Milwaukee Public Museum

Your mission is to answer multiple-choice questions about what we have just learned. Then, use the letters from your correct answers to solve a scrambled letter puzzle and escape the room. Good luck!

Escape to the Outdoors!

Go out into your backyard and see if you can find something that fills each of these important roles. 

Biodiversity Bingo (Activity)

Why do polar bears live in the icy Arctic, and why don't we find fish in the hot desert? Let's discover why animals prefer different habitats! Let's learn with this slideshow and play a quick game. 

"Who Am I?" Game

Cut out or draw an arrow from pictures of animals and plants, placing them into the rectangle that matches their habitat: Arctic, Forest, Desert, or Grassland. Make sure to check if they are in the right home!

"Where Do I Live?" Activity

In the last section, we explored many different places. They can be called a habitat. But, what is a habitat exactly? Let's find out!

What is a Habitat?

In this activity, draw lines to connect pictures of forest plants and animals that need each other. For example, you might connect a tree to a squirrel that eats its nuts or the tree where it seeks shelter. This will help us understand how everything in nature is connected and relies on each other to survive!

Food Web Activity (Forest)

Let’s click around and explore different places where animals and plants live. Each place is unique and has special features that make it a perfect home for certain animals and plants. We'll learn about what makes these places special and how animals and plants survive there. These places are called habitats!

Where do plants and animals live? 

Now let's think about what all animals need to survive. Every animal, no matter where it lives, needs certain things to live and grow. What do you think these things are? How do animals find food, water, and shelter in their habitats? What helps them stay safe? What does this animal need to eat and drink? Where does it find shelter? How does it stay safe from predators? Choose one or more animals and draw what you think your animal's habitat looks like. 

Critter Card Activity (Forest)

Now that we've explored different habitats and observed the plants and animals living there, let's think about how they depend on each other to survive. 

What are the ways in which living things work together?

Explore the importance of biodiversity and the important role of bees in the ecosystem while reviewing some of what you already learned!

Buzzing with Biodiversity

This resource kit explores the wonders of nature and biodiversity in different land habitats. Learn how species interact in their diverse environments, and gain a deep understanding and appreciation of the natural world by learning more about how it works.


Get Wild Exploring Habitats - Educator Overview.pdf

Get Wild: Exploring Habitats

Life Science

Science

National Geographic Kids: How to Save the Planet

National Geographic Kids: Declining Biodiversity

Is it better to have many different types of plants and animals or just a few of the same kind? 

To keep the ecosystem healthy, we need something called 

Why do you think biodiversity is important for balance in nature?

Can you name different plants and animals you see in your neighborhood?

 means the variety of all living things, like plants, animals, and even tiny organisms, in a certain area. Each species plays a special role in their habitat. 

One important group of animals in many ecosystems is bees. They help many plants grow and thrive.

What do you think bees do for these plants?

Bees help plants grow by moving pollen from one flower to another. This process is called 

, and it helps fruits, vegetables, and flowers grow. But bees are not just important for plants—they are also essential for the health of entire ecosystems.

Look at this image. What are your thoughts about it? Why do you think the bees need to be saved? What threats are they facing?

Bees face many dangers like pesticides, losing their homes, and climate change. These problems make it hard for bees to find food and places to live. When bees are in trouble, the plants and animals that depend on them are also affected.

What do you think would happen to this prairie without bees? What can we do to help bees stay safe?

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Get Wild: Exploring Habitats

Buzzing with Biodiversity

Biodiversity