Prairies

This type of ecosystem includes animals such as wolves, prairie dogs, prairie chickens, bison, and eagles. Fire is an important part of the prairie life cycle, as are bison migrations. Bison are a keystone species and habitat engineers who make wallows, used by prairie chickens for mating, as well as many other species.

Most of the world's prairies are found in North America, and used to make up 1/3rd of the United States of America. There are also prairies in Canada

USA

Iowa

• Tall Grass Prairie Center: Educator Resources "The links below have been created by the staff of the Tallgrass Prairie Center and Green Iowa AmeriCorps members over the years and provide a range of information, lessons, activities, and other resources for the formal and informal educator. The aim of this page is to assist teachers of all varieties with options and ideas to connect youth to the outdoors and our lost and limited landscape of Iowa tallgrass prairie."

Louisiana

• The University of Louisiana at Lafayette: The Ecology Center: K-12 Educational Programs these include a variety of opportunities. For example students can: 

  • "learn about designing scientific experiments"

  • " Students germinate native plant seeds, and plant seedlings into our coastal prairie habitat. The Coastal Roots program educates students about plant life-cycles, and engages them with local environmental issues and restoration efforts."

  • "Campers visit the Ecology  Center to learn about the history and unique characteristics of the Louisiana “Cajun Prairie” through hands-on activities and presentations."

  • "The Ecology Center partners with local high schools to provide research opportunities for students."

  • "As part of their science coursework, students from fifth, sixth, and seventh grades are able to learn about the Louisiana Cajun Prairie at The Ecology Center. Each grade is given a tour of the Cajun Prairie restoration, learns how to process seeds by hand and with the seed blower, and is given individualized activities. Fifth grade and sixth grades focus on learning how to identify native species and are treated to a native insect, grasses, and flower scavenger hunt armed with digital cameras to document their findings. Seventh grade examines and compares the plant and insect biodiversity within the four different ecosystems all in existence at the UL Ecology Center: cut lawn, restored prairie, unmanaged land, and bottomland hardwood.  The Ecology Center also partners with the students in an on-going project to create a native butterfly garden habitat on campus at Berchman's Academy."

Texas

• Deep in the Heart Wildlife: Learning Resources (K-12) These videos include important Texas species and ecosystems including American Bison, Black Bear, Ecosystems of the Gulf Coast, and Guadalupe Bass. Click under each topic to apply for the teaching and learning materials.