Summer 2001

This issue of Puddler explores animal “fashions”...the fur, feathers, scales, and other body coverings animals wear. Readers learn fun facts about the function of these physical features, as well as how they're used to classify animals. They discover that some animals even “change their clothes,” as detailed in the More About feature on molting waterfowl.

 

Special Feature: “Animal Outsides”
Each day, we cover ourselves in clothes. Our clothes help protect us, make us look good and sometimes give others information about our activities (such as outfits we wear for sports, clubs and special events). While humans are the only animals to get dressed each day, other animals depend on the “clothes” nature gave them, too. Animal coverings serve many of the same purposes that humans' clothing do. They have evolved over time to help animals adapt to their environment. And, animal outsides are useful to scientists who study and classify animals according to similar characteristics (such as those belonging to mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians or crustaceans).

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More About...“Molting”
Waterfowl shed their feathers and grow new ones twice each year as adults. The process of losing one set of feathers (called a plumage) and growing a new one is called molting. Molting can be a dangerous time, because waterfowl are flightless while their wing feathers are growing in.

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K-3 activity

4-6 activity