Summary
Rivers and wetlands draw animals of every size: a giant Deinocheirus wades and feeds, huge Quetzalcoatlus pterosaurs guard a nesting colony, and predators lurk where the water is deep. The episode shows how a freshwater habitat supports a whole community, from nesting parents to hungry hunters. A clear window into how animals depend on water and on each other.
Viewer safety
Predators threaten pterosaur nests and hatchlings -- tense moments; preview if your class worries easily.
Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.
Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
"Freshwater" follows the animals that gather at Cretaceous rivers and wetlands.
- Why do so many different animals come to fresh water?
- How do the giant pterosaur parents protect their nesting colony?
- What dangers hide in the water, and how do animals stay safe?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: freshwater, wetland, nesting colony, community, depend.
Try it: List three animals from the episode that share the river. Draw an arrow between two of them to show how they are connected.