Maybe you've planted something with your kids and watched it grow, but how about trying a Secret Seed Garden as a gardening activity? Seeds are all around us, just waiting in the soil to grow. By gathering dirt from several areas, you can grow a garden and see what pops up from those secret seeds.
Plants have amazing power, as this garden activity for kids shows. You might think that rocks would be stronger than plants, but plants are strong enough to break through rock. This experiment will show you how strong plant power can be.
Ecosystem
A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their natural environment. Includes biotic, or “living” components. Includes abiotic, or “non-living” components. Autotroph An organism that can make or synthesize its own food from sunlight or chemical energy. Heterotroph An organism that cannot synthesize its own food energy, and must get it from organic sources in the ecosystem in which it lives. Species An organism that creates a viable, fertile offspring through the process of reproduction. Population A group of organisms of the same species living at the same place at the same time. Community A group of interdependent species interacting with each other in the same habitat. Habitat The geographic place and conditions in which a population and biological community exist. Competition Interaction between individuals or populations that usually has a negative effect for all organisms. Niche The specific area an organism inhabits. The role or function of an organism or species in an ecosystem. The interaction of all biotic and abiotic factors relating to it. Producer An autotrophic organism that uses the process of photosynthesis to create a chemical food source. Consumer A heterotrophic organism that obtains food and energy from other organisms. Decomposer An organism who performs the task of recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem through the process of decomposition, as it feeds on dead or decaying organisms. Primary Consumer A heterotroph that eats the primary producer. Secondary Consumer A heterotroph that eats a primary consumer. Tertiary Consumer A heterotroph that eats a secondary consumer. Predator An animal that hunts and kills an animal of prey. Prey An animal that a predator feeds upon. Apex Predator An animal is at the top of its food chain, and is not prey for another species. Scavenger An animal that will eat another organism, but only after it is dead, or has been killed by a different species. Herbivore An animal that eats primarily plants. Carnivore An animal that eats primarily animals. Omnivore An animal that eats both plants and animals. Basics of Tracking
Grade 6 Title: Recognizing Tracks and Sign Grade: 6th Grade Time: ???? Materials:
Vocabulary track, sign, toe, heel-pad, claw, gait, stride, habitat, range, ungulate Objectives: The students will:
Attention Getter:
Introduction:
Body:
Parts to consider: Toe Pads, Heel pad(s), and Claws
http://www.bear-tracker.com/mammals.html is a good place to find tracks to look closer at. Questions to ask when you come upon a track:
Closing:
35-year-old Liu Bolin, from Shandong, China, manages to camouflage himself in any surroundings, no matter how difficult they might be.
Liu works on a single photo for up to 10 hours at a time, to make sure he gets it just right, but he achieves the right effect: sometimes passers-by don’t even realize he is there until he moves. The talented Liu Bolin says his art is a protest against the actions of the Government, who shut down his art studio in 2005 and persecutes artists. It’s about not fitting into modern society. Despite problems with Chinese authorities, Liu’s works are appreciated at an international level. Liu Bolin's Camouflage Art Charles Darwin accumulated a tremendous collection of facts to support the theory of evolution by natural selection. One of his difficulties in demonstrating the theory, however, was the lack of an example of evolution over a short period of time, which could be observed as it was taking place in nature. Although Darwin was unaware of it, remarkable examples of evolution, which might have helped to persuade people of his theory, were in the countryside of his native England. One such example is the evolution of the peppered moth Biston betularia.
Biology Corner Peppered Moth Simulation Click the link below to read more information on Kettlewell's study of moths. At the end, you will run two simulations for 5 minutes each, during this time you will play the part of a bluejay that eats moths. After 5 minutes record the % of dark moths and light moths - you will need this information later. Peppered Moth Simulation at peppermoths.weebly.com VOCABULARY REVIEW JIGSAW
Theme: The Water Cycle This is used to review vocabulary within a cooperative learning group. It is a QTEL Activity. (Quality Teaching for English Learners) Print the 5 lists below. Each list has a different clue to tell students what the words are. There’s a list with:
Directions: Students work in groups of four. Make copies of the lists below so each group has a set. (For example if you have 8 table groups with 4 students each then make 8 sets of cards. You may want to put each list on a different color of cardstock paper.) Students should number a piece of lined paper 1 – 10. Each student gets a list. Student A chooses 3 numbers to complete. All the students in the group circle those numbers on their paper. Student A reads their sentence, then Student B, Student C and Student D. The students try to figure out the word based on all the clues and write it on their paper. After Student A’s 3 choices are done students pass their list to the right. The new Student A chooses 3 numbers for this round and again everyone circles them. The process continues until all words are complete. Then, the teacher may pass out the Answer List for groups to check their work. Student A
Student B
Student C
Student D
ANSWERS
Vocabulary Review Jigsaw (PDF) 6.3S.1 Based on observations and science principles, propose questions or hypotheses that can be examined through scientific investigation. Design and conduct an investigation that uses appropriate tools and techniques to collect relevant data.
QUESTION / PROBLEM Present students with two water samples and ask: “What type of inquiry can we do with our two samples?” Try to get the class to create the question/problem for the investigation. SAMPLE: How is water quality different between the two samples given? RESEARCH Have students read about pH and dissolved oxygen and how they affect water quality. Discuss the terms in groups and make sure students include what they have learned in their lab write‐up prior to making their predictions for the lab. HYPOTHESIS / PREDICTION Have each student write a prediction to the question posed. Have the students discuss in groups how they think the water quality may differ and then write their own prediction. Remember to have them include their reasoning since a hypothesis is an educated guess. EXPERIMENT Have students list the materials being used and then create a step‐by‐step procedure that each group will follow to maintain the integrity of the inquiry process. EXAMPLE: Procedure:
DATA / RESULTS Have students use chart to record data collected. CONCLUSIONS Have groups discuss their results and share out to the class. Did all groups get the same results? Why or why not? Discuss the original question and how it relates to where the water samples were collected. What kind of conclusions can be made about the water quality and the organisms that rely on that water source for life? Each student should then write a conclusion to the experiment that includes their results and how water quality is a factor for species living in and near that water source. REFLECTION Have students discuss what other questions they may now have about the water sources and the quality of life in and around the water source. If you were to do this experiment again, or work with this water sample, what other questions do you have? What would you do differently? What else would you like to know about this water source in relationship to the quality of the water? 6.3S.1 Based on observations and science principles, propose questions or hypotheses that can be examined through scientific investigation. Design and conduct an investigation that uses appropriate tools and techniques to collect relevant data.
EXPERIMENT Have students list the materials being used and then create a step‐by‐step procedure that each group will follow to maintain the integrity of the inquiry process. EXAMPLE: Procedure:
QUESTION / PROBLEM Present students with two water samples and ask: “What type of inquiry can we do with our two samples?” Try to get the class to create the question/problem for the investigation. SAMPLE: How do indicator species vary within the two samples given? HYPOTHESIS / PREDICTION Have each student write a prediction to the question posed. Have the students discuss in groups how they think the indicator species may differ and then write their own prediction. Remember to have them include their reasoning since a hypothesis is an educated guess. RESEARCH Have students read about indicator species and what they tell us about the water source. Discuss the terms in groups and make sure students include what they have learned in their lab write‐up prior to making their predictions for the lab. DATA / RESULTS Have students use chart to record data collected. CONCLUSIONS Have groups discuss their results and share out to the class. Did all groups see the same things? Why or why not? Discuss the original question and how it relates to where the water samples were collected. What kind of conclusions can be made about the water quality and the organisms that rely on that water source for life? Each student should then write a conclusion to the experiment that includes what they got as their results and how indicator species are a factor for water quality and animals living in and near that water source. REFLECTION Have students discuss what other questions they may now have about the water sources and the quality of life in and around the water source. If you were to do this experiment again, or work with this water sample, what other questions do you have? What would you do differently? What else would you like to know about this water source in relationship to the quality of the water and/or indicator species? You test your local river water and find that it has a pH of 6.3. What kinds of problems can this indicate about the water source in question? What possible solutions are there to maybe improving the pH of the water source?
There is a local creek that has lots of trash and debris clogging its water path. What kinds of things can be done to improve the quality of water and to make the water more suitable for sustaining life? |
Use these activities in the classroom before and after Outdoor School to augment the science curriculum on site.
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