From the viewpoint of First Nations People Cynthia Schultz

FOUR LEGS - MAMMALS Mammals are animals that have hair, are warm-blooded, and nourish their young with milk. Mammals have to eat a lot to maintain their high body temperature. Diets vary from genus to genus. As with most animal groups, there are more herbivores (plant-eaters) than there are carnivores (meat-eaters). Types of Mammalian Diets: Herbivores (plant eaters), Carnivores (meat eaters), Omnivores (eat plants and meat), Insectivores (eat insects) They vary in shape, size, color. Many mammals served as food sources, clothing, aided in shelter. No parts of animals were ever wasted, everything was used.

WINGS - BIRDS Birds are warm-blooded vertebrate animals that have wings, feathers, a beak, no teeth and a skeleton. Birds have strong, hollow bones and powerful flight muscles. Most birds can fly. Birds have a very strong heart and an efficient way of breathing - these are necessary for birds to fly. Birds also use a lot of energy while flying and need to eat a lot of food to power their flight. Not all flying animals are birds; and not all birds can fly. The ability to fly has developed independently many times throughout the history of the Earth. Their feathers are used for: Flying - flight feathers, grow in the wings and the tail. Thermal insulation - soft down feathers that grow close to the skin keep birds from getting too cold or too hot Courtship and mating displays - these vary tremendously from species to species.

Modern-day birds do not have any teeth. Birds have a tongue, but unlike our tongue, a bird's tongue has a bone in it. Birds spend most of their time looking for food. Most birds are insectivores (they eat insects). Some birds are carnivores (meat-eaters). Some birds are mostly herbivores (plant-eaters). Other birds, like starlings, are omnivores (plant- and meat-eaters). Some birds are fruit-eaters. Birds mostly use their keen eyesight to find food. They use their beak and their claws to get bugs, worms, small mammals, fish, fruit, grain, or nectar. Birds play a very important part in the natural control of insets and in the dispersal of seeds and even pollinators.

Birds bear their young in hard-shelled eggs which hatch after some time. Some birds, like chickens, lay eggs each day, others may go for years between laying eggs. Birds build nests for breeding in trees, on cliffs, or on the ground. Most birds are taken care of by at least one parent until they are able to fly and get their own food. The incubation period of bird eggs varies from species to species. There's also some variability due to the temperature. Birds also vary in shape, size and color. Some birds were used as food sources.

SWIMMERS - FISH Fish rule the oceans and freshwater of the world. They are the most common group of vertebrates (creatures with backbones), and were also the first vertebrates. Most species only live in fresh or salt water, but some that live in the ocean come into freshwater to spawn, and a few can live in either fresh or salt water. Fish first arose about 540 million years ago as something similar to today's jawless lampreys and since then have diversified to a remarkable extent. Most of the early types of fish are now either extinct or very rare. The only extremely primitive fish types in Canada are the lampreys. Some of the fish that lack true bones, such as lampreys and sturgeons, live in Canada, but the vast majority in Canada and around the world are the bony fishes. There are almost species of fish around the world. Canada has fewer than 200 species of fish in its freshwaters. This is largely due to the glaciers, which scour the country clean of fish wherever they advance during ice ages. Between glaciations, fish slowly find their way back, but the numbers are always lower than they would be without the devastating work of the glaciers.

Some common fish are: Pike Walleye Jack Other water animals are: Seals Frogs Whales

TREES What is a Tree? Although most people are sure they can recognize them, a tree is defined as a woody, perennial plant that grows to a height of at least 4.5 metres. Conifers vs. Deciduous All trees in Canada can be distinguished as being a conifer or deciduous tree. Conifers are often called evergreens or needle- leaved trees (although there always exceptions). Conifers are also known as softwoods. Deciduous trees are often called broadleaf trees because most shed their leaves in autumn. Deciduous trees are also known as hardwoods. Trees were used for shelter, fire, boats, holding things, storage.

GRASSES - PLANTS Grasses provided food to bison and elk, deer and caribou, that the First Nations people ate. Grasses also protected the ground. Plants were used as medicines and food sources.