Youth Guide Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program Connecting Youth with Nature Through Science and Art! For young people grades K through 12 Cover: USFWS photo by Dave Menke Youth Guide Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program Connecting Children with Nature Through Science and Art! For young people grades K through 12 The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. WELCOME Introduction: The Call of the Wild Duck 7 Are you curious? Do you like to discover new things? Do you like to draw or write? Do you like to make a difference? Then give these activities a try! And try to solve the mystery of the Labrador Duck. UNIT 1: What is a Waterfowl? 25 Figure out how you can tell the differences among ducks, geese, and swans. Investigate why waterfowl have special feet and bills. Find out what inspired famous writers and artists to think about waterfowl, and make your first drawings of these unique birds. UNIT 2: A Day in the Life 59 Learn about amazing behaviors that help waterfowl survive. Explore the kinds of things that birds do. Investigate how behavior can help you tell the difference between one type of bird and another. Build a blind to help you watch waterfowl without being seen. UNIT 3: Raising a Family in a Wetland 87 Explore how a duck finds a mate. Investigate where a goose could make a home and not be disturbed. Describe in art or words how waterfowl parents protect their young from predators and weather. UNIT 4: Going the Distance 121 Investigate some of the mysteries of migration. Explore migration routes and imagine yourself on a migration journey. Investigate the impact of climate change on Mallard migration along with a team of scientists. Create artwork illustrating a migration journey. UNIT 5: Learning from the Past; Taking Action for the Future 153 Learn why our government decided to make laws about hunting migratory birds, starting early in the 20th Century. Explore survival challenges for waterfowl. Make a difference for waterfowl in your community. And maybe you’ll solve the mystery of the Labrador Duck. Vocabulary 205 Acknowledgments The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program and Curriculum are products of the Federal Duck Stamp Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The curriculum was made possible with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Michael Kreger, Deputy Chief, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation Patricia Fisher, Chief, Federal Duck Stamp Office Elizabeth Jackson, National Junior Duck Stamp Program Coordinator, Federal Duck Stamp Office Project Coordinator Phil T. Seng, DJ Case & Associates, Mishawaka, Indiana Research and Writing Team Elaine Andrews, Dolly Ledin, and Kate Larkin Reilly, Community & Environment Consulting, Washington, DC Phil T. Seng and Sarah Hughes, DJ Case & Associates, Mishawaka, Indiana Layout and Design Beth Salman, Dan Wolfe, and Phil T. Seng, DJ Case & Associates, Mishawaka, Indiana (Select illustrations by Laura Maloney, Eleanor Davis, and Dan Wolfe) Junior Duck Stamp Curriculum Evaluation Team Lead: Elizabeth Jackson, National Junior Duck Stamp Program Coordinator, Federal Duck Stamp Office, USFWS Patricia Fisher, Chief, Federal Duck Stamp Office, USFWS Lorrie Beck, Outdoor Recreation Planner, Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, Kansas Rachel Levin, Communications Coordinator, Migratory Bird Program, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, USFWS Julie Study, Education Specialist, USFWS National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, West Virginia Dr. Gary San Julian, Wildlife Biologist, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania Laurina Isabella Lyle, Ph.D., Executive Director and National Network Coordinator, Project WET USA, Bozeman, Montana Principal Editorial Reviewer David Klinger, Writer-editor, USFWS National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, West Virginia Junior Duck Stamp Program Teacher Evaluation Team Gaye Kohl, Pine Valley Elementary School, San Diego, California Doris Nichols, Fillmore Elementary School, Stockton, California Jaye Boswell, Retired Educator, Sanibel, Florida Jennifer Johannes-Heck, Manatee Middle School, Naples, Florida Diana Brown, Cache Elementary School, Cache, Oklahoma Lisa Cutchin, St. John Regional Catholic School, Frederick, Maryland Sharon Stoick, Pinewood Elementary School, Mounds View, Minnesota Project Contributors California Waterfowl Association Thank you to our many biologists and our U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service colleagues who were interviewed for this effort. Their valuable contributions enabled us to stay focused on conservation sciences and helped us illustrate to young people the importance of wildlife stewardship and staying connected to the natural world. The Federal Duck Stamp Office developed this publication on behalf of the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program to support conservation education. The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Curriculum Educator and Youth Guides are public domain materials. Content from these guides may be copied in whole or in part to use by public school, non-formal and home school educators. Other parties must request written permission prior to reproducing any materials contained in these guides. Please credit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Duck Stamp Office, Junior Duck Stamp Program, when using any of the content or activities in these guides. Give it a try! Have you ever wondered what makes you look up whenever you hear or see a V-shaped flock of geese going north or south? Is it just the sight or sound, or is it a deeper feeling about the changing seasons? Why do people like to watch ducks or swans swimming in city parks? Is it their graceful swimming and diving, or just the kaleidoscope of color and movement? And why do people ooh and aah when they see the little duckling fuzzballs following their mothers? There is something magnetic about waterfowl that draws the attention and the imagination of both city dwellers and people who live in the country. With this guide you can explore many questions about ducks, geese, and swans. You’ll have fun and use what you learn to make your neighborhood and community a great place to live for ducks, geese, and swans. And a BONUS… You will also practice the skills you’ll need to create an entry for the Junior Duck Stamp art competition. Whether or not you think you are good at science and math or writing and art, give it a try. Everyone is a winner! ARE YOU CURIOUS? Then explore: • Were there ducks when the dinosaurs were alive? • Why did the Labrador Duck go extinct? Are other ducks endangered? • Do all ducks look alike? • Do all ducks quack? • What do these names mean to you: Ugly Duckling, Daffy Duck, Swan Lake? • What does a duck’s name tell you: Northern Pintail, Redhead, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Wood Duck, Goldeneye, Blue-winged Teal? DO YOU LIKE TO DISCOVER NEW THINGS? Then investigate: • How many duck decoys are needed to attract ducks? • Do the same ducks live in your community all the time, or does the duck population change with the seasons? • Do changes in our climate affect duck migration? DO YOU LIKE TO DRAW OR WRITE? Then give it a try: • Perfect your skills by trying some of the activities in this guide. • Enter the Junior Duck Stamp art competition. DO YOU LIKE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Then share: • Talk about what you are learning. • Try a conservation project in your community. INTRODUCTION The Call of the Wild Duck Northern Pintails USFWS photo by Gary Kramer Waterfowl Challenge Question Q: How did a duck help Columbus discover America? Look for the answer at the end of this unit The Call of the Wild Duck Meet the “Waterfowl Friends” This group of middle-schoolers found each other online on one of the social network sites because they shared a common interest in waterfowl. Follow their conversations throughout the pages of this guide as they explore, investigate, express, and share curious facts and information about ducks, geese, and swans. Anthony Links Info Photos Notes Home: Near Baltimore, Maryland School: 6th grade Interests: Video games, birding, hiking, texting Selena Links Info Photos Notes Home: Bangor, Maine School: 6th grade Interests: Online social media, computer programming, camping, reading Jacob Links Info Photos Notes Home: Knoxville, Tennessee School: 7th grade Interests: Fishing, NASCAR racing, chemistry set, texting, TV Ashley Links Info Photos Notes Home: Saginaw, Michigan School: 8th grade Interests: Kayaking, birding, volleyball Matthew Links Info Photos Notes Home: Stuttgart, Arkansas School: 6th grade Interests: Fishing, canoeing, camping, hiking, online chatting, TV 8 Junior Duck Stamp Conservation & Design Program The Call of the Wild Duck Jasmine Links Info Photos Notes Home: Lincoln, Nebraska School: 7th grade Interests: Shopping, flying, chess club, texting Carlos Links Info Photos Notes Home: Corpus Christi, Texas School: 6th grade Interests: Video games, football, baseball, social media, TV Hannah Links Info Photos Notes Home: Redding, California School: 6th grade Interests: Soccer, volleyball, reading, social media, TV Michael Links Info Photos Notes Home: McGregor, Minnesota School: 7th grade Interests: Boating, fishing, swimming, snowmobiling, skateboarding Emily Links Info Photos Notes Home: Near Juneau, Alaska School: 6th grade Interests: Hiking, video games, social media, TV, dogsledding Junior Duck Stamp Conservation