Meet the Residents of A Hare in the Forest

K-12 Resource: Nature Bio

Discover amazing creatures and plants in a painting

Project Details

  • Grade Level K-5
  • Related Subject Areas Science, Art
  • Activity Type Reading, Close-looking
Title

A Hare in the Forest

Date Created

about 1585

Place Created

Germany

Materials

Oil on panel

Maker

Hans Hoffmann (German, 1545/1550–1591/1592)

Dimensions

Unframed (With Radius Of Panel, Right Side): 62.2 × 78.4 cm (24 1/2 × 30 7/8 in.), Unframed (Without Radius Of Panel, Right Side): 61.9 × 78.4 cm (24 3/8 × 30 7/8 in.), Framed [Outer Dim] (Display): 80.6 × 96.5 × 10.2 cm (31 3/4 × 38 × 4 in.)

Credit Line

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 2001.12

Assignment

In the beautiful world of A Hare in the Forest painting, there are many amazing creatures and plants to discover. Can you find all of them in the painting above?

Detail of a painting showing a plant with spikey fanned-out leaves

Can you find the Lady’s Mantle in the painting?

Lady’s Mantle

  • Description: Lady’s mantle is a delicate green plant with small rounded leaves that resemble the shape of a large cloak.
  • Role in the Ecosystem: Lady’s mantle is a producer, which means it creates its own food through photosynthesis. It captures sunlight and uses it to grow and thrive.
  • Fun Fact: Lady’s mantle is known for its ability to collect dewdrops on its leaves, making it sparkle like diamonds in the morning light!
Detail of a painting showing a brown hare crouched on a forest floor

Can you find the hare in the painting?

Hare

  • Description: The hare is a furry creature with long ears and powerful hind legs, perfect for hopping around. A hare looks like a rabbit with bigger ears.
  • Role in the Ecosystem: The hare is a herbivore, which means it eats plants like leaves, vegetables, and berries. It plays an important role in controlling plant growth and spreading seeds.
  • Fun Fact: Hares are known for their incredible speed and agility. They can run up to 40 miles per hour when they need to escape from predators!
Detail of a painting showing a spider on its web

Can you find the spider in the painting?

Spider

  • Description: The spider is a small, eight-legged arachnid with a talent for spinning intricate webs.
  • Role in the Ecosystem: The spider is a carnivore, which means it eats other animals like flies and fleas. It helps control insect populations and keeps the ecosystem in balance.
  • Fun Fact: Spiders are master weavers! They create silk threads from special glands in their bodies and use them to build webs for catching prey.
Detail of a painting showing a snail

Can you find the snail in the painting?

Snail

  • Description: The snail is a slow-moving mollusk with a spiral shell on its back.
  • Role in the Ecosystem: The snail is a scavenger, which means it eats decaying plant matter and helps recycle nutrients back into the soil. It plays a vital role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem.
  • Fun Fact: Snails can retract their bodies into their shells for protection when they feel threatened. Some species even hibernate in their shells during the winter months!

Now it's your turn to explore Nature's Pantry and discover more fascinating creatures and plants! Choose another plant or animal in the painting.

Vocabulary

Herbivore

An animal that eats plants. The hare is an herbivore because it eats leaves, veggies, and berries.

Carnivore

An animal that eats other animals. The spider is a carnivore because it eats other creatures.

Omnivore

An animal that eats both plants and other animals. Omnivores, like humans, eat a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. They have a diverse diet that includes both plant and animal matter.

Scavenger

An animal that eats dead plants or animals. The snail is a scavenger because it helps clean up the forest by munching on plants, fungus, and rotting food.

Producer

In nature, a plant or organism that makes its own food. It uses sunlight to create energy through a process called photosynthesis. Plants, like lady’s mantle, are examples of producers because they make their own food by capturing sunlight and growing leaves.

Photosynthesis

How plants make food for themselves. They use sunlight, water, and air to create energy. It’s like a magic trick where plants turn sunlight into food! So, photosynthesis is how plants grow and stay alive.

Resident

Someone who lives in a particular place.

Cloak

A type of clothing that covers the body and hangs down from the shoulders. It’s like a long, loose coat that people wear to keep warm or to add style to their outfits.

Extensions

Make trading cards for each animal, including the one you chose.