CLAY HILL FARM FIELD TRIP DATA SHEET
NAME____________________________________HOMEROOM__________
NAME A TALL SPECIES | SPECIES FOUND AT FOREST ENTRY
| SOMETHING YOU SMELL | SOMETHING YOU HEAR |
WATER RESOURCE
| OBSERVE ANYONE USING THE FOREST | WEATHER INSIDE FOREST | WEATHER OUTSIDE FOREST |
NAME ONE FLOWERING PLANT
| NAME KINDS OF PLANTS | POND LIFE PRESENT | NAME ONE SPECIES IN POND |
NAME ONE INVASIVE SPECIES
| NAME ONE NATIVE SPECIES | NAME ONE INSECT INSIDE FOREST | NAME ONE PLANT LIFE |
NAME OF SPRING IN FOREST
| NAME OF FOREST RANGER | NAME OF EVERGREEN | NAME OF KY STATE TREE |
Lesson #10 – Culminating Performance
Overview
Students will work in groups of two or three to create a diorama or collage that shows all the components of a forest system and at least three examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers. Students will present their display to the class and explain how the forest is a system.
Making An Effective Diorama
Diorama – a 3-D art work using paper sculpture and found or recycled items to create a scene or environment in a box.
TIPS –
- 1. Use a shoebox or similar size box and either paint the interior or cover it with construction paper.
- 2. Use glue to hold items down, or hot glue if working with older students.
- 3. To make items stand up, put a support stick at a diagonal behind them, or if its paper, fold the bottom.
- 4. Objects may be hung from the top in order to have flying items. Simply use fishing wire.
Making An Effective Collage
Collage – Art work made by gluing bits of paper, pictures, fabric, or other materials to a flat surface.
TIPS –
- 1. Cut or tear photos or materials neatly.
- 2. When gluing, make sure only a thin line is applied to the outside edge.
- 3. Overlap edges to unify the design.
- 4. Use a contrasting or neutral background that is sturdy such as cardboard or heavy paper.
Materials
Colored construction paper
Poster
Glue
Scissors
Glue sticks
Magazines
Computer generated photos
Pencils
This is the culminating activity in this forest unit and the students will be judged using the scoring guide on the next page.
SCORING GUIDE FOR CULMINATING PERFORMANCE IN THE FORESTS
1
|
2 |
3 |
4 |
Directions were not followed
|
Partially Followed Directions |
Followed Directions |
Followed directions completely |
Inaccurate Information used
|
Included Some Information |
Included most of the information |
Included and expanded on accurate information |
Used art materials inappropriately
|
Used some of the art materials correctly |
Used art materials appropriately |
Used art materials appropriately and creatively
|
Did not complete task
|
Partrially completed task |
Completed task |
Thoroughly completed task |
Performance Level | Performance Indicators |
Giant Redwood |
|
Maple Sapling |
|
Seedling |
|
Seed |
|
RUBRIC/SCORING GUIDE FOR POWER POINT PRESENTATION
PERFORMANCE LEVELS | PERFORMANCE INDICATORS |
GIANT REDWOOD | *Includes three accurate examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers *Presentation shows an elaborated understanding of how the forest is a system *Uses accurate vocabulary and reflects deep conceptual understanding *Presentation is well organized *Concepts are clearly communicated *No spelling or factual errors are present. |
MAPLE SAPLING | *Includes at least two accurate examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers *Presentation shows an understanding of how the forest is a system *Use of vocabulary reflects conceptual understanding *Presentation is well organized *Concepts are clearly communicated *Very little spelling or factual errors are present and do not interfere with meaning |
SEEDLING | *Includes at least one accurate example of producer, consumer and decomposer *Presentation shows a basic understanding of how the forest is a system *Use of vocabulary reflects basic understanding of concepts *Presentation is not well organized *Concepts are not clearly communicated *Spelling errors are present and factual errors are present |
SEED | *Includes at least one example of producer, consumer and decomposer *Presentation shows minimal understanding of how the forest is a system *Use of vocabulary reflects minimal understanding of concepts *Presentation is not organized *Concepts are not communicated *Several spelling errors are present and factual errors are present |
Unit Title: LEAF (Learning Exercises and Activities in the Forest
Length of Unit: 2 weeks
Organizer: Show the class a picture of my favorite tree as a child. Explain that it is a Tulip Poplar Tree (the state tree of Kentucky). We will talk about the state tree and the number of times that this has changed over the years. We will also talk about the criteria used in selecting the state tree.
*also read the section of the adoption of the Kentucky state tree from our state website.
Essential Questions: What trees are native to the state of Kentucky? What makes the forest a system? What are the pieces, patterns and processes of a forest ecosystem?
Standards
Academic Expectations:
2.1 – Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working using those methods to solve real-life problems.
2.3 – Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components work together or affect each other.
2.4 – Students use the concept of scale and scientific models
to explain the organization and functioning of living and nonliving things and predict other characteristics that might be observed.
Program of Studies:
Science
Populations and Ecosystems
Students will
- • Observe populations and determine the functions (e.g., decomposers, producers, consumers) they serve in an ecosystem.
- • Investigate the energy flow I ecosystems.
- • Investigate factors (e.g. Resources, light, water) that affect the number of organisms an ecosystem can support.
Kentucky Core Content for Assessment:
SC-M 3.5.1 – a population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together in a given time and place.
SC-M 3.5.2 – populations of organisms can be categorized by the function they serve in an ecosystem.
SC-M 3.5.3 – for most ecosystems, the major source of energy is sunlight.
National Science Education Standards
Populations, energy and ecosystems, number of organisms
CURRICULUM WEB:
(How unit integrated with other content areas)
Math: Students will use graphs to plot the locations of trees in the forest.
Art: Students will create a poster with trees that are native to Kentucky.
Art: Students will create a mural as a culminating activity of the forest and its ecosystem.
Culminating Performance:
Students will work in groups of two or three to create a diorama, collage, or multimedia presentation that shows all biotic components of a forest system and at least three examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers. Students will present their display to the class and explain how the forest is a system.
Culminating Rubric:
The next page contains the culminating rubric which will be used with the class and can also be used with the culminating community event. Also is the attached scoring guide for the visual arts lesson too.
Lesson #1 – The Giving Tree Lesson Plan
Keywords: consumerism, wants versus needs, benefits of trees, wood products.
Total time for Lesson – 45-60 minutes
Subject: social studies, language arts
Materials required:
*The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
*A large number of old magazines
*Scissors
*Glue and tape
*Class poster or bulletin board titled: “Things We Get From Trees” and divided into two sections, “wants” and “needs”.
Concepts to Be Covered:
*People rely on trees for both products and pleasures
*Each individual views wants and needs differently.
Goals for the Lesson:
*Students will distinguish between wants and needs and recognize individual differences
*Students will list objects that we either make from trees
or that are produced by trees.
*Students will locate and identify pictures of products that are tree related in magazine.
Environment and Ecology Standard: 4.2.4B
Evaluation:
*Student responses
*Student involvement and completion of activity
Introduction to the Lesson
Call students to reading area and tell students that the story you are about to read tells of things a boy gets from a tree. Show the cover and ask students to predict what these things might be. Discuss with students if the things mentioned are a “want” or a “need”. Talk with students about some of their “wants” and “needs”.
Activity
- 1. Read story aloud to students. Stop periodically to discuss with students if what the boys gets from the tree are “wants” or “needs” and have students explain their response.
- 2. After reading have students recall what the boy got from the tree. Have them name things we get from trees and list them on the board.
- 3. After you have compiled a good sized list, go back through the list and ask students which are “wants” and which are “needs”. Have students explain their responses.
- 4. Explain to students that when they return to their seats that their task will be to look through magazines and find 10 products each that are either made from trees or produced by trees. Then have the students cut them out. Have them evaluate each item they have cut out and decide whether it is a “want” or a “need to them and create two different piles. They are then to glue them onto the class “Things We Get from Trees” board in the “want” or “need” section. Have students return to their seats, and begin activity.
- 5. After the board is finished have students examine the contents in each section. Engage students in discussion on whether or not they agree with the items that are placed in each section. Ask if everyone agrees on where the items are placed. Are everyone’s “wants” the same? How about their “needs”?
- 6. Review the activity with students. What can they conclude?
Checking for Understanding
Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, the following six levels will be discussed:
Knowledge: Find a page in the story that show the boy or the tree befriending each other.
Comprehension: Identify all the ways the tree gives of itself.
Application: Tell about what it means to be a friend. Tell about a friend of yours.
Analysis: Think about how you are a friend to other people.
Synthesis: Rewrite The Giving Tree with a different beginning, or middle, or end to the story.
Evaluation: Is it acceptable to continue “taking” from a friend?
If so, taking for how long? If not, why?
Closure:
Discuss how the class will rewrite another version of the story, The Giving Tree, whereby the tree receives as much as it gave.
Reflection:
This portion of the lesson is where the teacher reflects after the lesson has been completed. The teacher can reflect on how the lesson was taught and if there were parts of the lesson to keep, change, or delete.
Assessment:
Evaluation of the children’s writing with a four point rubric:
4 points – Full progression of beginning, middle and end with detail elaboration within structure of complete grammatical sentences.
3 points – adequate progression of beginning, middle, end with adequate detail and elaboration within structure of complete sentences with adequate grammar.
2 points – some progression of beginning, middle, end with some detail and elaboration within incomplete sentences with some grammar.
1 point – vague, list-like, random events are lacking organization with little detail or elaboration within incomplete sentences lacking grammar.
Lesson #2, #3 #4 – Native Trees of Kentucky
Lesson Topic – Native trees of Kentucky – these two lessons will require three class periods for completion. One day for individual exploring and two days for researching and preparing student Power point presentation.
Anticipatory Set:
Students will be asked to name as many trees as they can think of.. Trees will be listed on the board and students will be asked how many of these trees are native to Kentucky.
Tell the class that today our classroom will be the great outdoors. We are going to learn about the trees that are native to Kentucky and we are going “Exploring” to locate some of these trees around our school.
Input and Modeling:
The first lesson is done outdoors. The class will go exploring around the school grounds. As the teacher, I have previously located six different types of trees that are native to Kentucky. We will use this lesson to discuss vocabulary such as: native, stems, roots, leaves and flowers. We will talk about veining in the leaves.
We will discuss and demonstrate hw trees can be identified by their leaves, bark, twigs, flowers and fruit.
We will discuss Kudzu ( a non-native vine from Japan that chokes out trees and explain how it is an invasive plant and is not native to Kentucky.)
Guided Practice:
Students will have their exploration journals (science notebooks and pencils with them on the walk. They will be making drawings, tracing, and taking notes on the things they see. This will be a very hands-on lesson. They will be handling the leaves, touching the bark and roots, etc.
Questions:
How are you going to remember this is a white oak leaf?
How does the bark feel and look?
Have you seen this tree before?
What do you think the purpose of bark is?
What is your favorite tree?
Does it have flowers on it?
Does the tree have a smell?
Students will be put into pairs and will take pictures of trees with digital camera. The students will go online to a specified site and collect additional information on how the tree is used as a natural resource, lifespan, size of tree, and its growing season.
Students will prepare a Power point presentation using their exploration notes and the information found online. These presentations will be presented in class. Students will have two class periods to research and prepare their presentations.
Closure:
Get the class together as a group. Ask questions about each of the 6 tree types presented. What were some of the uses of the tree? What does native mean? How did the leaves differ from one another? Which trees do you think were the most beneficial? Why would it be useful to know the names of trees in our area?
Assessment:
Student will be graded on their PP presentation according to the rubric given.
Also, students will take a written test over identifying the leaves and from their study guide which will be created using the students complete science journal.
The test format will be fill-in-the-blank and short answer.
Lesson #5 – Looking At Leaves
Overview – Are leaves ever hairy? Do they have teeth? In this activity, your students will take a closer look at leaves and find out more about leaf characteristics and how leaves can be used to identify trees.
Concepts:
*Populations of organisms exhibit variations in size and structure as a result of their adaptation to their habitats (1.0.1)
*Biological diversity results from the interaction of living and nonliving environmental components such as air, water, climate, and geologic feature. (1.1)
Skills:
Comparing and contrasting, classifying and categorizing, identifying attributes and components.
Objectives:
Student will 1) describe how leaf shapes, sizes and other characteristics vary from tree to tree and 2) explain how particular types of trees c an be identified by their leaves.
Materials
Tree leaves, pencils, leaf print supplies for “enrichment” (types will vary depending on print method used; see various “enrichment” activities, copies of student pages 231 (for assessment).
Getting Ready
Locate an area where the students can collect leaves (from the ground, if possible) from several different kinds of trees. You may want to collect a sample, including needles from coniferous trees. In temperate climates, this activity is easiest to do in the fall.
Activity
- 1. Take students outside. Have them collect two or three different kinds of tree leaves, and encourage them to pick leaves that have already fallen to the ground. Be sure to collect needles In the clusters in which they grow.
- 2. When back inside, have students examine their leaves.
- • What are the differences between the leaves?
- • What do the leaves have in common?
- • Do the leaves have teeth?
- • Do any have hairs?
- • What do the leaves feel like?
- • Who found the biggest leaf? The narrowest leaf? The smallest leaf?
- • Have any leaves been eaten by insects? How can they tell?
- • Can they trace the veins on their leave with their fingers?
If no one collected needles, pasS out some that you collected earlier or show them a picture of needles. Have students compare the needles to the other leaves.
- 3. Have students give on of their leaves to another student. Explain that they will go outside to find what kind of tree that leaf cam from. How will they know when they’ve found the right tree? (It will have the same kind of leaves.)
- 4. Take students back to the same trees where they gathered leaves in step 1. Walk from tree to tree, and have students compare their leaves with leaves on the tree. If one or more students have a leaf that matches a tree, stop and examine the tree more closely.
- • Where on the branch do leaves grow?
- • How are they attached?
- • Do the leaves grow far apart from each other, close together, or I clumps?
- • If the leaves are needle-like, how many needles are in each cluster?
- • Are all the clusters the same? Are all the needles in the cluster the same length?
- • Do all leaves on the tree match exactly?
- • What color are the leaves?
- • Also examine other characteristics of the tree. For example, what is the bark of the tree like?
- • What color is the bark?
- • Are flowers, nuts, or fruit on the tree? What do they look like?
- 5. Continue looking at trees until all students have identified the tree that their leaf came from. As they examine each tree, be sure to ask questions to make students compare trees that they’ve looked at. For example, ask:
- a. Are this tree’s leaves larger or smaller than the last tree’s leaves?
- b. This tree’s leaves grow in a clump. Have we looked at any other trees that have leaves which grow in a clump?
- c. What’s similar or different about these two trees?
Enrichment
Leaf Crayon Rubbings
Materials
Dark-colored crayons, plain drawing paper
Directions
Set the leaf on a smooth surface, preferably vein-side up; then
cover it with a plain piece of paper. Rub a crayon sideways back and forth across the paper above the leaf. The margin of the leaf as well as its veins should begin to show on the paper as you rub gently.
*Student page 231 (attached as next page for Project Learning Tree.)
Core Content Connections:
SC-E-3.1.1 – Things in the environment are classified as living, nonliving, and once living. Living things differ from nonliving things. Organisms are classified into groups by using various characteristics (e.g., body coverings, body structures).
SC-E- 3.1.3 – Each plant or animal has structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction. For example, humans have distinct body structures for walking, holding, seeing, and talking.
SC – M- 3.1.1 – Living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and function. Important levels of organization for structure and function include cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms (e.g., bacteria, protests, fungi, plants, animals), and ecosystems.
WEEK TWO-LOOKING DEEPER, GOING FARTHER INTO THE FOREST
Lesson #6 – Looking Deeper
Overview – Students will work in groups to answer the various questions about what we have learned in the forest and brainstorm about places where they can find and answer these questions about the forest.
Concepts:
Identifying, describing, collecting, organizing, displaying, communicate procedures, review and recognize
Materials
Magazines, cameras, computers, journals, pencils,
Getting Ready
Students are going to create a journal of their local forest and write bulleted sentences to answer the questions below. So we shall read the book, Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal by Kristin Joy Pratt to help familiarize them with this concept.
Activity
*Students will create a concept map of a forest that will be used as their pre-assessment.
*Students will be divided into groups and be given two of the topics below to take or find pictures of and place on a poster:
*Recreational uses of the forest
*Organisms that live in the forest
*Colors associated with the forest
*Jobs associated with the forests
*Water resources in the forest
*Trees species found in the forests
*The layers (what do they see at the top, middle and bottom of the forests) of the forest.
*Their community
*Access to the forest (what roads and trails?)
Each group will be asked to acquire at least three images of that topic and create a descriptive paragraph for these images.
Turn and Talk
Students will then come back together and turn and talk to each other about what they have learned by presenting their posters. Students will discuss what we have learned and how did we learn it by answering the following questions:
- How are the uses of forests the same and different?
- How are organisms in the forest the same or different?
- How are colors in the forest different in each season?
- How are recreational uses different for forest?
- What tree species are present?
- How are rock formations different in the forest?
- What jobs are available for forestry?
- How are communities around forest different or the same?
- How are the layers of the forest the same or different?
Culminating Activity
Students will then write in their journals ten bulleted sentences using the information they have acquired today about the forest in their community.
Lesson #7 - Deeper In The Forest
Overview
A forester from the Division of Forestry I our community or even a representative from Clay Hill Farm or the county Cooperative Extension Service will accompany our class on a field trip to Clay Hill Farm.
Getting Ready
Students will assemble at Clay Hill Farm and be given directions while seated in the outdoor classroom. Students will collect data and record on data sheet during their 5 mile walk through the forest.
Activity
After being given specific instructions by the forest ranger and teacher on behavior s, students will be partnered up and given data sheet to fill out. They will be encouraged to ask questions in order to answer some of the questions which appear on the data sheet because observation will not enable the students to answer all of the questions.
Follow-Up
Students will take the information from their walk through the woods and put it into their journal upon returning to school.
Students will also write a thank you letter to the director of Clay Hill and to the Forest ranger for teaching them and letting them visit the forest.
Lesson #8 and #9 – News From The Forest
Overview
Students will create a news article using information about Clay Hill farm and try to persuade the reader to want to visit the forest. They must include four persuasive reasons for visitor to come and use appropriate data. They must include illustrations and diagrams or pictures.
Activity
Students will be given two class periods to create a news article for the local newspaper depicting Clay Hill Farm and persuading the reader to want to visit. Students will be given the attached rubric so that they are aware of what is needed to achieve “Giant Redwood” status in the forest.
Students will need to include both factual forest facts and local facts about our forest.