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# 143 - Pond Water Unit - 10.15.06
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Bi-Weekly Science Lesson Plan List
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Oct 11, 2006 17:42 PDT
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Hi everyone,
I wanted to share with you a really good pond water unit from a fellow
science teacher and her awesome website....
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Pond Water Survey (T. Trimpe, Havana Junior High, Havana, IL)
Illinois Learning Standards: 12.A.3a, 12.A.3b, 12.A.3c
An easy way to fascinate your students is to allow them to investigate
samples of pond water (whether a large farm pond or small backyard
pond.) They are sure to find little critters zooming around the slide.
You will need to gather several samples (or have the students bring in
their own), microscopes, and identification guides. Golden Guide
publishes an inexpensive Pond Water booklet that contains lots of
pictures and information.
Follow-up discussions of finds will provide students with the chance to
use biological terms to compare and contrast different forms of life.
The updated version listed below includes additional lesson activities
challenging students to create food chains using plants and animals
found in or near a pond. It also includes templates for aquatic
invertebrate trading cards.
A great resource for teachers with little biology background is to check
with your local Department of Conservation or Natural History Survey. I
was able to recruit a couple biologists along with their cool equipment
and samples to work along with my students during class. My students
were able to see organisms from the Illinois River and I loved having
help in an area that I have little training.
A few years ago my district purchased a video flex microscope camera.
Using this technology, my students are able to create a video
documentary of our pond organisms. Each spring and fall we document our
research and compare the changes that occur throughout the year.
Updated 7/2006: Pond Water Survey (pdf) - Contains teacher notes,
discussion questions, and student worksheets.
http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/pondwaterunit.pdf
Also available ...
Pond Water Webs (pdf) - Investigate food chains and webs that exists in
a pond habitat. Download includes teacher notes, student worksheet, and
Life in a Pond cards.
http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/pondwaterweb.pdf
Need identification guides? Visit these links ...
• Pond Water Links page of the Kid Zone
http://www.sciencespot.net/Pages/kdzbiopond.html
• Wonderful Wacky Water Critters (pdf) - A great guide book to help
you identify an assortment of water critters!
http://clean-water.uwex.edu/wav/otherwav/WWWC.pdf
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Have a great week!
Liz
www.middleschoolscience.com
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