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Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. Goals of Project.
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Goals of Project • The class field trip to Schlitz Audubon Nature Center will take place at the end of a nature/environmental science unit, ideally. The students will be familiar with many different environmental terms and understand how and why the many cycles of nature in the environment occur. The field trip will be a fun and interesting way to end the unit and an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge. • Driving questions for students to think about prior to the field trip: -What are different habitats you may see at the nature center? How would these different habitats interact? -Describe the different animals that may be found at the nature center. What would a possible food web look like? How would the environment at the center affect the various animals?
Driving questions continued… -Why is it important that places like the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center exist? In what ways does the center give back to the community and protect the environment. • Basic Objectives: -Students will be able to apply lessons learned in the classroom about the environment and nature to a real life situation. -Students will understand and witness different animals’ habitats and environments. -Students will understand how living things and their environment are interdependent. -Students will understand the importance of centers that protect the environment and preserve animals’ natural habitats.
Basic Outcomes: -The most important outcome of this trip would be that students develop an appreciation for the environment and learn more about how and why to protect it. Also, it is important that students will be able to connect terms and lessons learned during the nature and environmental unit to the field trip.
Five Important Terms: • Environment: all living and non-living things that occur naturally on Earth. -The main objective of this field trip will be having the students explore a natural environment. It is important for them to understand the many, many components that make up an environment. Students will be split into smaller groups and sent with chaperones to explore the nature center closer (with a checklist of particular things to look for).
Habitat: The place where a particular species lives and grows. -Students will be asked to look for different animals’ habitats while out exploring with their different groups. They will be asked to make observations and conclusions about the particular animal based on what they have seen. • Environmental Preservation: The strict setting aside of natural resources to prevent the use or contact by humans or human intervention. -Students will be asked for different examples of environmental preservation seen throughout the grounds of the nature center. Environmental preservation is a very key issue (especially recently) and it is important that students are well informed. • Pollution: The introduction of substances or energy into the environment, resulting in negative effects of such a nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources and ecosystems and impair with legitimate uses of the environment.
Species: It will be important that students are capable of identifying different types of animals they may see while at the nature center. This question will be on their checklist. It is important that they are aware of the different animals that exist in more natural settings.
Cost of field trip with a group of 40 students? -12 years old and under--$2 -Over 12 years old and adults--$4 -Plus the cost of the bus • YES! Chaperones are needed. -Five would be ideal. This way, students will be able to split into smaller groups and explore the nature center. • Permission Slip: -Inform parent/guardian of what students have been studying and how the field trip relates to that. -State where students are going, date and time they will be there, mode of transportation and cost. -State that chaperones are needed and ask for volunteers. -Make sure parents/guardians are aware that for students with allergies, asthma or mobility problems this trip may pose challenges to them.
This type of experience is important to the students and their learning process because they should be aware of their surroundings, nature and the environment. This is especially important for children who have grown up and go to school in the city. They do not have much experience with nature and a field trip to a nature center offers them a different perspective. • Assessment for this field trip would be based on a few things. First, they would be assessed on their efforts and attitudes toward the field trip. Also, completion of the “checklist” of the different things to look for with their small groups. • Checklist: -Find 5 different animals’ habitats -Find 5 different kinds of insects -Look for different signs of pollution (water, air, etc.) -Think about why nature centers, such as this one, are important -Come up with a hypothetical food chain for the animals that live at the center -Think of ways that you can help preserve your environment
Literature: -Textbook will be key for background knowledge -“The Kids’ Nature Book: 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities and Experiences” -“My Favorite Tree: Terrific Trees of North America
Cross-Curricular Connections: -English: Students can write a journal entry about their experience at the nature center and what they observed. Also, they could write a poem describing the scenery. -Math: Students could keep a count of the different animals they observe or different plants they saw. As a class, the totals could be taken and a class. From there, graphs could be made for the most observed animals, least observed, etc. • Misconceptions: -The Schlitz Audubon Nature Center can open up students’ eyes to the fact that nature has many different shapes and forms. The urban environment they experience daily, is not what everyone else experiences. A field trip like this can also help students to appreciate the need for preserving our environment and realize the beauty of nature.
