Description
of Major Classroom Activities
Varied
activities, especially those that are inquiry-based, prepare students
to learn and help them to retain what knowledge they uncover during
the experience. These are activities that took place in a classroom
setting. Please refer to the Learning Objectives
and Unit Map Diagram to see how these activities fit into the themed
unit.
Build
a Wetlands Model
Activity
Objectives
The
students will learn how a wetland cleans the water and prevents
erosion.
Materials
List
The
"Wild About Wetlands" Kits are available to in-service
teachers in the following counties: Colusa, Contra Costa, Sacramento,
Shasta, Solano, Sutter, Yuba, and Yolo. The kits are very teacher-friendly,
with easy-to-follow instructions that require no special science
background.
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Activity
Description
After
the first field trip to the Cache Creek Nature Preserve, students were
able to use wetland model kits to further their understanding about
how wetlands work to clean and filter water. The kits consist of plastic
boxes, pieces of carpet to represent wetlands, a clay slope representing
land, sand for soil erosion, and glitter for observing pollution. Students
put sand and "pollution" on the clay slope, then spray it
with water, and see how the water running off the slope looks at the
other end of their tray. They then can compare this when the pieces
of carpet (the wetlands) are placed at the bottom of the slope and filter
out the sand and "pollution".
Things
to be done in the field that relate to the classroom activity
Students
will observe a wetlands area and note the plant and animal life there.
How
are you going to know that you met your objectives and that the students
learned what you wanted them to learn?
Students
recorded their observations and answers to questions in their science
log books.
"...three
important functions are flood control, cleaning the water, and home
to wildlife." -Genevieve
"...the
wetland is a giant sponge." -Jena
"...the
plants keep the water clean..." -Lenar
CA
Standards Satisfied by this Unit
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