National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

The Wonderbook of Nature: 

Exploring Natural History at 

Sagamore Hill – A Junior Ranger Activity

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 2

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site is offering our young

visitors a special opportunity to visit President Roosevelt’s

Summer White House and to have fun in the process by

taking part in a number of different Junior Ranger Activities

on site. 

These activities will teach children about the Roosevelt 

family and their home while earning a Junior Ranger badge

and certificate. These programs also introduce Ranger

Activities, the concepts of conservation and stewardship to

young people.

In order to earn the Junior Ranger badge, the young person

must complete any one of several activities. These are the

activities currently offered:

Those completing three or more of the activities are entitled

to the special Sagamore Hill Junior Ranger Patch. (You must

show the certificates or the completed booklets to receive

the patch).

1. Theodore Roosevelt and His Sagamore Hill Home

2. The Theodore Roosevelt Museum History Hunt

3. Letterboxing Adventures at Sagamore Hill

4. The Wonderbook of Nature: 

Exploring Natural History at Sagamore Hill

Junior Ranger Program

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Junior Ranger Activities

“The nation’s

most valuable asset

is the children; 

for the children 

are the nation of

the future.” —Theodore Roosevelt

at the Jamestown Exposition, VA

June 10, 1907

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 3

A Naturalist 

at Sagamore Hill

Beginning to

Read and Enjoy

the Wonderbook

of Nature

Theodore Roosevelt (TR) always had an intense interest in

the natural world. As a young boy, TR began to watch and

study birds. TR launched his own scientific expeditions

beginning at an early age. When he was about ten years old,

his father took the family on a journey to Europe and Egypt.

TR collected and saved his own specimens from these trips.

Back in his home in New York City, he created “The

Roosevelt Museum of Natural History” in a corner of his

bedroom.

So intense was his love of the natural world that TR entered

Harvard with the intention of devoting his life to the study of

natural history. He wanted to become, as he said in his autobiography, “a scientific man of Audubon.” His study of birds

(ornithology) was meticulous as well and developed into a

life-long passionate study. He could identify birds from their

calls as well as their plumage. For TR, a bird’s “music meant

more to him than its color.”

Although TR eventually entered a career in politics, natural

history always remained an important part of his life. TR

said, “It is an incalculable added pleasure to anyone’s sum of

happiness if he or she grows to know, even slightly or imperfectly, how to read and enjoy the wonderbook of nature.” 

Driven by this love of the natural world, TR created a home

for his family in the countryside of Oyster Bay, rather than

the urban setting of New York City. He wanted woods to

roam, water for boating and islands to explore, especially for

his children. On one Father’s Day, TR led his family on a

walk at Sagamore Hill, observing over 42 species of birds.

This was quite an accomplishment for one day! No one has

surpassed this number of sightings of bird species at

Sagamore Hill in one day.

“It is an incalculable

added pleasure to

anyone’s sum of 

happiness if he or she

grows to know, even

slightly or imperfectly,

how to read and

enjoy the wonderbook of nature.” —Theodore Roosevelt

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 4

When the Roosevelt family lived at Sagamore Hill one 

hundred years ago, it was a working farm with fields of

crops, livestock and horses in pastures, and vegetable and

flower gardens.

The eastern end of the property with its trail down to the

beach has always been a wooded area rich in plant and 

animal species and has been relatively unchanged since TR’s

day. It is in this woodland area that TR enjoyed reading the

“wonderbook of nature,” exploring the woodlands, marshes

and waters of his property. 

He and his family often walked on a path through the woods

to reach the beach overlooking Cold Spring Harbor, where

they swam and launched their boats. This path still exists

and is now our Nature Trail. Hike this trail today and you

can learn to “read and enjoy the wonderbook of nature”

known to TR and his family.

Remember:

This is a National

Historic Site. You may

not collect or keep any

plant, insect or animal

species. This includes

shells, rocks, leaves and

flowers. Be aware,

some of these species

can sting, bite, produce

rashes or carry disease.

Stay on the trails. There

is no swimming or 

fishing allowed on the

beach. Help preserve

this site by following

the rules.

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 5

As you explore the grounds and trails of Sagamore Hill, look

about you and read the “wonderbook of nature.” Begin to

identify the species of birds, animals, plants and trees. When

you have made a positive identification, check it off in the

tally box provided. You will probably not be able to identify

everything in this booklet during one visit, but the goal is to

become aware of the natural world in more detail. You will

see that a woods is made up of many trees; then you will

begin to notice the variety of trees. You will see that there

are different species of birds and a wide variety of plant

species in the meadows and woodlands. You will see the 

forest and its trees, the meadow and its plants.

In order to earn a Junior Ranger Badge for the Wonderbook

of Nature Activity, you need to identify a minimum of one in

each of the bird, animal, plant and tree categories. 

Good luck and happy hunting! Enjoy reading the

wonderbook of nature!

Reading the 

Wonderbook of Nature

“The one passion of his life seemed natural 

history, and the appearance of a new warbler in

his woods – new in the breeding season on 

Long Island – seemed an event that threw the

affairs of state and the presidential succession quite

into the background. Indeed he fairly bubbled 

over with delight at the thought of showing them 

to his visitors.”

—John Burroughs

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 6

Trees

There are over 300 species of oaks

in the world. Look for the lobed

leaves and acorns of the white oak

and red oak. These trees can 

be found on the lawns and in the

woods of Sagamore Hill.

Illus. MTW.

Maples are characterized by their

simple, opposite leaves and doubly

winged fruit called “samara.” Look

for the more common red maple and

the sugar maple, the source for most

maple syrup. You can find a stand of

maples near the picnic area. 

Illus. DH.

One of the largest of the eastern

trees, the tulip tree is a prized 

lumber producing tree because it

grows straight and tall. Look for

the tulip-shaped leaves, the unique

cup-shaped flowers and cone-like

fruits. These trees can be found in

the parking lot and the woods. 

Illus. DH.

❏ Oak Quercus sp.

❏ Maple Acer sp.

❏ Tulip Poplar

Liriodendron tulipifera

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 7

Often referred to as the 

“elephant tree” because it looks

like a giant elephant’s foot, the

copper beech is a massive tree

with smooth gray bark and 

copper-colored leaves. Look for

this tree right outside the main

entrance to the historic home.

Illus. HTW.

A large conifer tree with soft flexible needles

bundled in groups of five, the white pine has

long slender cones often reaching three to ten

inches in length. You can find this tree near the

historic home. Illus. DH.

Usually a small understory tree, 

sassafras is unique in that it produces

three distinct leaf shapes with one,

two or three lobes. Birds are attracted

to the fruit of this tree. The leaves

often provide food for swallowtail

butterfly larvae. Look for these trees

along the nature trail. Illus. MTW.

❏ Copper Beech

Fagus sylvatica

❏ Eastern White Pine 

Pinus strobus

❏ Sassafras 

Sassafras albidum

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 8

Plants and Shrubs

A tall woodland annual that

blooms early to late summer,

the flowers of the jewelweed

are orange and trumpet-shaped.

Jewelweed is used as an antiitch for poison ivy. Illus. MTW.

Queen Anne’s lace has feathery,

finely divided leaves. The showy

white flower is shaped like an

umbrella and is made up of

many small flowers in a lacelike pattern. This plant can be

found in the meadows and

roadsides. Illus. RTP.

All parts of this plant are toxic.

The leaves may have various

shapes, colors and forms but are

generally green in color and

mitten-shaped. They can be

leathery or shiny. Poison ivy

can be found growing as a plant

or vine. 

❏ Jewelweed

Impatiens capensis

❏ Queen Anne’s Lace 

Daucus carota

❏ Eastern Poison Ivy 

Toxicodendron radicans

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 9

A spring wildflower often called

a buttercup, Marsh Marigold

has shiny yellow flowers with

round or heart-shaped leaves.

Look for these flowers in the

fields. Illus. MTW.

This is a common plant found in

fields and along roadsides. Leaves are

in groups of three. This plant is part

of the pea family. It has a purple

round-headed flower. Illus. RTP.

There are two main types of marsh grass

found here, saltmeadow cordgrass

(Spartina patens, right)

and smooth cordgrass

(Spartina alterniflora,

left). Saltmeadow cordgrass is less tolerant to

salt and will be found on

higher ground, while

smooth cordgrass can tolerate more aquatic 

conditions. These native grasses are essential to a well-functioning salt marsh. 

Both illus. by MTW.

❏ Marsh Marigold 

Caltha palustris

❏ Red Clover 

Trifolium pratense

❏ Marsh Grass

Spartina sp.

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 10

Birds

A widespread, common bird, 

the glossy black-feathered

crow is often seen in groups.

This bird is an opportunistic

omnivore, taking advantage of

any food available. Illus. MTW.

An American robin is a 

common thrush with a gray

back, red breast, and a black

head and tail. It is often seen 

on lawns and fields searching

for insects. Illus. MTW.

This is a medium-sized gray

songbird with a long tail. It has

long complex songs. This bird

has done well in the suburbs.

It is often very territorial 

during nesting season. This

bird is often seen near the 

visitor center. Illus. LB.

❏ American Crow 

Corvus brachyrhynchos

❏ American Robin 

Turdus migratorius

❏ Northern 

Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 11

One of the largest birds 

of prey, it feeds almost

exclusively on fish. It has a

white eye stripe and has

special pads on the soles 

of its talons to help it grip

slippery fish. It makes 

large stick nests atop telephone poles and nesting

platforms. Illus. MTW.

A common woodpecker of

open fields, the northern

flicker often feeds on

insects on the ground

rather in trees. Using its

long tongue, it catches its

favorite food, ants. Look

for the yellow-shafted form

in the grassy lawns around

the house. Illus. LB.

Look for the great egret

(Ardea alba), which is white,

or the great blue heron

(Ardea herodias). Both are

very large wading birds

found in the salt marsh.

These birds are identifiable

by their beak, leg and feather

colors. See if you can find

other wading birds. 

lllus. MTW.

❏ Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

❏ Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

❏ Wading Birds

Ardea sp.

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 12

Small Mammals

The eastern chipmunk is a small,

ground-dwelling squirrel with

erect ears, cheek pouches and a

slightly bushy tail. It has reddish

brown fur with stripes on its face

and back. Look near the historic

home for these little rodents. 

Illus. MTW.

Mostly gray with white undersides and a long bushy tail, this

squirrel has adapted to urban and

suburban habitats. A member of

the rodent family, squirrels feast

on nuts, especially acorns and

seeds. Squirrels can be found

throughout the site. Illus. MTW.

This big-eyed rabbit with a

brown or grayish body has a

white underside and a signature

cotton white tail. Look for these

rabbits, at dawn and dusk, on

the lawns of the site, or near the

Visitor Center. Illus. MTW.

❏ Eastern Chipmunk

Tamias striatus

❏ Eastern Gray

Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

❏ Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 13

A large nocturnal

(active at night) 

mammal with a black

mask around its eyes

and black rings on its

long tail, the raccoon has adapted well to suburban and

urban areas. Though raccoons can be active during the day,

use caution and do not approach one as it could be sick. 

Illus. MTW.

This nocturnal canine has

mostly a reddish brown coat

with white underside and

throat, long bushy tail with

white tip, and black pointed

ears and feet. The red fox 

is considered an omnivore 

and has adapted well to 

suburban areas. Look for

them early in the morning,

or evening, crossing the

roads around TR’s house.

Illus. MTW.

This common small gray

mammal has strong front feet

for digging, a stubby tail and

pointed snout. This carnivore,

with slightly poisonous saliva,

consumes mostly earthworms

and insects. They can be spotted scurrying on the ground in

just about every habitat. You

might encounter one in or near

the field. Illus. MTW.

❏ Raccoon

Procyon lotor

❏ Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

❏ Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina brevicauda

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 14

Insects and 

Insect-like Creatures

Although it looks like a spider, it

is not considered a true spider.

Also called the harvestman, this

carnivore eats mostly insects

and mites. Look for daddylong-legs creeping up the buildings or on walkways and trails.

Illus. MTW.

Monarchs have orange wings

with black markings along the

border. They lay their eggs on

milkweed leaves, which is a

common plant in fields, meadows and along roadsides.

Monarchs are capable of flying

over two thousand miles from

as far north as Canada to the

mountains in Mexico. Illus. RS.

Earthworms live in the soil

in most woodland habitats.

They feed by burrowing

through the ground while

ingesting soil and leaf litter.

Their segmented body is

pinkish-brown in color.

Illus. MTW.

❏ Daddy-Long-Legs

Phalangium opilio

❏ Monarch Butterfly

Danaus plexippus

❏ Earthworm

Lumbricus terrestris

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 15

Other names for this 

isopod include sow bug and

woodlice. They are often called

miniature armadillos because of

the hard, gray segmented

exoskeleton that resembles the

armored plates of an armadillo.

Pillbugs are easily found in moist shaded areas, under leaf

litter, rocks and logs. They protect themselves by rolling into

a ball. Illus. MTW.

Green darners are 

recognized by their

bright green thorax and

blue abdomen. The

green darner is considered one of the fastest

and biggest of the 

common dragonflies.

Dragonflies feed on mosquitoes and other flying insects.

Look for the green darner, as well as other dragonflies,

around the fields and near ponds. Illus. MTW.

Yellow jacket wasps have the distinctive

yellow and black markings on their head,

abdomen and thorax. Yellow jackets

drink nectar from flowers. But because

of their attraction to juices and sodas,

they can be pests at picnic tables. In

addition to picnic areas, these wasps may

be buzzing around meadows, forest edges, decaying trees

and logs.

❏ Pillbug

Armadillidium vulgare

❏ Green Darner

Anax junius

❏ Yellow Jacket

Vespula sp.

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 16

Shells and Sea Creatures

❏ Common Atlantic Slipper

Crepidula fornicata, Illus.MTW.

❏ Eastern Oyster

Crassostrea virginica, Illus. MTW.

❏ Blue Mussel

Mytilus edulis, Illus. MTW.

❏ Common Clam

Mercenaria mercenaria, Illus. MTW.

❏ Horseshoe Crab

Limulus polyphemus,

Illus. MTW.

❏ Moon Jellyfish

Aurelia aurita, Illus. MTW.

❏ Fiddler Crab

Uca sp., Illus. MTW.

Common Shells:

There are over one hundred

twenty known sea shell

types on Long Island. 

Here is a small sampling of

what you may find 

on our beach. What other

types can you find?

Sea Creatures:

Look for the shells or

remains of these animals,

or if you are lucky, the 

living creature.

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 17

Abdomen: The part of an insect’s body below the thorax.

Alternate: Leaves are arranged on the stem one after the

other, not opposite one another

Aromatic: Having an aroma; fragrant or sweet-smelling.

Carnivore: A flesh-eating animal.

Conifer: Needle-leaved or scale-leaved, chiefly evergreen,

cone-bearing trees or shrubs such as pines, spruces, and firs.

Deciduous: Shedding or losing foliage at the end of the

growing season.

Elongate: Having a long, narrow shape.

Evergreen: Having foliage that persists and remains green

throughout the year.

Exoskeleton: A hard outer structure of an insect that provides protection or support.

Expedition: A journey undertaken by a group of people with

a definite objective.

Fertilization: The initial process of biological reproduction.

Field Guide: An illustrated book that provides descriptions

of plants or animals found in nature.

Fruit: The ripened part of a seed-bearing plant containing

the seeds and occurring in a wide variety of forms.

Habitat: The area or environment where an organism or

ecological community normally lives or occurs.

Herbaceous: Green and leaflike in appearance, or texture, as

opposed to a woody plant. 

Herbivore: An animal that feeds chiefly on plants.

Hybrid: Plants produced by breeding different varieties or

species.

Invasive: Referring to plants that have the tendency to

spread aggressively and replace native populations.

Isopod: Crustacean with seven pairs of legs and flattened

body.

Larval: The newly hatched, wingless, often wormlike form of

many insects.

Glossary

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 18

Lobe: Leaves with indented rounded sections on the leaf

edges.

Marsupial: A group of mammals in which the females have 

a pouch where the young are fed and carried.

Native: Originating, growing, or produced in a certain place

or region.

Natural History: The study and description of organisms 

and natural objects, especially their origins, evolution, and

interrelationships.

Naturalist: One versed in natural history, especially in 

zoology or botany.

Nocturnal: Active at night.

Omnivore: Animal that eats anything edible.

Opposite: Plants with leaves found directly across from each

other.

Ornithology: The branch of zoology that deals with the

study of birds.

Poisonous: Capable of harming or killing; toxic or 

venomous.

Proboscis: The slender, tubular feeding organ of insects.

Scavenger: An animal, such as a bird or insect, that feeds on

dead or decaying matter.

Segmented: Divided into, or made up of, distinct parts or

segments.

Serrated (saw-toothed): Leaves that have notched edges.

Simple: Undivided leaf, having only one leaf blade.

Species: Taxonomic classification.

Territorial: Referring to an animal that defends its home, and

area around it, from intruders.

Thorax: The second or middle region of the body of insect

between the head and the abdomen.

Toxic: poisonous, as in rash caused by poison ivy.

Understory: The area of a forest consisting of small trees

between the canopy and shrub layer.

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Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Junior Ranger Activities 19

All About Birds – Online guide – Cornell University.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/

Bonaforte, Lisa. (LB) Fifty Favorite Birds Coloring Book.

New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1982.

Burroughs, John. Camping and Tramping with Roosevelt.

Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin and Company, 1907.

Hayes, David. (DH) Trees of the Vanderbilt Estate.

Hyde Park, NY: Hyde Park Historical Association.

Lotowycz, Grace E. and Conolly, Barbara H. Illustrated Field

Guide to Shrubs and Woody Vines of Long Island.

Hardwick, MA: Waterline Books, 2004.

Peterson, Roger Tory, (RTP) and McKenny, Margaret. A Field

Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North Central North

America. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1968.

Richard, Glenn A., Springer-Rushia, Linda and Stewart,

Pamela G. A Field Guide to Long Island’s Seashore.

Illustrated by Maria T. Weisenberg. (MTW) Stonybrook, NY:

Museum of Long Island Natural Resources, State University

of New York at Stonybrook, 2001.

Roosevelt, Theodore. An Autobiography.

New York: Macmillan, 1913.

Soffer, Ruth. (RS) Butterflies and Flowers to Paint & Color.

New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 2005.

Springer-Rushia, Linda and Stewart, Pamela G. 

A Field Guide To Long Island’s Woodlands.

Illustrated by Maria T. Weisenberg. (MTW) Stonybrook, NY:

Museum of Long Island Natural Resources, State University

of New York at Stonybrook, 1996.

Stewart, Pamela G. and Springer-Rushia, Linda. 

A Field Guide To Long Island’s Freshwater Wetlands.

Illustrated by Maria T. Weisenberg. (MTW) Stonybrook, NY:

Museum of Long Island Natural Resources, State University

of New York at Stonybrook, 1996.

Zim, Herbert S. and Alexander C. Martin. A Golden Guide to

Trees: A Guide to Familiar American Trees. Illustrated by

Dorothea and Sy Barlowe. Wisconsin: Golden Press, 1987.

Bibliography and

Webliography

Illustrations from 

A FIELD GUIDE TO WILDFLOWERS

OF NORTHEASTERN AND NORTH

CENTRAL NORTH AMERICA.

Copyright © 1968 by Roger Tory

Peterson and Margaret McKenny.

Used by permission of Houghton

Mifflin Company.

All images used with permission.

JrRgrWndrbk_Mar2008.d2 3/26/08 9:01 PM Page 19
20 Sagamore Hill Road

Oyster Bay, New York 11771

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA

1. Theodore Roosevelt and His Sagamore Hill Home

This activity is completed following a visit to the home of the 26th

president. Children may do this when they visit with their families,

or it is administered as a take-back-to-class activity for school

groups who have visited.

2. The Theodore Roosevelt Museum History Hunt

Be a history detective and test your powers of observation. 

This activity is administered to young people and their families, 

or during a site visit by school groups. For many children this 

will be their first Junior Ranger experience.

3. Letterboxing Adventures at Sagamore Hill

An activity in which you are the detective in search of a hidden 

letterbox using clues in this booklet. Letterboxing is known as 

The Outdoor Treasure Hunting Pastime and involves use of

compass orientation and puzzle solving.

4. The Wonderbook of Nature: 

Exploring Natural History at Sagamore Hill

This activity book is a field guide to some selected species of plant

and animal life found at Sagamore Hill. The activity teaches 

children to use a printed guide book to identify plants and animals.

The Sagamore Hill Series: Connecting America’s Children to Theodore

Roosevelt and His Sagamore Hill Home. It is the purpose of this series to use

historic photos, artifacts, political cartoons and the like, to tell the story at age

appropriate language to reach young people and to serve as a platform and

entry point for additional exploration and discovery via print and web-based

distance-learning activities.

These materials were developed by the professional and volunteer National

Park Service staff at Sagamore Hill NHS, Oyster Bay, New York, to mark the

centenary of TR’s Presidency in 2006.

Explore and enjoy all the Junior Ranger Activities 

currently offered:

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Home of Theodore Roosevelt

TM

The National Park Service cares for

special places saved by the American

people so that all may experience 

our heritage.

Thanks to the Friends of Sagamore Hill

for their financial assistance in 

creating and printing these materials.

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