Nature Education 2008-2009
Age 11-13 (Grade 6-8)
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Only one session is offered for the 11-13 age bracket due to the history of enrollment. If registration needs are there, a second week will be added to this age group. Thank you for your understanding.
September 4
Biotic or Abiotic? That is the question.
An ecosystem is a natural element consisting of biotic factors in an area functioning together with all the abiotic factors of the environment. But what is biotic and what is abiotic? Students will explore this concept through the dissection of a local ecosystem. They will discover, through experimentation, what biotic factors and abiotic factors are and how to discern them.
October 2
Forest Survey
Every forest tells a story of its life and the things that have happened to it. Students will venture through the forest ecosystem of Briar Bush and investigate the affects abiotic factors have on the biotic organisms of the forest. Through explorative study, students will examine the concepts of ecological succession and ecological disturbance.
November 6
Edible and Medicinal Plants
Early humans knew a great deal about wild plants, the ones that could be used for food and health, and the ones that could not. Students will explore the connection between plants and people, learning how many plants can, and have, been used for medicines and/or food. Foraging for wild edibles gives one an insight into the processes that are taking place in the natural world. Students will gain further awareness of the need for plant conservation by recognizing that plants can benefit human health and wellbeing.
December 4
Life Cycle of Soil
Soil is the substance from which our planet takes its name. Through explorations, students will discover the importance of soil and the role scavengers and decomposers play in the processing of detritus, soil, and compost. They will see how the biotic and abiotic factors of a soil ecosystem work together in the process of soil production.
January 8
Sharing Nature
Observation plays a pivotal role in jump-starting the scientific method, but it is not always a skill that comes naturally to all. Students will embrace the scientific skill of observation by practicing it in the field. Early scientists made observations through sketch, sound and description. Students will experience a more creative view of nature, while embracing their artistic side. Each student will be sharing some time with their favorite spot at Briar Bush through the descriptive eye of a field scientist. This class will allow students to understand that science is not always immediate and requires patience, attention to detail, and a deeper relationship with the subject (nature).
January 22
Microworlds
Under a microscope, everyday things and little-known organisms reveal their inner beauty. In this introduction to the compound light microscope, students will explore the up-close worlds of minerals, fabric, fingerprints, newsprint, pond life and more. Students will master the use of the microscope, and all it entails, while observing the “smaller picture.”
NOTE: Microscopes will be used.
February 5
Energy Transfer
In every ecosystem, energy flows through different levels using both abiotic and biotic components. Students will trace the flow of energy in an ecosystem and simulate how energy becomes less available at each level of a food chain. Emphasis will be placed on plants’ ability to change light energy into food (chemical) energy through the process of photosynthesis.
NOTE: Microscopes will be used.
March 5
Pond Chemistry
When rainwater strikes the ground (or snow melts in the winter) it does one of two things: either it percolates down into the soils to the groundwater or runs downhill across the surface to the lowest point. The lowest point in the land is usually a small stream, lake or pond. Students will assess the physical and chemical properties of pond water and explore how these may affect life in the pond.
NOTE: These results will be later built upon in the Pond Invertebrate Study (in May).
April 2
Invertebrate Biodiversity
The question of how many different species exist in a particular environment is central to the understanding of why it is important to promote and preserve species diversity. Students will conduct an exploratory study to determine the biodiversity/health of the forest floor. They will also perform a comparative study to understand the impact of human activities on diversity by studying invertebrates in two separate forest locations.
May 7
Pond Invertebrate Study
Ecology is “a study of the home.” Through ecological studies, information is gained about living organisms in their “homes” or environments. Students will delve into the world of freshwater ecology by assessing the water quality at the Briar Bush pond using aquatic invertebrates as indicator species.
NOTE: This lesson builds on the results obtained during the Pond Chemistry lesson to establish a solid scientific result, and further evaluate the health of a freshwater ecosystem.
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