🐸 Rivers, lakes and ponds animal reports, grades 1–2
21 sheets, one animal each, so every child in a group gets a different one. Pick another set or one animal.
My report: the bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 28 in to 3.2 ft (71 to 97 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 7 to 14 lb (3.2 to 6.4 kg) |
| Top speed | 35 to 40 mph (56 to 64 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 20 years |
Read about it
The bald eagle is a big bird with a white head. It catches fish with its feet. It is not really bald!
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service (North American bald eagle), nps.gov/articles/bald-eagle.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Kenai Fjords, nps.gov/kefj/learn/nature/bald-eagle.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Upper Delaware, home.nps.gov/upde/learn/nature/baldeagles.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the saltwater crocodile
Crocodylus porosus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
The saltwater crocodile is the biggest reptile. It can swim in rivers and in the sea. Its eyes and nose stick up out of the water.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- US Fish and Wildlife Service rule, Federal Register 24 June 1996 (govinfo.gov), govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1996-06-24/html/96-15790.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the capybara
Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris · Grades 1–2
| Length | 3.9 ft (1.2 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | 24 in (61 cm) |
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 12 years |
Read about it
Capybaras are the biggest rodents. They love to swim. Birds sometimes sit on their backs!
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- US Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species: capybara profile, nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=2587, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the moose
Alces alces · Grades 1–2
| Length | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | 5 to 7 ft (1.5 to 2.1 m) |
| Weight | 701 to 1,400 lb (318 to 635 kg) |
| Top speed | 35 mph (56 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 15 to 25 years |
Read about it
Moose are the biggest deer. Male moose grow huge, flat antlers. They love to eat plants that grow in lakes and ponds.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Kenai Fjords, nps.gov/kefj/learn/nature/moose.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Rocky Mountain, nps.gov/romo/learn/nature/moose.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Denali, nps.gov/dena/learn/nature/moose.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Grand Portage, nps.gov/articles/000/mooz-moose.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the raccoon
Procyon lotor · Grades 1–2
| Length | 24 in to 3.1 ft (60 to 95 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | 9 to 12 in (23 to 31 cm) |
| Weight | 15 to 40 lb (6.8 to 18 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 1.8 to 3.1 years |
Read about it
Raccoons have a black mask and a ringed tail. Their front paws work like hands. They come out at night.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service (raccoon quick facts), nps.gov/articles/racoon.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Pipestone, nps.gov/pipe/learn/nature/mammals.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System, research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/prlo, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the north American beaver
Castor canadensis · Grades 1–2
| Length | 35 in to 3.3 ft (89 cm to 1 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 35 to 60 lb (16 to 27 kg) |
| Top speed | 5 mph (8.1 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 8 to 10 years |
Read about it
Beavers have a flat tail and big orange teeth. They chew down trees to build dams. A beaver family lives in a lodge in the pond.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Yellowstone, nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/beaver.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Acadia, nps.gov/articles/north-american-beaver-acadia.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Prince William Forest Park, nps.gov/prwi/learn/nature/beaver.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the west Indian manatee
Trichechus manatus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 8.9 to 9.8 ft (2.7 to 3 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 992 lb (450 kg) |
| Top speed | 15 mph (24 km/h) |
| How long it lives | 60 years |
Read about it
Manatees are gentle, slow swimmers. They munch sea grass and other plants. Their tail is flat like a paddle.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/species/manatee-trichechus-manatus, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Big Cypress National Preserve, nps.gov/bicy/learn/nature/mammals.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the american flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber · Grades 1–2
| Length | not checked yet: look it up! |
|---|---|
| Height | 4.9 ft (1.5 m) |
| Weight | 4 to 7.9 lb (1.8 to 3.6 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 40 to 60 years |
Read about it
Flamingos are pink birds with very long legs. They often stand on one leg. They eat with their beaks upside down in the water.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/american-flamingo, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the mallard
Anas platyrhynchos · Grades 1–2
| Length | 20 to 26 in (50 to 65 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 2 to 3.1 lb (900 g to 1.4 kg) |
| Top speed | 51 mph (83 km/h) |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
Mallards are ducks that swim in ponds. The male has a shiny green head. Only the female says quack.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/species/mallard-anas-platyrhynchos, checked 2026-10-30
- USGS, usgs.gov/news/dabbling-duck-flight-speeds-high-tech-update-21st-century, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the american alligator
Alligator mississippiensis · Grades 1–2
| Length | 8 to 11 ft (2.4 to 3.4 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 1,000 lb (454 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 50 years |
Read about it
The alligator is a big reptile with a wide, rounded snout. It lives in swamps and rivers. A mother alligator builds a nest of plants and stays close by.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Gulf Islands, nps.gov/guis/learn/nature/alligators.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/american-alligator, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the green anaconda
Eunectes murinus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 26 ft (8 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 551 lb (250 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 10 years |
Read about it
The green anaconda is a giant snake. It lives in rivers and swamps and swims very well. Its eyes and nose sit on top of its head.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- US Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species: green anaconda profile, nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=2636, checked 2026-10-30
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, Green anaconda, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/green-anaconda, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the american bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 3.5 to 8 in (9 to 20 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 1.8 lb (800 g) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 8 to 10 years |
Read about it
The American bullfrog is a big frog. Its call is deep and loud, like a bull. It lives in ponds and swims well with its webbed feet.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, nps.gov/chat/learn/nature/bullfrog.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Risk Screening Summary (quoting GISD 2009), fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Ecological-Risk-Screening-Summary-American-Bullfrog.pdf, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum · Grades 1–2
| Length | 12 in (30 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
The axolotl is a salamander that lives in water all its life. It has frilly gills on the sides of its head. Its wide mouth looks like a smile.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- US Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species: axolotl profile, nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=3973, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the hellbender
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis · Grades 1–2
| Length | 24 in (61 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 4.9 lb (2.2 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 40 years |
Read about it
The hellbender is a big, flat salamander. It lives under rocks in cold, clear streams. Its skin is wrinkly and slimy.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 'A Salamander's Struggle for Survival', fws.gov/story/2021-02/salamanders-struggle-survival, checked 2026-10-30
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/hellbender, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the goliath frog
Conraua goliath · Grades 1–2
| Length | 13 in (32 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 7.3 lb (3.3 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
The goliath frog is the biggest frog on Earth. It lives by fast rivers in Africa. It is a strong swimmer and a big jumper.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- Federal Register (US Fish and Wildlife Service), federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/1994/12/08/94-30132.txt, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the sockeye salmon
Oncorhynchus nerka · Grades 1–2
| Length | 18 to 30 in (46 to 76 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 4 to 15 lb (1.8 to 6.8 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 5 years |
Read about it
Sockeye salmon hatch in a stream and swim out to the sea. Later they swim all the way back home. When they come home, their bodies turn bright red!
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/sockeye-salmon, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the red-bellied piranha
Pygocentrus nattereri · Grades 1–2
| Length | 12 in (31 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 4 lb (1.8 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 10 years |
Read about it
Red-bellied piranhas have a red belly and sharp teeth. They live in rivers in South America. They eat insects, fish and seeds, and they are shy.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, Red-bellied piranha, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/red-bellied-piranha, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the common green darner
Anax junius · Grades 1–2
| Length | 3 in (7.6 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Top speed | 37 mph (60 km/h) |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
The green darner is a big dragonfly with a green body. It has four clear wings and huge eyes. It zooms over ponds, catching mosquitoes.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, nps.gov/miss/learn/nature/greendarner.htm, checked 2026-10-30
- National Park Service, Species Spotlight: Dragonflies, nps.gov/articles/species-spotlight-dragonflies.htm, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the blue crab
Callinectes sapidus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 9.1 in (23 cm) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 5.3 oz (150 g) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 3 to 4 years |
Read about it
The blue crab has a hard shell and two strong claws. Its back legs are flat like paddles, so it can swim. It runs sideways on the others.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- NOAA Fisheries, fisheries.noaa.gov/species/blue-crab, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the japanese giant salamander
Andrias japonicus · Grades 1–2
| Length | 4.9 ft (1.5 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | 51 lb (23 kg) |
| Top speed | not checked yet: look it up! |
| How long it lives | 70 years |
Read about it
The Japanese giant salamander is one of the biggest amphibians. It lives in cold, clear rivers in Japan. In the daytime it hides under rocks.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/japanese-giant-salamander, checked 2026-10-30
My report: the north American river otter
Lontra canadensis · Grades 1–2
| Length | 3.3 to 4.5 ft (1 to 1.4 m) |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Weight | not checked yet: look it up! |
| Top speed | 15 mph (24 km/h) |
| How long it lives | not checked yet: look it up! |
Read about it
River otters love to play. They slide on mud and snow, then splash into the water. They have webbed feet and a long, strong tail.
It lives in:
It eats:
The coolest thing I learned:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Yellowstone, nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/river-otter.htm, checked 2026-10-30