What’s In Your Wetland?

Alabama Estuaries

Introduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion Teacher Page

Standards Internet Resources

Introduction:

It is important for students to understand the critical role estuaries play in the balance of life on Earth. Estuaries, also sometimes called bays, lagoons, harbors, inlets, or sounds, are partially enclosed bodies of water that are formed where fresh water from rivers and streams lows into the ocean missing with the salty sea water. Estuary ecosystems support a wide range of wildlife.

Besides being an important habitat for wildlife, many estuaries provide other valuable benefits including water drainage from inland areas, pollution filtration, a buffer zone between land and ocean, and erosion prevention. Estuaries are utilized as areas of recreation activities such as boating, fishing, sunning, surfing, and bird watching, just to name a few.

Tourism, fisheries, and other commercial activities thrive on the wealth of natural resources estuaries provide. Many people rely on the abundance of species that reach maturity in estuaries before going out into the ocean to be harvested as food sources. These include many kinds of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans that are used as a major food sources.

Students, particularly those in coastal areas such as Mobile County, should be encouraged to explore the rich diversity our local estuaries provide. They should develop a lifelong concern for the impact human endeavors can have on the health of these ecosystems. Finally, students should become knowledgeable about the concepts of interdependence, proficient in the use of process skills, and competent in their use of technology as an educational resource.

For a more detailed explanation of the importance of estuaries, go to What are Estuaries and Why are They Important?

Introduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion Teacher Page Standards Internet Resources

Task

Students are to develop a greater understanding of the importance of estuaries by completing the following assignments.

Assignment 1: Design a tri-fold brochure for one of the following:

Weeks Bay
Maher Park
Audubon Bird Sanctuary

Assignment 2: Research the following environmental issues and complete flipbooks, flashcards, concept maps(i.e. food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids) and/or posters for each.

Endangered Species

Habitat Loss
Invasive Species
Restoration

Assignment 3: Research the following environmental issues and complete PowerPoint presentations defining and illustrating each concept.

Ecological Indicators

Ecotourism
Harmful Algal Blooms
Hypoxia

Assignment 4: Research the following environmental issues and complete Graphs and charts using Excell or another spreadsheet program to communicate and interpret relative data.

Over fishing and Bycatch

Pollution
Public Health
Sustainable Development

Introduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion Teacher Page Standards Internet Resources

Process

Assignment 1: Design a tri-fold brochure for one of the following

Be sure your brochure gives a complete description of the area including photos. It should also include ecological benefits of the area. Your brochure must be informative and attractive.

Use MS Word or MS Publisher to create your brochure.

Check these sites to view brochure template and example.

http://www.nbbd.com/godo/cns/brochures/!mosquit.pdf

http://www.in-zones.com/word/brochure.doc

http://www.campinglaroseblanche.com/Brochure_1.htm

Other Resources

Weeks Bay
Maher Park
Audubon Bird Sanctuary

Assignment 2: Research the following environmental issues and complete flipbooks, flashcards, concept maps (i.e. food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids) and/or posters for each.

Use the links provided to gather information about each subject below. After you have read the information provided and made notes design a project (refer to the list above) to communicate the information you have gathered. Make one project for each subject. You may use the same type of project more than once, or you may choose a different type of project for each subject.

Endangered Species

http://www.gulfbase.org/issue/view.php?iid=endangered

Habitat Loss

http://www.gulfbase.org/issue/view.php?iid=habitat

Invasive Species

Invasive Species Information Node

What is an Estuary: Mobile Bay Rapid Assessment

Restoration

http://www.gulfbase.org/issue/view.php?iid=restoration

NOAA CRP Restoration Project: Fairhope –Weeks Bay

NOAA CRP Restoration Project: Mobile Bay –Shellfish Restoration and Crab Trap Recovery

Other Resources

Assignment 3: Research the following environmental issues and complete PowerPoint presentations defining and illustrating each concept.

Use the links provided to gather information about each subject below. After you have read the information provided and made notes design a PowerPoint presentation to share with the class. Include an Introduction, several slides for the body of content information, and a conclusion. Also, include a slide citing sources.

Review the following Power Point demos before preparing your presentation.

http://www.actden.com/pp/

http://einstein.cs.uri.edu/tutorials/csc101/powerpoint/ppt.html

Ecological Indicators

http://www.gulfbase.org/issue/view.php?iid=ecological

National Estuary Program

Ecotourism

http://www.gulfbase.org/issue/view.php?iid=ecotourism

Harmful Algal Blooms

http://www.gulfbase.org/issue/view.php?iid=hab

Hypoxia

http://www.gulfbase.org/issue/view.php?iid=hypoxia

Other Resources

Assignment 4: Research the following environmental issues and complete graphs and charts using Excell or another spreadsheet program to communicate and interpret relative data.

Use the links provided to gather data about each subject below. After you have read the information provided and made notes design a chart or graph for each subject as described below. You may use pie charts, bar graphs, line graphs, or design your own graph. Your graph should present data in a clear concise manner.

The Weather Page: The Local Mobile Forecast

Realtime GOES Imagery: Gulf of Mexico

Over fishing and Bycatch – design a chart to illustrate the overfishing of five species found in the Gulf of Mexico.

www.gulfrestorationnetwork.org/fisheries/threats.htm

Pollution – design a chart to illustrate the annual pollutant and nutrient loading in the region for nitrogen, phosphorus, dredged sediments, and toxic chemical dishcharge. http://www.gulfbase.org/issue/view.php?iid=pollution

Public Health

Sustainable Development

Other Resources

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Evaluation

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Organization	Content is well organized using headings or bulleted lists to group related material.	Uses headings or bulleted lists to organize, but the overall organization of topics appears flawed.	Content is logically organized for the most part.	There was no clear or logical organizational structure, just lots of facts.
Content	Covers topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent.	Includes essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good.	Includes essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors.	Content is minimal OR there are several factual errors.
Originality	Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive.	Product shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights.	Uses other people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking.	Uses other people's ideas, but does not give them credit.
Mechanics	No misspellings or grammatical errors.	Three or fewer misspellings and/or mechanical errors.	Four misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	More than 4 errors in spelling or grammar.
Presentation	Well-rehearsed with smooth delivery that holds audience attention.	Rehearsed with fairly smooth delivery that holds audience attention most of the time.	Delivery not smooth, but able to maintain interest of the audience most of the time.	Delivery not smooth and audience attention often lost.
Sources	Source information collected for all graphics, facts and quotes. All documented in desired format.	Source information collected for all graphics, facts and quotes. Most documented in desired format.	Source information collected for graphics, facts and quotes, but not documented in desired format.	Very little or no source information was collected.
Workload	The workload is divided and shared equally by all team members.	The workload is divided and shared fairly by all team members, though workloads may vary from person to person.	The workload was divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing his/her fair share of the work.	The workload was not divided OR several people in the group are viewed as not doing their fair share of the work.

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Conclusion

Back to Student Page

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Teacher Page

Subject Area: Science/Language Arts

Grade Level: 6-9

Learner Information:

The tasks can be assigned for students to complete individually over the course of one quarter with bi-weekly checkpoints or as a two week class project with the class divided into groups. If it is assigned as a class project, students in each group can be assigned one of the four tasks to complete, or the class can be divided into four groups with each group choosing one task to complete.

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Standards:

Curriculum:

National Science Standards Addressed (Grades 5-8)

Content A -- Understandings about Scientific Inquiry

Develop the skills of investigation and the understanding that scientific inquiry is guided by knowledge, observations, ideas and questions.

Technology used to gather data enhances accuracy and allows scientists to analyze and quantify results of investigations.

Content C -- Regulation and Behavior

All organisms must be able to obtain and use resources, grow, reproduce, and maintain stable internal conditions while living in a constantly changing external environment.

Content G -- Nature of Science

Scientists formulated and test their explanations of nature using observation, experiments, and theoretical and mathematical models.

AHSGE Standards Addressed

Standard I Students will understand concepts dealing with the nature of science.

Analyze the methods of science used to identify and solve problems.

· Use process skills to interpret data from graphs, tables and charts

· Identify and distinguish between controls and variables in a scientific investigation.

· Define and identify examples of hypotheses.

Standard II The student will understand concepts dealing with matter.

Trace the transfer of matter and energy through biological systems.

· Identify, define, and distinguish among producers (autotrophs, consumers, and decomposers (heterotrophs).

· Trace the flow of energy through food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids.

· Describe the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles- including transpiration and respiration.

Standard III The student will understand the concepts of the diversity of life.

Distinguish among the taxonomic groups by major characteristics.

· Recognize the sequence of taxonomic classification of organisms from the mot inclusive level to the least inclusive level –may include a chart to compare two species and to identify the classification level at which one species no longer shares common characteristics with other species.

· Classify organisms into the five kingdoms based on recognizing two or more characteristics associated with organisms in a given kingdom.

· Recognize properly written scientific names using binomial nomenclature.

Differentiate structures, functions, and characteristics of plants.

· Demonstrate knowledge of which characteristics/traits would be best suited for plants growing in different environments and/or exposed to different pests.

Differentiate structures, functions, and characteristics of animals.

· Distinguish characteristics of vertebrates and invertebrates in terms of a broad but basic range of physical and reproductive traits.

· Explain how animals are adapted to their environment – such as protective coloration, mimicry, claws, beaks, etc.

Standard VI The student will understand the concepts of the interdependence.

Demonstrate an understanding of factors that affect the dynamic equilibrium of populations and ecosystems.

· Demonstrate the harmful/beneficial consequences of introducing a non-native species into an ecosystem.

· Identify species that are competing for resources and predict outcomes of that competition.

· Identify and define biotic and abiotic components of different environments.

· Determine how viruses, bacteria, and parasites affect the dynamic equilibrium of populations.

· Identify human activities that affect the dynamic equilibrium of populations and ecosystems.

· Identify factors and relationships –such as predator/prey –that affect population dynamics and ecosystems.

· Explain why diversity within a species is important and how heritable traits ensure survival.

Standard VII The student will understand the concepts of energy.

Relate the Law of Conservation of Energy to energy transformations.

· Apply the concept of conservation and transformation of energy within and between organisms and the environment – such as food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids.

Alabama Course of Study

English Language Arts Standards

The student will

14. Ask appropriate questions in search of information.

15. Synthesize information for reports.

Taking notes
Matching ideas
Contrasting ideas
Paraphrasing
Summarizing

19. Demonstrate proficiency with available technology and software in the oral communication, research, and writing processes.

22. Demonstrate personal style and voice through writing poetry and prose.

28. Produce a final draft by using the writing process with peer and teacher assistance.

Prewriting
Drafting
Revising
Editing*
Publishing

National Education Technology Standards for Students

3. Technology productivity tools

Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

· Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

4. Technology research tools

Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools

Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.