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Earthworks
Earth System Science for Secondary Teachers
My plan for 2003-2004 at my school will include the following;
This will be for my 8th grade Advanced and Regular classes. The Advanced group will be expected to do the project in more detail with less help from me. The material will be the same, but expectations higher.
The plan will deal with soil and water runoff, and will be done both in the fall and in the spring so the students can make comparisons.
The Texas state standards will be followed to include ecoloty/environmental studies, chemical/physical properties, investigation, and economics.
The study will take place on the North Tule Creek, just outside of Tulia Texas. First samples will be taken on the draw, just west of the golf course (upstream from the golf course) and more measurements will be taken on the east side (downstream) of the golf course and into Tule Lake, where the more advanced students will also take water measurements.
Learning objectives will include: Students will learn safe methods of sampling, testing, comparing, analyzing, and will draw conclusions about the runoff of fertilizers and pesticides from the golf course into the draw and small lake. They will also understand some of the economic impacts of pollution and the over use of fertilizers and pesticides.
Materials: I prefer the LaMotte soil and water sample kits, a GPS unit, topographic maps from topozone, Sample bottles and sample bags.
Methods or Procedures:
- Students will develop a hypothesis about the problem, or try to determine if there actually is a problem.
- Students will go to the site for testing, observe the area and gather samples.
- They will test for pH, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, and textures of the soil, along with dissolved oxygen and nutrients in the water. Samples will come from both sides of the golf course.
- Students will make comparisons of samples taken in fall and spring, and draw conclusions.
Assessment: Student participation slips will be given on lab days and their field notebooks and written conclusions will be graded according to instructor's rubric.
Various resources will be used to include the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, Soil and Water Conservation District, and possibly a university Scientist/Professor visiting the class.
Barriers may include the budget cut in our school, however, I feel this can be overcome by finding grant monies for the project, local business donations, or the TNRCC.
Conditions That Cause Particulate Variability(2000)
What: How many particles can be collected from the atmosphere under different conditions, locations, and seasons?
When: Ongoing study during school year to include corn harvest, cotton harvest, winter, and during spring planting.
Who: Mr. Willey's 8th grade Earth Science classes, Tulia JHS
How: Students will select test sites where they will collect particles from the atmosphere by using the Mikko/Tom/DeAnn/Joe vaseline slide method. Slides will be left in place over a 24-hour period, then examined for particles under the dissection microscope. Students will attempt to determine what the particles are and where they came from.
Where: In and around the Tulia TX area. Wherever the student decides, as long as they use the same test site for each test.
Importance of Soils
Joe Willey (Earthworks 1999)
Teach students methods of measuring and testing the soils in our area, and the significance of the soil components to the crops grown in our area.
To give the students an understanding of soil/plant components and their effects on each other. Also to provide a service to cooperating farmers.
Several Earth science classes along with an equal number of cooperating farmers and the State Ag. Exp. Service
Ongoing project Sept. - April
Soil sample kits; University Extension Agent, State Ag Exp. Service, cooperating farmers
Students make suggestions for solutions to any problems they find (fertilizers, crop rotation, etc.)
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