Visit a wetland
Marshes, swamps, and bogs are all different kinds of wetlands. They all have water that is frequently or always near the surface of the soil, in fact, many wetlands have shallow standing water most or all of the time. Wetlands support a large variety of plants and animals, provide nurseries for many animal species, remove pollutants from surface water, and store water to prevent flooding and provide places for wildlife to get water during dry periods. Go with an adult to a wetland and see if you can find: 5 different kinds of plants; five different kinds of insects; five different kinds of birds; signs of two different kinds of mammals; one amphibian; and one reptile. Many city and county parks include wetlands, check out several if you have time!
Internet links to help you:
To learn more about the types of wetlands, plants and animals that live there, and how wetlands help people go to: kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/freshwaterwetland.html
Watch as Bill Nye (The Science Guy) talks about Fabulous Wetlands on You Tube: https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeUPbGWg2KU
Learn about wetlands from the EPA!
Learn about wetlands in Indiana!
Books
Pond Life, A Golden Guide from St. Martin’s Press (ISBN 1-58238 – 130 – 5) is an inexpensive guide to plants and animals that live in or near ponds, lakes, streams, and wetlands. A very good first nature guide.
Pond written by Donald Silver and illustrated by Patricia Wynne (ISBN 978 – 0 * 07 – 057932 – 3) is one of the delightful “One Small Square” books written for children ages 7 and up. It helps you explore how many varied life forms exist in a wetland.
Meadowlands: A Wetlands Survival Story by Thomas F. Yezerski
Wetlands by Peter Benoit
About Habitats: Wetlands by Cathryn P. Sill
Wetlands Journey by Jeanne Weaver
Wetlands by Aaron Frisch
Here is the Wetland by Madeleine Dunphy
A Journey into a Wetland by Rebecca L. Johnson
52 Things Outside 