Module I: The Food ChainObjective: This module is designed to teach students the importance and complexity of the food chain, in the garden and in the larger world. It will also show students what happens when a link in the food chain is removed by pollution or other detrimental human impacts. Important vocabulary: (These definitions are simplified for student useChildren 5-8 Producer- an organism that makes its own food from the sun, usually a plant Primary consumer- plant-eating animals that eat producers Secondary consumer- animals that eat primary consumers Tertiary consumer- larger animals that eat secondary consumers Herbivore- an organism that eats plants Carnivore- an organism that eats meat Omnivore- an organism that eats both plants and meat Habitat- the area that an organism lives in Children 9-11 Autotroph- an organism that produces its own food Heterotroph- an organism that relies on other organisms for food Trophic level- level in a food chain

Where do organisms live?o Grass- Grass is actually a combination of many plant species and can grow in many different kinds of soils, as it is very

hardy. It does need a good amount of sunlight so usually grows in open spaces or forests with sparse canopy cover.o Grasshoppers- Hinted at by the name, grasshoppers live mainly in grasslands but have a great variety of habitats and

can be found in rocky areas as well as gardens.o Snakes- There are many species of snake that occupy a plethora of habitats. They live in all types of climates in most

places in the world. o Hawks- Hawks will live in areas where prey is easily attainable and like the other organisms discussed here can live in a

variety of places.o (These organisms do not have specific habitats but rather have conditions that they will survive best in. Ensure students

that find many different answers in research that most of their answers are probably right, considering these organisms are not necessarily species specific and the groups are very general).

What does it eat? o Grass- Grass is an autotroph that makes its own food through photosynthesis.o Grasshoppers- Grasshoppers are herbivorous and can eat anything from grass to vegetables.o Snakes- Snakes are predators and carnivorous. Depending on their size they can eat anything from small insects to

medium sized mammals. o Hawks- Hawks prey on snakes as well as a variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and if in the proximity of water,

fish. What eats it?

o Grass- innumerable animals eat grass, from large mammals like cows to small insects like grasshoppers.o Grasshoppers- Grasshoppers are eaten by many kinds of insectivores, including birds, small mammals, amphibians,

and in this food chain, snakes.o Snakes- Snakes are eaten mainly by large predatory birds. o Hawks- Hawks are eaten by very few animals, but when hawks die their bodies are decomposed by fungi, and so these

organisms break down the hawk into nutrients that can be used by the grass, bringing the food chain full circle.

Omnivore, an herbivore or a carnivore? Grass- none, autotroph Grasshoppers- herbivores Snakes- carnivores Hawks- carnivores

Is it a producer or a consumer, if it is a consumer what kind is it (primary, secondary, tertiary)? Grass- Producer

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Grasshoppers- Primary Producer Snakes- Secondary Consumer Hawks- Tertiary Consumer

Is my organism an autotroph or a heterotroph? Grass- autotroph Grasshoppers- heterotroph Snakes- heterotroph Hawks-heterotroph

How could the food chain be disrupted?o A disruption most commonly occurs when a species is killed or dies off, therefore removing itself from the food chain or

when something toxic is eaten by an animal and is passed to other species when they eat it. Or with introductions of non-native species!

Do you think this happens naturally?o Drastic changes in population can occur due to disease, or natural disaster but it is uncommon to have a species

eliminated from the food chain through natural means. It can easily be natural – if we include human involvement as part of natural process.

Can people do this?o Yes, in fact it is most often people that cause missing links in the food chain. Through the introduction of invasive

species, pollution, development, industry, logging, hunting, pesticide use and innumerable other activities people destroy habitats and endanger species in them. We leave animals with no place to reproduce, with no food to be obtained and with toxic chemicals in their tissues to be passed on up the food chain.

*Start list of ways to protect our environment

Food Chain Resources:http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Science/FoodChain/FoodChain.htmhttp://library.thinkquest.org/11353/foodhttp://ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/indexhttp://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htmhttp://www.planetpals.com/foodchain.htmlhttp://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_foodchain.htmlhttp://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/difference.htmlhttp://www.faulkingtruth.com/Articles/GlobalWarning/1009.htmlhttp://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/12/13/HOGK63KAVL1.DTL

Module II: Plant PartsBackground:Flowering Plant parts: This section of the lesson plant should familiarize students with the basic parts of flowering plants. They should be able to identify them in the classroom and the garden. Students should be given a diagram such as the one to the right:

Activity II: Find plant parts in the gardenAfter students have created their own plant take them into the garden to further their understanding of plant morphology. Have them try to find plants that have flowers and when found discuss the flower as a group, asking the students to identify the parts of the plant. Emphasize that not all stems, leaves, flowers, and roots look the same, but that every flower has its own unique and beautiful shape. Materials:

Magnifying glass – 1 per student

Activity III: What do these parts do? 2

After these two activities students should be given the functions of different parts of the plant but without the name of the part that it corresponds to. Ask students to speculate about which part of the plant each function belongs to.(flower)- This part of the plant attracts bees and other insects.(stem)- This part of the plant provides support for he plant.(leaf)- This part of the plant is wide to catch sunlight to make food.(root)- This part of the plant brings the plant important vitamins from the soil.

Once students have matched part and function explain to them why each answer is correct. This will lead into an explanation of how plants live and grow.

*Artistic diagrams?

Activity VII: How do flowers get pollinators to come to them? Plants want insects, birds, and small mammals to pollinate them so that they can reproduce and insects want to visit flowers because of the sweet nectar or food that they provide. Plants use a variety of techniques to attract pollinators including:

Bright, vivid colors Stripes running towards the center of the flower that act much like a runway at an airport, guiding insects Sweet nectar, which is the major attraction Sweet smell Large petals or cup shaped petals that make it easier for an insect to land and feed.

*Explain Petals, sepals etc. purpose and location

Plant Resources:

http://www.kathimitchell.com/plants.htmlhttp://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/educate/kids/photsyn.htmhttp://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio104/photosyn.htmhttp://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/botany/plantparts.htmlhttp://waynesword.palomar.edu/trmar98.htmhttp://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_main.htmlhttp://pollinator.com/kids/kids_index.htmhttp://library.thinkquest.org/3715/pollin5.htmlhttp://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/images/plant.gif)http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/images/otherparts.gifhttp://www.prairiefrontier.com/pages/families/flwrparts.jpg)

Module III: SymbiosisModule Objective: This module will acquaint students with the idea of symbiosis and in a larger sense, a balance in nature. This lesson set will discuss three common examples of symbiosis that can be seen in the Ohio area. After this lesson set students should be able to identify symbiotic relationships in nature and realize the effect that their own symbiotic relationships can have on the world around them.

Background: Symbiosis as two or more species living together. Emphasize that symbiosis is a very general term that involves many different

ways that organisms relate to one another. Symbiosis occurs anywhere where two organisms are interacting. Symbiosis does not inherently indicate a good or a bad

relationship, just a relationship. Symbiotic relationships can be good or bad. Some organisms will benefit from a symbiotic relationship but others may not. There are many different types of symbiotic relationships

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Discussion for Younger students:Types of symbiosis:1. One species gets something good and the other doesn’t get anything, good or bad2. Both species get something good3. One species gets something good but hurts the other species by getting it

Discussion For Older Students:1. Commensalism- One species benefits (gets food, shelter or other resources) and the species it is interacting with isn’t harmed but doesn’t get anything good. It is good for one species and neutral for the other.2. Mutalism- Both species benefit from the relationship; they provide each other with resources without harm to either.3. Parisitism- one species benefits while the other is harmed. This usually involves one species feeding on another species.

Activity I: Commensalism – The clown fish and the anemoneThis activity should attempt to get students to come up with the relationship between the clown fish and the anemone. Give students all of the particulars of the relationship and then ask them to figure out the relationship. These are the clues.

1. The anemone has toxins that stop fish from eating it.2. The clown fish is immune to anemone toxins.3. The clown fish is brightly colored and so can be seen easily by predators.4. The clown fish is the only fish immune to the anemone toxin.

Given these clues students should deduce that because the clown fish is immune to the toxins of the anemone and other fish aren’t and it needs protection from predation, the clown fish can hide within the anemone for protection.( There are some theories that suggest that the clown fish benefits the anemone by cleaning it but there has not been enough research on this and the relationship is considered commensalistic). This is commensalistic because the clownfish will gain protection from the anemone and also food from the leftovers of animals caught by the anemone. The anemone, on the other hand does not gain from the relationship.

Activity II: Commensalism – Clown fish tagThis game is similar to classic tag and strives to teach children the roles of predators like sharks, clownfish and the anemone. Here is how to play.

1. Children should separate into 3 teams, sharks, anemones, and clown fish.2. On a playing field instruct anemones to spread out in a large circle, the will stand still and act as “safe spots for the

clown fish”3. The sharks, as predators “eat” the clownfish by tagging them4. Clownfish can escape from the sharks but only for ten seconds by touching one of the anemones.

After 10 minutes sharks will become anemones, anemones will become clownfish and clownfish will become sharks.

Activity III: Mutualism – Algae and fungi = lichenAgain give students clues to the roles of these two organisms and see if they can figure out their relationship.

1. Algae is small and can’t efficiently obtain nutrients from the soil.2. Algae can make its own sugar from the sun through photosynthesis.3. Fungi can spread and is large and can obtain nutrients from the soil.4. Fungi is not green and photosynthetic so it can not make its own food.

These clues indicate that algae and fungi live together, the photosynthetic algae providing the fungi with glucose while the fungus provides the algae with nutrients and water from the soil. They are so often occurring completely mutualistic that together they are referred to as one organism, lichen. By providing each other with nutrients that the other can not obtain itself algae and fungi provide an example of one of nature’s most efficient and hardy mutualistic systems,

Activity IV: Mutualism – “Create your own mutualistic relationship”Now that the children know the definition of commensalism and have seen an example encourage them to make up their own mutualistic relationship, using themselves as one organism and thinking of another person they could have a mutualistic relationship with. Ask them questions like:

What special talents do you have that you could offer to others? What are other talents that you don’t have but that someone could else could have?

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Would this relationship help both of you?This is a very simplified exercise but the children should be able to grasp the idea that each organism is giving the other something and receiving something in return. Give the children a few examples like: On a baseball team, if Billy is good at pitching but not batting and Sammy is good at batting but not pitching, Billy and Sammy

can exist in a mutualistic relationship with Sammy offering his batting skills and Billy offering his pitching skills to create an efficient team.

Activity V: Parasitism – “Parasite chain”An example of a common parasite is a tick. Ticks will attach to a host and suck the hosts blood. While the tick receives a blood meal the host looses blood and is often infected with diseases harbored in the gut of the mosquito. Explain to the children this example and then have them play a game. This running game should show children how a parasite can impede an organism.1. Split class into parasites, hosts and predators.2. Have parasites hold on to hands of host3. Host and parasite must run together to get away from predator

Activity VI: What kinds of symbiotic relationships are you in? This section should encourage children to think about their impact on the natural world through their relationships with it. Though these are biological concepts the interpretation of them is often philosophical and up to discussion. Ask students questions like these: Do humans participate in commensalism with other animals?

o Humans often benefit from animals but less frequently without harming them. Do humans participate in mutualism with other animals?

o Humans exist in very few mutalistic relationships with animals. Some people consider us to benefit domesticated animals but only after their domestication.

Are humans parasites?o Yes, we may not be parasites in a strictly biological sense but we have developed into ones. We often take benefits of

animals while harming them or the habitat they live in.

End this section with the idea that we, as people, must try to reduce our impact on the globe and its creatures. Encourage children to look up ways that they can help animals around them. Whether it is volunteering at a pet shelter, or encouraging better practices for animal care in the food industry, every little bit helps.

Symbiosis Resources:http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/ecol_com/ecol_com.html http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/ExamplesOfParasitism.htmlhttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent591k/symbiosis.htmlhttp://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1994/bisaccio_symbiosis.html

(http://www.kidsolr.com/science is where I found this page and is a great general resource)http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9058426/parasitismhttp://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fungi/lichens/lichens.htmlhttp://www.earthlife.net/lichens/intro.html

Module I: BirdsModule Objective:This module will introduce children to observational techniques and the awesome life in the sky.Background:

Birds are helpful environmental indicators. Health and strength of bird populations mirrors the health of the overall environment. Birds have a variety of feeding habits including the ingestion of: insects, fish, meat, seeds, nectar and fruit.

Birds, like humans, use color and hearing more than smell. Birds tend to be attracted to bright colored berries for feeding. Feathers are a type of modified ectoderm. They are made primarily of keratin. Keratin also makes up the hair and nails of

mammals. Each flight feather is connected to a muscle and so birds are able to adjust each feather individually. Feathers also help to maintain body heat by trapping in pockets of air close to the body. Feathers vary in colors, textures, patterns, and shapes. These differences help to distinguish birds based on gender, age, species, and social status. Some feathers also grant camouflage which helps to protect them against predatory attacks.

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Birds maintain a very high body temperature – about 104° to 108° F. This high body temperature creates an internal environment in which chemical reactions can easily take place.

Birds are the fastest breathers of any animal. A pigeon, when in flight, breathes almost 450 times per minute. A human, when running, breathes around 30 times per minute.

Birds do not need as much sleep as most other mammals. It is assumed that birds sleep only to relax their muscles rather than to relax their brains. Some migratory birds are able to sleep for only a few seconds at a time for a month or more.

Annual migration allows birds to travel between climates so that the birds can remain in suitable climates year-round. Migration also helps birds to avoid food shortages. Some migratory seabirds travel more than 20,000 miles in one year.

The greatest bird diversity is found in the tropics of North and South America

Activity I: Feed the BirdsObjective: Encourage native birds to the area so that the students can begin to observe them up close.Time: This is a two-day activity that can be shortened as necessary. Birdseed Cookies:Materials:

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2 cups flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup of sugar 2/3 cup shortening (Crisco) 2 eggs 3/4 cup birdseed (use small seeds) 3 egg whites

Cookie cutters Yarn to hang cookies Oven Cookie sheet or tinfoil Paperclips – 1 per student Cookie cutters – optional Paintbrushes

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Procedure:1. Mix dry ingredients2. Mix in shortening3. Add eggs4. Add birdseed and kneed until smooth5. Allow dough to chill over night6. Have students roll dough out to ¼ inch thickness7. Have students cut dough into shapes – either with a blunt knife or with cookie cutters8. Brush egg whites on top of cookies and press birdseed into the top of the cookies.9. (instructor only) Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet or on sheet of tinfoil at 325° F for 10-15 minutes.10. Once cookies and paper clips have cooled: have students thread yarn through the paper clips.11. Hang the cookies around the perimeter of the gardenBagel Bird Feeder:Materials:

Day old (or older) bagels – free at many bakeries and grocery stores Vegetable shortening (Crisco) Birdseed Yarn

Procedure:1. Have the students spread shortening on bagel2. Place greased bagel into a bag of birdseed.

3. Shake bag

4. Remove bagel5. Loop yarn through the center of the bagel and hang

outsidePine Cone Bird Feeders:Materials: Large pine cone – one per student Yarn 2 cups bread crumbs 1/2 cup unsalted nuts 2 - 3 chopped apples 2/3 cup of raisins 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornmeal 1/2 pound ground beef suet 1/2 cup flour 8 oz. jar of peanut butter 1 cup wild birdseed

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Procedure:1. Allow students to collect pine cones in heavily

forested areas2. Have students combine ingredients – proportions are

not too important3. Students press combination into the spaces in the

pine cones4. String yarn through pine cones and hang in the

garden’s periphery

Possible Extensions Run sightings boards on which students can monitor how

many visitors each type of feeder gets Try different colors of yarn – do brighter colors attract

more birds? Try adding colorful ribbons to the feeders

If there are any extra bird feeders have the kids take them home to hang in their yards

Bird Resources:http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552516_6/Bird.htmlhttp://ohioline.osu.edu/b865/index.html http://ohioline.osu.edu/b865/b865_01.htmlhttp://ohioline.osu.edu/b865/index.htmlhttp://www.gardenweb.com/overture/index.html?kw=Bird%20Feederhttp://www.gardenweb.com/overture/index.html?kw=Decorative%20Bird%20Feederhttp://ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/0013.htmlhttp://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/feedingthebirds.htm

Module II: Garden Friends

Module Objective:This module will debunk the common misconception that all insects and other visitors are pests in a garden. Background is included in each activity in this module.

Activity II: Pillbug Box Party

Objective:Help students to study one of the most common garden insects while learning about the scientific process.

Materials: Shoeboxes – one per group Black and white construction paper Glue Scissors Collection cups Water spray bottle

Procedure:1. Divide students into groups2. Have students glue black construction paper to cover the inside of the box on one half and white construction paper to cover the

inside of the other half of the box3. While the glue is drying: have the students collect 10 pillbugs per group in their collection cups4. Once the glue is dry, have students spray one half of the black papered area with water and one half of the white papered area

with water5. Place 10 pillbugs in each box in the center of the box. 6. After ten minutes have the students count where the pillbugs are and record it in a table

7. Repeat after 20 minutes, 40 minutes and 1 hour

Discussion/Extension: What does this tell us about the pillbugs preferred habitat?

o Pillbugs like dark, moist places Where would you expect to find pillbugs in the garden?

o In moist soil, by sides of garden beds, etc.

Module III: ButterfliesModule Objective:This module will educate kids about one of the most beautiful and mesmerizing insects in the United States. Students will learn about migrating patterns, metamorphosis, life cycles and habitats through many different mediums.

Background:Butterflies are complex organisms that offer a great variety of educational experiences for children. Butterflies are a part of

the order Lepidopterans. Lepidopterans undergo metamorphosis from a caterpillar to the winged butterfly. Lepidopterans have a very specific body type in adult form. The body is covered by an exoskeleton and is divided into three sections: head, thorax and

abdomen. The two wings that come of off the body is divided into the forewing and hind wing. The wings have veins for structural support. Antennae come off from the head and allow the butterfly to use its olfactory (smelling) senses to determine the location of food and mates. Lepidopterans feed by extending their proboscides – tubes that spend most of the time rolled up under the head. The organism can extend the proboscis, which can range from less than one inch in length to over on foot, in order to suck up nectar from flowers. Butterflies prefer to inhabit flowery fields, meadows, and along hillsides. It is preferable for these areas to be near shelter from wind and rain. Butterflies need protection from the elements and it is important to consider providing this when creating a butterfly habitat. It is important for butterflies to feed in sunny places as they are cold blooded organisms. The ideal internal flight temperature for butterflies is

ninety to one-hundred degrees Fahrenheit – to reach this temperature, butterflies are often found sunning themselves on large rocks. This is yet another landscaping element to be considered for butterfly habitat.

After mating, the adult female butterfly lays the eggs on plants that are edible for a caterpillar. Some species lay their eggs singly on plant’s leaves while others lay eggs in clusters around the stem. The egg hatches into a caterpillar. The caterpillar then consumes its nutrient-rich egg-shell and begins to feed on its host plant. Once the caterpillar reaches full size it secures itself in a chrysalis – a hard, oval structure secured to a plant. The caterpillar’s organs break down into liquid form and then reassemble into the organs of the adult butterfly. When the butterfly is fully developed, it breaks open its chrysalis and crawls out. The butterfly holds the wings out to allow them to dry and harden, then the butterfly is ready to begin its adult life. Many adult butterflies live only a few weeks, however there are a few migratory species such as monarchs that live over six months.

Monarch butterflies are a migratory species. Monarchs migrate each year from the northern United States down to Mexico. These butterflies require specific plants on which to feed and rest, specifically milkweed. However, a great amount of milkweed has been destroyed by over-development of the United States – as a result, the monarch population has greatly decreased in recent years. Monarchs are important pollinators and therefore must be protected.

*students should be taught the above background material as it is vital to a full understanding of the activities.

Activity I: Artistic ButterfliesObjective: This activity allows students to use their recently acquired scientific knowledge – Lepidoptera anatomy – to create works of art. Time: ~45min - 75minMaterials: Paper; one sheet per student

Paints, markers, pens, colored pencils and/or crayons; enough to easily share Paper clips (optional to attach anatomical labels); six per student 1 pair of scissors; to cut anatomical labels and/or cut out butterfliesProcedure: 1. Review Lepidoptera anatomy with class (esp. spelling) ~ 5-15 min2. Explain art project3. Allow the students to have artistic freedom over their butterfly creations ~ 25-45 min4. Students label important anatomical parts either by paper-clipping labels or by writing the labels on the butterfly. ~5-15 min

Some students may not want to label their artwork – in this case you can either have butterfly outlines ready for them to label or ask them to sketch a separate butterfly to label.

5. Decorate the learning space with these new colorful butterflies ~10 min As an extension of the decoration, the class could also create flowers and plants that could attract butterflies

Activity II: The Butterfly TalesObjective:It is important for students to be able to identify with the insects that they are studying. Metamorphosis is a difficult concept to understand. A writing assignment may greatly help students to understand how metamorphosis works and what it is.Time: ~Dependent on desired length of essays and desired complexity of understanding shown in the writing. Anywhere from 1.5 hrs – 4 hrs. This activity can easily be spread out throughout several sections. This keeps the concept in the minds of the students.Materials: Scratch paper; one to two pieces per student Computer access or lined paper

o For younger kids: create booklets by stapling folded paper together Pen/pencil/computer; one per student Large diagram of butterfly lifecycle; one Optional: paints, markers, colored pencils, pens, and/or crayons; recommended for younger studentsProcedure:

1. Explain the process that a butterfly undergoes during metamorphosis to the students2. Discussion time:

o Can you think of any other organisms that undergo full or partial metamorphosis?o Do humans undergo metamorphosis?o Come up with an agreed upon definition of metamorphosiso If you were able to undergo metamorphosis what organism would you like to become?o What do you think being in the chrysalis would be like? o How would you feel when you emerge from the chrysalis?o *For younger children ask the same questions but ask them about butterflies – it may be too difficult for younger children

to imagine themselves in the butterfly’s position3. Tell the students that they have the opportunity to write a short story about metamorphosis4. Hand out scratch paper and have kids map out their storyline5. Hand out booklets, lined paper or take kids to computer labs to begin writing

a. Allow several different sessions for writing – the younger children should be expected to write for less time and write shorter stories

6. Allow time for students to present their stories – either in outline form or word for word (depending on time)

Butterfly Resources:http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761578331/Butterflies_and_Moths.htmlhttp://www.travelassist.com/mag/a99.htmlhttp://www.mygreathome.com/outdoors/garden_butterfly.htmhttp://www.foremostbutterflies.com/butterfly_garden/

Module I: Soil

Objective:The objective of this module is to provide students with a basic understanding of soil, especially in ways in which the knowledge can be applied to gardening, by providing them with terms and ways to describe soil. Students should be able to successfully describe different soils and be able to explain what constitutes good gardening soil and why. Background:WHAT IS SOIL? Soil comprises the outermost part of the earth’s surface. It is what we walk on and interact with on a daily basis, and it is what most plants need to grow. Soil is made up of a combination of three phases: solid, liquid, and gas. The solid phase is the organic matter (what you touch and play with, and generally think of when you think of soil), and includes all the microorganisms that live in the soil. The liquid phase is the moisture in the soil, and is very important because it is the part that plants soak up nutrients from. The gaseous phase is the oxygen which circulates through the soil, and is also necessary for the roots of the plants.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOIL. Soil will have different texture and composition depending on where it is located. Soil in riverbanks is often soft, dense, and clay-like, while other soil may be sandy and loose. Soil color also varies widely, depending on mineral content. Some soil is more acidic while other soil is more basic (this is dependent on the mixture of nutrients). There is a world wide classification system used to sort soils around the world into different categories.

WHAT ARE NUTRIENTS? A nutrient is something that an organism needs for energy and to help make up the structure of the organism. Nutrients can come in many different forms; for example we consume nutrients at every meal when we eat our food. (The nutrition label on packages will tell us what nutrients we are consuming). Plants consume nutrients by soaking up moisture from the soil.

WHAT NUTRIENTS ARE IN SOIL? Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are the main nutrients needed in soil. If there is too much or too little of any one nutrient, many plants won’t grow well. If soil is overworked it may be depleted of nutrients and need something additional, like fertilizer or compost which are rich in these nutrients. The teacher can provide examples here of ways in which industrial farming practices and other environmentally damaging activities may have a detrimental effect on soil quality.

WHAT CONSTITUTES GOOD GARDENING SOIL? Some plants are more hearty than others, but generally soil needs to be well aerated (this is why tilling is done). Earthworms are a good sign of healthy soil, because by burrowing through the soil they are keeping it naturally aerated. Soil also needs a proper balance of nutrients, which is why fertilizers are often added. If soil is too dry or too wet, or too dense, many plants will not grow well.Key Vocabulary: Soil, three phases, solid, liquid, gas, organic matter, nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, compost, fertilizer, depletion, soil texture, soil color, aeration.

The teacher should provide students with the above information about soil as a basis, and reinforce information when it is relevant to the activity at hand.

Soil Resources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/soil

Module II: Compost and Other FertilizersBackground: WHAT IS FERTILIZER? Fertilizer is any compound that adds nutrients to the soil. There are many types of fertilizer, some man-made, and some occurring naturally. In both of these groups there are both organic and inorganic fertilizers. Examples of inorganic, naturally occurring fertilizers include sodium nitrate and limestone. Naturally occurring organic fertilizers are things like manure, peat, seaweed, and leaf mulch. Man-made, or manufactured, organic fertilizers include compost and bonemeal. Manufactured, inorganic fertilizers include a variety of chemical fertilizers, often referred to as N-P-K fertilizers (containing nitrogen, phosphorous or potassium).

WHAT TYPE OF FERTILIZER SHOULD YOU USE? There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer to this question. However, it should be taken into consideration that man-made,

inorganic fertilizers often result in further depleting soil of its nutrients in the long run, and therefore more and more must be added, which can result in things like chemical runoff that poisons waterways. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, are natural, easy to make, and often cheap, and do not have these adverse effects.

WHAT IS COMPOST? Compost is what is left as the result of the decomposition of organic matter (Organic matter is any carbon-containing matter and matter that can be broken up into its original elements. Often being organic coincides with being naturally occurring. ). HOW DOES IT HAPPEN? This happens through a complex process in which micro-organisms cause the material to break down. During the process high degrees of heat are created, which accelerates the composting process. If a compost pile is too wet or too dry, or is not mixed well, it will compost very slowly.

WHY SHOULD WE COMPOST? Compost can be used as a fertilizer, and is an environmentally friendly, easy, and cheap way to give nutrients back to the soil and make your garden flourish. Composting also allows you to turn old food into something good, instead of throwing it away and having it go to a landfill.

HOW DO YOU MAKE COMPOST? Compost can be made with many different household scraps, especially fruit and vegetable remnants and crushed eggshells. Dairy and meat scraps are not good for putting into your compost. Grass clippings, leaves, wood ash, and garden scraps are all good for putting into the compost. Compost needs to be layered, because different things put into it have different nutrients. As a general rule, there should be layers of browns (carbon-rich materials) and greens (nitrogen-rich materials). When you put in a layer of rotting fruits or vegetables, a layer of browns should also be added. The compost also needs to have a good drainage system so that it will not get too wet and turn into mush, but if it is too dry it should be hosed down. Lastly, compost should be turned every now and then, and provided with ventilation, because the process needs oxygen to work. Objective: The objective of this lesson is to teach students what fertilizer is and why certain fertilizers might be preferable to others, especially in terms of environmental impact. The goal is to place a particular emphasis on compost and have students come away with a good understanding of how compost is made and why it is such a good fertilizer to use.Key Vocabulary:

decomposing organic matter micro-organisms heat layering browns/greens drainage ventilation environmentally-friendly

Teacher should once again provide students with this background information before doing activities.

Compost and Other Fertilizers Resources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/composthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fertilizer

Module III: Soil Quality and the Environment

Background:WHAT IS MEANT BY SOIL QUALITY? Soil quality has to do with how capable soil is of providing functions such as sustaining plant life, cycling nutrients, filtering, and so on. Soil that is of low quality will not have the capacity to grow plants as well as healthy soil, as it will be deficient in nutrients and/ or be poorly aerated or too wet or dry.

WHAT IS SOIL AERATION? Aeration refers to the circulation of air through a given medium, in this case soil. Soil aeration is

accomplished by loosening the soil so that it is easier for oxygen to circulate. This is often done by tilling, but can be done on a small-scale by hand, using garden forks and such. Earthworms are also a good sign of healthy and well-aerated soil, as they naturally cause aeration by moving around in the soil.

WHAT ARE MICROORGANISMS? Microorganisms are microscopic organisms that live in the soil and in many cases work to keep it healthy, although sometimes these microorganisms actually do harm to plants, and cause things like fungi.

WHAT IS MEANT BY SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE? Sustainable agriculture involves agricultural practices that cause as little change as possible to the natural environment, while at the same time allowing an indefinite production of food. Sustainable agricultural practices include, but are not limited to, crop rotation, not using pesticides, practicing no-till farming and using recycled materials as fertilizer, as with compost or manure.

WHAT SORT OF IMPACT DO CONVENTIONAL FARMING PRACTICES HAVE?Conventional farming practices often involve the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and excessive tillage of the soil.

Chemical fertilizers can cause depletion of the soil’s nutrients in the long run, because farmers just add more and more of them to make up for nutrient deficiencies, instead of giving the soil time to regenerate in between crops. Since chemical fertilizers are added in such excess amounts, there is also a problem of runoff, where when it rains, excess fertilizer in the topsoil gets washed into local waterways, causing pollution.

Pesticides not only kill garden pests, but are also often harmful to other animals that may try to eat the plants. Excessive tillage of the soil can lead to soil erosion, where the topsoil gets washed away and many important nutrients as

well. It also disturbs the natural habitats of organisms living in the soil.These impacts not only affect the farm itself, but all local ecosystems, so they are harmful to the environment as a whole.Key Vocabulary:

Soil quality Aeration Tilling microorganisms sustainable agriculture crop rotation pesticides

no-till farming runoff pollution habitat ecosystem environment

Objectives: The objective of this module is to first provide some additional knowledge about soil health to the students, and secondly to help them understand the negative consequences to soil quality associated with conventional farming, as well as understanding the bigger impact on the environment as a whole.The teacher should provide the information in the “subject matter” section before beginning the activities.

Activity II: Thinking like a farmerBackground: crop rotation means planting one crop in a given area for one season, and then planting something that helps replenish nutrients

in the next season. A common example is alternating corn and soybeans, as soybeans replenish the nitrogen in the soil. This is an alternative to using chemical fertilizers.

no-till farming does not necessarily mean the complete absence of tilling, but farmers may till only the strip of land in which seeds are to be planted, therefore reducing the disturbance of soil (and also the use of the tractor, which = oil = greenhouse gases).

not using pesticides involves various other, more environmentally-friendly practices, such as planting crops away from the food crop that will attract the insects, using natural insecticides, and introducing natural predators, although this last method is not necessarily the best because it is introducing a new organism to the ecosystem.

the use of alternative fertilizers has already been explained.Objective: Students learn to think critically about reducing damage to the soil and the surrounding environment, while having the chance to think about it from someone else’s perspective.Materials: Paper Pencils

potentially access to an encyclopedia or some other resource

crayons

Procedure: 1. Teacher takes plenty of time to review the differences between conventional agricultural practices and sustainable agriculture,

making sure students have a full understanding of both.2. Students are told to pretend that they are starting a farm of their own.3. Students are given paper and crayons, and have the chance to draw a picture of what their farm will look like.4. Students then will write an essay, answering the following questions, and anything else they wish.

- What is the name of your farm?- What crops do you grow there?- What sort of fertilizer do you use and why?- Do you use pesticides? Why or why not?- If not, what do you do instead?- Do you rotate your crops? Why or why not?- Do you till your land?- Is your farm environmentally-friendly and why or why not?

Encourage students to be creative, possibly coming up with a new name for themselves, or even a new species of plant that will add nutrients to the soil. This assignment is about understanding the importance of soil health and a healthy environment, not necessarily correct information about plants.

Activity III: Earthworms – soil aeration, and decompositionObjective: Students get to see not only what earthworms do to help aerate the soil, but how they help decompose organic matter as well.Materials:

two liter soda bottles with top half cut off trowels aluminum foil

Procedure: 1. Teacher reviews the concepts of soil aeration and decomposition and explains that earthworms can help in this process.2. Students break into a few groups 3. Each group brings a soda bottle into garden and fills it part way with soil.4. Groups dig up earthworms to put into their bottles5. Students place some organic material in the bottle that can decompose6. Students cover bottles with aluminum foil

a. This project is an ongoing process. They will not get results in one day, so each day they must continue to check the progress and also check soil moisture and add water if necessary to help with decomposition.

7. Students go back in side and each group writes a paragraph or two predicting 8. what will happen to the soil - will it get looser? 9. what will happen to the organic matter? 10. why might worms be considered decomposers?

This activity was taken from www.naturewatch.ca/english/wormwatch/activities/invest2.html

Soil Quality and the Environment Resources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/microorganisms

Module I: Introduction to WaterObjective: This module will instruct children about one of nature’s most important tools--water. Students will learn about the special properties of water and why it is so special on this planet. In addition, students will learn about why we need water and partake in some experiments that will truly amaze them. This unit should be fun while at the same time, establishing vital scientific principles that are easy to understand and necessary for life on this planet. Background: Water is the most precious material on earth! Without it, all living organisms would die. 72% of the Earth is covered in water,

97% of which is found in the ocean. The molecular formula of water is H2O, which means it has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Water has some amazing properties thanks to things we call “hydrogen bonds.”

Hydrogen bonding gives water remarkable properties: it happens when a negatively charged oxygen atom in one water molecule forms a weak bond with a hydrogen atom in another water molecule forming a “sticking” or cohesive property of water.

Like you, plants cannot survive without water. Plants need water for enzyme function and because, like you, they are made up of cells and those cells are made up mostly of water.

Cohesion- water molecules are attracted to one another creating water droplets. Capillary action is the ability of water to move up long, tube like structures due to these hydrogen bonds. This ability is very

useful to plants (like trees) that need to get water from soil all the way up vertically to the rest of the plant. Surface tension- molecules of water on the surface are not completely surrounded by other molecules and “stick together” with

more force. This makes it harder to move something through the surface than when it is completely underwater. Some bugs are extremely light and designed so that they can walk on water! A water strider is one example of several insects

that have this incredible ability. They are able to do this thanks to a very light build and a geometric shape that distributes their weight evenly over a large area.

Key Words: hydrogen bonds, surface tension, cohesion, capillary action,

Activity I: Salt Water PlanetObjective: This experiment should demonstrate the relative amounts of freshwater on the planet and give them a perspective how truly small of an amount it is compared to the presence of salt water. Time: ~40 minutesMaterials: green food coloring, empty 2-liter soda bottle, yellow corn oil, salt, waterProcedures:1. Put several drops in the bottom of the 2-liter bottle. 2. Fill the bottle with water up to the base of the neck. 3. Add 2-3 teaspoons of salt to the green water. Tell the students that this represents salty ocean water than cannot be drank or

used by plants. 4. Pour in 60ml of the corn oil on top of the green water. Explain to students that this represents the lone 3% of the freshwater on

the planet. Discussion/Analysis: Have the students take 5-10 minutes to write out their thoughts about what they have seen. Discuss the importance of conserving water and why it is bad to waste water by leaving faucets running or taking very long showers. Explain that not everybody in the world is privileged to have freshwater readily available to them.

Activity II: Capillary Action Objective: This activity will demonstrate capillary action hand how cohesion between water molecules allows water to “stick together” even against the force of gravity. Capillary action is vital for upright plants because it allows water to travel through the roots up into the interior of the plant where they hydrate cells and allow enzymes to function correctly. Time: ~30-40 minutes Materials: drinking glass, water, strawProcedures:

1. Fill the glass of water about 2/3 with water. 2. Put the straw into the water. Notice how the water will actually be slightly higher in the straw than the surrounding water.3. Pull the straw up out of the water and watch it’s base. The water level in the base of the straw will be significantly higher

than that of the surrounding water in the drinking glass4. Have the students take notes on what they see. They should make observations and draw pictures in addition to providing

an explanation of what could be happening. Discussion/Analysis: Have a group discussion where students explain what they think may be happening in the water. Draw a hydrogen bond on the board and go over cohesion. Ask them why this is important for plants and answer any questions they may have. Although hydrogen bonding may seem intimidating, it is extremely vital to all forms of life and its effects, as demonstrated by this experiment, can be quite amazing.

Activity III: Balancing a CorkObjective: The goal of this exercise is to show surface tension in action! This experiment should demonstrate the ability of water to “support things” through the surface tension of water, a result of cohesion between water molecules. Time: ~30-40 minutes Materials: drinking glass, cork, water Procedures: 1. Fill the empty drinking glass almost to the top with water.

2. Ask students to drop the work into the center of the glass and try to center it. No matter how hard they try, they will not be able to keep the cork from floating around away from the center.

3. Finally, have the students fill the drinking glass all the way to the top so that the water is bulging over the edges of the glass but not spilled. The water will form a concave surface and the cork should center itself over the highest point. This happens because of the surface tension of the water.

4. The students should take observations and notes on this experiment while also drawing what they see and trying to explain what they think is happening.

Discussion/Analysis: Discuss the observations with the students and go over what they saw. Why does the water actually reach a level higher than that of the glass? Talk about surface tension with the students and make sure they understand why it happens.

Introduction to Water Resources:http://www.hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/surten.htmlhttp://www.academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/biology/bio4fv/page/hydroge.htmhttp://www.lenntech.com/i mages/Water%20molecule.jpghttp://www.carlsbadca.gov/water/wdkids2.html

Module II: The Water CycleObjective: This module should instruct students about the hydrologic cycle (or “water cycle”) and provide a solid understanding of the movement of water in the ecosystem. Through fun activities and good explanations, hopefully students will foster strong knowledge about the cycle and be better able to understand how ecosystems work. Rather than focus on experiments, this module instead focuses on good writing, studying Background:

The water cycle is an essential component of almost every ecosystem in the world! Plants and animals both require water and it is important to understand how water cycles in an environment.

The water cycle has no particular starting point. One logical place to start describing it is the ocean, where most of the Earth’s water is. The first step of the process is Evaporation. Water in the oceans is heated by the sun and evaporates into the atmosphere where it is stored as clouds and water vapor.

Sublimation from ice and snow on the planet also contributes to water in the atmosphere as well as evapotranspiration, when water used from plants evaporates from the soil.

Once in the atmosphere, the water rises higher and higher until it cools, and condenses into clouds. These clouds are moved around the world by winds and eventually condense enough to from precipitation in the form of snow, sleet, rain, etc.

Snow sometimes accumulates on top of mountains where it can thaw during the hotter seasons and form runoff into lakes and other freshwater bodies or remain frozen for thousands of years.

The precipitation will eventually runoff into streams, lakes, ponds and other bodies of freshwater. Some of it will enter into groundwater aquifers or reservoirs through the process of infiltration. This usually involves the water sinking through the soil.

From the underground, the water can enter back into the ocean or other bodies of water through ground-water discharge. From the lakes and oceans, it once again begin to evaporate and the whole process beings again.

Key words: evaporation, evapotranspiration, condensation, ground-weather discharge, infiltration, runoff, precipitation

Activity I: Getting Acquainted Objective: This activity is designed to allow students to visualize and truly grasp the foundations of the water cycle by drawing it out themselves. To make it fun and interesting, students should be given plenty of colorful markers or colored pencils and encouraged to be creative with their depictions. Time: ~40 minutes Materials: paper, colored markers or pencilsProcedures:1. Distribute markers and papers to students. 2. Instruct students to draw out the water cycle in am artistic and colorful way. They may use lines or a flow-chart style if they like

or a more creative way like drawing out the ecosystem where it occurs.

3. Make sure to provide essential visual descriptions of the water cycle as well. This activity is not a test but merely a more efficient way to teach the children the cycle by making it artistic and fun.

Activity II: Water Cycle Game ShowObjective: This activity should foster a greater desire to learn the water cycle by implementing a healthy dose of competition among students. Time: ~30-45 minutes Materials: blackboard, chalk (whiteboard, markers) Procedures: 1. Assemble question cards before the experiment (probably about 14 or 16 but make sure it’s enough that each student will have

a chance to answer keeping in mind that two students will be going at a time). 2. Split the class into 2 even groups. Ask them to come up with team names preferably something relating with the water cycle.

Ask the students to clear their desks: they should have no material about the water cycle on their desks. 3. Instruct the students that they will playing a game show on the board where both teams will have one half of the board and a

chance to answer at the same time. 4. Call up different students to go against each other and ask them questions about the water cycle with each question being equal

to one point. Whichever side wins the most points will get a small prize designated by the teacher if both sides get an equal number of points everybody will get the prize.

5. Remember, the goal here is to foster learning through healthy competition and reward intelligence. The goal is not to embarrass or dwell on students who haven’t learned the material as well. Hopefully this game will encourage better understanding of the cycle.

Water Cycle Resources:http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclehi.htmlhttp://www.und.nodak.edu/instruct/eng/fkarner/pages/cycle.htm

Module III: Understanding Weather, Clouds and StormsObjective: This module should provide a brief but thorough introduction to students about weather and where water goes in the atmosphere. Students should be able to apply what they have learned about the hydrologic cycle and apply it to learning about weather patterns and simple things like rain storms. The experiments will all be done solely by the instructor but will be fascinating for the children to watch. All of the experiments are taken from http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/Backround: The air surrounding the earth is called the atmosphere. In the 6-10 mile thick bottom layer of the atmosphere called the

troposphere is where weather changes take place. Weather patterns are driven by the sun: when the sun heats up one part of the earth more than the other, differences in air

temperature will cause weather changes to occur. Land is more easily heated than water, a fact that creates significant temperature differences between oceans and continents.

This creates wind pressures, varying temperatures and ocean currents. Wind is a result of differences in temperatures of the air. In between cold and warm airs, something called fronts emerge. Fronts yield rapidly-moving currents of air called jet streams. Inside the jet stream, low and high air pressure forms causing air

to rise and creating clouds and causing precipitation to form. Remember that the hydrologic cycle is fueled by this precipitation and condensation pattern. It is the sun, however, that fuels

the evaporation of water and keeps the cycle going. Everything in nature is connected! Rain clouds form high up in the air where water molecules driven upward by the jet streams and small particles of dust being to

form snowflakes. When these snowflakes become heavy and fall, they are warmed by the air and become raindrops. If the air in the troposphere is not warm enough, they will remain snowflakes and fall as snow.

A thunderstorm happens when the temperature in the atmosphere falls rapidly and large, dark clouds called cumulonimbus form. Lighting is electricity formed in these could when strong air currents in clouds cause water molecules to collide together.

Eventually, the charges in the cloud will separate and the difference will become so great that electricity will flow out the clouds and hit the earth causing a lightning strike.

Key Words: atmosphere, troposphere, fronts, jet streams, precipitation

Activity I: Making CloudsTime: ~30 minutes

Materials: black paper, gallon jar, matches, water with blue food dye, gallon-size bag of iceProcedure:

1. Hand out paper and instruct the students to take observations and explain what they think is happening. 2. Tape the black paper around the jar so you can’s see through to the other side. 3. Fill about 1/3 of the jar with the warm water. 4. Light the match and hold it over the jar. 5. Drop the match in and then cover the jar with the ice. If done correctly, a cloud should form.

Discussion/Analysis: Go over the observations that the students make. Ask why they think the reason is for what they saw happen.

Activity II: Making LightningTime: ~30 minutesMaterials: Styrofoam plate, aluminum pie pan, thumbtack, small piece of wool fabric, brand new pencil with an eraserProcedure:

1. Hand out paper and instruct the students to take observations and write down explanations for what they see. 2. Push the thumbtack through the center of the aluminum pan from the bottom.3. Push the pencil into the thumbtack so it is sticking up vertically from the pan. 4. Rub the underside of the Styrofoam plate vigorously for 1 minute.5. Pick up the pie pan using the pencil as a handle and put it on top of the overturned Styrofoam plate. 6. Touch the pie pan with your finger; if you don’t feel anything, rub it again.

Discussion/Analysis: Go over the possible explanations the students have. Make sure to tell them that this is related to lighting because of the flow of electricity that is occurring from the aluminum plate.

Activity III: Make it RainTime: ~30 minutesMaterials: hot water, ice cubes, small plate, large glass container like a jam jarProcedure:

1. Hand out sheets and instruct students to write down observations or explanations for what they see. 2. Pour about 2 inches of very hot tap water into the jar. Cover it with the plate and let it sit for about 3 minutes. 3. Place ice cubes on the plate and observe what happens.

Discussion/Analysis: Ask the students what they thought happened and why they thought so. Go over the fact that the moisture from the hot water causes it to evaporate partially and rise, eventually condensing on the index card.

Understanding Weather, Clouds and Storms Resources:http://www.wxdude.com/page1.htmlhttp://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/