Objectives

Students explore change over time in ecological terms by comparing Zadock Thompson's illustrated nineteenth century catalog of mammals in Vermont with present-day statistics.

Vermont State Standards

1.19 Research; 3.9 Sustainability; 4.5 Continuity and Change; 4.6 Understanding Place; 6.4 Historical Connections; 6.6 Being a Historian; 6.7 Geographical Knowledge; 7.1 Scientific Method; 7.15 The Universe, The Earth and The Environment: Theories, Systems and Forces

Materials

• Selection from from Zadock Thompson's History of Vermont, Natural, Civil, and Statistical
• Research materials on modern wildlife populations in Vermont, including the list Mammals of Vermont compiled by the American Society of Mammalogists; The Nature of Vermont by Charles W. Johnson; Peterson First Guide to Mammals of North America and Peterson First Guide to Forests
• Materials for book-making

Instructional Plan I. Introduction to Zadock Thompson's History of Vermont

Introduce students to Zadock Thompson, who wrote the History of Vermont, Natural, Civil, Statistical. Place Thompson on the timeline if you have one in your classroom. [ Lesson Creating a Timeline ] In his book, Thompson illustrated and described many of the animals living in Vermont during his time. Show the class an example.

Thompson published his book in 1842. It is now over 150 years old. It is the students' task to update Chapter II, Quadrupeds. They must be as thorough and careful as Thompson himself! Begin by defining the word quadruped ("four-footed mammal").

II. Updating the catalog of quadrupeds

Divide the class into groups, assigning each group one or more of the quadrupeds in Thompson's catalog. Information on the mammals included on the list below will be particularly accessible to young researchers (page numbers refer to Thompson's History of Vermont):

• hoary bat or silver-haired bat, pp. 25 – 26
• black bear, pp. 28 – 29
• wolverine, p. 30
• otter, pp. 33 – 34
• wolf (extirpated from Vermont), p. 34
• red fox, p. 35
• lynx (endangered), p. 36
• bay lynx (now known as a bobcat), p. 37
• catamount (also known as a mountain lion, extirpated from Vermont), p. 37
• beaver, pp. 38 – 40
• grey squirrel or red squirrel, pp. 45 – 46
• moose (rare), pp. 49 – 50
• elk (extirpated from Vermont), p. 50
• deer, p. 51

Ask the student groups to thoroughly research each animal in their section and provide an illustration and a modern description answering the following questions:

• Does the animal still inhabit Vermont?
• If so, where exactly does it live?
• What are its prey?
• What are its predators?
• Do humans hunt it? Have they ever hunted it in the past? If so, what for?
• It is endangered, or extinct?
• If it is endangered or extinct, explain why.
• Does Zadock Thompson's description differ from modern descriptions? What are the differences?

When their research is completed, students compile their findings into a book format using desktop publishing software or cutting and pasting illustrations and typed descriptions onto paper which can be folded into a book.

III. Agents of Change

Using Thompson's book and the students' newly made book as sources, create a chart which animals that existed in the Champlain Valley in 1842 are endangered or extinct today. Have a classroom discussion about the reasons animal populations have changed. List agents of change. How else did these agents of change affect the landscape? Are changes still happening today, for the same reasons?

Assessment

Assess student research skills and group participation. Assess their catalog of mammals for completion and accuracy.

Extension

Ask students to research modern wildlife and habitat conservation efforts. Students may present a short report to the class describing a local or state conservation project they've learned about.