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Brief Description
Students take a field trip to a local ecosystem (a pond, a stream,
a forest, etc.), take photographs, collect items, and then create
a short movie or slideshow using iMovie or PowerPoint.
Objectives
Students will be able to define biodiversity and apply it to
a local ecosystem.
Materials
Procedure
- Prepare the students for what they might see on the field trip
by showing them photos of the living and nonliving parts of the
ecosytem (you'll want to visit it ahead of time and take photos).
If you are visiting a forest ecosystem, then you'll want to have
them take a look at the website A
Walk in the Woods.
- Divide the kids into groups of at least four and on the day
of the trip arm each group with a digital camera. With the cameras
they will take photos of various plants, trees, animals tracks,
fungi, seeds, each one evidence of the biodiversity of the woods.
In addition, you can have students use sandwich bags to
collect samples of the above items (see printable).
- Have students use the photos to make a digital story (complete
with vocals, music, titles, etc.) that explains the importance
of the of the ecosystem to the surrounding area.
More Ideas
- Take a trip in the fall, winter, and again in the spring. That
way students can see how the ecosystem changes over time. Fall
is a great time to teach about photosynthesis since the process
is connected to the changing of
the leaves.
| Resources for Teaching Nature |
Books
- Last Child in the Woods
by Richard Louv - This book "...has created a national conversation
about the disconnection between children and nature."
- Childhood
and Nature by David Sobel - The author makes the case that
"...meaningful connections with the natural world don't begin
in the rainforest or arctic, but in our own backyards and communities.
Websites
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