Today in science class we learned all about the Sika Deer. Like the Brown Bear last week, the Sika Deer also lives in Hokkaido. We learned that it is the only deer that doesn’t lose its spots when it grows older.
Then we learned about deer antlers. We learned that you can tell how old a deer is by how many points are on their antlers.
We also learned that deer grow and shed their antlers every year. And when they first grow, they are covered in velvet.
After watching a video on the growth cycle of deer antlers, the students got to observe a real antler.
We discussed how antlers are made out of bone, and just like the bones in your body, the inside has a lot of holes in it. The students could see for themselves and even touch the inside of the bone.
The students observed the antler with different senses: sight, touch, smell, sound. We wrote down our observations and drew a picture of the antler.
The students had fun examining the antler and discussing their observations. But be careful! The antler is sharp!
Kat
