Hey there! Today, Jessi and Mr. Brown received mysterious letters inviting them to a surprise event in the lab. It turns out, their friend Sam sent the letters to challenge them to a game of “Guess That Animal!” Both Jessi and Mr. Brown have been champions before, but now they must compete against each other to see who is the ultimate animal expert.
Sam explains the rules: He will give clues about different animals, and Jessi and Mr. Brown will take turns guessing. If they guess correctly, they earn a point. If they don’t, the other person gets a chance to steal the point. The one with the most points at the end wins!
The first clue is for Jessi: “This animal is a mammal with webbed feet, can stay underwater for up to five minutes, and is the biggest rodent in the world.” Jessi quickly guesses the capybara! Capybaras are fascinating creatures. They can grow up to a meter long and weigh as much as a grown-up human. They have webbed feet, which makes them excellent swimmers, and they live near water to stay cool and avoid predators.
Next, it’s Mr. Brown’s turn. The clue is about an ocean animal with a brightly colored body, eyes on stalks, and the ability to punch hard enough to break aquarium glass. Mr. Brown guesses a crab, but Jessi correctly identifies it as a mantis shrimp! Mantis shrimp are small but incredibly powerful. They can punch at speeds of 80 kilometers per hour, creating hot bubbles in the water through a process called cavitation.
Jessi’s next clue is about an extinct animal that looks like a dinosaur but is more closely related to mammals. It has a big sail on its back. Jessi knows this one: it’s the dimetrodon! Dimetrodons lived about 270 million years ago, long before dinosaurs. They had a unique sail on their back, which might have helped them warm up or attract mates.
Finally, Mr. Brown gets a clue about an animal often found in caves, that can fly but isn’t a bird, and is charming and smart. He guesses correctly: it’s a bat! Bats use echolocation to navigate in the dark by making sounds that bounce off objects and return to their big ears. This helps them avoid obstacles and find food.
After an exciting game, Jessi is declared the winner! But everyone had fun and learned a lot about these amazing animals. You can play “Guess That Animal” too! Just think of some animals, write clues, and challenge your friends. As you get better, you can make the questions harder.
If you enjoyed this adventure, be sure to subscribe to keep learning and playing with Jessi, Mr. Brown, Sam, and all their friends. See you next time!
Animal Detective: Go on a mini adventure in your backyard or local park. Look for animals or signs of animals like feathers, tracks, or nests. Try to guess what animal might have left them. Use a notebook to draw or write down your observations. Discuss with a friend or family member what clues helped you make your guesses.
Create Your Own Animal Clues: Choose your favorite animal and write three clues about it. Make sure one clue is easy, one is medium, and one is hard. Share your clues with a friend or family member and see if they can guess your animal. You can also swap roles and try to guess their animal!
Animal Habitats Exploration: Pick one of the animals from the game, like the capybara or bat, and learn more about its habitat. Draw a picture of what you think its home looks like. What plants and other animals might live there? Share your drawing and explain why the animal lives in that environment.
