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Snow Lovers or Haters?
Age: Grades 4–8
Subjects: Science, Language Art
Skills: memory, listing, research, classification,
Duration: one or two 45-minute periods
Group size: any
Setting: indoors and outdoors
Key vocabulary: chioneuphore, chionophile, chionophobe, migrate, hibernate Objectives Students will be able to: - explain the three classifications that define how wildlife species react to winter; and
- name at least four examples each of chionophobes, chioneuphores, and chionophiles.
Method Students research, both indoors and out, chionophobes, chioneuphores, and chionophiles, and conduct a class quiz and discussion. Background Scientists have classified animals that live in winter into three groups: chionophobes, chioneuphores and chionophiles. These words are all based on “chion,” the Greek word for snow. Chionophile means, literally, “snow lover,” while chioneuphore translates to “snow tolerator,” and chionophobe means “snow fearer.” Here are some examples of each: - Chionophiles fare so well in winter they have actually developed special characteristics to help them in snow and cold. For instance, the snowshoe hare, the ptarmigan and the weasel all turn white for camouflage. The polar bear has an amazing winter coat, and the caribou and the lynx have feet especially designed for easy travel over snow.
- Chioneuphores generally get through winter pretty well, even though they have no special adaptations. These snow tolerators take advantage of their snowy environment as best as they can. Mice and voles, for instance, tunnel under snow to keep warm and to hide from predators. Deer and elk pack down trails that make travelling easier, and bears hibernate. In a very severe winter, however, many snow tolerators will die.
- Chionophobes know better than to stick around in winter! Hummingbirds and other feathered species head south – otherwise they would simply freeze to death. (No wonder they are snow fearers.) Some bats in Canada, such as the red bat and the hoary bat, are considered chionophobes because they migrate. Others, like the common little brown bat, however, are snow tolerators because they hibernate.
These definitions can be used to describe insects and plants as well. For instance, palm trees haven’t been able to adapt to winter, so they are chionophobes. Spruce trees, on the other hand, are snow lovers. They have developed branches that slant downwards so snow will slide off without breaking them. Materials Research materials Procedure - After explaining the information provided in the background section, ask students to do some reading and research on the three classifications of wintering plant and animal species. Tell them they are preparing for a quiz.
- Chionophile examples include:
- polar bear
- snowy owl
- seal grouse
- ptarmigan
- snowshoe hare
- arctic fox
- caribou
- lynx
- spruce tree
- weasel
- Chioneuphore examples include:
- deer
- elk
- mouse
- vole
- garter snake
- red fox
- shrew
- little brown bat
- Chionophobe examples include:
- hummingbird
- monarch butterfly
- goldfinch
- red bat
- palm tree
- Ask students one by one to guess if the species you name is a chionophile, chioneuphore, or chionophobe. (The terms “snow lover,” “snow tolerator,” and “snow fearer,” may be used as well.) OPTIONAL: use photos or illustrations of each species.
- Ask each student to choose one of these species, conduct some research on it, and write a brief report that describe how it handles winter.
- On a field trip to a nearby park, woodlot, or field have students list some of the plant and animal species that live there. Ask them whether each species is a snow lover, tolerator or fearer. Discuss how the plant or animal is “designed” to make it a snow lover, tolerator, or fearer. Finally, discuss why there are no chinophobe species living in their area during winter.
Extension Have students play a game of tag where each one chooses a species to represent. Appoint one student as “it,” who will represent winter. When students are tagged by “winter,” they must say what species they are and what they do to survive winter before becoming “it”. Evaluation Ask students to: - Name at least four species each of chioneuphores, chionophiles, and chionophobes.
- List as many interesting things different species do to survive winter as they can.
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