Wildlife Garden

A wildlife garden is a garden that has been created to attract wildlife. Wildlife gardens contain the essential elements of habitat – food, water, space, and shelter. Wildlife gardens can attract birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and even small mammals. Wildlife gardens are wonderful places for students to observe plants and wildlife. They are valuable tools for the classroom all year long.

You can create a wildlife garden in your schoolyard, backyard or even community. Wildlife gardens can be large, involving an entire community, or they can be small, encompassing no more than pots and planters on a patio. The key is to provide wildlife with the things that they need for survival.

As a class discuss and decide what animals and plants need for survival – let students lead the discussion. Make charts and/or lists of the elements that you will need to include in your wildlife garden plan. Next take a walk around your schoolyard, backyard or community and look for an area that will be suitable for your wildlife garden. Map it out. Research native plants and plants that will best provide shelter and food for wildlife. Be sure to research the requirements of the plants as well – do they grow best in full sun, shade etc? Utilize professionals in your community. Visit with a nursery professional, wildlife biologist, master gardener or anyone else that is able and willing to advise you on plants and wildlife.

Draw up your plan including your map, research, essential elements, and other pertinent information. Implement your plan! Look for volunteers in the community both for time, as well as supplies. Make a plan for garden maintenance throughout the school year and summer. Enjoy your new wildlife garden!

Book List
Grades PreK-2
Arnosky, J. 1997. Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Aston, D. 2007. A Seed Is Sleepy. Chronicle Books LLC.
Berger, M. 1994. All about Seeds: A Hands-on Science Book. Scholastic, Inc.
Brown, R. 2001. Ten Seeds. Knopf Publishing Group.
Burnie, D. 2005. Plant. DK Publishing, Inc.
Butterfield, M. 1999. Animals on Plains and Prairies. Raintree Publishers.
Canizares, S. 1997. Who Lives in a Tree? Scholastic, Inc.
Carle, E. 1991. The Tiny Seed. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Charman, A. 2003. I Wonder Why Trees Have Leaves and Other Questions about Plants. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Christensen, B. 1994. Edible Alphabet. Dial Books for Young Readers.
Cole, J. 1995. The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About How Living Things Grow. Scholastic, Inc.
Costian, M. 2001. Life in a Tree: Focus, Habitat. Tandem Library.
Cox, M., and DK Publishing Staff. 2009. Wildlife Gardening. DK Publishing, Inc.
Dixon, M. 1998. Plants around Us. Smart Apple Media.
Downden, A.O. 1984. From Flower to Fruit. Thomas Y. Crowell Co.
Ehlert, L. 1992. Planting a Rainbow. Harcourt Children's Books.
Fleming, D. 1993. In the Small, Small Pond. Henry Holt and Co.
Fowler, A. 1999. Our Living Forests. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Fredericks, A.D. 2005. Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs and Leaping Frogs. Dawn Publications.
Fredericks, A.D. 2003. Around One Cactus: Owls, Bats and Leaping Rats. Dawn Publications.
Fredericks, A.D. 2006. On One Flower: Butterflies, Ticks and a Few More Icks. Dawn Publications.
Gibbons, G. 1991. From Seed to Plant. Holiday House.
Hickman, P. 1996. A Seed Grows: My First Look at a Plant's Life Cycle. Kids Can Press, Ltd.
Hirschi,R. 1989. Who Lives On The Prairie? Putnam Publishing Group.
Hirschi, R. 1987. Who lives in the forest? Dodd, Mead.
Hunter, A. 1999. What's Under the Log? Houghton Mifflin Company.
Jordan, H.J. 1992. How a Seed Grows. HarperCollins Children's Books.
Lavies, B. 1989. Tree Trunk Traffic. Penguin Group (USA), Inc.
MacDonald, M.R. and P. Cummings. 1998. Pickin' Peas. HarperCollins Publishers.
Manning, M. and B. Granstrom. 2003. The Seed I Planted (Wonderwise Readers). Franklin Watts, Ltd.
Morgan, S. 2004. Flowers, Fruits and Seeds. Thameside Press.
Murphy, P.J. 2004. Peeking at Plants with a Scientist. Enslow Publishers, Incorporated.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. Ecosystem of a Fallen Tree. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. Ecosystem of an Apple Tree. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. The Ecosystem of a Grassy Field. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. The Ecosystem of a Stream. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Richards, J. and A. Hariton. 2006. A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds. Lerner Publishing Group.
Royston, A. 2001. Plants, Flowers, Fruits and Seeds. Heinemann.
Silver, D.M. and P.J. Wynne. 1997. One Small Square Backyard. The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Trumbauer, L. 2002. Who Needs Plants?. Coughlan Publishing.

Grades 3-5
Arnosky, J. 1997. Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Ball, J.A. 2002. Plants. Gareth Stevens Audio.
Brenner, B. 2004. One Small Place in a Tree. Morrow/Avon.
Burnie, D. 2004. Plant. DK Publishing, Inc.
Burton, J. and K. Taylor. 1999. Nature and Science of Seeds. Gareth Stevens Audio.
Farndon, J. 2006. Seeds. Thomson Gale.
Fernald, M.L. 1996. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. Dover Publications.
Fredericks, A.D. 2005. Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs and Leaping Frogs. Dawn Publications.
Fredericks, A.D. 2003. Around One Cactus: Owls, Bats and Leaping Rats. Dawn Publications.
Fredericks, A.D. 2006. On One Flower: Butterflies, Ticks and a Few More Icks. Dawn Publications.
Goodman, S.E. 2001. Seeds, Stems, and Stamens: The Ways Plants Fit into Their World. Lerner Publishing Group.
Hirschi,R. 1989. Who Lives On The Prairie? Putnam Publishing Group.
Hirschi, R. 1987. Who lives in the forest? Dodd, Mead.
Hood, S. 1998. Wildflowers (Audubon Society First Field Guides). Scholastic, Inc.
Jennings, T.J. 1989. Pond Life. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Jennings, T.J. 1989. Seeds and Seedlings. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Johnson, S.A. 1976. Animals of the Grasslands. Lerner Publishing Group.
Kalman, B.1996. How a Plant Grows. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Levy, J. 2003. What Lives on a Prairie? Rosen Publishing Group, Incorporated.
Nadeau, I. 2001. Food Chains in a Forest Habitat. Rosen Publishing Group, Incorporated.
Parker, S. 1999. It's a Frog's Life: My Story of Life in a Pond. Reader's Digest Children's Publishing, Incorporated.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. Ecosystem of a Fallen Tree. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. Ecosystem of an Apple Tree. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. The Ecosystem of a Grassy Field. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. The Ecosystem of a Stream. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Rushing, F. 2004. Dig, Plant, Grow. Cool Springs Press.
Silver, D.M. 1994. One Small Square: Pond. W.H. Freeman and Co.
Spilsbury, L.A. 2002. Plant Habitats. Heinemann.
Stewart, M. 2003. Plants. Capstone Press.

Grades 6-8
Bates, J.W. 1991. Seeds to Plants: Projects with Biology. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Cassie, B. and M. Burns. 1999. Trees. Scholastic, Inc.
DK Publishing. 1992. Plants. DK CHILDREN.
Hirschi,R. 1989. Who Lives On The Prairie? Putnam Publishing Group.
Hirschi, R. 1987. Who lives in the forest? Dodd, Mead.
Hood, S. 1998. Wildflowers (Audubon Society First Field Guides). Scholastic, Inc.
Massa, R. 1997. Breathing Earth. Steck-Vaughn.
Pascoe, E. 1996. Seeds and Seedlings. Thomson Gale.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. Ecosystem of a Fallen Tree. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. Ecosystem of an Apple Tree. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. The Ecosystem of a Grassy Field. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Pascoe, E. and D. Kuhn. 2003. The Ecosystem of a Stream. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Runkel, S. and A.F. Bull. 1987. Wildflowers of the Iowa Woodlands. Ames: Iowa State University Press.
Winckler, S. 2002. Planting the Seed: A Guide to Gardening. Lerner Publishing Group.

Grades 9-12
Collard, S. B. 2005. The Prairie Builders : Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company Trade & Reference Division.
Farndon, J. 2002. 1000 Things You Should Know about Plants. Mason Crest Publishers.
Kershner, B., et al. 2008. National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America. Sterling Publishing.
Parker, R. 2003. Introduction to Plant Science: Revised Edition. Thomson Delmar Learning.

Educator Book List
Bradley, F. M. and the Editors of Yankee Magazine. 2004. Projects for the Birder’s Garden: Over 100 Easy Things That You Can Make to Turn Your Yard and Garden into a Bird-Friendly Haven. Rodale Press, Inc.
Condon, M. A. 2006. The Nature-Friendly Garden: Creating a Backyard Haven for Plants, Wildlife, and People, Too. Stackpole Books.
Henderson, C. L., and C. W. Schwartz. 1995. Landscaping for Widlife. DIANE Publishing Company.
Hendy, J. 2012. Gardening Projects for Kids: Fantastic ideas for making things, growing plants and flowers, and attracting wildlife to the garden. Anness Publishing, Ltd.
Lavelle, C., and M. Lavelle. The Best Plants to Attract and Keep Wildlife in Your Garden: Making a backyard home for animals, birds, & insects. Anness Publishing, Ltd.
Lovejoy, S. 1999. 2011. Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together with Children. Workman Publishing Company.
Johnson, C. J., S. McDiarmid, E. R. Turner. 2004. Welcoming Wildlife to the Garden: Creating Backyard and Balcony Habitats for Wildlife. Hartley and Marks Publishers.
Merilees, B. 2001. New Gardening for Wildlife: A Guide for Nature Lovers. Whitecap Books, Limited.
Smith, J. R., and Smith, B. S. 1980. A Prairie Garden : Seventy Native Plants You Can Grow in Town or Country. New York: University of Wisconsin P.
Tait, M. 2006. Wildlife Gardening for Everyone: Your Questions Answered by the RHS and the Wildlife Trust. Sterling Publishing.
Tallamy, D. W., and R. Darke. 2009. Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Timber Press, Inc.
Tufts, C., and P. H. Loewer. 1995. National Wildlife Federation Guide to Gardening for Wildlife: How to Create a Beautiful Backyard Habitat for Birds, Butterflies, and other Wildlife. Rodale Press, Inc.

Links
Junior Master Gardener
http://www.jmgkids.us/

NWF: Schoolyard Habitat
http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Schoolyard-Habitats.aspx

NWF: Create a Schoolyard Habitat
http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Schoolyard-Habitats/Create.aspx

Gardening for Wildlife
http://www.gardening-for-wildlife.com/