“Can It Be Real?”
A beetle that drinks fog? A flower that smells like rotten meat? A fish that “shoots down” its prey? Can these plants and animals possibly be real? The answer is yes! Many plants and animals have adaptations that might seem peculiar or even downright weird to us but which are essential to the plant or animal’s survival. An adaptation is a feature that has developed in a species over time and one which is important for the organism’s survival and reproduction. Use Project Learning Tree’s “Can It Be Real?” to discover extraordinary plants and animals with amazing adaptations!

Young Child Extension
Talk about the difference between real and imaginary animals. Use examples that young children might know about, for example, unicorns vs. horses, dragons vs. lizards. Use pictures, stories or songs to showcase the different animals. Talk about how some real animals have characteristics that might make them seem more like imaginary creatures but that are real. Show them the beetle that drinks fog, the fish that shoots water at its prey. Use pictures to show the children. Take children on a nature walk to look for animals and plants that might have “weird” characteristics.

Book List
Grades PreK-2
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2007. Fake Out! Animals That Play Tricks. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2006. Freak Out! Animals Beyond Your Wildest Imagination. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2009. Far Out! Animals That Do Amazing Things. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2006. Gross Out! Animals That Do Disgusting Things. Grosset & Dunlap.
Heller, R. 1999. Plants That Never Ever Bloom. Penguin Group (USA).
Laman, J., and J. D. Wilhelm. 2008. 10 Most Bizarre Animal Behaviors. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Unwin, M. 2010. 100 Bizarre Animals. Brandt Travel Guides.
Whitfield, P. 2011. Show-Offs: Astonishing Animals, Bizarre Behavior. Kingfisher.

Grades 3-5
Anderson, M. J. 1996. Bizarre Insects. Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Carmichael, N., J. Marsh, and R. Nicholson. 2000. Nature’s Wild!. T&N Children’s Publishing.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2007. Fake Out! Animals That Play Tricks. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2006. Freak Out! Animals Beyond Your Wildest Imagination. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2009. Far Out! Animals That Do Amazing Things. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2006. Gross Out! Animals That Do Disgusting Things. Grosset & Dunlap.
Fontanel, B. 2001. Bizarre Beasts. Hodder Wayland Childrens.
Ganeri, A. 1996. Bizarre Beasts And Other Oddities of Nature. Harry N Abrams.
Heller, R. 1999. Plants That Never Ever Bloom. Penguin Group (USA).
Laman, J., and J. D. Wilhelm. 2008. 10 Most Bizarre Animal Behaviors. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Polydoros, L. 2010. Strange but True Animals. Capstone Press.
Souza, D. M. 2004. Wacky Trees. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Unwin, M. 2010. 100 Bizarre Animals. Brandt Travel Guides.
Wechsler, D. 2003. Bizarre Birds. Boyds Mills Press.
Wechsler, D. 2004. Bizarre Bugs. Boyds Mills Press.
Whitfield, P. 2011. Show-Offs: Astonishing Animals, Bizarre Behavior. Kingfisher.

Grades 6-8
Anderson, M. J. 1996. Bizarre Insects. Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Carmichael, N., J. Marsh, and R. Nicholson. 2000. Nature’s Wild!. T&N Children’s Publishing.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2007. Fake Out! Animals That Play Tricks. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2006. Freak Out! Animals Beyond Your Wildest Imagination. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2009. Far Out! Animals That Do Amazing Things. Grosset & Dunlap.
Clarke, G. L., and P. Mueller. 2006. Gross Out! Animals That Do Disgusting Things. Grosset & Dunlap.
Fontanel, B. 2001. Bizarre Beasts. Hodder Wayland Childrens.
Ganeri, A. 1996. Bizarre Beasts And Other Oddities of Nature. Harry N Abrams.
Laman, J., and J. D. Wilhelm. 2008. 10 Most Bizarre Animal Behaviors. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Polydoros, L. 2010. Strange but True Animals. Capstone Press.
Souza, D. M. 2004. Wacky Trees. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Unwin, M. 2010. 100 Bizarre Animals. Brandt Travel Guides.
Wechsler, D. 2003. Bizarre Birds. Boyds Mills Press.
Wechsler, D. 2004. Bizarre Bugs. Boyds Mills Press.
Whitfield, P. 2011. Show-Offs: Astonishing Animals, Bizarre Behavior. Kingfisher.

Grades 9-12
Anderson, M. J. 1996. Bizarre Insects. Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Fontanel, B. 2001. Bizarre Beasts. Hodder Wayland Childrens.
Ganeri, A. 1996. Bizarre Beasts And Other Oddities of Nature. Harry N Abrams.
Laman, J., and J. D. Wilhelm. 2008. 10 Most Bizarre Animal Behaviors. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Unwin, M. 2010. 100 Bizarre Animals. Brandt Travel Guides.
Whitfield, P. 2011. Show-Offs: Astonishing Animals, Bizarre Behavior. Kingfisher.

Links
25 World’s Weirdest Animals
http://divaboo.info/

10 Most Bizarre Animals Recently Discovered
http://urbantitan.com/10-most-bizarre-animals-recently-discovered/

Bizarre Animals From Around the World (Photos)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/10/bizarre-animal-photos_n_796638.html#s207679

The Top 15 Most Bizarre Sea Animals
http://blog.rocketboom.com/post/102948092/the-top-15-most-bizarre-sea-animals

ABC News: Bizarre Plants
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/popup?id=4775232

World’s Most Weird and Bizarre Plants
http://ourfunnyplanet.com/world-most-weird-and-bizarre-plants/