Overview of Lesson		Materials
Connection to the Curriculum,Standards and Skills		Body of Lesson - Procedure & Assessment
Grade Level		Activity One
Purpose of Lesson		Activity Two
Primary Geographic Question		Assessment of Lesson
Secondary Questions		References

Overview of the Lesson

The structure and scale of an ecosystem are influenced by factors such as soil type, climate, availability of water, and human activities. A major purpose in having students study ecosystems is for them to develop an awareness and understanding of relationships. This entails developing the ability to see systems, sets of interactions; and thinking about how they have changed, and may still change with time.

Geography Standards

Standard 8: The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface.

Standard 14: How human actions modify the physical environment.

Alabama Course of Study:  Social Studies Content Standards (Grade 7)

Standard 13:   Describe ecosystems and explain why they differ from place to place.

Standard 14:  Identify changes over time in a nearby ecosystem resulting from human intervention.

Standard 24:  Explain how the characteristics of different physical environments affect human activities.

Geographic Skills

Acquiring geographic information; understanding interaction between the human and physical environments; understanding how to apply geographic information; discovering problems within the environment.

Grades 7

To study a wetland ecosystem and analyze the issues and opinions relating to the management and protection of wetlands.

How are the structure and scale of an ecosystem influenced by factors such as soil type, climate, availability of water, and human activities?

What geographical reasons do wetlands stay wet?

How do beavers make wetlands?

How do people create or impact wetlands?

• Large map Field guides for plants
• Graph paper Several jars
• Clipboards Long-handled dip-net
• Magnetic compasses Sieve
• Flagging material Magnifying glass
• White enamel tray Field guides for animals
• Camera and film

Activity One

Secondary Question # 1:  What geographical reasons do wetlands stay wet?

• Read Project Learning Tree, background geographical information on pp. 71 and 72 aloud to the students to introduce them to wetlands.  Make copies available for student use.
• Have students describe wetlands they are familiar with in their area.
• Have students choose several wetland areas that they might be able to study several times during the school year.
• Have students vote on the wetland they would like to adopt.
• Divide class into study teams: 1. Photo Survey Team, 2. Map Survey Team, 3. Plant Survey Team, 4. Animal Survey Team.
• Photo Survey Team- This team will need at least one camera and film, a clipboard, and flagging material. They should have a pre-trip conference to discuss what geographical features they should capture on film. Several students should tie pieces of flagging to items they want to identify. One or more students will take pictures of the flagged items. One student will keep notes about the pictures taken.
• Map Survey Team- This group will need graph paper, clipboards, magnetic compasses, and flagging material. When students arrive at the site, pairs of students will use clipboards and graph paper to make rough maps of the area from different vantage points. Students should estimate the distances as best they can or use a long tape measure. They should use a compass to indicate directions on the map. Afterward, they should use the pairs' rough maps to create a large, detailed map of the wetland on poster paper.

Activity Two

• Secondary Questions # 2 & #3:  How do beavers make wetlands? How do people create or impact wetlands.
• Plant Survey Team- This team will need a clipboard and some basic field guides for trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses that might occur in the wetland they've adopted. For their plant survey, they will develop a chart that has columns for describing each plant and its habitat.
• Animal Survey Team- This team will need several jars, a long-handled dip-net, sieve, magnifying glass, clipboard, white enamel tray, and field guides about animals. For recording animals, they should make a chart that has columns for descriptions, immediate environment, and location. Students can isolate aquatic creatures by dragging a dip-net through the water. They can observe organisms in a white enamel tray. Students should describe or sketch these creatures as best they can and should use field guides to identify them.

Students will bring all drawings, photos, sketches and findings back to the classroom. Students will review findings from the other teams. Students will compile information from Project Learning Tree background geographical study information and conclusions from the team surveys. The teacher will video-tape a class discussion explaining ecosystems in the wetlands, how beavers make wetlands and how people create or impact wetlands.

Iozzi, Lou and Halsey, Brent, Jr. Project Learning Tree.  Washington, DC: American Forest Foundation, 1994.

Shaw, Dan and Stuever, mary, eds.  Aquatic Project Wild.  Boulder, CO:  Western Regional Environmental Education Council, 1992.