The purpose of this activity is to expand the world of your young environmentalist(s) to include knowledge of living things that exist above the earth, below the earth and in-between (on the earth).  What better way to do this than to create a photo collage of pictures you and your child take in these three important components of the environment?  This is a great activity to practice both organizational and observation skills. You can even do this in conjunction with a trip to the park, zoo or aquarium!

To start, take any magazine or newspaper and look for pictures that show living things above, on and under the ground.  Take a big piece of paper and divide it into three parts. Next, label them "In the sky," "On the ground," and "Down below."  Then paste your pictures where they belong.

For example:

In the sky Bees Birds Butterflies

On the ground People Animals Plants

Down below Fish Sea Mammals Burrowing Animals

Now take your camera and go explore!  The biggest challenge will be getting pictures of things that live under the ground; that’s where the zoo and aquarium come in handy!  The penguins alone provide an example of an animal that lives on the ground and also under the water, but not in the air.  

Print your pictures and sort your photos into the three areas you used when making your magazine collage: In the sky, On the ground, and Down below.  

You may want to revisit this activity during different seasons.  The branches of that big cherry tree in the park will be teaming with bees in the spring, but bare as bones in the winter (except for the squirrel’s nest way up high in its branches).  

In order to encourage your child to think about what lives where and why, I've included storybooks to read together.  Although they are works of fiction, the text and illustrations offer opportunity to observe the world in the sky, on the ground and down below.

Tops and Bottoms, by Janet Stephens, 1995
A smart rabbit, who needs to feed his growing family, uses his knowledge of crops that grow above, on, and below the ground to outwit the lazy bear who owns the field.  

Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot Air Balloon Ride, by Marjorie Price, 2005
While it is true that the first passengers to travel in a hot air balloon were a rooster, a duck and a sheep, they most likely did not have the exact adventure this dramatically illustrated tale tells!

Dear Mr. Blueberry, by Simon James, 1996
Convinced that a whale is living in her backyard wading pool, a young girl asks for guidance as to how to care for it by corresponding with her Science teacher, Mr. Blueberry.

You also might want to take another look at Disney’s Finding Nemo.  This time stop the movie from time to time and notice the living things in their home environment.