This is an online version of this resource. When you buy the course it is provided in a printable PDF format that has additional links for further study.
Animal Tales engages your young child by teaching them about the
world around them and animals near and far. It is a global offering, taking
your child on a trip around the world to pique their curiosity about the many different
types of animals that can be found on the seven continents of the world and in
our oceans. It is a very first look at zoology and is just one of the four
resources offered in our full Kindergarten course.
How the Lessons Are Structured
My Homeschool mirrors the Charlotte Mason approach of harnessing attention of little ones by keeping the lessons short, so at this age expect each lesson to take around 20 minutes. The Animal Tales lessons are designed in this format:
· A poem introducing the animal to be studied during the lesson;
· A short lesson to enjoy together (written so you can simply read it aloud to your child);
· Examine the Complementary Links provided online as you wish, including Living Books to enjoy and then;
· Prepare a Science Notebook entry to share what they’ve learned.
Lesson One - The Platypus
Introductory Poem
Old Man Platypus
Far from the trouble and toil of town,
Where the reed beds sweep and shiver,
Look at a fragment of velvet brown -
Old Man Platypus drifting down,
Drifting along the river.
And he plays and dives in the river bends
In a style that is most elusive;
With few relations and fewer friends,
For Old Man Platypus descends
From a family most exclusive.
He shares his burrow beneath the bank
With his wife and his son and daughter
At the roots of the reeds and the grasses rank;
And the bubbles show where our hero sank
To its entrance under water.
Safe in their burrow below the falls
They live in a world of wonder,
Where no one visits and no one calls,
They sleep like little brown billiard balls
With their beaks tucked neatly under.
And he talks in a deep unfriendly growl
As he goes on his journey lonely;
For he's no relation to fish nor fowl,
Nor to bird nor beast, nor to horned owl;
In fact, he's the one and only!
By Andrew Barton (‘Banjo’) Paterson
Lesson To Share
The platypus is an animal native and endemic to Australia, meaning it can only be found naturally in Australia. It is found along the eastern seaboard of Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria) and in Tasmania too. It is a unique animal, and along with echidnas, is a special type of mammal, called a monotreme. Monotremes lay eggs, whereas mammals give birth to live young, so they are rather different.
Covered with dense, water-proof fur which is a reddish brown colour, the platypus has a flat, broad tail and four short, webbed feet. It has a bill of dark brown, which is also broad and flat and it is this that it uses to find food. When Europeans first discovered the platypus in Australia the British zoologist George Shaw described it back in 1799 to others in Britain and Europe. Many doubted the animal, thinking it was a complete hoax because of its unusual features. With its “duck-bill” and body similar to a beaver, it was thought to be impossible.
Platypus are semi-aquatic animals. This means they live both on land and in water. However, they move much slower on land than they can swim, and walking takes more effort for them than swimming. Given they are semi-aquatic, they are found within freshwater rivers in Australia, preferring slow-moving rivers and creeks that have rocks and gravels on the river-bed and trees and bushes close to the riverbank. The trees and bushes give them protection and shelter and also provide a place where they can build a burrow. Having logs and trees around also means more food for them as they provide the habitat for their food sources.
Mayflies, caddisflies, dragonflies, tadpoles, swimming beetles and worms are all foods that platypus eat. They are carnivores, meaning that they are animals that feed on other animals, not plant matter. Scientific research shows that a platypus will close their eyes, ears and nostrils and search for food using their bill. Can you imagine shutting your eyes, ears and nose when you are looking for your lunch? Also, with that “duck-bill” it does not have any teeth!
Notebook Entry
Encourage your child to tell you what they have learned about the platypus and include this in their Science Notebook. They may like to include a picture. You may like to note that the scientific name of the platypus is Ornithorhynchus anatinus or simply have your child write the word “platypus” as copywork in their Science Notebook.
For those wishing to include a global perspective, please print out the World Map Journal provided in your Virtual Cupboard and within one of the Map Markers write “Australia – Platypus”. Point out where Australia is on the map to your child too.
If you live in an area where you may see a platypus in the wild, then the best time to go looking is at twilight or dusk when they tend to be more active, as they tend to shelter in their burrow or bank during the day. Also, don’t imagine that you won’t find one if you live in a town or a city: they can live in some rather surprising locations! They are also surprisingly long-lived, surviving around twenty years in the wild as they are both intelligent and adaptable.Complementary Links
Please take a look at the Complementary Links provided for this lesson online for further resources about the platypus. If you have Atlas of Animal Adventures you can find a section on the platypus on pages 48 and 49. You may also like to read A Platypus, Probably by Sneed B. Collard if it is available in your local library, or perhaps Shy the Platypus by Leslie Rees as a read aloud novel.
This is the lithographic print of the platypus produced by H. C. Richter, included in John Gould's famous book, Mammals of Australia (1845 - 1863):
Watch a platypus swimming and being hand fed here (1 min):
Meet boy platypus twins at Healesville Sanctuary, part of Zoos Victoria (2 mins):
You may like to look at the information on the platypus from National Geographic Kids.