Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

Earthworks
Earth System Science for Secondary Teachers

Jenn Wirt (Earthworks 2002; 2003)
jwirt@livingston.org

Botany: Weeds- Pests or Potpourri? 2003

Grade level: 7

Subject Area: Botany

Time: 2 weeks

Standards: Meets NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards in Biology and Work Place Readiness Skills

Background knowledge/skills: Students should understand the difference between woody and herbaceous plants.

Students will have a basic understanding of plant functions including:

• Germination
• Seed dispersal
• Growth
• Pollination
• Fertilization

Objectives:

• Students will learn the basics of plant identification
• Students will learn to use a dichotomous key
• Students will learn basic research methods
• Students will learn to pose a question and identify ways to determine a conclusion

Materials: magnifying glass, ruler, tape measure, sample bags, digital camera, computer, marking flags, notebook, compass

Procedures:

1. Introduce the plant unit
2. Discuss plant types in basic - herbaceous and woody
3. Determine the types of plants around the school
4. Determine the most common plant type around. Lead students toward weeds.
5. Students form groups to discuss research project ideas:
   1. Factors in growth
   2. Distance from school/building structure
   3. Direction
   4. Growth area - sunny/shady, open/blocked, disturbed/undisturbed, wet/dry
   5. Class/group determine collection methods and research parameters

i. Students collect data outside of school, at home

ii. Analyze and discuss results with group

iii.Report to class

Assessment:

Presentations: Students should include data, graphs, samples, and pictures along with personal research and supporting documentation.

Enrichment:

• Growth of other plants and trees.
• Field trip to outdoor education center or Sourland Mountains.
• Growth of farm crops
• Creation of greenhouse

Resources:

• Very supportive science supervisor and general administration
• Some nearby sites
• Beginning project requires minimal equipment

Barriers:

• Nearby sites still require bussing - field trips
• Money for additional extension equipment
• Enough vegetation for 120 students on site that is not disturbed

Responses:

• Keep project simple at first and branch out with the gathering of more information
• Apply for Home and School and Foundation grants
• Discuss with the administration the possibility of leaving some sites fertilizer free/undisturbed

Where did the Rocks come from? (Earthworks 2002)

Learning Objectives:

1. Students will learn to hypothesize.
2. Students will learn to collect samples and record information regarding the sites.
3. Students will learn to use collected samples to infer Earth process.
4. Students will learn to present data in a clear way.

Where: At the middle school and around town.

Who: 6-9^th grade Science team members - geology group.

What:

1. Students will list all of the things that they think they know about geology.
2. Have students narrow down their list to geological things around town.
3. Students will hypothesize about how the rocks or geological features come to be created.
4. Students will collect rocks from around the school and around town.
5. Students will sketch a map indicating where they found the rocks and will also note any other geological features.
6. Students will revise their hypothesis based on their observations.
7. Students will classify the rocks by type.
8. Students will create a geological chart indicating the found rocks and geological features.
9. The students will draw conclusions as to how geological features and rocks got to their location.

When: Fall 2002.

Potential Barriers:

1. Making sure that the rocks are "native" to the area.
2. Making sure that the students accurately take notes and make observations outside of school.