Many people know cats mark their territories by rubbing the back of their necks to leave a scent, but not many people know beavers also leave a scent to mark their territories. During the first activity of two, scholars use their noses to determine where a simulated beaver territory is located, including the home range and area of highest activity.

Concepts

beavers, sense of smell, territories

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• If unable to take a field trip to a beaver area, use a virtual field trip to observe signs of beaver activity

Classroom Considerations

• Requires a large area, preferably outdoors, but a large gymnasium could work
• When discussing family roles, be aware of any situations students might not want to discuss or triggers such as absent family members or abusive situations

Pros

• Includes cross-curricular connections to social science, home economics, life science, and geography
• Engaging activity encourages using only the sense of scent

Cons

• None