of Beavers
Beavers are incredibly beneficial to the environment. They are instrumental in
creating habitats for many aquatic organisms, maintaining the water table at an appropriate
level and controlling flooding and erosion, all by building dams. Beavers maintain wetlands that
can slow the flow of floodwaters. They prevent erosion, and they raise the water table, which
acts as a purifying system for the water. This happens because silt occurs upstream from
dams, and toxins are then broken down. As ponds grow from water backed up by the damn,
pond weeds and lilies take over. After beavers leave their homes, the dams decay, and
meadows appear.
Since the 1600s, there have been significant threats to the survival of the American
Beaver. Beavers have been hunted and trapped extensively in the past and by about 1900, the
animals were almost gone in many of their original habitats. Pollution and habitat loss have
also affected the survival of the beaver. In the last century, however, beavers have been
successfully reintroduced to many of their former habitats.
Activity Sheets With This Lesson:
Working for Buffalo Bayou
All animals and plants need a home
Pollution Rap Handout

Working for
Buffalo Bayou
Partnership
Staff at the Buffalo
Bayou Partnership work
to protect and enhance
Houston’s historic
waterway, Buffalo Bayou.
Urban Development
Because Buffalo Bayou
flows through the center
of Houston, we promote
responsible development
within the bayou’s
watershed. We work with
community leaders to
develop businesses that
complement the bayou’s
natural environments.
Conservation
Within our ever-growing city,
Buffalo Bayou provides
important habitat for many plant
and animal species. Through our
conservation program, we work
to protect the natural
environments of the bayou and
the wildlife that call our bayou
home.
Volunteers and Education
Through our outreach and
volunteer programs, we educate
Houstonians about the values of
our waterway, and the ways in
which they can help protect her.
Parks and Trails
Houstonians need healthy
environments to recreate in.
This is why we work to protect
the lands along Buffalo Bayou
and create new parks and trails
every year for all Houstonians
to enjoy.
Special Events & Recreation
We encourage Houstonians to
enjoy their waterway through
special events such as
festivals, canoe races and boat
rides. In our annual Anything
That Floats Parade,
Houstonians create their own
whimsical rafts and boats to
parade down Buffalo Bayou in.
Pollution Response
We work to keep Buffalo Bayou
clean for both people and
wildlife. Our skimmer boat, The
Mighty Tidy, collects over 100
cubic yards (2 dumpsters) of
trash out of Buffalo Bayou
every month.
Public Art
Buffalo Bayou provides a
beautiful canvas for public art
in our city. We work with local
artists to develop art
installations along the bayou’s
banks in order to add beauty
and interest to our waterway.

All animals and plants need a home.
Every animal and plant species needs a home in order to survive. These special homes
for wildlife (habitats) provide food, water, shelter from the environment and
predators, and space to live in. Some animals and plants can live almost anywhere,
while other species need a very specific place to live. For example, the House
Sparrow can live in a city, a forest or even a desert, but a Great Blue Heron needs a
special marsh habitat to survive.
Buffalo Bayou is home for Houston wildlife.
In cities, such as Houston, animals and plants have a hard time finding their natural
habitats. Many natural places have been destroyed by streets, buildings and parking
lots. But, there is one very special habitat that is protected for wildlife in Houston.
This is Buffalo Bayou. Buffalo Bayou’s waters, prairies and forests provide safe
homes for the wild plants and animals who share our city with us. Let’s spend some
time learning about our wild neighbors and how we can help protect their homes.
What do we all need in our habitats?
F__ __ D W__ __ E__ SH__L__ __R S__ A__E

The Pollution Solution Rap!
My name is Clean-up Croc and I have something to say.
We’ve got to stop pollution so our skies won’t turn to gray.
People cause pollution and hurt the earth and living things.
Dirty air, land and water are what pollution brings.
Pollution gets in the food chain causing animals to die.
Because of it, some endangered animals are no longer alive.
There are four types of pollution that everyone should know.
To find out what they are, see the pictures below.
Air Pollution Water Pollution
Land Pollution Noise Pollution
What can you do to help protect our environment from pollution?
______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Wildlife of Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou Kids Day: After School Lesson II
Discussion
Why are animals important?
Life without animals is nearly impossible to imagine. Think of a sky without
birds, a forest without bears or deer, a sea without fish, or--for many of
us--a home without a dog or cat or bird. Animals make our world a more
beautiful, living place.
In the wild, animals care for the environment that we enjoy. For example,
wild birds eat and spread seeds of flowers and trees across the landscape.
Squirrels also plant many of our trees by burying their seeds. Predator
animals keep prey animal populations healthy by removing the sick animals
from the population. Wild animals keep our natural world in balance. How
are animals important to you?
What are “native wildlife”?
Native wildlife are those animals that are naturally found living in a certain
local area or region. Native wildlife of Houston include Coyotes, Raccoons,
and Box Turtles. We are going to learn about many more native wildlife of
Houston in our activity today.
What is happening to the wild animals of Buffalo Bayou and Houston?
The wild animals who live in Houston and along Buffalo Bayou are losing their
habitats as people build more streets and buildings across the city. Our
native wildlife are also being affected by pollution like litter and chemicals.
What can you do to protect the native animals in our city?
Wildlife Definitions
wildlife: an animal that lives freely in its natural environment
native: animals and plants that occur naturally in a given area
habitat: a plant or animal’s home (made up of food, water, shelter and space)
nonnative: a plant or animal from another part of the world that is brought to a new
area by people

endangered: an animal or plant in danger of extinction
extinct: a species of animal or plant that no longer exists (like the dinosaurs)
biodiversity: the variety of living things on our planet
adaptation: a special body part of an animal that helps it survive
Animals can be: vertebrate: an animal with a backbone
invertebrate: an animal without a backbone
There are Five Kinds of Vertebrates:
Fish: a cold-blooded, water-dwelling animal that is covered with wet scales and
breathes with gills
Amphibian: a cold-blooded, smooth-skin covered animal that begins life in the water
and generally transforms to land-dwelling adult (frogs, toads, and
salamanders are examples of amphibians)
Reptile: a cold-blooded animal covered with dry scales that generally lives on the
land (includes snakes, lizards and turtles)
Bird: a warm-blooded animal that is covered with feathers and lays eggs
Mammal: a warm-blooded animal that is covered with hair or fur and produces milk
for its young
(Students will identify each animal in field guide with its correct group.)
Review: Problems Facing Buffalo Bayou
1. Pollution
2. Loss of Habitat
3. Nonnative, Invasive Plants
ACTIVITY: Wildlife of Buffalo Bayou Field Guide
Objective
Students will 1) understand the problems facing urban wildlife and 2) learn to identify
several important native wildlife species found in Houston on Buffalo Bayou.

Method
Using the internet and library sources, students will work together to research the
biological information of each wildlife species in their field guide.
Materials
Printed and bound copies of the “Guide to Buffalo Bayou Wildlife” Field Guide for
each student; pens; colored pencils; internet accessible computers; school library
Procedure
1. Pass out a pre-stapeled, blank “Guide to Buffalo Bayou Wildlife” Field Guide to
each student. (**Please print in color.)
2. Tell the students that a Field Guide is a special book used by scientists to
teach them about different kinds (or species) of wild animals and plants. Tell
the students that these Field Guides will help them to learn about some of the
animals they will see on their “Kids Day on Buffalo Bayou” field trip.
3. Direct students to work in groups, researching the information needed for
each animal in the Wildlife Field Guide. (To finish the guide quickly, students
may each select an animal in the field guide to research, and then each share
their information with the entire group when ready.)
4. Assist students in their research by guiding them toward good websites (such
as those listed below) and by having published field-guides available, such as
the Audubon and National Geographic Field Guides to animals.
5. Students should share their information with the group as they work to make
sure everyone is finding the right information.
6. Direct students to use their field guides when they are outside, for example,
on hikes or when visiting a local park. Their field guides will help them to learn
more about some of the native animals found in our city.
Good Research Sources for the Wildlife of Buffalo Bayou Field Guide:
Audubon Field Guides To: Reptiles & Amphibians; Birds; and Mammals
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/
www.houstonzoo.org
www.houstonarboretum.org
http://www.enature.com/home/

My Guide to Buffalo Bayou Wildlife
By ______________________

American Alligator
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Coyote
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Yellow-crowned Night Heron
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Great Blue Heron
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Green Heron
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Mexican Free-tailed Bat
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Green Tree Frog
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Red-eared Slider
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Smooth Softshell Turtle
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Raccoon
1. Species Name
2. Geographic Range
(shade in the range on
the map)
3. Type of Vertebrate
(circle one)
3. Habitat
4. Diet
5. Interesting Behaviors
6. Conservation Status
(circle one)
7. Field Notes and
Sketches
Fish Amphibian Reptile Bird Mammal
Healthy Threatened
Endangered Extinct

Got Water?
Buffalo Bayou Kids Day: After School Lesson III
Discussion
Why is water important?
Without water, all life on earth would cease to exist. We need water in our
bodies to remain healthy. We need water to nourish our waterways and
oceans. We need water to keep the plants and animals that make up our
world healthy and well. Earth is nicknamed the blue planet because water is
the source of all life here.
Riddle: What is abundant and rare at the same time?
Water! It covers 70% of our planet and yet, less than 1% is available for
human use. We will learn about this through our activity today.
Water Definitions
freshwater: water that is not salty (in rivers, lakes, and groundwater
aquifers)
saltwater: water that is salty (in the oceans)
watershed: the land area from which runoff water drains into a particular
stream or river
water pollution: any litter or chemicals that man puts into a waterway that may
harm it
Review: Problems Facing Buffalo Bayou
1. Pollution
2. Loss of Habitat
3. Nonnative, Invasive Plants
Tell students:“In our activity today, we will learn about another problem facing
Buffalo Bayou: water conservation. Keeping the waters of rivers like
Buffalo Bayou clean is important to us if we want to have clean drinking
water and a healthy place to live. Let’s learn about water!”

ACTIVITY: “Got Water?”
Objective
Students will 1) calculate the percentage of freshwater available for human use and
2) explain why water is a limited resource and 3) how we can conserve water.
Method
Using a hands-on experiment, students will work together to understand how much, or
how little, water is available for humans to drink.
Materials
Globe; Gallon jug filled with water; Measuring cup; Eye dropper; Plastic plate; Dry
Erase board and markers
Procedure
1. Show the students a globe of the earth. Notice how much of it is blue.
2. Solicit responses to assist students in discovering how much of the earth
surface is made of water. (answer: 70-75%). Tell the students: “Although ¾
of the earth’s surface is water, not all of it is usable to humans.” Complete
the following demo to show how much is usable.
2. Demo: With the students, gather 1 gallon of water in a large jug. Explain
this represents all the water on the earth. Solicit responses to hypothesize
whether or not humans are able to use it all. Explain much of the water is in
the oceans-can we use this? No, it is saltwater-we cannot drink saltwater
and we can’t use it to water our farms or cities with (97% of earth’s is in
the oceans).
3. Using a measuring cup, have one student extract 1 cup of water and hold it
up. Tell them: “This represents all of the freshwater on earth.” Ask, “Do you
think we are able to use all of the freshwater on earth?” No… of the fresh
water, 30.1% is buried too far deep in the earth as groundwater and 68.7% is
tied up in glaciers and icecaps.
4. “Guess how much water is left for us to use…” Using a dropper, extract just
one drop of water. Place the droplet on a plastic plate. Show the drop of

water to the students and explain this represents all of the usable water on
earth—less than 1% of the earth’s total water is in a usable form that we
can get freshwater from (in lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and
groundwater aquifers)
5. Together come up with a list of reasons why water is important. Review
concepts covered with a brief questions/answer session
Take Home Activity: Water Tally
(taken from National Geographic Rivers 2001 Program)
1. Pass out a copy of the National Geographic Water Tally Sheet to each
student.
2. Tell the students to keep track of how much water they use for the next
week (until the next afterschool session).
3. Tell the students to follow the sheet, to measure their water use each day
for the entire 1 week period.
4. Next week, when they come back, you will check their tallies to see how
much everyone used.
5. Last, discuss ways we can save water. Ask students to select one thing they
can do at home to conserve water. Encourage them to try this for 1 week.
Make a list with them on the dry erase board.
Some of these ways include:
� Turn off water when brushing teeth
� Limit shower to 10 minutes
� Only fill bathtub ½ full
� Run dish or clothes washer only with full load
� Fix leaky faucets
� Put a capped bottle of marbles in toilet tank to reduce flush water
6. Have the students report back on their water use and conservation at your
next after-school session.
Activity Sheets With This Lesson:
National Geographic Rivers Water Tally Sheet

Life in a Watershed
Buffalo Bayou Kids Day: After School Lesson IV
Review: Take Home Activity: Water Tally
(taken from National Geographic Rivers 2001 Program)
7. Ask the students to take out their tally sheets they worked on at home this
week.
8. Using the dry erase board, write down their tallies to see how they did.
(You should have a tally from doing the activity too!)
9. Last, discuss some of the ways they tried to save water. Make a list with
them on the dry erase board. Some of these ways might include:
Discussion
� Turn off water when brushing teeth
� Limit shower to 10 minutes
� Only fill bathtub ½ full
� Run dish or clothes washer only with full load
� Fix leaky faucets
� Put a capped bottle of marbles in toilet tank to reduce flush water
What is a watershed?
A watershed includes all the land area from which runoff (surface) water
drains into a particular stream or river. For example, all the runoff-water in
the Buffalo Bayou Watershed drains to…Buffalo Bayou! The boundaries of a
watershed are determined by the guiding contours (or ridges-high points on
the land’s surface) of the land surrounding that bayou or river. Because rain
and runoff must flow somewhere, all land areas are part of some watershed.
Every home, school and office is part of a watershed, and water always
flows downhill into its waterway.
When we understand what a watershed is, we understand that water
connects all of us. All of the land that feeds into a particular body of water
between ridges is a watershed; and harmful human activities within a
watershed harm the waterway itself. For example, if we dump oil out into a

storm drain, where will this oil end up? In our waterway, and then, down into
the ocean. Pollution is a serious problem in our watersheds, for humans and
for wildlife. When harmful chemicals and litter enter our bayous, many
animals and plants can be killed, for many years to come.
Our survival depends on a clean water supply, and the protection of our
watersheds is vital to sustaining good water quality.
Watershed Definitions
watershed: the land area from which runoff (surface) water drains into a
particular stream or river
water pollution: any litter or chemicals that man puts into a waterway that may
harm it
Review: Problems Facing Buffalo Bayou
1. Pollution
2. Loss of Habitat
3. Nonnative, Invasive Plants
Tell students:” In our activity today, we will learn about one of the problems facing
Buffalo Bayou: water pollution in our bayou’s watershed. Keeping the
waters of rivers like Buffalo Bayou clean is important to us if we want to
have clean drinking water and a healthy place to live. Let’s learn about
our watershed!”
ACTIVITY: “Life in a Watershed”
Objective
Students will 1) understand what a watershed is, and 2) what watershed they live in;
and 2) explain ways we can keep the water in our watershed clean.
Method
Using a hands-on activity, students will work together to understand what a
watershed is and how to take care of their watershed.

Materials
Harris County Watershed Map; shallow baking pans; crumpled newspaper sheets;
aluminum foil; dark-colored fruit drink mix; cups, watering cans, or mist sprayers;
tape; water
Procedure
Part I: Find Our Watershed
1. Pin the Harris County Watershed Map to the wall where the students can
come up close to it.
2. Next, help the students to find their school on the map, using online or
printed maps of the school location to assist them. When you have all
figured out where your school is on the map, place a large pin or flag on the
map marking your school.
3. Next, step back and examine which watershed your school is in.
4. Review with the students what a watershed is and where all the runoff and
pollution from around their school will go to (the bayou or creek watershed
that your school lies within).
Part II: Build a Watershed
1. Separate the class into groups of 3-5
students.
2. Tell the students that they are going to
make their own model watersheds using
everyday items from the kitchen.
3. Each group should have 1 shallow baking
pan; a few sheets of newspaper; a large
sheet of aluminum foil; water and a watering cup or sprayer; and powdered
drink mix.
4. Tell the students to tape or secure the crumpled sheets of newspaper at one
end of the baking pan. Prop this end of the pan up on a book.
5. Crumple each sheet of newspaper separately and place them next to each other
at one end of the container. Try to vary the shape of the two. Tear off a large
piece of aluminum foil larger than the pan. Crinkle the foil and place the sheet
of foil over the crumpled newspaper, causing it to form hills over the high
places, and streams and rivers in the low places. Cover the rest of the pan with
the foil and make a basin (a low area for a waterway) in the other end of the
pan. In this model watershed, the high area represents mountains or hills, and

the creases in the foil are bayous and rivers. The basin is the large body of
water (the bay or ocean) that the bayous and rivers flow into.
6. After you have made your watershed and waterways, pour “rain” over the
watershed, using the cups of water or water mister, and watch where the “rain”
runs to.
7. Sprinkle some drink mix ( pollution) on various locations around the watershed.
Tell the student to imagine how the land might be used in each case (i.e. a
parking lot, a farm with fertilizers, or someone dumping trash into their storm
drain). Make it rain again and watch what happens. Ask the students where the
“pollution” went when it rained. Did it stay where it was dumped or did it flow
into the waterways? Ask the students what kind of pollution the drink mix
might represent.
8. Repeat if necessary or if there is extra time.
Activity Sheets With This Lesson:
National Geographic Rivers Water Tally Sheet (for review at beginning of class)
*Harris County Watershed Map*
Free Time: National Geographic A River Runs Through Town
Free time: National Geographic A River Puzzle