Los Angeles County Outdoor Science School
at Wrightwood

 

CLASSROOM PREPARATION

Pre and Post visit lessons and activities

 We have included many useful lessons to prepare you students for their week at Outdoor Science School and also wrap- up or extend their Outdoor School experience.

 

Pre – lessons

These lessons and activities will introduce the Outdoor Science School curriculum to your students and prepare them for a great week. There is a glossary of key terms that your students will be using during their week, take a few moments to review some of these “key terms” with your students.

The lessons are divided into five different themes:

         - Plate Tectonic Puzzle                    

         - Evaporation Race Experiment

     - Private Eyes (external website)

Post- lessons

These lessons will follow up on important concepts that your students will learn while at the Outdoor Science School. You may choose to use some or all of them in order to increase what your students will learn from their experiences.

 

There are many outdoor science resources available for classroom teachers:

For more information about these resources and others please visit our Teacher Resources Page

 

 

BUILDING A TERRARIUM

(ECOSYSTEM LESSON)

OBJECTIVE- In this activity students will build a terrarium in a container by first putting a layer of soil, and then adding plants, seeds, leaves twigs and water to create a habitat for ground dwelling animals.  Students will explore how energy is transferred in an ecosystem.

Students will learn that:

MATERIALS-

TERMS-

BACKGROUND- The “PRODUCERS” are the origin of food chains.  Using sunlight and the process of photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.  A food chain describes how this chemical energy is passed from organism to organism.  When consumers eat a producer, the consumer gains some of the food energy from that producer.  When a consumer eats another consumer, again energy is passed from consumer to consumer.  Plants are eaten by primary consumers (herbivores).  Most herbivores are eaten by secondary consumers (carnivores) and these are eaten by tertiary consumers (top-level predators). 

ACTIVITY- Students are going to be building ecosystems in the form of terrariums

  1. Students will add the biotic parts to the ecosystem first.  Have student’s review and list biotic elements of the ecosystem.  Show the students various materials that you have brought in as the students list the biotic elements (leaves, bark, twigs, soil etc).  These items will be the home basis for living things.
  2. Add soil to the container.  (Garden soil is recommended. Sterile potting soil is not suggested).  Students may make the landscape flat or with valleys and hills.  Do not exceed 1/3 of the volume of the container with the soil mixture.  Add all abiotic parts such as gravel and rocks.  Add water, sparingly, using the spray bottle as a mister.  Only dampen soil
  3. Ask the students, “What are two groups that we could divide this list of biotic things into?  (Guide them to the logical groupings of plants and animals.)  Tell them that Scientists call plants “Producers” and animals are called “Consumers.”  Have the students explain why scientists use these terms.
  4. It is now time to add the “Producers” to the terrarium.  Demonstrate how to remove plants from containers and insert into the terrarium soil.  Possible sources of plants are: small plugs of lawn grass, green weeds, garden plants (soil and all).
  5. As you get ready to add consumers to the terrarium, ask the question “ What role do consumers play in an ecosystem?” After the students brainstorm, explain to them that a healthy and sustainable ecosystem needs far more producers than consumers.  Tell the students, that for now, they will be limited to introducing ONE consumer to their terrarium.  (Recommended consumers are garden insects, snails, crickets, etc.)
  6. Display the Food Chain transparency (attached) on the overhead projector.  Ask students where each organism is getting its energy to live.  Explain that the sugar created in photosynthesis is a “chemical” form of energy, just like the sunlight is energy.  This energy is passed along as one organism eats another. 
  7. Distribute the My Terrarium Ecosystem worksheet (attached) to the students.  Ask them to complete the worksheet by drawing the various abiotic and biotic parts of their terrarium.  Have them identify with arrows, how energy enters their terrarium and is transferred around.
  8. Ask them what would happen if we put their terrariums in a dark closet and left them there for an extended period of time.  Explain that ecosystems need a source of energy (light).  Have students discuss where they should place their terrariums for optimum amount of light.

 EVAPORATION RACE EXPERIMENT!

OBJECTIVE-

Which container of water will evaporate faster—the flat disk or the deep jar?

MATERIALS-

TERMS-

EVAPORATION- The changing of water molecules in a lake or ocean to vapor, which rises into the air

SCIENTIFIC METHOD- Use the following format with students to answer the question   

  1. Observation/Question
  2. Hypothesis/Prediction: Write your best guess about the answer to your question based on your observations  
  3. Method/Materials: List the materials you will use and explain how you will test your hypothesis 
  4. Results/Data: Describe what happened when you conducted your experiment or observational study
  5. Conclusions: What did you learn from your study?  Do your results support your hypothesis or not? If you were to repeat this experiment, how would you change it?  

BACKGROUND- The molecules of water can escape only from the surface.  So water will evaporate faster when the surface is large.  A wide shallow puddle, therefore, will dry up more quickly than a deep narrow one.

EXPERIMENT- Place an equal amount of water in the dish and the jar.  Place both, uncovered, on the table to stand overnight night.  Check them in the morning.

FOOD CHAINS

 

OBJECTIVE-  A food chain is the passage of energy (food) from producers to consumers.  In this activity students will role-play the food chain using construction paper signs to illustrate each role

MATERIALS-

TERMS-

 

BACKGROUND- A food chain is an intricate game of “who eats who.” It begins with energy from the sun.  The energy is giving to food producing plants.  These plants (producers) are eaten by plant eating animals (herbivore).  The herbivores are also known as primary consumers.  These consumers are soon eaten by secondary consumers or carnivores. The food chain is completed when dead consumers and producers are broken down by decomposers.  The remaining nutrients and minerals are returned to the soil for reuse and recycling. 

  

 sun -----> plant -----> mouse -----> hawk -----> worms
(energy) (producer) (primary consumer) (secondary consumer) (decomposers)

Each link in the food chain is fragile and depends upon the next link in the chain.  If one line were to vanish, the remaining portion of that particular food chain would probably vanish too.

 sun -----> plant -----> mouse -----> hawk ----->
  (poisoned) (dies from poison in the plant) (limited food supply)

IS YOUR AIR POLLUTED EXPERIMENT

 

OJECTIVE-  Find out if the air around you is polluted

MATERIALS-

TERMS-

BACKGROUND- Impurities pass into the air from car exhausts and smokestacks and other sources.  They pollute the air and remain there if no wind blows them away—or if a layer of warm air above them acts as a blanket.  Sometimes this dust in the air causes a haze, in which it is hard to see.

EXPERIMENT-  Line the coffee can with the white paper.  Then place it outside the window for a week or two.  Take the can in and carefully remove the paper.  Examine it—with a magnifying lens if possible

ENERGY CONTRACTS

Objectives

Students will discover the impact they have on energy consumption and conversely the effect they can have on conservation.

Students will choose energy conserving action(s) from the list to perform for a week and then evaluate their performance at the end of the week.

Materials

  1. Conservation Check Grid for each student

Terms

Background

Americans use more energy per person than people in any other country, including countries with similar lifestyles.  People are often unaware of the consequences of high energy use such as pollution, oil spills, and the greenhouse effect.  There are many ways we can conserve energy.  Conservation can be as simple as acquiring the habit of turning off lights when we aren’t using them or as complex as developing cars that use renewable resources.  Conservation can also mean changing behaviors; for instance, taking shorter showers or walking instead of driving for short trips.

Activity

1.  Discuss the effects of energy consumption and have the students think about what their lives would be like if they no longer had certain natural resources or electricity. 

Ask students why we should care about energy conservation. 

2.  Divide into small groups and brainstorm all of the things we wouldn’t be able to use if we didn’t have gas or electricity.

3.  Ask the students if they can think of ways to conserve energy?  Suggest that the choices they make can tremendously affect the energy consumed on a daily basis.  Have the students brainstorm ideas in small groups in which they can save energy in their homes and lives.

4.  Share the ideas from small groups with the rest of the class.

5.  Have the students decide one or more ways they will conserve energy over the upcoming week.  Brainstorm as a class an example of an energy contract.  Have each student write out and sign a contract stating their commitment to saving energy.

6.  Post the contracts around the classroom as a reminder.

7.  Have the students write 2-3 sentences each day about how their commitment to saving energy is working out.  Have them reflect on how these daily changes are affecting their lives and their families.

8.  At the end of the week return the contracts to the students.  Ask them to re-read their original contract and then write a summary explaining whether they were able to keep to their plan, what difficulties they found, any unusual things that happened, anything they learned about their habits and use of energy, and how they felt about making choices to conserve energy.

9.  Discuss the results.  Have students share their experiences.  Have them come up with ways to make energy conservation easier.  Challenge them to continue their energy conservation beyond their contract.

Extensions

1.  Have students conduct an energy survey of their homes or classroom, making a list of items that use energy and how they could be used differently to conserve energy.

2.  Have students design an energy efficient house, school, or city.

WORKSHEET FOR ENERGY CONTRACTS (Click Here for MS word version of worksheet)

Conservation Action

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Turn Water off while Brushing Teeth

Timed Shower (5 min)

Don’t Flush Toilet Unless you Need To

Turn Light Off Every Time You Leave a Room

Walk/Ride Bike to your Destination

Recycle (paper, cans, bottles, etc.)

Compost Food Items

Turn Water Off while doing Dishes

WEATHERING AND POROSITY

Objectives

The students will discover that rocks have pores and that one type of weathering can happen as a result of these pores.  Consequently, they will begin to understand the concept of weathering and how this process affects the landscapes around them.

Materials

  1. Assortment of Bricks or Rocks (sandstone, granite, etc.)
  2. Bucket or Tank
  3. Measuring device
  4. Water

Terms

Background

Rocks, bricks and other materials in nature absorb water through the pores that they contain.  In this way the physical aspect of weathering can occur.  During a rainfall, rocks will absorb water and if the temperature reaches freezing the water expands and cracks apart the rock enlarging the pores.  As this process repeats itself over time the rock material will eventually be broken down into soil.

Activity

1. Put a brick or rock in an empty tank or bucket.

2. Pour a measured amount of water into the tank or basin sufficient to completely cover the brick or rock.

3. Leave the brick or rock in the water for about half an hour.  Have certain students check on the bucket in given time increments to record and changes or observations they may have.

4. Remove the brick from the tank, allowing excess water to drain off into the tank. Pour the water left in the tank back into the measuring cup or marked container.

5. Ask the students to calculate how much water the brick soaked up.  What conclusions can be drawn about the porosity of the brick or rock?

6. Repeat the procedure using various kinds of rocks.

Which types of rocks seem to soak up the greatest amount of water? (Before definitive comparisons can be made, the students will have to consider the sizes of the rocks they are comparing.) Do the results have any implications for the process of rock breakdown (weathering)?

Which rocks would be more resistant to weathering?  Which types would be more susceptible?

Extension

To actively demonstrate the weathering process, have the students subject a soaked, porous brick or rock to repeated freezing and thawing. Put the soaked brick or rock in a shallow pan and alternate freezing it and thawing it over several days. Have them observe and record the results.

 

PLATE TECTONIC PUZZLE

Objectives

The students will gain an understanding of the Earth’s lithosphere and the large tectonic plates that it is divided into.  They will also gain a basic understanding of plate tectonic movement.

Materials

  1. Boiled Egg (optional)
  2. Copies of the Pangaea Puzzle Pieces (click here to download 8 MB MS word document with puzzle pieces)
  3. 9x12 Construction Paper
  4. Colored Pencils
  5. Scissors
  6. Glue
  7. Overhead Transparencies of Earth Plates and Plate Boundaries Maps

Terms

Plate tectonics stems from the idea that the Earth’s crust once existed in a single, massive land mass known as the super-continent Pangaea hundreds of millions of years ago.  Over time this land mass broke apart to yield the continents that we see today.  Plate tectonics, and the forces that drive plate tectonics, is the mechanism by which the land masses have moved.  One of the driving forces behind plate movement is the convection of the Earth’s mantle which affects the density of the mantle material and consequently causes an upwelling effect that pushes the overlying crust around.

As plates converge, diverge, or slide past each other laterally, major geologic events occur and new geologic features are formed.  Events, such as volcanoes, geysers, earthquakes and topographic features, such as mountains, valleys, oceanic trenches, and mid-oceanic ridges result.  Geologists believe that the phenomenon of plate movement had been going continuously for most of the history of the earth.

Activity

1.  Review (or introduce) the layers of the earth with the students.

2.  Optional – Use a boiled egg to exemplify the layers of the earth with the shell as the crust.  Indicate to the students that the crust of the earth including the oceanic crust is broken into several large pieces.  Crack the egg to demonstrate this concept.

3.  Provide students with copies of the Earth Plate Puzzle Pieces, construction paper, colored pencils, scissors, and glue.

4.  Have the students color each segment of the picture a different color, then have them cut out the pieces by cutting thru the middle of thick black lines, reassemble them on the piece of construction paper, and glue them into place after they have correctly figured out where each piece goes.

5.  Once all of the students have finished, display the completed puzzle with the plate names on the overhead.  Have the students write the plate names in the appropriate places on their map.

6.  Overlay the Plate Boundaries Map which shows the basic direction of plate movement.  Have the students add arrows to their own maps.

7.  Explain that this map reflects the theory of plate tectonics in which the crust is broken into lithosphere plates that rest on top of a constantly moving mantle made up of hot magma.  These large plates move in all directions.

8.  Have the students predict what might happen frequently at the plate boundaries.

Extension

Explore plate boundaries and the events that take place there.

PLANTING OAK TREES

Fall is the perfect time for gathering native oak acorns.  Oak trees are a keystone species in most habitats in California.  By encouraging oak tree reproduction, it is possible to improve the diversity of animal life in your area.

The best time to gather acorns is late September or October.  Choose heavy acorns which are free of insect holes or damage.  When you are ready to begin the sprouting process, (by November at the latest) soak acorns overnight.  Any acorns which float should be discarded.

Keep acorns damp in the fridge.  Gently rinse acorns once a week.  Roots should begin to appear by January.  Sprouted acorns can be planted in tall containers or directly in the ground.  Place acorns sideways and cover with ½ an inch of soil.

Survival will be increased if you can water the young oaks through the first couple of summers. 

There are several native oaks which are suitable for Southern CA school yards.  Valley Oaks are the largest CA oak trees and have a beautiful shape.  You may also be able to find Coast Live Oak or Interior Live Oak acorns in your area.  Engelmann Oaks also known as Mesa Oaks are found almost exclusively in Southern CA.  Engelmann’s are becoming scarce due to the pressures of development.  I would like to see them find a new home in the school yards across Southern California

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Last Revised:  May 30, 2007
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