Birth, Growth and... Reproduction!

Grades 11 and 12, Secondary 5 Activity

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General Description

Perhaps because it lives primarily in the Canadian Arctic, the Arctic hare is probably one of the least known mammals of our vast country. This activity will focus on the life cycle of the hare.

Link with the Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes

• 313-1 -- Analyze and explain the life cycle of a representative organism from each kingdom, including a representative virus.

Links with Other Subjects

• Social Studies (Geography)
• Language

Duration

Approximately 45 minutes (plan for more time if the students draw).

Preparation

The information relating to this activity is found on the Web site Ukaliq: The Arctic Hare (http://nature.ca/ukaliq).

Before conducting this activity in the classroom, you will need to:

• go to the site and read the sections relating to the activity: Characteristics, Habitat, Range, Eat and Be Eaten, Breeding Behaviour, Life Cycle, Naming & Classifying
• familiarize yourself with the life cycles of members of other kingdoms (Plantae, Protista, Monera and Fungi)
• write down the months of the year and cut each one out.

Required Materials

• computer with Internet access
• paper and pencils
• coloured pencils, if necessary.

Objectives

Students will:

• ask themselves about the habits of the Arctic hare
• describe the life cycle of the Arctic hare
• compare the life cycle of the Arctic hare to the cycles of other mammals and members of other kingdoms.

Introduction

As you ask the students questions, draw up a list of facts they know about the Arctic hare, other hares, and rabbits. Some answers may include the differences between hares and rabbits, references to their biology and behaviour, or the different climates in which they live.

Before going any further, ask them to define the following terms: weaning, reingestion, sexual maturity and lagomorph.

Development

Post the months of the year on the board. Explain to students that the goal of the activity is to describe the life cycle of the Arctic hare, which is an annual cycle. Ask them questions in order to draft a cycle with them.

Next, guide students through the Internet (including Ukaliq: The Arctic Hare) to find relevant information and ask them to add to the draft that you have made together. Make sure that they divide the cycle into months and that they describe the hare's activity and living conditions (temperature, sunshine, darkness). Encourage them to begin with the month of June, when the leverets are born. If they would prefer, give them the option of drawing the cycle, stipulating that the final product must contain the same information.

Here are a few examples of information that should appear in each month:

• June -- leverets are born covered in greyish brown fur that acts as camouflage, spring thaw, 24-hour sunlight, the average temperature is -2 °C
• July -- the young grow very quickly, the mother comes to nurse them every 18 or 19 hours, thus at a different time every day, but in the same place, the vegetation is more lush and the average temperature is 5°C.

Conclusion

When they have finished, ask the students to answer the following questions:

• How does the Arctic hare's life cycle differ from the life cycle of another Arctic mammal?
• How does the Arctic hare's life cycle differ from that of another Canadian mammals in general?

Suggestions for Student Work

Students compare the Arctic hare's life cycle to the life cycle of a member of the four other kingdoms (Plantae, Protista, Monera and Fungi).

Expanding the Lesson

Students compare the Arctic hare's life cycle with what they know of the human life cycle.