Using any one of the entries in the Field Guide section of the curriculum as a model, have students pick three species of lemur and make a field guide of their own.

They can use the web and/or written sources for basic information, and in addition to the basic description and characteristics of each species, they can include a map with the species range and/or pictures or drawings of each animal.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ANIMAL WEBCAMS

At the end of the project students can take their individual field guide entries and compile a class field guide to Lemurs.

It’s Not Tax, It’s Taxonomy

Using the information on taxonomy provided in the introduction, pick a species of lemur and trace its place, from Kingdom to Species, in the hierarchy taxonomic structure of the natural world. After illustrating the process for a lemur species, follow the same method for another species. Pick a fairly common animal. For example the domestic dog is from a species point of view, a wolf, Canis Lupus but belonging to a sub species (Domesticus). Therefore their dog at home belongs to the:
Animal…Kingdom
Vertebrate…Phylum
Mammal…Class
Carnivore…Order
Canid… Family (includes foxes, wolves and coyotes)
Canid…Genus (wolves and coyotes)
Lupus (wolf) … Species

Once you feel your students have a grasp on the basic concept, have them pick three different species, preferably not all mammals, and have them research and document their taxonomy in this fairly simple manner.

A Lemur’s World

Modern Lemurs may be confined to a single large island and a small group of surrounding islands (Madagascar and the Comoro Islands) but this part of the world contains a broad range of habitats, from tropical rainforests and wetlands, to dry forests and savannas. Different habitats support different species of lemurs, which have evolved to live efficiently within the limits of their ecosystem. Have students research the geography of Madagascar and create and illustrate a map showing the various habitats and ecosystems present on the island. Then have them research three different species of lemurs and mark, with illustrations or flag markers, their range on the map. When presenting the map students should be able to describe some adaptations of the lemurs to their environments.

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