Caching in on Wildlife Woes
Title: Caching in on Wildlife Woes
Subject: Social Studies
Grade Level: 6 - 9
Overview:
The student will become aware of the potential problems associated with the increasing human invasion of wildlife areas, the ecological changes incurred as a result of pollution, loss of wetlands, and urban development as they use GPS units in this lesson.
Approximate Duration: 2-3 days
Content Standards:
Geography: Physical and Cultural Systems
Students develop a spatial understanding of Earth's surface and the processes that shape it, the connections between people and places, and the relationship between man and his environment.
Civics: Citizenship and Government
Students develop an understanding of the structure and purposes of government, the foundations of the American democratic system, and the role of the United States in the world, while learning about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Benchmarks:
G-1D-M1
analyzing and evaluating the effects of human actions upon the physical environment; (1,2,3,4,5)
G-1D-M2
explaining and giving examples of how characteristics of different physical environments affect human activities; (1,2,3,4,5)
G-1D-M4
identifying problems that relate to contemporary geographic issues and researching possible solutions. (1,2,3,4,5)
G-1D-H3
analyzing the relationship between natural resources and the exploration, colonization, settlement, and uses of land in different regions of the world; (1,2,3,4,5)
G-1D-H5
developing plans to solve local and regional geographic problems related to contemporary issues. (1,2,3,4,5)
Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs):
Grade 8
14. Analyze, evaluate, and predict consequences of environmental modifications on Louisiana landforms, natural resources, and plant or animal life (G-1D-M1)
15. Analyze the benefits and challenges of the Louisiana physical environments on its inhabitants (e.g., flooding, soil, climate conducive to growing certain plants)(G-1D-M2)
17. Identify a contemporary Louisiana geographic issue, and research possible solutions (G-1D-M4)
Interdisciplinary Connections:
Science : Life Science
The students will become aware of the characteristics and life cycles of organisms and understand their relationships to each other and to their environment.
Science : Science and the Environment
In learning environmental science, students will develop an appreciation of the natural environment, learn the importance of environmental quality, and acquire a sense of stewardship. As consumers and citizens, they will be able to recognize how our personal, professional, and political actions affect the natural world.
Agriscience/Agribusiness : Biotechnology in Agriculture
AgEd/FFA students will understand the concepts and principles of biotechnology and the relationships biotechnology has with the agricultural environment.
Agriscience/Agribusiness : Environmental Management
AgEd/FFA students will develop an understanding of the interrelationship between people, agriculture and the environment.
Educational Technology Standards:
Demonstrate the operations of a computer (e.g., touch-keyboarding skills, save, organize and back-up files) and other peripheral devices (scanner, digital and video cameras, VCR, laser disc player) at an intermediate level.
Compose and edit a multi-page document with appropriate formatting using word-processing skills. (e.g., menu, tool bars, dialog boxes, spell check, thesaurus, page layout, headers and footers, word count, margins, tabs, spacing, columns, page orientation)
Use information, media, and technology in a responsible manner which includes following the school's acceptable use policy, adhering to copyright laws, respecting the rights of others, and employing proper etiquette in all forms of communication.
Use multimedia tools and desktop publishing to develop and present computer-generated projects for directed and independent learning activities.
Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, writing tools, digital cameras, drawing tools, web tools) to gather information for problem solving, communication, collaborative writing and publishing to create products for various audiences.
Use telecommunications and online resources efficiently and effectively to collaborate with peers, experts, and others to investigate curriculum-related problems, issues, and information and to develop solutions or products for various audiences.
Evaluate the usage of technology and the processes involved during and upon completion of individual and group projects.
Objectives:
1. The student will locate cache sites using a GPS (Global Positioning System).
2. The student will create an awareness project that could be used to inform the community about the issues they discovered in the cache sites that they located with the GPS (Global Positioning System).
Lesson Materials and Resources:
Four water-resistant cache containers
Cache Fact Brochures
Conservationist Cards
Wildlife Woes Quest envelopes
Group Logs
Assessment Rubric
Technology Tools and Materials:
Hardware:
GPS (Global Positioning System) units --at least one per group
Digital camera
Multimedia computer with Internet connection
Software:
Word processing softwareWebsites:
Black Bayou Lake NRW
http://www.fws.gov/northlouisiana/blackbayoulake/
Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/vital/what.html
LaCoast.gov
http://www.lacoast.gov/
A Beginner's Guide and Tutorial to Geocaching
http://www.factsfacts.com/geocacher.htm
Black Bayou Lake Project
http://www.monroe.k12.la.us/mcs/black_bayou_files/index.html
Letter Generator
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/letter_generator/Background Information:
By the time students are ready to begin the cache field experience, they will have been taught the importance of wetlands as a habitat for wildlife as well as the importance of wetlands to Louisiana. They will have also developed an awareness of the identity of some of the migratory species common to Black Bayou Lake, in particular, and to Louisiana, in general. Finally, the learners will know how to use the GPS equipment and how to access websites on the Internet.
Lesson Procedures:
1. Introduce National Wildlife Refuges to the students with the short video National Wildlife Refuge System
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction/habitats/explore.html.
2. Review the use of GPS handhelds.
3. Using the conservationist cards, divide students into teams. Direct the students to the Mission Duties sheet and discuss the responsibilities of each group member during the mission:
Cameraman
Data Specialist/Reader
Recorder
GPS Specialist
4. Hand out a Wildlife Woes Quest to each group. Inform the students that they have one hour to work as a group to navigate through the caches. At each cache the group should read the Wildlife Woes Information sheet and record information from it about that hazard to wildlife in their log. When they have finished gathering information and photographic documentation from that cache, they should refer to the inside lid of the cache to find the global address of their next cache.
5. When the groups return to base camp (the classroom), they should begin using word processing software or the Letter Generator Website to create an awareness letter that would convince area leaders or politicians that changes need to be made for the survival of wildlife habitats.
Assessment Procedures:
The persuasive letters will be assessed by using the Wildlife Woes Letter Rubric. The teacher will use the rubric to grade the letters and classmates can also use the rubric to give feedback.
Accommodations/Modifications:
504 students will have modifications such as peer partners, checking often for understanding, extended time, and seating up front.
Adult or peer readers could be used for Visually Impaired students, or a cassette recording could be placed in each cache.
Reproducible Materials:
Wildlife Woes Quest envelope
Conservationist Cards
Mission Duties
Cache Information Sheets
Group Log
Cache Logs
Wildlife Woes Persuasive Letter Rubric
Explorations and Extensions:
This lesson could easily be completed around a school campus. One consideration is that the GPS data will not differ much between locations in a smaller area. Another consideration is that students could use handhelds (Palms) to take notes and pictures in the field.This lesson could easily be adapted to creating more than a letter to an elected official. Other options would be a brochure or a PowerPoint presentation.
As with any field trip to a location, the more chaperones you have the better.
Lesson Development Resources:
GLE-Related Material
http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/ssa/1914.html
Grade 8
Louisiana History
Unit 1: Louisiana's Physical and Cultural Geography
Activity 10:Vanishing Habitat
President's Environmental Youth Awards
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/awards.html
Community Service Projects
http://epa.gov/teachers/community-svc-projects.htm
U.S. EPA Region 5:Pollution Prevention Toolbox
http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/p2pages/toolbox.htm
GIS for K-12 Education
http://www.esri.com/industries/k-12/education/teaching.html
The Green Squad
http://www.nrdc.org/greensquad/
Black Bayou Lake NWR
http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=42652
Nature in the Suburbs
http://www.heritage.org/Research/SmartGrowth/BG1724.cfm
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/habitat_loss_and_fragmentation/Reflections:
Prior to engaging in the cache field experience utilizing the GPS and to enhance the quality of that experience, students might need a condensed refresher course to reteach those basic tenets of knowledge as outlined in the background information. Teacher planning is crucial to the success of this lesson. Prior to beginning, the teacher would hide each cache and record its GIS location, program each GPS unit with those GIS coordinates, and prepare the cache materials with this information.
Contact Information:
Ashley Bruce
ladybugbruce@richland.k12.la.us
SCHOOLTech Facilitator, Richland Parish Schools
Ed Fench
edward.fench@mcschools.net
Carroll Jr. High, Monroe City Schools
Valerie Tewson
valerie.tewson@mcschools.net
SCHOOLTech Facilitator, Monroe City Schools
Gary Yesse
gary.yesse@mcschools.net
Lee Junior High School, Monroe City SchoolsBlack Bayou Lake Home | Curriculum Materials | Resources | Black Bayou Lake NWR | Monroe City Schools
