In this series of activities, students build their background knowledge about bats …
In this series of activities, students build their background knowledge about bats through a variety of media and texts (Activity 1), play games to learn more about how bats interact with their prey and how they use their bodies, and choose an action(s) to help make the world a better place for bats, and therefore, humans (Activity 2). My students decided to create educational posters convincing people to help bats, plant a bat garden, build a bat house, and adopt-a-bat. They also wrote persuasive letters to hang the bat house on our school, which they presented to the administration (and the project was approved - in addition to which the principal asked us to create additional educational materials to teach the school community - teachers, students, other staff - and families about the benefits of bats).
This activity is an on-line research activity in which students research different …
This activity is an on-line research activity in which students research different Minnesota lakes and determine their physical characteristics, chemical characteristics, and the overall health of the lake.
In this video profile produced for Teachers' Domain, meet La'ona DeWilde, an …
In this video profile produced for Teachers' Domain, meet La'ona DeWilde, an environmental biologist who integrates her Athabascan heritage and her Western scientific training to help remote Alaskan villages address environmental issues.
This resource focuses on acid rain, the effects of acid rain on …
This resource focuses on acid rain, the effects of acid rain on the ecosystems, humans, and materials as well as what people can do to help. This resource has a history timeline of the Acid Rain Program, 9 experiments, various activities, and games/puzzles with answer keys to all materials as well.
In Legend of the Lost Emerald, kids take on the role of …
In Legend of the Lost Emerald, kids take on the role of maritime archaeologists exploring shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Like real archaeologists, players use sonar and GPS coordinates, dive down to take underwater photos, and search for clues in historical artifacts, like letters and ship manifests, to tell the story of each shipwreck. We teamed up with maritime archaeologists at Wisconsin Sea Grant and amazing teacher fellows from across the state of Wisconsin to design a game that works in the classroom and introduces kids to the tools and practices of the field.
Teachers can use this game to introduce kids to historical practices and themes from ecology, technology, and Wisconsin history. Students will learn about the role of maritime archaeologists, archivists, historians, and museum curators. The game introduces four different time periods in maritime history, ranging from wooden schooners in the mid-1800s to steel freighters in the 1960s.
The lesson plans presented here are a sampling from the National Wildlife …
The lesson plans presented here are a sampling from the National Wildlife Federation's collection of more than 1,000 lesson plans designed to introduce students to life science, ecology, wildlife biology, scientific identification, and observation. All lesson plans are aligned to the National Science Education Standards. Applicable to all grade levels.
Wisconsin DNR link to look up most private or public wells. Can …
Wisconsin DNR link to look up most private or public wells. Can use Map View or by unique Well ID number. Well construction information, including geology, construction method, well depth, water depth, well yield and other information about the well.
This activity is a field investigation where students can go to a …
This activity is a field investigation where students can go to a body of water and collect the macroinvertebrates there and identify them. Based on what they find, they can assess the water quality by determining the biotic index. Based on the Macorinvertebrate Mayhem from Project Wet.
Students learn how paper is made. Working together, student teams make their …
Students learn how paper is made. Working together, student teams make their own paper. This activity introduces students to recycling; what it is, its value and benefits, and how it affects their lives.
This activity complements Snapshot Wisconsin, a volunteer-based wildlife monitoring project involving a …
This activity complements Snapshot Wisconsin, a volunteer-based wildlife monitoring project involving a statewide network of trail cameras. In this activity, students will use the trail camera photos to make observations and ask scientific questions. Students gain experience with the scientific process by making detailed observations and using these observations to pose questions that can be answered by further observations and/or experiments to gain insights into important ecological processes.
Students are first introduced to the practice of making observations and posing questions using a single trail camera photo taken at a unique place and time. Students then make observations based on groups of photos taken at various locations or during different time periods to identify trends across space and time. This lesson plan includes an optional activity that takes students outside to make observations.
The following lesson is an introduction to the ideas and implications of …
The following lesson is an introduction to the ideas and implications of animal tracking. Animal tracking is a useful method used within science and commercial industries. For instance, when planning the development coastal areas, animal presence and movement should be taken into consideration. The lesson engages students in an activity to monitor animal foraging behavior on a spatial scale. The students will break into groups and track each other's movements as they move through a pre-determined course. The results will be recorded both individually and collaboratively in an attempt to understand animal movement regarding foraging behavior. Students will also engage in a creative design activity, focusing on how they would design a tag for a marine animal of their choice. In conclusion, instructors will query the class on data interpretation and how spatial information is important in relation to commercial, conservation, and scientific research decisions.
In this activity, students will learn about different measures of biodiversity: richness, …
In this activity, students will learn about different measures of biodiversity: richness, Shannon diversity index, and evenness. Students will begin by calculating these indices by hand using a very small sample data set. Students will then read an overview of the Northern Lakes and Forests and Southern Wisconsin Till Plains, two different Wisconsin ecoregions, and use Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel to calculate and compare biodiversity from a Snapshot Wisconsin database
Students are introduced to the concept of light pollution by investigating the …
Students are introduced to the concept of light pollution by investigating the nature, sources and levels of light in their classroom environment. They learn about the adverse effects of artificial light and the resulting consequences on humans, animals and plants: sky glow, direct glare, light trespass, animal disorientation and energy waste. Student teams build light meters using light sensors mounted to LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT intelligent bricks and then record and graph the light intensity emitted in various classroom lighting situations. They are introduced to the engineering concepts of sensors, lux or light meter, and lumen and lux (lx) illuminance units. Through this activity, students also learn how to better use light and save energy as well as some of the technologies designed by engineers to reduce light pollution and energy waste.
Through investigating the nature, sources and level of noise produced in their …
Through investigating the nature, sources and level of noise produced in their environment, students are introduced to the concept of noise pollution. They learn about the undesirable and disturbing effects of noise and the resulting consequences on people's health, as well as on the health of the environment. They use a sound level meter that consists of a sound sensor attached to the LEGO® NXT Intelligent Brick to record the noise level emitted by various sources. They are introduced to engineering concepts such as sensors, decibel (dB) measurements, and sound pressure used to measure the noise level. Students are introduced to impairments resulting from noise exposure such as speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption and reduced productivity. They identify potential noise pollution sources, and based on recorded data, they classify these sources into levels of annoyance. Students also explore the technologies designed by engineers to protect against the harmful effects of noise pollution.
An introduction to the Unit, including timeline, a game, and ground rules. …
An introduction to the Unit, including timeline, a game, and ground rules. This class is where the students begin a foundation for learning the entire unit. They will make a sketchbook to hold the knowledge gained throughout the entire two weeks of the unit. They will take ownership over their time spent through the development of a timeline for completion.
The students will develop an understanding of how ethnographers studied the Native American …
The students will develop an understanding of how ethnographers studied the Native American uses of plants in the Wisconsin region. They will learn specically about Menominee, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Meskwaki tribal uses of plants.
Students will identify a specific plant used for dye. They will learn the …
Students will identify a specific plant used for dye. They will learn the proper method and prayers in the Menominee language for collecting plants for use in creating the dyes.
Students will learn about the process of Batik while using the natural dyes …
Students will learn about the process of Batik while using the natural dyes used by their ancestors to create a work of art that will also function as a teaching tool for other and future students.
Students will learn the batik process using dyes from the plants they have …
Students will learn the batik process using dyes from the plants they have collected. They will learn where Batik originated and the cultural ways of the Javanese people.
Students will present what they have learned about their plants, prayer, the Menominee …
Students will present what they have learned about their plants, prayer, the Menominee language, and the traditional uses of plants by the Menominee people.
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