Animal Builders

by
Sophie Walker

Hello! This is Archi and his friend Gable. They love to explore the outdoors. Today, they are looking for animal builders. Did you know that many animals build their own homes? Let’s go find them!

Archi walks to a small, splashing stream. He sees a pile of logs and branches in the water. “Look!” shouts Archi. He meets Maple the beaver. Maple is a very busy builder. He is making a dam to stop the water.

How does Maple build his home? He uses his very strong, orange teeth! Maple gnaws on tree trunks until they fall down. He carries the wood to the water. He is a very strong animal builder.

Gable looks at the middle of the pond. She sees a big mound of sticks and mud. “Is that your house, Maple?” she asks. Maple nods and swims toward his lodge. The entrance is underwater to keep him safe and dry.

Next, Gable looks down at the ground. She sees a tiny hill of sand. This is an anthill! She meets Mandi the ant. Mandi is very small, but she is a great builder too. “We build deep under the ground,” Mandi says.

Mandi shows Gable the tunnels. Inside the anthill, there are many rooms. There are rooms for food and rooms for the baby ants. Mandi uses her tiny legs and jaws to move the dirt, one bit at a time.

Ants never work alone. Mandi and her friend are carrying a big green leaf back to the colony. They work together as a team. This makes their building very strong. Did you know that ants can carry things much heavier than themselves?

Archi looks up into a tall oak tree. High on a branch, he sees something round and brown. It is a bird’s nest! He meets Plume the bird. Plume is landing on the branch with a piece of dry grass in her beak.

Plume is a master weaver. She uses her beak like a needle. She weaves twigs, grass, and even spider webs together. This makes the nest soft and warm. Building a nest takes a lot of hard work and many trips.

Now the nest is finished! Plume sits inside her cozy home. She added soft feathers to the inside. Underneath her are three small, blue eggs. The nest keeps the eggs safe from the wind and the rain.

Maple, Mandi, and Plume are all amazing animal builders. They use wood, dirt, and grass to create their homes. Even though they are all different, they all work hard to build a place for their families.

Archi and Gable go back home. They are inspired by their animal friends! They take out their wooden blocks and start to build a tall tower. “We are builders too!” says Gable. What can you build today?