Place—Human Impact Survey Summary: The field-based “Human Impact Survey” lesson plan from Alaska Sea Grant is one part of a larger curriculum unit that focuses on the relationship between humans and the ocean. In this lesson, students construct knowledge about aquatic pollution through firsthand exploration of the local environment.. Concepts to teach: Pollution, marine debris, […]
Stewardship—Citizen Biomonitoring Summary: Students contribute to the scientific understanding of a local ecosystem by collecting data and reporting results to the community. Concepts to teach: Stewardship, action, process of scientific inquiry Goals: Students engage in scientific inquiry and come to see themselves as scientists as they collect and report data about a local outdoor site. […]
Stewardship—Habitat Restoration Summary: Students improve or restore an outdoor habitat to make it more suitable for wildlife. Concepts to teach: Stewardship, action, sustainability, habitats Goals: Students use their knowledge about animal habitat requirements to improve or restore a local outdoor space for wildlife. Standards: S3.2L.1, S3.4D.1 S4.2L.1, S4.4D.1, S4.4D.2 S5.2L.1, S5.4D.1, S5.4D.2 Specific Objectives: Describe […]
Stewardship—Animals in the Classroom Summary: Classroom specimens or “pets” can provide meaningful learning experiences for students because the animals’ close proximity allows students to make repeated observations and to practice the responsibility of caring for other living creatures. This focus area explores some of the practical considerations and teachable moments that relate to the use […]
Human Impacts—Crayfish Invasion Summary: In this case study, students discover how elementary school classrooms in Oregon are directly connected to the presence/absence of an aquatic invasive species. Concepts to teach: Invasive species, best practices for classroom pets Goals: Students see that their personal and classroom behaviors can affect aquatic ecosystem health. Standards: S3.1, S3.2L.1 S4.1, […]
Human Impacts—How Do Trees Affect Erosion? Summary: Students explore the concept of erosion and how it impacts environments. They also discover how trees and other factors affect erosion. Concepts to teach: Erosion, impervious surfaces, turbidity, models, scientific inquiry Goals: Students use a model to discover how trees help prevent erosion and turbidity. Standards: S3.2P.1, S3.3S.1, […]
Human Impacts—Local Habitat Assessment Summary: Students explore their schoolyard or other local site to determine how human activity may have impacts on animal habitats, animal populations, and/or plant populations. Concepts to teach: Habitat, adaptation, scientific inquiry, erosion, invasive species Goals: Students will apply their knowledge about land use to their local outdoor site, and assess […]
Human Use of Resources—Water Use Summary: How much water do we use? By exploring online water use resources and conducting personal surveys at home and in the classroom, students will gain an understanding of how humans utilize water resources. Concepts to teach: Water use, resource, conservation Goals: Students will gain a better understanding of the […]
Human Use of Resources—This Land is Your Land Summary: The classroom-based This Land is Your Land lesson plan from TeachEngineering.org is designed for 4th grade students, with scaling suggestions for 3rd and 5th graders. Because the instructor uses maps of the local area, the activity is place-based, relevant and supports potential field experiences. “In this […]
Place—Field Trip Sites Summary: Planning a field trip to learn about the Oregon coast? Connect students with your field trip destination prior to your visit, to better prepare them for the experience and to reduce some of the novelty that could inhibit effective use of time while on site. Concepts to teach: Preparation Phase, spatial […]