🐸 Rivers, lakes and ponds animal reports, grades 5–6
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 5–6
| 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 the national bird of the United States. Pairs build enormous nests of sticks at the tops of tall trees and add to them every year, so old nests become huge. Bald eagles almost disappeared from much of the country, partly because of a pesticide called DDT; after it was banned and the birds were protected, they came back.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles. Special glands on the tongue let them get rid of extra salt, so they can travel along coasts and out to sea. They are patient hunters that wait at the water's edge. Hunting made them rare in many places, but protection has helped them come back in northern Australia.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 live in groups near water and spend the day eating grass and water plants, then resting in the shade or in the water. If something scary comes near, they dive in and can stay under for quite a while. Like all rodents, they have front teeth that never stop growing, and chewing tough grass wears them down. Many other animals share their wetlands, from birds to turtles, and jaguars and anacondas hunt capybaras, so staying near the water is their best escape.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 largest members of the deer family, and they live in cold northern forests with plenty of lakes and swamps. In summer they eat leaves and water plants, which give them the salt they need, and in winter they browse on twigs and bark. A moose swims well and may cross a whole lake. Moose usually live alone, except for mothers with their calves.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 live in forests, near streams and in towns, and they are most active after dark. They eat almost anything, from berries and nuts to crayfish and insects, which is why they sometimes visit trash cans. Their hind feet can turn backward, which lets them climb down trees headfirst. Raccoons are smart and good at solving puzzles, like opening latches, but wild raccoons should never be fed or handled, so it is best to watch them from a distance.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 are the largest rodents in North America. When a beaver slaps its flat tail on the water, it makes a loud splash that warns the rest of the family. Their ponds and wetlands become homes for fish, frogs, ducks, otters and many other animals, and they hold water through dry times. Beavers were trapped for their fur until they were nearly gone from many places, but they were protected and now live again across most of North America.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 mammals, and their closest living relatives are elephants. They need warm water, so in cold weather many gather at warm springs. Sandy plants wear their teeth down, so new teeth keep moving forward from the back of the jaw. Boats are one of the biggest dangers to manatees, so people set slow-speed zones in manatee waters, and protection has helped manatees do better.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
A flamingo feeds with its head upside down, pumping water through its bill so that comb-like plates trap the food. Scientists think that standing on one leg helps it keep warm in cool water. Flamingos live in big, noisy flocks and build nests of mud shaped like little hills. Both parents feed their chick a rich red liquid called crop milk, made in their throats.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 dabbling ducks: they feed at the surface and in shallow water instead of diving deep. The male is colorful, but the female is speckled brown, which hides her when she sits on the nest. A gland near the tail makes oil, and the duck spreads it over its feathers with its bill to keep them waterproof. Mallards are the wild ancestors of most farm ducks, and many wild mallards fly south in fall.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
American alligators are reptiles, so they warm up by basking in the sun and cool off in the water. Their swamp pools, called gator holes, hold water through dry spells and give fish, turtles and birds a place to stay. The warmth of the nest decides whether the eggs hatch into males or females. Alligators became rare in the past because of hunting, but laws that protected them let them recover, and now they are a conservation success story.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
Green anacondas are the heaviest snakes in the world, though they are not the longest. They live in slow rivers and flooded forests, and their eyes and nostrils sit high on the head so they can stay hidden while almost everything else is under the water. Unlike most snakes, the mother gives birth to live babies instead of laying eggs. Females are much bigger than males.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 the largest frog in North America. Like other frogs, it breathes partly through its skin, and in winter it rests on the bottom of a pond. Males call at night in summer, and their deep voices carry across the water. Bullfrogs have been brought to places far from their home, where they eat local frogs and crowd them out, so wildlife managers in some areas work to keep their numbers down.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
Axolotls reach full size and can lay eggs without ever changing into land animals, which is why they still look like young salamanders. Scientists study how they regrow body parts, hoping to learn how healing works. In the wild, axolotls live only in the canals near Mexico City, and they are critically endangered, because the city has grown and the water has become polluted. People are cleaning the canals and making safe places for wild axolotls to live.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
Hellbenders are the largest salamanders in North America, and they spend their whole lives in the water. They need cool, clear, fast streams with plenty of oxygen and loose rocks to hide under, so they are a sign of a healthy stream. Muddy or warm water makes them disappear from a stream. Zoos raise young hellbenders and set them free in streams, and people plant trees along the banks to keep the water cool and clean.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
Goliath frogs are the largest frogs alive. Their tadpoles need clear, fast, oxygen-rich water, so the frogs live only along a few rivers in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. They are endangered because forests are cut down and rivers get muddy, and because some are caught for food. Protected areas and local scientists are helping to keep them safe.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 spend most of their lives in the North Pacific, eating plankton and tiny shrimp-like krill, which give their flesh its deep red color. When it is time to head home, they use the smell of the water, which they remember from when they were small, to find their own stream. Their journeys carry food from the sea to the forests, helping bears, eagles and even trees. Some groups of sockeye are in trouble because of dams and warming rivers, so people build fish ladders and protect streams.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 eat a mix of foods: fish, insects, seeds and fruit that fall into the water, and the leftovers of dead animals, which helps keep rivers clean. Scientists who study them say they are shy and far less dangerous than the stories claim. Piranhas talk to each other with barks, grunts and croaks, and they replace their teeth one whole side of the jaw at a time. They live in warm rivers and flooded forests in South America, where the water rises every rainy season.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
Green darners are among the few dragonflies that make long migrations. In fall many fly south to warmer places, and their young fly back north in spring. Scientists have followed them with tiny radio tags to learn where they go. Darners need clean ponds and wetlands, where their nymphs can grow up safely.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
Blue crabs live in bays and river mouths, where fresh river water mixes with salty sea water. Their scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, starts with a word that means beautiful swimmer. Baby blue crabs drift in the sea and look nothing like their parents, then settle into grassy beds and marshes that hide them while they grow. Crabs are food for many animals, and fishers catch them in traps, so people protect marshes and seagrass and set limits on how many crabs may be caught.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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 belongs to a small family of giant salamanders that includes the Chinese giant salamander and the North American hellbender. It is slow and quiet, and spends its days in a burrow in the riverbank or under rocks. Dams, concrete river walls and dirty water hurt it, so in Japan it is protected as a special natural monument and people work to keep its rivers clean.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
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 5–6
| 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
North American river otters are in the weasel family, with two layers of fur: long hairs on top and a soft, thick coat underneath that traps air to keep the otter warm. Otters play a lot, and scientists think play helps young otters learn and stay together as a family. Because otters need clean water full of fish, they are a good sign of a healthy river. Pollution and hunting once made them rare in many places, but after cleanups and protection, otters are back in many rivers.
Habitat and range: where on Earth, and what the place is like:
Diet: what it eats, and what might eat it:
Adaptations: two ways its body or habits help it survive:
Is it in danger? Why or why not?:
Compare it with another animal you know:
Bibliography: write each source below as site, page title, date checked:
Where my facts came from
- National Park Service, Yellowstone, nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/river-otter.htm, checked 2026-10-30