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     The illustrations in this book are examples of the fourth 

grade lesson on the art and life of Georgia O’Keeffe.   She is 

revered as one of America’s greatest painters, and a very 

important female artist.   Her work became famous for its bright 

and beautiful colors. Her subjects came from the natural 

environment around her.   This included animal bones, flowers, 

shells, and desert landscapes.   She presented her subjects with 

a cropped and enlarged view, which resulted in her unique 

abstract style of painting.

     The fourth grade students have been researching Indiana 

animals in the computer lab, library, and classroom. Each 

student created an original artwork inspired by their animal.  

Then using chalk pastels and analogous colors, (colors that are 

next to each other on the color wheel), they created a work of 

art inspired by O’Keeffe’s style.

     Each example shows a view of what the student chose as 

the most unique part of their animal.   Can you guess what their 

animal is?

Southern Leopard Frog

By Meghan

     Hippoty hop…   What is that? Wow, it is a southern leopard frog!   They are all 

brown with a green stripe down the middle, and spots on their legs, dark brown 

strips along the back also. The frog can get up to 5.1-9cm long. It can jump 

forward with its big legs. It can hop fast and quick to outsmart the prey. They are 

also very fat and long so you can spot it easy. The southern leopard frog has a 

backbone and that is called a vertebrate.

    Southern Leopard frog’s habitat is all over the place in Indiana like streams, 

floodplain swamps, woodland pounds, sloughs, marshes, and wet meadows. Do 

you know what all of these places have in common? They are wet. Frog habitats 

are very awesome! 

     The Southern Leopard frog has a diet do you know what it is? The frog eats… 

insects, centipedes, earthworms, snails, spiders, beetles, and their best friend the 

small frog! To eat, the frog closes its eyes and pushes the food down into the 

stomach with its eyes.

     A Southern Leopard frog is very interesting to look at, because it is very small. 

Did you know that their eyes are hard? They also have a long tongue to catch 

bugs.   Females may deposit 3,000-5,000 eggs in big sets of piles. Tadpoles have 

olive green/dark brown spots. Their breeding season is early March to May.  

Southern leopard frogs are the best!!! There are a lot of southern leopard frogs all 

over wet places!

Gray Fox

By Douglas

     Crunch crunch, what is that? It’s a gray fox that stepped on a twig.   The gray 

fox is in the dog family.   They have a narrow snout (just like a dog).   The gray 

fox has a big bushy tail.   They can be 32 to 57 inches long (that’s almost two 

yards long).  

     Munch munch, there he is again, eating a rat.   Here are some things they 

eat.   They also eat mice and poultry.   The bird eats the worm and the fox eats 

the bird.   They also eat vegetables that farmers grow.  

     The gray fox also lives in many places. But here are a few. They live in 

mountains and deserts. They also live in forests.   That’s the main place they 

live.   The gray fox also lives near cities.   They live in south Indiana 

     Here are super fun facts about the gray fox.   Fact #1, the gray fox rarely 

falls for the dirt hole set.   That’s a trap.   Fact #2, a new born fox looks like a rat.  

Fact #3, they lick each other when dirty.   Fact #4, most of the foxes mate once 

every year.   The female gives birth to 14 babies.   Then they open their eyes 5 

weeks after birth.   Fact #5, the gray fox usually live in dens.   The dens are 

usually made by other animals that dug and left.   Fact #6, the fox has a few 

enemies. One is humans.   People hunt the fox for their fur.    Some people raise 

the fox for their fur.   The gray fox is a cool animal.   Hope you will see a gray fox 

sometime.

Indiana Bat 

by Max

     Aggghhhh! That’s the sound of people screaming at the innocent Indiana bat. The 

Indiana bat is a small sized bat. Its head and body is usually about 1.5-2 inches long. 

This bat only weighs about ¼ of an ounce. That’s light for a bat. The Indiana bat has a 

pinkish nose. These bats are black so they can go out at night and it won’t be seen easily

     The Indiana Bat has an interesting food chain and habitat. They prefer colder places 

from 39-46 degrees. These bats also like to hunt at night and in the summer. These bats 

will only hibernate in certain caves. The Indiana bat is a very picky bat. They hibernate 

with a lot of individuals. Sometimes up to thousands of other bats! The Indiana bat will 

eat any night flying insect including crop pests. Because they eat so many different 

insects they are very useful to farmers and their crops so they don’t eat their plants. 

They don’t just eat a lot of different insects, but, they also eat a lot of them each night. 

Sometimes up to thousands each night. The Indiana bat locates its prey with a high 

pitched sound and when it goes over an animal it comes back to the bat as an echo. It’s 

kind of like a supersonic wave that we humans can’t hear.

     There are some very interesting facts about the Indiana Bat. First of all, all bats are 

being mistreated. Bats do good things to our planet but not very many people like bats. 

Not even dogs and cats because sometimes they encounter them. The Indiana bat is a 

rare bat. It is known to be an endangered species. There are only about 244,000 of them 

still living. The population has declined by about 50%. That’s why when female bats 

migrate they go in groups of about 100. That’s not a lot of bats per group. Those are 

some facts about the very interesting Indiana Bat.

Blanding’s Turtle

by Holly

     This animal is very amazing.    Blanding’s Turtles are six to eight inches.  

They have a dark blackish smooth shells with tan and yellow.   Blanding’s 

Turtles have domed shells and dark blotches on their shells.   Sometimes 

they have long necks.

     The Blanding’s turtles live in shallow water.   They live in the northern 

third of Indiana.   Most of the time they live in swamps, weedy marshes, and 

sloughs. 

     The Blanding Turtle eats…   They eat crustaceans.   Blanding’s Turtles love 

to eat snails. They eat a lot of insects. This creature sometimes eats 

tadpoles. Most of the things Blanding’s Turtles eat are underwater.  

     Blanding’s turtles have fun facts to learn about. The female Blanding 

Turtle lays about six to twenty one eggs.   A female seeks nesting sites.  

They are endangered.   This creature is very uncommon.   Raccoons take 

their eggs.   Females lay their eggs around June. They can live up to 70 

years or more.   These turtles are very amazing to know about.

Muskrat

By Sasha 

     Muskrats have long dark reddish brown fur.   A muskrat can stay 

under water for 20 min.   If it stays under water for too long it will 

drown.   People use musk glands to make perfume.    As many as 32 

muskrats can share a pond the size of a football field.  

     Nearly all plants growing in and near the water areas are eaten, 

but cattails are the backbone of their diet. Muskrats eat food that’s 

good and useful. Food is not stored for the winter so they must dig 

roots for food. Muskrats have durable outer fur while the under fur is 

fine, soft, and water proof. The muskrats are well equipped for their 

aquatic habitat.   Muskrats live in long streams. Muskrats have been 

taken by people for their fur.

Red Foxes

By Lukas

     Red foxes are amazing animals. Their guard hairs make them appear larger 

than they actually are, so predators will think they’re bigger and stronger. They 

look yellowish-red from a distance. But if you get closer you will see its white 

throat. If it is an adult it should be three feet. They are also eight to fourteen 

pounds. One phase that is uncommon is it looks silver, because white hairs cover 

black hairs. Red foxes are fascinating.

     Red foxes eat lots of different things and live in many places. They eat almost 

anything smaller than them. For example rabbits, ground squirrels, and birds. The 

biggest thing that harms them is hunters. We are trying to make fox hunting 

illegal. Hunters track red foxes in the winter by following footprints. Red foxes are 

usually found in open, non-forest areas, like old fields animals dug up and left. 

They can take a den by scenting it. This means other foxes will know it is their 

territory. Red foxes are awesome creatures.

     Red foxes are interesting animals. Night is dangerous for red foxes. This is 

because hounds will attack them. If the father dies the family may starve. On the 

bright side there are more red foxes than any other fox. Newborn red foxes are 

blind until they are nine days old. Finally they can see. As you can see red foxes 

are exciting animals.

Coyotes

by Kyle

     Many animals are interesting but not as much as a coyote. Coyotes 

look identical to a German Shepherd in shape, but it hangs its long tail 

down to its rear. The color of a coyote is usually a grizzled gray, like a 

wolf. It can weigh 20 - 50 pounds, and in length, about 50 inches from 

snout to tail.

     Coyotes can live in a lot of places. They can live in prairies; they 

like it there because many animals they snack on live there, like 

rabbits, and they want their babies to be safe. The most common 

place is the desert, but they also live in the woods and caves. The 

coyote eats meat, like rabbits, mice, deer, and even insects. The 

coyote doesn’t have any predators.  

     These are some interesting facts. Did you know that coyotes are 

known for their smartness and howling at night? And, they are the 

same species as dog. And the hunters are starting to shoot them. 

Coyotes are so cool animals!

Bald Eagles

by Noah

     Do you know what a bald eagle looks like?   Bald eagles have a white head, 

brownish bill, white tail, and dandelion colored feet!   Its wingspan is 7 and half 

feet! Bald eagles also stand 3 and half feet tall.   Bald eagles are very special birds. 

It is against the law to shoot bald eagles because they are on the United States 

quarter. If I saw a bald eagle I would be surprised how big it would be. 

     Bald eagles are found everywhere.   Did you know that the bald eagles nest is 

one of the biggest nests in history? Its nest is made up of thousands of little twigs, 

moss, grass, pine needles and feathers.   The nest is usually 150 feet up in the air.  

It is six feet wide and six feet deep.   Bald eagles diet is made up of mice, fish, 

rabbit, waterfowl and squirrel. It’s amazing how much they can fit in their 

stomachs.

     Here are some interesting facts about a bald eagles can live 48 years old some 

only live 25 years.   When a bald eagle catches fish it brings it up into trees and 

consumes them for about 3 days.   It only eats the tender parts and leaves all the 

cartilage.   Bald eagles weigh 5-14 pounds.   When bald eagles are diving for prey 

they can reach 100 miles per hour. At normal flight they fly about 57 miles per 

hour.   73 eaglets were obtained from Alaska and Wisconsin during 1985 through 

1989 and brought to Indiana.   That is the extraordinary life of a bald eagle. 

Box Turtles

By Lauren 

     Have you ever read about box turtles? Box turtles are small to medium sized, 

they have an average size of 4-5 inches.   Box turtles also have a very colorful shell 

with orange to yellow spots, or stripes on their shells.   Sometimes they have the 

spots and stripes on their skin.   Box turtles have great eye sight and excellent 

sense of smell.   Box turtles can live up to 60 years, but some have been known to 

live up to 100 years of age.   Box turtles are not an endangered species. They are 

one of the most common turtles in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. 

      What is a box turtles habitat like?   What does a box turtle eat?   What eats it?  

Box turtles like grassy shady areas like grasslands and ponds, and the trees 

towering above them.   Things that eat box turtles are raccoons, wolfs, skunks, 

coyotes, dogs, crows, hogs, and snakes.   Box turtles eat fruits, worms, slugs, 

insects, and mushrooms.

     Do you know some interesting facts about box turtles? Some box turtles will 

eat dog food. A box turtle in its shell looks like a box, and when in their shell a flap 

closes to protect it. That is how it got its name “box turtle”. Box turtles have been 

around for over 200 million years before birds, lizards, and alligators.   They can 

live in any climate. Box turtles can live in any continent except Antarctica. Box 

turtles are some cool animals!

Allegheny Wood Rat

By Griffin

      Do you know anything about the Allegheny wood rat?   If you ever see one 

during the day in the city, you should be surprised because it is a nocturnal animal 

that doesn’t like any light at all. That means it sleeps during the day and finds 

food during night. 

     This is what an Allegheny wood rat looks like. It has cinnamon color fur or a 

brownish color fur. It is 18 inches long including its tail. The wood rat's tail helps it 

swim. The Wood rat's tail is also brown with black spots on it.    

     The Allegheny wood rat has an interesting habitat. Also the reason you should 

be surprised if you see one in the city is because it lives in forests or woods. 

Sometimes you might find one in a cave. If you are by a steep cliff face were it is 

rocky you might find an Allegheny Wood rat. The Allegheny wood rat eats plant 

material. Some plant material could be fruit. The Allegheny wood rat would eat 

that. It would also eat the stem of that plant. The things that eat it are snakes, 

owls, weasels, foxes and raccoons.

     Here are some interesting facts about the Allegheny wood rat. The Allegheny 

wood rat usually lives 3 years in the wild. If you keep an Allegheny Wood rat it 

might live longer.   An Allegheny wood rat is a clean rat. Now you should know 

What a Allegheny wood rat is.

Beavers

By Allison

     Chuck, chuck, chuck. That is the sound of a beaver. They are the 

biggest rodent found in North America.   They use their flat tails to 

swim.   Adults can weigh up to 30 to 70 pounds. That is more than 

me because I am small. They are four feet long, have buck teeth 

and are brown with two layers of fur. In my opinion I think they are 

very cool looking.

     Beavers live all over the place.   They live in Europe, Asia, 

Canada, and the U.S.A. They live in a modified burrow. One of the 

two tunnels leads to the water at the river bank. They need to be by 

the water. They are capable of building lodges.   Beavers eat lots of 

things.   They eat plants, branches, leaves, and bark from trees. Lots 

of animals eat beavers like wolves, bears and coyotes. 

     They are interesting because they have webbed feet that help 

them swim. They have such big teeth, they can cut down trees. 

They use the tree to eat and to make their home. Beavers can build 

dams.   Aren’t beavers cool?

Massassauga Rattlesnake

 by Jenna

     The Massassauga rattlesnake is really extraordinary. They're one of the 

smallest snakes. They can grow up to 3.3 feet long. The spots on them look like 

bows, but some spots look like other spots more than just bows.    They can 

disguise themselves in vegetation, rocks, and leaves. They are poisonous 

snakes.   They can be fat and they can be skinny. Massassauga rattlesnakes can 

be brown or black. 

     Massassauga rattlesnakes have a very interesting habitat. They live in places 

where it is wet, like lake edges, swampland, fens, and marshy grasslands all 

around Indiana and some other places in the USA. Massassauga rattlesnakes eat 

and are eaten a lot. Sometimes they eat birds. They also eat mice, lizards, frogs 

and other snakes. Their predators are bullfrogs, racers, loggerhead shrikes, 

weasels, coyotes, and other mammalian predators. 

     Here are some interesting facts about Massassauga rattlesnakes. They live 

for 15 to 20 years. They are endangered in Indiana. They hibernate in crawfish 

burrows. The rattles on the snake tell you how old it is. You count top to bottom.  

The rattle on them is a sign of danger to warn of other animals when they shake 

it. That is the extraordinary life of Massassauga rattlesnake. 

Green    Salamander

By Olivia

     The    green    salamander    was    the    first    found    in    1993.    

Logging may   have   really affected   green salamander   populations.  

Another   thing   is   they   have   very   good   body   designs   for  

hiding.   Some   of   the   designing    makes   them   look   like   a   leaf   

or   bark!   Most    of    the    green    salamanders    grow    up    to    4   

to    5    inches    long.

     Most    salamanders   live   under   leaves   with   just   a   little   bit  

of   soil.   Green    salamanders    have    great    protection.    Some    

salamanders     don’t     live     under     leaves, but    instead     in   

moist      cracks.    Beetles ,   spiders , mites   and   ants   may   be 

eaten   by   green   salamanders.    

     Green salamanders are amphibians. Most of them are small but 

they can’t get any bigger than 4 or 5 inches long. 

Cotton tailed Rabbits

by Abby

     THUMP THUMP THUMP!!!!!!!! That sounds like a cotton tailed rabbit coming our 

way. Cotton tailed rabbits are found all over Indiana. The underside of a cotton 

tailed rabbit is gray and white. The underside of its tail is snow white. Cotton 

tailed rabbits are really soft. New born cotton tailed rabbits have no fur. Usually 

cotton tailed rabbits are reddish-brownish or gray.

     Cotton tailed rabbits can be found all over Indiana. Cotton tailed rabbits eat 

plants and vegetables such as: carrots, lettuce, leaf, and grass. Cotton tails have 

sharp teeth to help them eat. These are some things that eat cotton tails: foxes 

and coyotes. If you want to know where cotton tailed bunnies live this is the place 

for you to look!   Grown bunnies live in holes in the ground. When cotton tailed 

bunnies know predators are coming they go find some grass, and/or sticks to 

blend in with. But some bunnies live in the woods so they have to watch out for 

foxes!

     There are many interesting facts about cotton tailed rabbits. When the female 

is making the nest they pull some of their fur off of their belly and put it in to their 

nest so the nest is nice and soft for her babies. Also cotton tailed rabbits wash 

their fur many times a day, unless they were just born that’s when their mom 

comes in. The earliest the cotton tailed rabbits come is January. Grown cotton tails 

live in holes in the ground.   Those were some interesting facts about cotton tailed 

rabbits. 

Raccoons

By Harry

     Raccoons are likeable animals. It has a mask and lives in burrows 

and trees. It eats birds, insects, and domestic foul. The mother is 25 

to 34 centimeters and has a mask with white stripes around it.   And 

has a bushy tail and looks like solid black at night.  

     This is what it eats it eats: birds, insects, chickens. And panthers 

eat it.   And these are facts. Mating occurs in January. The original 

habitats are forests but due to their adaptability they have moved into 

the city areas. They also live in Japan and Europe.

Bullfrogs

By Jenna

     Bull frogs are interesting animals.   They are dark brown, greenish 

grey, light olive or yellow green.     Their belly is cream colored.   Their 

feet are fully webbed, except the longest toe.   They make a strange 

sound.

     Bull Frogs live in a lot of places.   They can be found in ponds, 

lakes, stock ponds, strip mining ponds, backwaters, and large 

streams.   They eat weird stuff.   They eat small frogs, snakes, mice, 

birds, crayfish, worms, snails, and anything it can swallow.

     There are many interesting facts about bullfrogs.   When the frog 

has its babies, the frog doesn’t wait for the babies.   Most tadpoles 

over winter transform into adults by the next summer.   Some take two 

years to transform.    Bull frogs are about 2 inches tall and 3 inches 

long. The frog’s feet are about 1 and a half inches long. The webbed 

feet toes have claws on the tips of their feet. There is so much to learn 

about bull frogs.

Osprey

By Xavier

     Ospreys are fascinating animals. They are black and white and brown. The 

under body is white, and the upper body is black. The breast is white and can 

have a brown stripe on it. They can grow up to 21- 25 in long. An adult can weigh 

2.25-3.75 pounds and its wing span is 59-67 inches long. That is as wide as my 

computer teacher is tall! Females are 10% bigger than males. They weigh 2.5- 

4.25 pounds. Osprey legs are very skinny. Osprey talons are black. They are very 

sharp.   Is that cool or what?!                                                                                                              

     Ospreys live in a lot of places.   They are mostly found near rivers, because 

they eat fish.   They do not live in Antarctica.   Isn’t that cool?!   Ospreys have 

many ways to get food. They mostly eat fish, but they do eat other food. They 

have sharp and rough claws to catch food.   Ospreys can carry 2.25 lbs of food.  

Ospreys soar 30 to 100 feet above the water when looking for food.  

     Ospreys have some interesting facts to them. Did you know that Ospreys 

come back to the same nest every year, after migration?   They make their nest 

out of moss, grass, mud, and bark. In Indiana Ospreys are in danger.   They make 

their nest 10 to 60 feet above the ground.   Aren’t those interesting facts?                  

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