Earthworks
Earth System Science for Secondary Teachers

Sarah Stevens (Earthworks 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
stevenss@gilpin.k12.co.us

Aspen Ecology- Plant unit (with seeds) (2003)

Grade level: 7

Content Area: Life Science

Time: 2 weeks

Standards: Content, Inquiry

Background knowledge/skills: Knowledge will be acquired initially by reading the text and creating an outline of important factors.

Objectives:

• Knowledge about seed-bearing plants
• Knowledge about how to conduct and carry out field research
• Knowledge about how to research for answers to apply to field work
• Knowledge about report writing

Materials: textbook, index cards and notebook (journal), measuring tape, flags, map, hand lens, field guides sample bags, compass

Procedures:

1. First, we will create index cards for flowering plants which will become their wild flower field guides
2. Next, we will read and develop an outline on trees
3. Develop a plan to do a project on Aspen that covers the different characteristics found in different trees to distinguish them from their clones.
4. Plan approval after target questions from teacher
5. Field work
6. Analysis back in the classroom (groups) with samples
7. Report process and completion

Enrichment/Reflection: Similar procedure with conifers except this time the goal is to collect samples and analyze the differences between them with identification. Index card guides will be created.

Resources:Great land, supportive administration, 70 min. of class time

Barriers:Need a tree borer, digital camera (will write some grants)

Responses: Borrow equipment, DEM?, CU?, Forestry? Make guides, overheads

Microclimates in Our Community ( EW 2002)

Where: North Fork Clear Creek @ Chase Gulch, Black Hawk, Colorado

Who: 8^th grade Earth Science students.

What: How does the microclimate change over the year at our adopted river site?

Why: To extend the River Watch project by involving atmospheric parameters that come into play with the monthly and annual changes seen in our adopted river.

When: Project will be ongoing with every eighth grade class adding monthly data to the database throughout the school year (I will cover summers).

Potential Barriers: EQUIPMENT! (I have already done the River Watch project on a monthly basis so transport; weather and time have not been barriers.)

Materials: Thermometers, sling psychromteres, GPS unit, Kestrel unit, sun angle measurement set-up, sun photometers, anemometer (wind), compasses, cloud cover charts, ozone meter, any other atmospheric parameter measurement devices (there is no limit!).

Methods: Once a month the students will be going to the river to get water samples and to make chemical and physical measurements on the river. By adding this project students will be required to also take air temperature, humidity, barometric, haze, wind speed, and wind direction readings, along with making cloud observations and other observations while at the field site and in the lab.

Possible Strategies: Grants - Perhaps the Toyota Tapestry Grant ($2500) or the CU Science Discovery Website.

Earth System connection:

1. Students will be conducting microclimate measurements at the school site and comparing similarities and differences. There will also be a comparative site at the pond for water parameters - this will be another comparative station for atmospheric parameters.
2. S'COOL and SOLAR will be officially incorporated (I had only minorly talked about both those projects last year) into these projects and students will be required to report the required data into the appropriate web sites.
3. Look at long-term weather data and water data to extend the picture to trends.
4. Research human impacts in the river and atmospheric parameters.
5. Analyze the water budget for the area.
6. Incorporate COCORaHS into the project. (Nolan's project)

Assessment: Labwork, 'On-Task' grades, quizzes, final portfolio = final exam.

Extensions:

1. Ecology: Study of vegetation around the river, pond and school sites. Wildlife, water life, etc.
2. Soil studies: Profiles.
3. Geology: Mining, bedrock, erosion, etc.

Is Your Local Water Resource Healthy or Compromised? (Earthworks 2001)

Who: 7^th & 8^th graders of Gilpin School (historic mining community)

What: Have students collect data on a healthy and compromised system.

7^th - macroinvertebrates

8^th - physical and chemical parameters

*Alternate sites (selection of 2-coupled sites available) every year so 7^th graders moving to 8^th won't have the same site

Why: To get to question the health of their local water sources while doing science: macroinvertebrates, physical and chemical properties of a stream/pond, site descriptions, mapping, and data collection in the field.

Where: Site pair #1: Pond across school & local reservoir (or other pond if I find a better coupling)

Site pair #2: Stream in Black Hawk & Clear Creek

When: Fall or Spring (times of no snow)

Methods:

7^th graders will be introduced to the macroinvertebrates in the classroom first. They will also practice with the dichotomous keys. They will then go into the field in groups of 2-4. Collection of macroinvertebrates will include a contest where the group that finds the most diverse bug collection, will win the contest.

8^th graders will be prepped on chemical and physical properties and methods of collection before the fieldwork. 7^th and 8^th grade students will, independently, organize their data. They will then get together as a group and cross analyze the bugs with the chemical and physical properties.

Potential Barriers/Constraints:

• Combining the 7^th & 8^th graders for fieldwork and data analysis
• Equipment
• Permission to use water sources
• Behavior issues in the field and keeping the students on task

Materials: HACH water test kits, D-nets, GPS unit, and other relevant materials.

Connections: Geology, weather, soils, ecology, human impacts, waste water treatment plants, dams, math

Extensions: wastewater treatment plant tour, ecology unit, geology unit, weather unit, wildlife unit, human impacts, and conservation

Soil Horizons Project (Earthworks 2000)

What: Changes in soil profiles in different environments

When: Sample collection - 1 day Physical characterization - 1 day Chemical characterization - 2 days Analysis and interpretation - 2 days

Why: Students will identify the many factors that affect and define soils

Where: Students will decide on 3 different locations to study, with large contrasts

Suggestions: flat meadowlands east of Boulder Alpine meadows above 8,000' Forest land Streams Lakes Reservoir

How:

1. Students decide on 3 locations relatively close, so data collection can be done in one day. Define what they expect to find at each location.
2. Collect samples
3. Do physical characterization tests (each lab group takes one location and horizon)both the "hands-on" method and settling-time method color structure horizon descriptions
4. Do chemical characterization tests (each lab group takes one location and horizon) pH phosphorus nitrates potassium
5. Analysis and interpretation a) what does all this mean? Break into groups and have each member in the group research 2 factors: pH, P, N, K, color, texture b) group members inform other group members what they learned c) compile all data on board d) have each group present their findings to the class e) each student copies down the collective data. Each student is responsible for writing up a project report discussing: site locations and descriptions chemical and physical descriptions of each site similarities and differences of each site what it means to the student