By 4th graders

Whoooo Am I?

This presentation and guessing game is the result of lengthy research by a group of fourth graders. These students had to locate information on habits, diet, and habitat of egg layers of their choice. They had to locate information both online and in books from the school library.

The students then had to create a diary entry from the viewpoint of the animal and present it in a way to have you, the audience, guess the name of the creature, or at least be able to identify a near relative.

Each student then illustrated his selection.Can you guess each of these animals? Advance the slides

with a mouse click for answers and the next riddle.

Whooo0 am I?

Dear Diary,Today is the 15th day of summer. My nest is built

near the saltwater creek that I call home and I laid 70 eggs that will take 10 weeks to hatch. Tonight, I have to go hunting for food to sustain my strength. Something wonderful like deer or even small, like a crow will satisfy me. My babies will feed on insects and frogs once born .My eggs need to hatch so I can hibernate from October to March. My day has been so boring protecting my nest from predators. One would think others would know to fear me since I will gladly clamp my powerful jaws on them if they get too close. I don’t like it when other creatures- including humans- get too near. The color of my hide offers the perfect camouflage along muddy banks and in murky waters where I will sometimes take my prey into a death roll. I hope I never have a busy day like this again!

Who am I?

I am an Alligatorby A. K.

Dear Diary, I am so happy in the ocean eating animals

with hard shells and other things like jellyfish, fish, seaweed, and brown algae called sargassum. I lay eggs. Sometimes I can be very active. I live in oceans all over the world except for the coldest seas. I am threatened by many predators, pollution, human real estate development in my nesting areas, and fishing nets. I lay my eggs every two to three years. After mating I head to the shore where I lay my eggs in the sand. When my babies hatch, they will have to get to the water as fast as they can before the seagulls make a meal out of them. They will, like me, have to look out for sharks no matter how big we get.

Who am I???

I am a Loggerhead Turtleby K. B.

Dear Diary,Today was horrible I just laid 353 eggs on land. I am going to eat a lot of crayfish and aquatic plants before I have to sit on my eggs for 67 days. Although I am blind I have to catch my pray by felling. These people in Canada are being mean to me and they kill my type and I think I am next .

 My husband and I never break up even if we are separated. As I am trying to catch crayfish in the water my husband comes over and it is time to sit on my eggs again.

Who am I?

I am a European Olm Salamanderby A. L.

Dear Diary;

Today was great I finally got a good days’ rest because my eggs hatched, and I had been sitting on those eggs for 78 days and I couldn`t sleep very well. Today when I was digging for worms and grubs, small insects, fallen fruit ,or anything else I could eat, I got chased by a wolf. I sure do wish I had wings so I could just fly up a tree. I barely slipped away! A lot of my family died because we are losing the land that we live on. All these humans are bringing these big things that are digging our underground burrows that we live in, here in the southern hemisphere, about two thousand miles away from Australia. It was better when my ancestors lived here, as far back as seven million years before these humans were even alive.

 Who am I????

I am a Kiwi Birdby H. D.

Dear Diary,

Today was the worst day ever! My husband won’t hush up about our 1,000 eggs that I laid. That’s pretty much all he talks about these days instead of ME! Although, I do feel very sad for him: He lost his leg in a fishing net yesterday, and it won’t grow back for weeks. On the bright side, here in Mexico City, it is a beautiful cold winter day in Lake Xochimilco. Tomorrow the Tiger Salamander, our cousin is coming over. I can’t wait until the eggs hatch in only in a few more days. It can usually take from 14 to 20 days, depending on the temperature for the eggs to incubate, but luckily, we’re almost at the end of our time. I hope that when my babies hatch, nothing harms them. I also hope the eggs don’t get eaten tonight either by predators. Our population is decreasing because we are rare and people think we are strange. Collectors grab us to live in aquariums and scientists are experimenting with us by cutting off our arms and legs to watch how fast they grow back. I do think it’s kind of cool being rare.

Who Am I?

I am an Axolotlby E. Y.

Dear Diary, I was so happy in my coral reef, crushing small fish

and invertebrates with my sharp teeth, when some hunters caught me and put me in a big fish tank in an aquarium! Of course, I’m OK with it because I like people. But a lot of people think my kind is a man eater! What scientist made that up? Plus, the first day I was there, I laid my eggs! What’s up with that? Now they are going to hatch and this tank is too small for many of us! I’m not looking forward to being crowded. Help Me!!!!!!!! .And Guess what? They just put outside my tank, a sign that says I am brown, was found in a coral reef, and I am a female. Why? Are humans blind? They can see I am brown, a female, and my habitat is a coral reef since my tank is designed to look like one! Plus, they think my life is a lot better here! Well, actually it is worse because I do not have the freedom to roam and hunt at will. So, now I am sitting here waiting for my meal. I better just get used to my new life.

Who Am I?

I am a White Spotted Bamboo Sharkby H. M.

Dear Diary

Today was awful! I laid eggs! -1000 eggs to be exact, in the pond that I call home here in China. My husband is fighting off predators that will harm my unborn babies and will continue to do so over the next 50 to 60 days while I am trying to find all the food I can, such as small fish and worms .

I am a meter (about 3 feet) long and can weigh as much as 11 kg (24 lbs) and it takes a lot of food to keep me going. I am the biggest salamander in the world and I can’t find a scrap of food. In captivity, I can live a long time. The oldest of my kind lived to be 52 years old, but most of us live on average from 15 to 30 years.

WHOO AM I? 

I am a Chinese Giant Salamanderby R. M.

Dear Diary,It is so hot down here in Australia, that I decided to go into the rainforest. I wish I could fly but, I’m not avian. When I got to the rainforest, I pushed through the vines with my large crest atop my 5 foot height. It was much cooler there. I found some fruit. If I ever have another person chase me again, I’ll use my sharp claws and powerful kick to get rid of them. Today has been a good day until now. Istood on my favorite log and I fell through it. My weight of 60 kg has gotten the best of me. Sometimes I don’t want to leave my hiding spot because of the destruction to our habitat by humans. Well I’d better find another cool place to hide.WHOOO AM I ?

I am a Cassowaryby L. B.

Dear Diary,Sorry I haven’t written for a few days, but I was gone

laying eggs with a friend. Today, like two years ago, I laid my eggs on Orange Beach. I laid 127 eggs, and I was crying my green head off the whole time, while, most likely, my ignorant husband was relaxing in the sun, riding the waves! But while I was laying my eggs, hunters tried to capture me with nets, not just once, but twice! Of course, this happens every time I lay eggs, and this is why we’re endangered. Luckily, my friend protected me and posed for all the pictures. I just hope my babies weren’t poisoned or worse and can still dig out of the egg nest and crawl to the water when they hatch to eat invertebrates like crabs, jellyfish, and sponges. Yum, that sounds delicious… which reminds me, I’m going to go feed on some grasses and algae. And I need to tell my husband that I’m back. Later!

Whooo am I?

I am a Green Sea Turtleby R. T.