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Overview
Students might not have thought there was anything remarkable
about the area surrounding or adjacent to the river, lake, stream,
or pond where the water sample was taken, but this activity
will allow them to look at the site from a different perspective.
Students will prepare a Visitors' Field Guide for the area that
will enhance others' understanding and appreciation of the natural
features of the area.
Objectives
Students will:
- create a Visitors' Field Guide for the sampling site
- be able to describe several features of the water
sampling area
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Time
One or two 45 minute class periods.
Materials
- computers with internet access
- reference materials
- paper
- pencils, crayons, markers
- samples of Visitors' Field Guide
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Teacher Preparation
Procedure
- Have students choose at least five
features of the area to point out to their audience. Perhaps
they might include such things as trees, wildlife habitats,
wildflowers, rock formations and organisms encountered
while sampling.
- Break the students into small working
groups. Have the students use reference materials to address
the information about the five features of interest.
- Have the students continue their
research to find:
- How could the organisms found
during sampling best be described to a "visitor"?
- How could a visitor best observe
the organisms that would least impact the environment?
- How could you get a visitor interested
in the sampling area?
- Who were the first settlers in
your area? Native Americans? Colonists?
- How have people, both recently
and long ago, used the water for food, entertainment,
economic gain, housing, and transportation?
- Check whether or not there are
any historic or archeological sites nearby. Is there
a relationship between them and the water source?
- Once all the information has been
collected by the various groups, have the students create
Visitors' Field Guide, brochures or posters.
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Assessment Suggestions
Students can design Visitors' Field Guides
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