Lions

Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Species: Panthera leo

Lapbook Component: Classification Accordion

Anatomy
A lion's body is muscley and compact with powerful forelegs. The combination of these physical features with the sharp teeth and strong jaws makes them perfectly designed for pulling down and killing prey. They have yellow-gold coats; adult males have darker colored, long, shaggy manes. Cubs (especially in Africa) have light spots on their coats that disappear at around the age of 3 months.

Male lions grow larger than females, reaching up to ten feet (3m) long , a foot (30 cm) longer than females. The tail measures 2 to 3 feet (60 – 90 cm) in length. Male lions weigh between 330 and 530 pounds, while females weigh between 270 and 300 pounds. At the shoulder, lions stand between three and a half (105cm) and four feet (120cm) tall.

Lapbook Components: Male vs. Female Shutterfold, Looking Like a Lion Tri-fold

Distribution
Lions can be found in Africa and India. Complete the distribution map according to the instructions.
Distribution Map Cover (black & white)
Distribution Map Cover (color)
Distribution Map

Habitat & Population
A lion might be known as a king of the jungle, but do lions really live in jungles? (No!) Lions can be found in savanna grasslands shaded by scattered Acacia trees in Africa. Whereas in India, they live in dry savanna forest and very dry deciduous scrub forest. They live in a lion sanctuary in Gujurat. The Asiatic lion population is approximately 250 mature breeding individuals. They are critically endangered. African lions number about 20,000

Lapbook Component: Finding Lions Flap

Life in the Pride:
A "pride of lions" is the name given to a group of lions which could be anywhere between 3 and 40 lions, of which no more than 2 will be male. The females are all related and are the permanent members of the group. Males only stay from 2 to 4 years before another male ousts them. The new male will kill the cubs already in the pride.

Lapbook Component: A Pride of Lions Simple Fold

Prey:
Lions are at the top of the African food chain; they are the largest carnivores in Africa and hunt at dawn and at dusk. When a lion is chasing prey, it can run the length of a football field in six seconds! A lion's eyes have a horizontal streak of nerve cells, which improves their vision following prey across a plain. Lions normally feast on antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, impala, giraffe, buffalo and wild hogs. Occasionally, a lion will eat rhinos, hippos, hares, birds and reptiles. If food is scarce, a lion will even attack an elephant.

Lapbook Component: Dinner at Dawn and Dusk Flap Book

Who's Who in the Lion Family:

male = lion
female = lioness
baby = cub

Males defend the pride's territory which they mark with urine and by roaring. Their roar can be hard for 5 miles.

Females do the hunting, bringing the meat back to the pride. Since they are smaller and lighter than males (agile and faster), they are better equipped to hunt. They hunt in groups of 2-3. The smaller lionesses do the chasing while the heavier lionesses do the capturing. This helps them catch large animals such as wildebeest. Lionesses can switch hunting jobs depending on which females are hunting that day and what kind of prey it is. The males get the biggest share of the food, hence “the lion's share”. Cubs get only leftover scraps; consequently, many cubs die of starvation.

Cubs begin hunting at 11 months of age but remain with their mothers for 2 years; they have a lot to learn in this time. If a cub is born in a pride, it can nurse from any adult lioness in the pride, not just their owns mothers. Cubs born in a pride are twice as likely to survive as cubs born to a lioness on her own. Female cubs stay with their mother's pride and learn to hunt.

Lapbook Component: Who's Who in the Lion Family Window Book (older option), Family Names Flap (younger option)

Reproduction:
Lionesses generally have a litter every two years. A litter can be from one to five cubs. Gestation is three and a half months. Cubs are born blind, their eyes open at 6 weeks. They start eating meat at three months, but continue to nurse until they are six months old.

A Lion's Life:
Lion's only spend a small time hunting. A lion's life is mostly filled with sleeping, napping, and resting! In fact, a lion might be found lying around for 21 hours each day. Since lion's are good climbers, they are often found resting in trees.

Lapbook Component: Lion's Lying Around Simple Fold

Facts:
They can run at speeds up to 50mph (81 kmph).
They reach full size at 6 years old.
They are the only felines (cats) to have a tuft at the end of their tails.
Male lions are the only cats to have a mane.

Lapbook Component: My Book of Lion Facts

For copywork practice--
Manuscript
Cursive
Modern Cursive

Life Span:
In captivity lions can live up to 25 years, whereas lions in the wild live only about 15. Threats to lions include agricultural expansion, human population growth, hunting and poaching by livestock ranchers.

Lapbook Component: Lifespan Shutterfold

Lions in the Bible

Memory Verse- Proverbs 28:1
Lapbook Component: Proverbs 28:1 Simple Fold

Bible Story- Daniel in the Lions' Den
Lapbook Component: Daniel 6:4-27 Fan Book

Library List
Aesops Fables-- The Mouse and the Lion & Androcles and the Lion
Tawny Scrawny Lion
Dandelion by Don Freeman
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (and other Narnia books) by C.S. Lewis
Lions at Lunchtime from Magic Treehouse Books
Andy and the Lion by Jame Daugherty
The Lion's Share by Matthew Mcelligot
The Butterfly Lion by Micheal Morpurgo
Lazy Lion (African animal tales) by Mwenge Hadithi
Lions (Zoobooks)
Lions by Sally Morgan

Websites

Facts and Photos:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Lio

Coloring Pages
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/coloringbook/lions.html
http://www.edupics.com/en-coloring-pictures-pages-photo-lions-i3067.html

Crafts
http://www.daniellesplace.com/HTML/lioncrafts.html
http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/jungle-lions.html