The Cougar Fund
The Cougar Fund is a non-profit organization based in Jackson, WY, working to increase knowledge and tolerance of large carnivores through education and outreach. Although our work is focused on wildlife, we believe that all aspects of a healthy environment and habitat are essential for their survival, and therefore offer a wide variety of programs on various ecological subjects.
Mandy CraneOffice: 307-733-0797 Cell: 307-699-0817
mandy@cougarfund.org
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| Who | We offer hands on programs and activities to children of any age, in groups of 5- 25 students. |
| What | The Cougar Fund engages students in wildlife and habitat focused games and activities. |
| When | We are available year round. |
| Where | Different activities will be suitable to different locations, including outdoors, classrooms, large indoor spaces (like the gym). We can tailor the program to the space you have. |
| Why | At The Cougar Fund we aim to put the WOW into WILDLIFE! Children are inherently attracted to animals and we take advantage of that curiosity by teaching them all about their environment and habitat using hands-on activities and games. By learning to love wildlife, we hope that in the future those same children will want to protect and preserve them, as well as the sensitive places that wildlife call home. |
Available Programs
Camouflage and Color
Students look at pictures of wildlife and discuss how color is an adaptation to their environment that helps them to survive. They also create colorful or camouflaged creatures. Adapted from Project Wild, pgs. 2 and 120. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change. Vocabulary: arctic, characteristic, compete, […]
Standards:- 3-LS3-2 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
- 3-LS4-3 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Shelters and Nests
Students construct shelters out of provided materials for assigned animals and test their strength. The same is done for nests with eggs in them that are dropped from a height. Cross Discipline Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- 3-5-ETS1-1 Engineering, Technology, & Applications of Science
- 3-5-ETS1-2 Engineering, Technology, & Applications of Science
- 3-5-ETS1-3 Engineering, Technology, & Applications of Science
Continents and Oceans
Students explore different types of maps and globes and discuss regions of the world before playing 2 different games to test their knowledge of geography, wildlife, human inhabitants and climates of the 7 continents and 5 oceans. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- 3-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
Incredible Journey
Students explore the water cycle by playing a game and creating a beaded bracelet or necklace. Adapted from Project Wet, pg. 155. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- 2-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
- 2-ESS2-3 Earth’s Systems
Are You Me?
Students observe wildlife photos of adults and their young then play game to match juveniles to their parents. Adapted from Aquatic Wild, pg. 2. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- 1-LS3-1 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
Whales Feeding
Students play a game using simulated baleen and toothed whale feeding apparatuses to see which works better for catching fish. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- K-2-ETS1-3 Engineering, Technology, & Applications of Science
Ethical Thinking
Students discuss human activities that may be harmful to wildlife and plants, as well as changes people can make to improve wildlife habitat. Adapted from Project Wild, pg 303. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- K-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity
Virtual Water
Students distinguish between direct and indirect uses of water and simulate the interconnectedness of water users in a community. Adapted from Project Wet, pg 289. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions. Vocabulary: Resource, ocean, land, industry, agriculture, renewable
Standards:- 5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
8-4-1, One for All
Students discuss water user management and navigate an obstacle course simulating challenges on a “river”. Adapted from Project Wet, pg. 299. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions. Vocabulary: Resource, ocean, land, industry, agriculture, renewable
Standards:- 5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
Pass the Plants Please
Students identify all the parts of plants then highlight the edible ones. We then make guacamole while identifying the plant parts used in the dish. Adapted from Project Learning Tree, pg. 77. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions. Vocabulary: adaptation, bud, carbon dioxide, climate, external structure, flower, […]
Standards:- 4-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
Move Over Rover
Students create posters of different habitats and play a game to determine which animals belong to each habitat type, Project Wild, pg. 144. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Observable phenomena exist from very short to very long time periods. Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change. Vocabulary: arctic, characteristic, compete, desert, environment, habitat, human, […]
Standards:- 2-LS4-1 Biological Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-2 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-3 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Skins, Skulls, Antlers and Horns
Students explore and discuss different animal parts to determine their adaptations for survival. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Observable phenomena exist from very short to very long time periods. Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change. Vocabulary: arctic, characteristic, compete, desert, environment, habitat, human, inherited, mate, member, migrate, mountain, need, ocean, offspring, organism, […]
Standards:- 3-LS4-2 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-3 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
The Closer You Look
Students observe different tree species and determine how their forms help them to survive. Adapted from Project Learning Tree, pg. 263. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Observable phenomena exist from very short to very long time periods. Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change. Vocabulary: arctic, characteristic, compete, desert, environment, habitat, human, inherited, mate, […]
Standards:- 3-LS4-2 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-3 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
What Bear Goes Where?
Students discuss the three North American bear species and their adaptations, and create posters with their representative habitats. Adapted from Project Wild, pg 118. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Observable phenomena exist from very short to very long time periods. Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change. Vocabulary: arctic, characteristic, compete, desert, environment, […]
Standards:- 3-LS4-2 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- K-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
Silt, a Dirty Word
Students engage in an experiment to show how water flow and oxygen levels are affected by different materials in a stream- gravel, sand and silt. Adapted from Aquatic Wild, pg. 266. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Simple tests can be designed to gather evidence to support or refute student ideas about causes. Vocabulary: No proficiency scale found
Standards:- 2-PS1-2 Matter and Its Interactions
Seeing is Believing
Students discuss and identify vision as an adaptation by using binoculars, kaleidoscopes and fisheye mirrors to simulate different types of vision and determine what types of animals see in which way and how it would help them to survive. Adapted from Project Wild, pg. 116. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: The shape and stability of structures of natural […]
Standards:- 1-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
Opposable Thumbs
Students identify animals with opposable thumbs, and throw balls with and without the use of their thumbs to appreciate how helpful opposable thumbs can be. Students then discuss different foot and paw adaptations and create an animal track of their own with plaster of paris. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: The shape and stability of structures of natural […]
Standards:- 1-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
Habitracks
Students use a map of the school to find the four components of habitat hidden around campus. Adapted from Project Wild, pg. 53. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
Everybody Needs a Home
Students determine that all living creatures need shelter by drawing their homes as well as an animal’s home with access to food and water. Adapted from Project Wild, pg. 59. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
Beautiful Basics
Students list the needs of people, domestic, and wild animals in order to determine their basic survival needs, or habitat components. Adapted from Project Wild, pg. 58. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Vocabulary:
Standards:- K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes