This lesson explores how structures in nature shape the landscape, how they can be improved, and how beavers play an important role in shaping the environment around them.

Curriculum connections

Science & Technology (2022) Grade 3

D1.2 assess the environmental impacts of structures built by various animals, in-cluding structures built by humans
D2.1 describe a structure as a supporting framework that holds a load and has a definite size, shape, and function, and identify structures in the natural environment and in the built environment
D2.3 identify the strength of a structure as its ability to support a load and describe ways to increase the strength of structures, including ways to increase strength of different materials used to build them
D2.4 describe the stability of a structure as its ability to keep its shape, maintain balance, float, and/or stay fixed in one spot when a force is applied to the structure, and describe ways to improve a structure’s stability