Wetlands Project - Please Provide Input Tonight
Cool - Here is the first draft of the conclusion of my talk tomorrow.
Please tell me quickly who the interested people are so that I can add their interest to the talk. Thanks for the help. You can see I added your ideas.
Wetland Project.
Our plan is to be involved in the development of the Nature Center Wetland. The objective would be to draw in student participation in all phases of the project. This project would increase student knowledge of wetland management and assessment. Projects would include selection of species to be introduced as well as monitoring of those that naturally occupy the environment. The teachers and students themselves would determine activities and levels of participation while following activities designed by Project Wild – Aquatics. Grades 6 through 12 would be considered actively involved. Grades pre-K through 5 will be upperclassman “advisors” using internally designed programs created by reading specialists. These programs will encourage students to think about wetlands and visit the centers wetland both virtually and actively as time and projects allow. Training of instructors, student transportation, supplies, and monitoring equipment would be the responsibility of White Oak ISD. The entire project will be considered a multiyear activity with students having an ever-increasing investment in the project. The direction scope and achievements of the project will be the responsibility of those currently building the wetland.
White Oak ISD would be considered as having “adopted” the wetland in matters concerning the documentation of its development.. The entire project will have a continuous Web presence including all activities of concern to the development of the wetlands. Names and faces of the participants will be shared online following the policies of White Oak ISD. It is understood that student involvement may slow the progress of the development of the wetland but would provide a road map for other schools to create their own wetland projects.
Example. Students suggest or are advised that cattail should be introduced into the wetland. The students would research and discuss online, in a format designed by White Oak, (but assisted by a locally assigned expert) where and how much cattail should be planted.
Additional projects could include how the cattail is procured and consideration and identification of species that might be accidentally introduced by the process of adding cattail to the wetland. Groups of students may be assigned to actually work the project or at least document the problems and benefits and activities involved in its introduction. Ancillary projects could include ancient and modern
uses of cattail or other projects developed or suggested along the way.
Exceptional projects or papers would be added to the Website.
Please tell me quickly who the interested people are so that I can add their interest to the talk. Thanks for the help. You can see I added your ideas.
Wetland Project.
Our plan is to be involved in the development of the Nature Center Wetland. The objective would be to draw in student participation in all phases of the project. This project would increase student knowledge of wetland management and assessment. Projects would include selection of species to be introduced as well as monitoring of those that naturally occupy the environment. The teachers and students themselves would determine activities and levels of participation while following activities designed by Project Wild – Aquatics. Grades 6 through 12 would be considered actively involved. Grades pre-K through 5 will be upperclassman “advisors” using internally designed programs created by reading specialists. These programs will encourage students to think about wetlands and visit the centers wetland both virtually and actively as time and projects allow. Training of instructors, student transportation, supplies, and monitoring equipment would be the responsibility of White Oak ISD. The entire project will be considered a multiyear activity with students having an ever-increasing investment in the project. The direction scope and achievements of the project will be the responsibility of those currently building the wetland.
White Oak ISD would be considered as having “adopted” the wetland in matters concerning the documentation of its development.. The entire project will have a continuous Web presence including all activities of concern to the development of the wetlands. Names and faces of the participants will be shared online following the policies of White Oak ISD. It is understood that student involvement may slow the progress of the development of the wetland but would provide a road map for other schools to create their own wetland projects.
Example. Students suggest or are advised that cattail should be introduced into the wetland. The students would research and discuss online, in a format designed by White Oak, (but assisted by a locally assigned expert) where and how much cattail should be planted.
Additional projects could include how the cattail is procured and consideration and identification of species that might be accidentally introduced by the process of adding cattail to the wetland. Groups of students may be assigned to actually work the project or at least document the problems and benefits and activities involved in its introduction. Ancillary projects could include ancient and modern
uses of cattail or other projects developed or suggested along the way.
Exceptional projects or papers would be added to the Website.
posted by Scott S. Floyd @ 7/11/2006 01:20:00 PM
5 Comments:
At 7/11/2006 6:03 PM,
Janelle said…
I think the idea of student mentors is GREAT!
You've probably mentioned this elsewhere, but did you talk about this being an interdisciplinary unit? I think emphasis on this as well as including the foci on science and technology can be reitereated.
This sounds like a thrilling project.
At 7/11/2006 6:06 PM,
Katherine said…
Wow, What an involved project! It sounds like you have a great start on your plan. When I was in 7th grade I joined the Audobon Society throught ehscience teacher at our school. It was a unique opportunity that I really enjoyed. That was the only science teacher I had that actually took us outside! (1971)What type of input are you looking for? Have you contacted Barbara?
At 7/11/2006 9:19 PM,
Scott S. Floyd said…
I mentioned it at the end of class. I am hopeful that more ideas will come in tonight and in the morning. Barbara would be perfect for adding her two cents.
This would be a very exciting project for our students to be a part of. It would provide some timely PBL for them, and the teachers will learn some things about on-time curriculum development.
At 7/11/2006 9:21 PM,
Scott S. Floyd said…
Wow,
It's so exciting to have a project to develop a wetland! Especially over in east Texas. Will it have some of the plants of Caddo Lake? I would love to work on something like this. I was thinking it would be great to develop a prairie or forest, but a wetland is even a richer resource.
I haven't done Project Wet yet, but I have done Flying Wild, so I know what a great resource those books are. What other resources are you tapped into? Since we are short on time, let me just list some, in the off chance that I come up with something original.
First, the book, "Native Texas Plants" by Sally and Andy Wasowski. in my copy the section on wetland plants starts on page 365, and the example Water Garden plan with native plants is on page 383.
Have you gotten in contact with the East Texas chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists? According to the TAMU website they are based in Tyler. They don't seem to have a web site, but I found some contact information: http://masternaturalist.tamu.edu/info.cfm?chapter=East%20Texas
I am part of the Cross Timbers chapter and we are often asked to help with school habitat projects. The purpose of the TX Master Naturalist organization is to educate people about and preserve LOCAL habitat, so the people in this chapter would be the best source for local wetland restoration info, a source of contacts, and a source of free labor.
Since your project is a "development", is there already an existing wetland there? Who is "currently building the wetland"?
A link to the program from the National Wildlife Federation schoolyard habitat program is:
http://www.nwf.org/schoolyard/
Since you are already into Project Wild, I guess you know about the resources that Texas Parks and Wildlife has for teachers. Here's a link anyway:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/
I would encourage you to get your hands on all the Project Wild books. "Flying Wild" may be good because of its activities on migrating birds, and wetlands should give you opportunities to tie in with birds. Can the Audobon society or Ducks Unlimited help you?
Besides recommending the activities in the "Project Wild" series, my mind is blank of specific activites now. It's getting late.
Students doing their own observations and publishing the results on the web could be an important part of TEKS about students understanding that science is a constantly-changing body of knowledge that is constantly changing.
Make sure to talk about hands-on / minds-on science. And that doing science observations and other hands-on projects is a great way to engage science interest and level the academic playing field for the "haves" and "have-nots". Remember to talk about "Inquiry Science", recommended in the national science standards, that starts with students asking their own questions, forming it into a testable question, gathering evidence, forming conclusions, defending and communicating their conclusions, and then asking more questions.
Will you be dip-netting and monitoring the insect population as a measure of the quality of the water habitat?
Are you working with the Texas Freshwater Fishery Center in Athens? We were ther about ten days ago, and they seemed to have a lot of school outreach. See them at:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/
I'd like to hear how the project evolves,
Barbara Fleischman
At 7/11/2006 9:32 PM,
Scott S. Floyd said…
I agree with Scott, what a great source for PBL. Who knows what problems, disappointments, or downright failures you may have, and all that is a source for inquiring into the problems and launching subprojects.
This is also a great tie-in for what everyone is saying on how the damage due to the hurricanes was much worse due to the past distrauction of the wetlands. In the back of my head is some quote from TR himself from the turn of the last century, when he said that the wetlands and barrier islands were important to protecting New Orleans. It looks like there will be serious talk, hopefully more than that, on restoring Louisiana wetlands as part of preparing for a future hurricane.
Barabra Fleischman (again)
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