 |
A
MODULE FOR
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS |
Lesson 5 & 6: “The
Study of Ecological Relationships and Populations”
ACTIVITIES 1. Motivational Set:
Brainstorm words/ideas regarding the Western Red Lily. Review
playground rules and teacher expectations of nature walk outside. Begin
the walk! 2. Define abiotic (nonliving)
and biotic (living) things and provide examples. Students
identify the biotic and abiotic factors of the area/environment
where the WRL grow. Possible discussions
could include the changes humans have made to this particular
ecosystem. Review talking circle
from the last lesson. 3. Students could go on a nature
walk investigating the particular ecosystem (the school grounds)
whether WRL were present or not. The
Nature Walk will also entail discussion of evidence of plant/animal
interaction, where plants are growing currently, moisture conditions,
soil conditions, sunlight (hidden by trees), effects of humans
on WRL like pesticides/chemicals, agriculture, natural disasters. 4. Assignment:
Students would inventory their neighborhood. Where
are the abiotic conditions right for the WRL? Where are the
biotic conditions right for the WRL? Where are both sets of
conditions right? How could they encourage more WRL in their
neighborhood? (Teacher created lab sheet) 5. Summary Activity:
Students will draw and design a map of their school’s
playground and locate some possible sites for natural habitat
gardens. If time permits, students
can also design a natural habitat garden plot for their teacher’s
consideration. 6. Students present their maps
to the class. Discussion - How
can we encourage positive human interaction?? *Advocate for change
ALTERNATE/FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: Web of interactions - This activity could either
be completed outdoors or indoors. It
is a summary to demonstrate the interconnectedness of relationships
with the plant and its environment (the biotic/abiotic factors). The
web begins like the food web where many webs are created by
a student passing the string from a plant, to a herbivore,
to a carnivore, etc. The prairie food web can include such
things as the Western Red Lily, the crocus, cactus, grass,
butterflies, moths, mice, owls, meadow vole, pocket gopher,
snake, coyote, deer, starting with one person in the center
of the circle who is the Western Red Lily holding a ball of
string. All the other students
are assembled in circular formation around the lily, holding
cards. Written on the cards are what organism/animal/event which
that student represents in the environment. The
other items on the cards are sun, water, soil, vole, butterfly,
bee, cow, fire. The WRL holding
the ball of string passes the string to the sun, the sun passes
the string to water, water to butterflies and the passing continues
until a web has formed. Now three
things can occur: something can be taken away from the environment
(like sun), a disaster can be introduced to the environment
(like fire), or a human interaction/interruption can occur
such as agriculture (like pesticides). Optional: Guest Speaker Possible guest speakers include:
farmers, past students, representative from Saskatchewan Wildlife
Federation, Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management
(SERM), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).
Educate others - presentations
outside of the classroom Encourage appreciation of native
prairie plants/WRL and their importance. Implement a Read a realistic picture book
of a local story entitled “ ASSESSMENT: Students will be assessed on
their maps
with a rubric of criteria to meet. Students
will be evaluated on specific criteria according to their presentation
style. There would be a rubric
created based on the presentation style outlined by the students
or the teacher. Each teacher can create their own rubric or the rubric
can be student created depending on the structure provided. |