Digging Those Dinosaurs Digging Those Dinosaurs

Transcription

Environmental/Earth Science
Digging Those Dinosaurs
• Enhance science skills of observing, comparing, and measuring.
• Understand basic concepts of dinosaurs
What is a dinosaur?
How do we know about dinosaurs?
How big were dinosaurs, and what did they eat?
GROUP SIZE:
6–8 children per adult volunteer
TIME FRAME:
This lesson is designed for a group meeting between 30 and 60 minutes. Each
activity will take about 5–15 minutes to complete.
BACKGROUND:
OBJECTIVES:
Paleontologists are scientists who study dinosaurs. We know there once were
dinosaurs because we find fossils. Dinosaurs were animals that: 1) lived between 65
and 225 million years ago, 2) lived primarily on land, 3) had legs that came straight
down from their bodies (such as a cow or horse as compared to a lizard), and 4)
have special parts to their skeletons such as hip structures that are different from
other animals. Sometimes people think that all animals that lived during this time
period were dinosaurs. This is not true! Just like today, not all animals are mammals
or reptiles. It is important to help the children realize that no people were alive
during the time of the dinosaurs and that no dinosaurs are alive today.
• There will be opportunities for
developing social interaction
skills when working together in
teams or during group discussion
and sharing.
• Learning-to-learn skills will be
developed as the children learn
new information and apply their
learning.
• Eye-hand coordination and finemotor skills will be promoted by
measuring, mixing, and using
scissors.
HELPS TO THE VOLUNTEER
Try these suggestions:
• Choose one or two of the
following activities from each
section.
• Try to create appropriate
atmosphere by decorating the
room with pictures, bones, etc.
LIFE SKILL AREAS
LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
1. Getting Started
ACTIVITY “Dinosaur or Imposter”
Materials: Dinosaur or Imposter cards (found at the end of this curriculum piece)
Invite the children to sit in a circle around you. Ask them to tell you about their favorite
dinosaur. Ask the children how they know their favorite is a dinosaur. Explain that special
scientists, called paleontologists, study dinosaurs and that they have three questions they
always ask themselves to know if an animal is a dinosaur: 1) Did the animal live a very long
time ago? (65–225 million years), 2) Did the animal live mainly on land? (It could go into the
water but didn’t have fins and did not fly.), and 3) Did the animal have legs that come straight
down from its body? Think about a lizard or frog as compared to a horse or a dog. Spread out
the Dinosaur or Imposter cards in the center of the circle with the dinosaur pictures facing up.
Ask the children the following questions:
• Which cards show a picture of a dinosaur?
• How do you know if it is a dinosaur?
• Were all animals that lived millions of year ago dinosaurs?
• Use two sets of the Dinosaur or Imposter cards and play a matching game. Spread
the cards out with the dinosaurs face down and then let the children take turns
matching the dinosaurs.
Application: What do you think it would be like to be a paleontologist?
ACTIVITY “Fossil Fun”
Materials: 1 cup salt, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. alum, up to 3/4 cup water, large bowl, mixing spoon,
measuring cup, both wet and dry, measuring spoons, some items to make a fossil of, such as
bones, leaves, toy dinosaurs, and shells all placed in a paper bag
Note to the Volunteer: These ingredients will make enough dough for 6–8 children.
Invite the children to sit in a circle around you. Ask them how do we know that dinosaurs
lived? Explain that paleontologists find evidence that dinosaurs once lived called fossils. The
fossils can be actually bones of the dinosaur that became hard over time or they can be things
such as dinosaur footprints that have hardened in the mud. Today we are each going to make a
fossil. Have the children take turns assisting you in making the dough. Each child can measure one of the ingredients or have a turn in mixing the dough. Mix the dry ingredients
together. Slowly add the water and mix until a dough is formed. Roll the dough into balls.
Give each youth a ball of dough. The children should flatten their dough into a pancake. Pass
around the paper bag of fossil objects. Have each youth pull one thing from the bag. Press the
item into the dough to make an impression. Dry and paint if desired.
Digging those Dinosaurs
• Look around the circle. Can you guess what made each person’s fossil?
• What would it be like to go on a fossil hunt?
• What do you think you might find?
• Where would you go?
Make fossil cookies. Cut a piece of “slice and bake” type cookie dough for each child. Place each piece of dough
in plastic sandwich bag. Have children make a thumb print or use other objects to make an impression. Remove
from bags. Bake and eat.
ACTIVITY “Where Do You Hide a Dinosaur?”
Materials: picture of T. Rex, string, masking tape, chalk, and yardstick or ruler
Note to the Volunteer: Don’t forget to check and make sure that your string is long enough to measure the
animals that you have selected.
Invite the children to sit in a circle around you. Show them a picture of Tyrannosaurus (tie-RAN-oh-SOAR-us)
and talk about it. The name Tyrannosaurus means “tyrant” or “terrible” lizard. Its fossils have been found in
Canada and the United States. Tyrannosaurus is sometimes called T. Rex for short. Ask the children: How big do
you think T. Rex was? If it was here, do you think it would fit in your house? In your school? In your town? Tell
the youth that you are going to find out how big dinosaurs were. Take the youth to a large, open area.
Measure and mark animals as time allows. Measure at least one common animal from today for comparison to
the dinosaurs.
For K-1 children: Have them count as they walk off the number of feet long the animal was. Mark the distance
with a piece of string.
For Grade 2 children: Have them make the measurements using a yardstick, ball of string, chalk, and masking tape.
Start from a spot, tape the string in place, and then unwind it. Make a mark with the chalk for each foot measured.
Measurements of animals that you might try are:
Tyrannosaurus: 43 feet long, 18 feet 5 inches high
Elephant: 13 feet tall
Compsagnathus (komp-SOG-nay-thus): 2 feet long, 1 foot high
Blue whale: 100 feet long
Velociraptor (vell-AH-see-WRAP-tore): 6 feet long, 4 feet high
Giraffe: 18 feet tall
Apatosaurus (a-PAT-o-saur-us): 70 feet long
Tiger: 9 feet long
Stegosaurus (steg-oh-SOAR-us): 30 feet long, 8 feet tall
Triceratops (try-SER-a-tops): 30 feet long
After you have completed the measurements, ask the children the following questions:
• Where could you hide an animal as big as Tyrannosaurus (or other dinosaur that you measured)?
• If we all lay down head to toe, how many children do we need to equal the length/height of the
dinosaur we measured? Try it.
• Were all dinosaurs really big?
• How do dinosaurs compare to animals that are alive on earth today?
Application: Locate a second story window that all the children are allowed to look out of, preferably onto
the area where the dinosaur length is marked off. Tell the children that this is what a Tyrannosaurus (or
giraffe) would see.
2. Digging Deeper
ACTIVITY “What to Feed a Dinosaur”
Materials: picture of meat-eater and plant-eater skulls with teeth; some plants such as celery, grapes,
carrots; and some meats such as lunch meat, and pepperoni or beef jerky
Have the children wash their hands and then join you in a circle. Explain to the children that a paleontologist can make a good guess at how large a dinosaur was by looking at the fossils of their bones. Ask the
children how they could find out what a dinosaur ate. The answer is to look at their teeth! Show the children the pictures of the tooth and skulls and ask them what they think these dinosaurs liked to eat for dinner.
Paleontologists have divided the dinosaurs into two groups: plant eaters and meat eaters. Think about the
teeth of some animals today. How do a dog, cat, rabbit, or horse match the food that they eat? Some animals, like rabbits, horses, and giraffes, only eat plants. Other animals, like lions and wolves, only eat meat.
Some animals like to eat plants and meat. Bring out the food samples. Have the children classify the foods
as either plants or meat. Ask the youth to decide if they would like to be a plant eater, meat eater or both.
Then have them taste the foods.
What do you think dinosaurs liked to eat? (The majority were plant eaters.)
Give each child a piece of paper. On one side write “plants” and the other “meats.” Have them cut out
magazine pictures or draw pictures of food to go on each side.
Application: Are you a plant eater, meat eater, or both? How do your teeth match the food that you eat?
Would sharp teeth be better for biting plants or meat?
ACTIVITY “Sticks and Stones”
Materials: small rocks, coffee can or nonbreakable container with lid, leaves, and twigs
Explain to the children that paleontologists have found lots of small stones in the stomach area of
Apatosaurus fossils. They call these stones, gastroliths. Let’s try an experiment and see if we can find out
why the Apatosaurus might have been eating stones. Divide the children into teams of two.
Give each team a container with a lid. Have the children fill the container with some leaves,
twigs, and stones. Close the top. Take turns shaking and rolling the container. Take a look inside
and see what is happening to the leaves. Discuss. Continue to shake the container for the rest of
the meeting or carry the container home and bring it to the next meeting. Continue to observe
what happens to the leaves.
Ask the youth the following questions:
• What do you think Apatosaurus liked to eat? (Plants)
• What do you think will happen to the leaves and twigs?
• Why did the Apatosaurus eat rocks? (The rocks helped to break down the large amounts
of plants that he needed to eat each day.)
• What kind of rocks would make the best gastrolith? (Sharp edges; after the rocks became
smooth the dinosaurs belched them back up.)
Application: Peel carrots, shred lettuce, and slice fruit. Ask the children if it is easier to chew a
whole fruit or head of lettuce, or if it is easier to chew smaller pieces. Compare the knife,
chopper, shredder, or peeling blade (made from minerals just like stones), to a gastrolith.
ACTIVITY “Smile for Tyrannosaurus Rex”
Materials: Scissors, copy of T. Rex tooth, and 7-foot string (optional–tooth may be glued to a
piece of cardboard to give it more stability)
Explain to the children that most things about T. Rex were BIG—including its smile. Its smile
was 7-feet wide and full of 6-inch long teeth. Show the 7-foot string. The teeth show us that it
was a meat eater. Let’s find out how your body compares to a T. Rex. Divide the children into
groups of two. Have the children use scissors to cut out their T. Rex tooth. Use the actual size
tooth to measure the parts of their bodies in T. Rex tooth lengths.
Tooth
Smile
T. Rex: 6 inches (1 tooth length)
T. Rex: 7 feet (14 tooth lengths)
You:______________________
You:_______________________
Height
Foot Length
T. Rex: 19 feet (38 tooth lengths)
T. Rex: 21/2 feet (5 tooth lengths)
You:_______________________
You:________________________
• Were you surprised by any of the T. Rex measurements?
• How did your tooth, smile, height, and foot length compare to T. Rex?
• What other types of things would you like to measure in T. Rex tooth lengths?
Attach with tape, or by folding the wide bottom, all the children’s T. Rex teeth to the 7 foot
string (plus enough extras to fill in the spaces) with the teeth hanging down to really get an idea
of how big T. Rex could smile.
3. Looking Within
ACTIVITY “Huge Beast, Tiny Hands”
Materials: picture of a T. Rex and string or yarn 21/2 feet long
Set the stage by having the children close their eyes and imagine they are a T. Rex.
• What kind of noises would they be hearing?
• What would the place where they live be like?
• What other kinds of dinosaurs might they see around them?
• What kind of things would they be doing?
Explain the only small things about a T. Rex were its arms and hands. Its arms were only about
21/2 feet long and each arm had two clawed fingers. Show the children the 21/2 foot-long string.
Paleontologists are still trying to figure out why T. Rex had such short arms and small hands. It is
possible that T. Rex was a scavenger (like vultures) and did not hunt and catch his prey. This
could be why their arms were smaller and their bodies were so big that they could not run very
fast. Have the youth pretend that they are a T. Rex with short arms and small hands. They will
need to hold their elbows next to their bodies to shorten their arms and they can only use two
fingers. Ask them to move around the room as a T. Rex and pick up things, lay down on the floor
and get up, or try to chase and catch some food for dinner.
• What do you think it would be like to be a T. Rex?
• How do the size of T. Rex arms and hands compare to the rest of its body? How do your
arms and hands compare to the rest of your body?
• How do you think that T. Rex caught and ate its dinner? (Some paleontologists think T.
Rex was a scavenger and ate animals that were already dead.)
• Why do you think T. Rex had such short arms and small hands?
Application: What if T. Rex had short legs? Would it be able to catch its food? What if its tail was
short? Would it be easier to fall over? What if its head was small? Would it be able to (see, hear,
eat enough, smell, taste) as well as it needed to in order to survive?
ACTIVITY “Dinosaur Discovery”
Materials: paper, crayons, and large chart or copies of guided story
Provide paper and crayons for the children. Ask them to pretend that they are a paleontologist and
they have discovered a new kind of dinosaur. Ask them to draw a picture of the dinosaur they
discovered. Complete the guided story as a group if you are working with K–1. If you are working
with Grades 2–3, they can complete the story on their own and then share their story with the
group.
Guided Story
We (I) made a scientific discovery. We (I) found a fossil of a dinosaur. Our (my) dinosaur is
named ________________. It is ______ feet tall and probably weighs about ______. Some of
the things that it likes to eat are _______________, so it is a ________ eater. For fun, it likes to
______________________. Some other important information about it is__________________.
Application: Would your dinosaur make a good pet? Where would you keep it?
ACTIVITY “Digging Up a Dinosaur”
Materials: chocolate instant pudding, milk, small cups, spoons, gummy dinosaurs, mixing bowl,
mixing spoon, and Oreo-type cookie crumbs (optional)
Have the youth help you to prepare the instant pudding. Divide the pudding among the small
cups. As the children are working on their picture and story, set the pudding aside to become
firm. Unseen by the children, have one of the helpers drop several gummy dinosaurs into each
cup. After the children have completed sharing their dinosaur story, give each child some pudding and a spoon. They may scoop a spoonful of the optional Oreo-type cookie crumbs from a
small dish onto their pudding to represent soil layers. Challenge them to become paleontologists
and dig up some dinosaurs. What did they find?
Application: Talk about and show pictures from dinosaur books about paleontologists and some
of their digs.
4. Bringing Closure
ACTIVITY “Dinosaur Egg Hunt”
Materials: chicken egg, potato, grapefruit, quarter, watermelon, tempera paint, plastic eggs
Option One: Paint a watermelon with tempera paint. Cut open and enjoy when the children find
the “dinosaur egg.”
Option Two: Use plastic eggs and fill with dinosaur treats that the youth can keep. Include some
things that are not dinosaurs. As children locate the eggs, they should leave them closed. Eggs
should be brought back to the circle to open and share. Ask the children to tell you what items
found in the eggs were dinosaurs and what were not. Divide the treats equally among them.
Ask the children to join you in a circle. Discuss that most paleontologists think that baby dinosaurs came from eggs. Dinosaur eggs ranged in size from about 1 inch (show the quarter) to as
big as a basketball. Some of the fossil eggs that have been found were about the size and shape
of a potato or a grapefruit. Show the potato and grapefruit. If the shells of the eggs were any
bigger than a basketball, the shells would have to have been so thick that the baby would not
have been able to break its way out. Compare these sample dinosaur eggs to a chicken egg. Have
the dinosaur egg hunt as described above.
College of Agricultural Sciences
Cooperative Extension
Application: After the egg hunt, ask the youth the following questions:
• How do chicken eggs compare to dinosaur eggs? How are they alike? Different?
• How big do you think baby dinosaurs were?
• How would baby dinosaurs compare in size to adult dinosaurs?
• What do you think baby dinosaurs looked like?
• Do you think that dinosaurs lived in families? (Recent fossil discoveries show
that the adult dinosaurs may have taken care of the babies.)
ACTIVITY “Share A Dinosaur Poem”
Materials: The following poems:
Company, by Bobbi Katz
I’m fixing lunch for a dinosaur.
© The Pennsylvania State University 2001
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.
This publication is available in alternative media upon request.
Adapted for Penn State by Claudia Mincemoyer, 4-H curriculum specialist,
from materials originally developed at The Ohio State University.
5. Going Beyond
Who knows when one might come by?
I’m pulling up all the weeds I can find.
I’m piling them high as the sky.
I’m fixing lunch for a dinosaur.
I hope he will stop by soon.
And stop for lunch at noon.
Long Gone, by Jack Prelutsky
Authors: Deborah Curry and Jodi Mills, Iowa State University Extension
Project Coordinator and Editor: Scott D. Scheer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Ohio State University Extension
Curriculum Consultant: Robert L. Horton, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Ohio State University Extension
Maybe he’ll just walk down my street
Don’t waste your time in looking for the long-extinct tyrannosaur,
because this ancient dinosaur just can’t be found here anymore.
This also goes for stegosaurus, allosaurus, apatosaurus, and any other kind of saurus.
They all lived here before us.
Application: Ask the children to come up with their own poems. Ask them if someone
would like to share their poem with the rest of the group.
Reading Adventures
This listing of reading materials can be used as background information,
for sharing before the group activity to set the stage for learning, or for
sharing afterwards to reinforce the activity.
Digging Up Dinosaurs, by Aliki
Fossils, by Aliki
Dinosaurs, Dragonflies, and Diamonds:
All About Natural History Museums, by Gail Gibbons
Dinosaur Dinners, by Sharon Cosner
DINO...
OR
DINO-NOT?
DINO...
OR
DINO-NOT?
DINO...
OR
DINO-NOT?
Triceratops
Stegosaurus
Dimetrodon
DINO...
OR
DINO-NOT?
Pteranodon
DINO...
OR
DINO-NOT?
Mammoth
DINO...
OR
DINO-NOT?
Tyrannosaurus
The Pteranodon is a
DINO-NOT
This is to Certify that:
Triceratops
BECAUSE
3) it had wings
4) it did not possess the unique
skeleton features of a dinosaur
BECAUSE
1) lived during the Mesozoic Era
2) walked fully erect
3) lived primarily on land
4) had certain specific skeleton features
and is, therefore, a ...
Dinosaur
The Mammoth is a
DINO-NOT
Stegosaurus
BECAUSE
1) it did not live during the Mesozoic Era
4) it did not possess the unique skeleton
features of a dinosaur
BECAUSE
Dinosaur
Tyrannosaurus
The Dimetrodon is a
DINO-NOT
BECAUSE
BECAUSE
Dinosaur
1) it did not live during the Mesozoic Era
2) it did not have straight legs
4) it did not possess the unique skelton
features of a dinosaur
Habitats Are Homes
OBJECTIVES:
• Become familiar with your habitat and different kinds of habitats.
• Learn the four basic components of a habitat.
GROUP SIZE:
TIME FRAME:
BACKGROUND:
Learning about our world begins with awareness of our surroundings. Our
surroundings and the place where we live provide the components that are
necessary for living and growing. Awareness of the components in our surroundings, or our habitat, can be categorized so that they are easier to notice.
Habitats Are Homes
• Understand the basic concept of a habitat.
The four components of a habitat are food, water, shelter, and space. Food and
water sustain life and health. Shelter provides a protective covering. Space relates
to the amount of space living creatures need to survive, not be overcrowded, or
overpopulated. The table below describes examples of four living creatures and
the four components supplied by their habitats.
Bluegill Fish
Blue Bird
Mouse
Dragonfly
Habitat Type
Lake
Forest and field Field
Wetlands
Food
Insects, plants,
other fish
Seeds or insects Fruit, seeds
Small insects
Water
Lake
Stream or pond
Plants or ponds
Wetlands
Shelter
Reeds, rocks,
protective areas
Trees, brush
Burrowing in
grass, ground
Plants, trees,
rocks
Space
Lake area
Forest and field Field area
Wetland area
Animal
Habitats Are Homes
LIFE SKILL AREAS
• Develop hand-eye
coordination by using
scissors.
• Develop social skills through
group discussion.
• Try to create appropriate atmosphere by
decorating the room with posters and props,
using costumes related to the activity (i.e.,
animals, insects), pre-meeting preparation
by the 4-H members, thinking about special
seating arrangements (make an outline on
the floor with tape in the shape of a
butterfly, lake, or tree for example), and
playing background music such as the
sounds of birds singing.
• Develop decision-making
and critical-thinking skills by
creating their own habitats.
• Identify, document, and
organize the physical
elements that make up
healthy habitats.
• Choose one or two of the following
activities from each section.
1. Getting Started
ACTIVITY “What Is Your Habitat?”
Materials: none
Write the word “Habitat” on a piece of paper or poster, so the children can see it, spell it,
and sound it out.
Application: Lead a discussion in the direction of food, water, shelter, and space. Ask if
anyone knows what the word habitat means. Ask them where they get all of their habitat
components in their own house. Generate a discussion by asking these types of questions:
• What is your habitat?
• What are the important parts of your habitat? What do you need to survive?
• Where do you live? Where is your space? (my room, house, neighborhood)
• Where is your shelter? (my house, my parents)
• Where do you find your food? (store, garden, restaurant)
• Where do you get your water? (faucet, city water, well, rain, rivers, lakes)
• What kinds of things do you do after you get up in the morning?
• Make a list of everything said.
Habitats Are Homes
2. Digging Deeper
ACTIVITY “Making Your Own Habitat”
Materials: magazines, child scissors, glue sticks, construction paper, other types of pictures, crayons, and
markers
Begin by reviewing the parts of a habitat. Have a poster on the wall with the four components of a habitat
written on it (use the answers generated from “What is Your Habitat?”).
Give each child a piece of construction paper.
Application: Ask each child to think of their favorite animal.
Using magazines or other types of pictures, have each child cut out
and paste on his/her paper the things needed for the animal’s
habitat. If they can’t find the pictures they want, have them draw
the elements in their habitat. Have older 4-H members help the
younger Cloverbud children if possible.
3. Looking Within
ACTIVITY “Identifying Habitats”
Part A...
Materials: pictures of different habitats such as pond, grassy
field, woods, and urban settings (Use calendars, magazines,
coloring books, or books from your library.)
Show each picture to the children. Talk about how habitats are
different for different living things.
Part B...
Materials: pictures of animals and pictures of habitats (from
Part A) (Use calendars, magazines, coloring books, or books
from your library.)
Ask children to match each animal to its own habitat. Help them
by making a table. Use the following table as an example.
Habitats Are Homes
Animal
Habitat
Robin
Grassy area with trees, residential area
Geese
Lake, pond, wetland with nearby fields for food
Squirrel
Woods
Bat
Field with trees and structures on its edges
Bass
Pond
Frog
Pond, stream
Butterfly
Field
4. Bringing Closure
ACTIVITY “Make Your Home a Wildlife Habitat”
Materials: none
Bring the idea of habitat into children’s homes through awareness of their surroundings by
connecting their learning and these activities.
Application: Is your home a habitat for living things other than your family? Discuss how
your home can be the habitat for plants, birds, insects, and other animals. What changes can
we make around our own homes to improve the habitats of songbirds, butterflies, fish, and
other living things? What would provide food, water, shelter, and space?
Contact your state’s Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife for information
on building bird boxes and flower varieties for creating backyard habitats. For more
environmental activities relating to animals and habitat, ask your librarian.
5. Going Beyond
ACTIVITY “Habitat Walk”
Materials: good walking shoes
Take a walk in the area around the meeting place. Identify several different habitats. Ask
children what animals might live in each habitat. Talk about those things that they see in the
habitat. Review the four elements; water, shelter, food, and space.
Application: Have the children think about how having a greater awareness of their
community through the perspective of habitat helps them understand their world.
Habitats Are Homes
ACTIVITY “Making a Bird Feeder”
Materials: plastic milk jug or 2-liter pop bottle for each child, scissors, small nail to
make holes in bottom of jug, large nail to make holes for hanger, string for hanging, and
bird seed
Following the bottle diagram below, cut a flap on each side of the plastic jug or bottle.
Fold the flap down on the outside. Using the small nail, poke several holes in the bottom
of the container to allow water to drip through. Using the large nail, poke a hole on each
side of the container several inches below the top. These holes are for the hanger. Tie a
knot in one end of the string. Make the knot large enough so that it will not slip through
the hole. Pull string through the hanger hole so that the knot is on the inside. Bring the
string back through the opposite hole from outside to inside. Tie a large knot on the
inside of the container. Put bird seed in the container. Hang outside in a safe place, near
bushes or trees for shelter. Help them identify where a safe place would be for a bird to
feed.
Note to the Volunteer: Each child will need close supervision while making the bird
feeder. You may need to start the cutting for them. It is a good idea to have a bird feeder
made ahead of time for a model.
Dotted line is the cutting line.
Solid line is the folding line.
Reading Adventures
This listing of reading materials can be used as background information,
for sharing before the group activity to set the stage for learning, or for
sharing afterwards to reinforce the activity.
Animals and Their Homes, by Jennifer Cochrane & Jill Coleman
Animals Around the World, by Robin Kerrod
Ecology for All Ages, by Jorie Hunken
Habitats, edited by Tony Hare
In the Snow: Who’s Been Here?, by Lindsay Barrett George
In the Woods: Who’s Been Here?, by Lindsay Barrett George
Under the Ground, by Gallimard Jeunesse
What’s inside?: Animal Homes by Hilary Hockman
Who Lives Here?, by Dot & Sy Barlowe
Authors: Karen Gwilliams, Union County; Deborah Lewis, Lorain County
Habitats: Making Homes for Animals & Plants, by Pamela M. Hickman
710 GPM 4.3
E N V I R O N M E N T A L / E A R T H
S C I E N C E
Helping Our Environment:
Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle
OBJECTIVES:
GROUP SIZE:
6 to 8 children per adult volunteer.
This lesson is designed for a group meeting between
30 and 60 minutes.
BACKGROUND:
Help children discover how our environment is precious. Reinforce a
positive attitude about environmental issues by acknowledging helpful
statements and suggestions. Encourage a sense of responsibility by letting the children know that they can make a difference.
LIFE SKILL AREAS
Children will have an opportunity to
practice social skills while participating in the scavenger hunt, games, and
songs. Making "earth friendly" choices in the games will help build decision making and critical thinking
skills. Eye hand coordination and fine
motor skills will be enhanced by the
use of scissors and markers.
HELPS TO THE
VOLUNTEERS
I. GETTING STARTED
@
ACTIVITY: "Reduce, Reuse, or Recycle" (4 - 5 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: large bag of trash items (one for each child) such as food packaging, wrappers, newspapers, plastic bottles and containers, cardboard boxes, glass jars and bottles, and aluminum soda cans.
Group Size: 6-8 children
per adult volunteer
• Try to create appropriate atmosphere
by decorating the room with posters and
props, using costumes related to the
activity, pre-meeting preparation by the
4-H members, thinking about special
seating arrangements, and playing background music.
Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle
TIME FRAME:
Helping Our Environment:
To understand the importance of protecting our environment.
To be aware of actions that harm the environment.
To become familiar with the words reduce, reuse, and recycle.
H E L P I N G
O U R
E N V I R O N M E N T
Show the children examples of common trash items. Start a discussion by asking the following questions:
• What is all of this? (Trash, garbage, refuse)
• What other kinds of garbage can you think of?
• What do people do with garbage like this? (Hold up an example)
• What happens to it after it goes into the trash can? (Sanitation workers take it away)
• Where do the sanitation workers take it? (To a landfill)
• What do you think happens when the landfill is full?
• Can you think of ways to help solve the problem?
Pass the bag around. While each child selects one item, introduce the concept of "reduce, reuse and recycle." Go around the circle and ask each child to identify their item, and what it is made of. Have them
check for a recycling symbol. Ask if they think the environment could be helped by reducing (not buying
it at all), reusing (using it again for something else), or recycling (collecting and giving to a company that
recycles things and makes them into something else). Some items may fit more than one category.
@ ACTIVITY:
"Making Recycled Paper" (12 - 15 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: old newspaper, rotary egg beater, cream or tartar, large bowl, large
rectangular cake pan, screen cut to fit inside the pan, dish towels, wax paper,
scissors.
Advisor's note: since this activity takes more time than others and some waiting
is necessary, other activities can be done while waiting.
Make your own paper! Tear the newspaper into very tiny pieces and put in the
bowl. Fill the bowl half full with water, let the paper soak for a minute or two,
then add two tablespoons of cream of tartar. Beat the mixture until it is thick and
"soupy" and place the screen in the rectangular pan. Pour the soupy mixture on it. Carefully lift the
screen, catching the fibers. Stir and repeat until no screen shows through the pulp. Let the extra water drip
into the pan. Lay the screen on top of several dish towels and cover it with wax paper. Press down on it to
squeeze the moisture out. Put several heavy books on top of the wax paper. After a few minutes, take the
books off and peel back the wax paper. You have just made recycled paper! Place in the sun to dry or in
front of another heat source (oven, register, hair dryer). When the recycled paper is almost dry, gently peel
from the screen. Cut into pieces so everyone can have their own sample of recycled paper!
Note to the Volunteer: Have the children make extra paper to use in the Art Exhibit and Cloverbud Display
lessons in the subject area of Community Expressive Arts.
Application: The next time you go to the store, look at greeting cards, paper, and stationery.
Can you tell which are recycled?
Can you find any that look like the paper you made?
@ ACTIVITY:
"Recycling Mobile" (7 - 9 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: mobile patterns, markers or crayons, scissors, string, hole punch and wire coat hangers.
Give each child a mobile pattern. Invite them to decorate them any way they wish. If needed, help them
cut the pieces out and punch holes in the tops. Thread strings of various lengths through the holes and tie
to the coat hanger. Encourage the children to display their mobile at home and talk to their families about
the importance of the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Application: Be a recycling detective: pay attention to everything you see.
• What things can be reduced?
• What things can be reused?
• What things can be recycled?
H E L P I N G
O U R
II. DIGGING DEEPER
@
ACTIVITY: "Recycling Red Light Green Light" (7 - 9 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: Activity cards, two large circles of construction paper, one green and one red.
Place the construction paper "traffic lights" on the floor. Ask the children what each color
means. Explain that the cards they each will select have activities on them that can either
help or harm the environment. Cards with activities that help the environment will placed
on the green light, while cards with activities that hurt the environment will be placed on the
red light. Randomly select children to pick a card. Help them read it. Let them decide which light it goes on. Ask
the rest of the group if they agree. Reward correct (and corrected) answers with a round of applause.
Application: Try to be aware of things you see everyday that harm the environment. Try to make smart choices, and
help others to make them, too.
@
ACTIVITY: "Make a Recycled Notepad" (5- 7 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: used paper with one blank side, scissors, stapler.
Show the children how to cut the paper into uniform pieces. Stack ten or twelve pieces together and staple across the
top.
Application: Look around at home; what other things can you find to recycle?
III. LOOKING WITHIN
@
ACTIVITY: "Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt" (15 - 20 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: none.
Visit a grocery store. Look for items that have been packaged with recycled materials or
that can be recycled. Point out the recycling symbol on the packaging. Compare the
packaging of similar products, one with the symbol and one without it. Investigate the
following:
• Which package is more appealing?
• Is there a price difference? If there is, why do you think this is so?
• Do you think the items taste different?
• If you were buying the product, what would be the most "earth friendly" choice?
See how many "throw away" or disposable items the group can find and make a list. Explore the following questions:
• How does using disposable items harm the environment?
• Why do you think people buy these items?
• Why do you think the stores sell these items?
• What could people use instead?
• How can you help people change their shopping habits?
Application: Encourage the children to help their families make smart choices that protect the earth, not waste its'
resources.
H E L P I N G
@ ACTIVITY:
O U R
"Can You Find It?" (9 - 10 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: Reproduced Can You Find It? puzzles for each child, pencils.
CAN YOU FIND IT?
Look from left to right and up and down to see if you can find these words:
ALUMINUM
REUSE
@
PAPER
GLASS
RECYCLE
REDUCE
EARTH
TRASH
PLASTIC
G
R
E
C
Y
C
L
E
L
P
A
P
E
R
A
J
A
L
U
M
I
N
U
M
S
A
R
E
D
U
C
E
S
S
E
B
I
L
K
D
E
T
U
T
R
A
S
H
C
I
S
H
N
O
P
M
F
C
E
A
R
T
H
G
ACTIVITY: "Recycled Greeting Cards" (9 - 10 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: old greeting cards, scissors, rubber cement or glue, construction paper, and markers.
Spread the cards and other supplies on the table. Explain that each child will get to make and decorate their
own greeting card. Have them select a card, cut the front off and glue it to the front of a folded piece of construction paper. The markers can be used to add decorative borders or to include a sentiment inside the card.
When they are finished they will have a one-of-a-kind card to send to a family member or special friend.
Note to the Volunteer: Have the children make extra cards to use in the Art Exhibit and Cloverbud Display
lessons in the subject area of Community Expressive Arts.
Application: Be creative! What other kinds of things can you think of that can be used
for something new or different the second time around?
@
ACTIVITY: "The Recycling Song" (4 to 5 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: none.
Teach the following song, encouraging children to do the corresponding
actions.
H E L P I N G
O U R
The Recycling Song
(sung to the tune of "Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch")
What oh what can we recycle?
(hold both hands out, palms up)
(repeat and look right)
(repeat and look left)
To protect our planet and reduce the waste?
(hands above head in large circle)
...Chorus...
Picking up (have child fill in an appropriate item)
so we can recycle.
Picking up
so we can recycle.
Picking up
so we can recycle.
To protect our planet and reduce the waste.
Repeat the chorus, letting each child think of an item to be recycled.
IV. BRINGING CLOSURE
@ ACTIVITY:
"A Trashy Story with a Happy Ending"
Before reading the following interactive story, review the key to the actions with the children. When the children
are familiar with the actions and sounds, read the story slowly. Each time you come to an underlined word, pause,
and help the children do the corresponding action and sounds. Be sure to use lots of expression and exaggeration.
Key to Actions:
cat:
meow sweetly one time
dog:
bark loudly twice
sunset:
sigh loudly, "oooh, aaah!"
trash:
hold nose and whisper loudly "phew"
foolish thing: put pointer finger down and rub twice with opposite pointer finger saying "shame! shame!"
Mr. Rooster: give a cheerful "cock-a-doodle-do!"
smart thing: clap and yell in an exaggerated fashion, "all right!"
"A Trashy Story with a Happy Ending"
Once upon a time there was a cat. She lived next door to her best friend, the dog. Every evening they sat on the
porch and watched the beautiful sunset. One day a very foolish thing happened. Neighbors began to dump their trash
across the road from the dog and cat. They could no longer see the beautiful sunset. The dog said, "We must do something about this foolish thing!" So they went to see the mayor, Mr. Rooster. The cat and the dog told Mr. Rooster
about the trash and that they no longer were able to see the sunset. Mr. Rooster was worried about the foolish thing
that had happened too. So he told the cat and the dog about three very smart things they could do about the trash.
Mr. Rooster told them about the first smart thing. It was to reduce. That meant not to buy or use disposable things
like paper plates and styrofoam cups - those were foolish things. Mr. Rooster told them about the second smart thing.
It was to reuse. That meant to stop throwing things away that were still useful like plastic containers and paper bags those were foolish things to do. Then Mr. Rooster told them about the third smart thing. It was to recycle. That
meant to stop throwing away things like plastic, paper and glass because that was a foolish thing to do. The smart
thing would be to collect those things and take them to the town recycling center. The cat and the dog were very
happy they had learned about the three smart things. Now they could take care of all the trash. They told all their
neighbors what Mr. Rooster had said about reducing, reusing, and recycling. What a smart thing to share this with
their neighbors! Because instead of doing foolish things like creating too much trash, all the neighbors started doing
the smart things. They reduced, reused and recycled everything! Soon, all the trash that had been dumped was gone
and the cat and the dog could once again enjoy the beautiful sunset. Now that was a smart thing!
Reading Adventures
This listing of reading materials can be used by you as background, or for sharing before to set the stage for the lesson or for sharing
afterwards to reinforce the lesson.
Recycle! A Handbook for Kids! by Gail Gibbons
Brother Eagle, Sister Sky, by Susan Jeffers
The Lorax, Dr. Seuss
Every Kids Guide to Saving the Earth, by Joy Berry
Fifty Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth, The Earthworks Group
ACTIVITY CARDS
Throw old magazines and comics away
Crush plastic milk cartons so they will fit in the
garbage better
Save grocery bags to use again
Collect soda cans to recycle
Make a home recycling center
Use a whole roll of paper towels to clean your
bicycle
Use washable dishes, not paper plates
Buy products with lots of packaging because they
are pretty
Use old rags to clean with instead of paper towels
Throw used aluminum pie plates away
Throw soda cans into the garbage
Author: Bobbie Grawemeyer
Senior Writer: Bobbie Grawemeyer, Consultant, Worthington, OH
Project Coordinator & Editor: Garry Gibbons, Associate Professor, Ohio State University Extension
Curriculum Consultant & Editor: Robert L. Horton, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Ohio State University Extension
Just a Dream, by Chris VanAllsburg
Use paper plates because it's easier than washing
dishes
Make a bird feeder from a milk carton
Give used clothing to someone who can
use it
Buy foam cups to drink from because you
don't have to wash them
Buy recycled paper
Throw empty glass bottles in the trash can
Buy things in packaging that can be recycled
Throw paper away because one side is written on
Buy paper products that are clean and shiny
because recycled paper is ugly
Wash cups to use again
Throw bags and sacks away as soon as you finish
shopping
Save aluminum pie plates to use again
Ask family and friends to look for the recycling
symbol when they shop
RECYCLING MOBILE
710 GPM 4.1
E N V I R O N M E N T A L / E A R T H
S C I E N C E
Nature Fun
OBJECTIVES:
To increase awareness of our natural surroundings.
To explore our valuable natural resources.
GROUP SIZE:
TIME FRAME:
This lesson is designed for a group meeting between
30 and 60 minutes.
BACKGROUND:
Help children become better acquainted with the great outdoors! Give
them an opportunity to get involved in hands-on nature experiences,
making things from natural items, and playing games outside. Roll up
your sleeves up and plan on having fun!
Nature Fun
LIFE SKILL AREAS
HELPS TO THE
VOLUNTEERS
• Try to create appropriate atmosphere by decorating the room with
posters and props, using costumes
related to the activity, pre-meeting
preparation by the 4-H members,
thinking about special seating
arrangements, and playing background music.
per adult volunteer
Children will develop social skills
through the group games and being
members of a team. Decision making and critical thinking skills will
be developed by doing hands on
investigations. Large motor skills
will be developed through group
games. Small motor skills and
eye-hand coordination will be
developed by using pencils and
crayons and manipulating small
natural items.
N A T U R E
F U N
I. GETTING STARTED
@
ACTIVITY: "The Magic Can" (7 - 9 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: a coffee can with lid, and natural items such as a feather, pinecone, acorn, rock, leaf, stick, flower, seed, or other small
natural object.
Before starting, "secretly" place one of the items in the can and put the
lid on. Show the children the magic can. Tell them that there is something special from nature inside and that you would like them to guess
what it is. Let them pass the can around. They can shake the can but they
may not open it. Encourage the children to express their guesses in terms of their senses. For example,
"It sounds like..." or "It feels heavy." Give hints to help the children discover what is in the can. After
everyone has made a guess, open the can and remove the item. Praise all guesses (even if incorrect,
respond with "I can see where you would think..."). Repeat with a different item. When all of the items
have been identified, ask these questions:
• Were we right with all of our guesses?
• Why or why not?
• Did some of the items sound the same when we shook the can but were really very different?
• Can you think of other items from nature that would fit in the magic can?
@
ACTIVITY: "Nature Color Match" (5 - 7 minutes)
Grade Level: 1 - 3
Materials: paint color chips (available free at paint or hardware stores) in natural colors (greens, yellows, browns).
Note to Advisor: Since this activity takes place outdoors, do a safety check of the area before starting.
Make sure there is no broken glass, poison ivy, or unsafe areas.
Talk about all the colors in nature. Point out natural items that are the same color, but different shades.
Give each child a different color chip and ask them to find three natural items that match the colors on
their chip. Caution them not to touch or pick any plants or flowers. After several minutes of exploring,
gather the children together and have them share their discoveries. Then ask the following questions:
• Was it hard to find exact color matches?
• Did you find more than one kind of thing that was exactly the same color?
• Were you surprised at how many different shades of green and brown there are?
Application: Ask the children to look around their homes and at school. How many of nature's colors
can they find? Look at clothing, books, and even paint on the walls.
N A T U R E
@
F U N
ACTIVITY: "Sounds of a Nature Hike" (10 - 12 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: none.
Explain that you are going on a special kind of hike, a listening hike, and that everyone must be very quiet.
Ask the children to listen very carefully and see how many different sounds of nature they can hear. Walk for
five or six minutes. As you walk, stop occasionally to stand quietly and listen. Stop and gather the children
into a group to share what they have heard. Extend the discussion with these questions:
•
•
•
•
Did you hear more then one kind of bird? Do you know what kind they were?
Did you hear the wind? What different ways could you hear it?
Did you hear any insects? Can you identify them?
Did you hear anything that was not "nature" or natural? What was it?
Application: Encourage children to stop and listen to the sounds of nature in the coming week. How many
different sounds can they identify?
II. DIGGING DEEPER
@
ACTIVITY: "Circle of Earth" (3 - 5 minutes)
Grade Level: 2 - 3
Materials: 36" of string, an index card and pencil for each
child.
Divide the group into teams of two. Give each team a string,
index card, and pencil. Show them how to place their
string on the ground in the shape of a circle. Ask the
teams to closely examine what is inside their circle of
earth, and to record or draw what they see on the index
card. Encourage the children to work together as a team. After the teams have had an opportunity to examine
their circle of earth for at least five minutes, ask them to stop and discuss the following:
• What kinds of things did you find in your circle of earth?
• Did you find natural things as well as man-made things?
• Did you find any living things?
• Do you think if you did this investigation during another season that you would
find different things?
Application: Encourage the children to think about what they might find in a "circle of earth" the next time
they go to the beach, help in the garden, or walk by a stream.
N A T U R E
@
F U N
ACTIVITY: "Leaf Rubbings" (5 - 7 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: a variety of leaves, paper, and crayons.
Show the children the different kinds of leaves and talk about the kind of tree
that each leaf comes from. Point out the shapes and colors. Let the children
examine the leaves and feel the veins. Explain that the veins help the
leaves get water so that they can grow. Demonstrate how to do a leaf
print. Place the leaf on the table vein side up. Put the paper over it
and use the side of a crayon to color over the leaf. Encourage the
children to use different leaves and colors, and to overlap the
leaves for a special effect.
Note to the Volunteer: Have the children make extra rubbings to use in the Art Exhibit and
Cloverbud Display lessons in the subject area of Community Expressive Arts.
Application: Ask the children to look at the different kinds of trees and leaves found around their home.
@
ACTIVITY: "Pond Sample" (8 - 10 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: a pond, newspaper and large scoop or fish net, a
stick, and clear plastic containers to separate the sample.
Note to the Advisor: Invite extra adults to help with the supervision of the children around the water.
Gather the children close to the edge of the pond. Using the scoop or net,
dig out a 4" x 6" sample of the pond bottom. Empty the sample onto a
piece of newspaper. Ask the children to gently poke through the sample
with a stick to see what they can find. Be prepared for surprises! Water
beetles, bugs, frogs, small fish, and other examples of "pond life" are likely
to be a part of your sample. Also look for:
• salamanders
• amphibian eggs or larva
• layers of leaves
• water plants, algae
Put interesting "finds" into the plastic containers to examine more closely. Emphasize to the children the
importance of returning everything to the pond when your investigation is over. Reinforce the fact that wildlife
needs to stay in the wild.
N A T U R E
F U N
III. LOOKING WITHIN
@
ACTIVITY: "Nature Scavenger Hunt" (7 - 9 minutes)
Grade Level: 2 - 3
Materials: scavenger hunt checklist, pencil
Show the children the scavenger hunt checklist. Tell them that they are going on a special kind of scavenger
hunt, a nature scavenger hunt. They will need to find many items, but they cannot collect the items. When
they find them, they are to check them off on their lists. Have the children work in pairs. Give them the
checklists and let the hunt begin! After they have searched for at least five minutes, gather them together and
see how many things were discovered.
Application: Ask the children to look for natural items in their own backyard, or on a walk around the block
or down the road with a friend. How many items can they find?
@
ACTIVITY: "Natural Images" (7 - 9 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: construction paper, liquid tempera, pump spraybottle (window cleaner bottle works well), leaves,
sticks, flowers, feathers, or other small natural items.
Help the children collect natural items. Ask them to arrange the items on the paper any way they wish.
Demonstrate how to spray the paper with paint; show them how the natural items leave their image. Let each
child spray their own natural images!
Note to the Volunteer: Have the children make extra examples to use in the Art Exhibit and Cloverbud
Display lessons in the subject area of Community Expressive Arts.
Application: Encourage children to look for "natural images" around home or school. See if they can find
outlines of leaves left on the sidewalk after a rain storm.
IV. BRINGING CLOSURE
@ ACTIVITY:
"Spider Web Game" (5 - 7 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: ball of yarn.
Have the children sit in a circle. Tell them you are going to make a spider
web. Start by unraveling several yards of yarn. Tell one thing you saw, liked,
or did with nature today. Hold onto the end of the yarn and toss the ball to someone across the
circle. Everyone in the circle gets a chance to tell something and toss the yarn to someone (make sure that
they unravel enough yarn and that they hold on to the end of the yarn before tossing it across to the next person). Encourage a variety of responses by asking them to think of all the activities they did today. Let each
child toss the yarn at least twice to make a really great web!
N A T U R E
IV. GOING BEYOND
1. Play a game of "I Spy." Have the children take turns picking items "from nature."
Instead of using color, give hints such as, "I spy something that has wings" or
"I spy something that crawls."
Play an animal "Simon Says." In this game, all of the actions are animal actions.
Try some of these: buzz like a bee, fly like a bird, hop like a bunny, chirp like a bird.
(Remember that young children don't like to lose, so leave out the part of the game
that eliminates poor listeners).
Reading Adventures
This listing of reading materials can be used by you as background, or for sharing before to set the stage for the lesson
or for sharing afterwards to reinforce the lesson.
In the Pond, by Cristini Ermanno
2.
F U N
Over in the Meadow, illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats
Nature's Hidden World, by Ingrid Selberg
Your Name:
NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT
Author: Bobbie Grawemeyer • Contributing Author: Barbara Parker-Phares, Extension Agent, Mercer County
Bonnie Malone, Extension Agent, Huron County • Donna Maruschak, Program Assistant, Lake County
CHECKLIST
squirrel or chipmunk
bird's nest
spider web
water
pinecone
acorn
feather
worm
crawling insect
ant hill
flower
flying insect
seeds
large bird
small bird
ENVIRONMENTAL/EARTH
SCIENCE
710 GPM 4.2
The Problem Of Pollution
OBJECTIVES:
To increase awareness of air and water pollution.
To understand the effects of pollution.
GROUP SIZE:
This lesson is designed for a group meeting
between 30 and 60 minutes.
BACKGROUND:
Air and water pollution are serious problems. Help children understand
what pollution is, what causes it, and what they can do about it.
LIFE SKILL AREAS
The group discussions and experiments
are a good way to develop social skills
and decision making skills. Fine motor
skills, eye-hand coordination and creativity can be developed by using
crayons and markers.
HELPS TO THE
VOLLUNTEERS
Try these suggestions. Choose one or two of
the following activities from each section.
Try to create appropriate atmosphere by decorating the room with posters and props, using
costumes related to the activity, pre-meeting
preparation by the 4-H members, thinking
about special seating arrangements, and playing
background music.
I. GETTING STARTED
@ ACTIVITY:
"What is Pollution" (5 - 7 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Application: Ask the children to listen to the daily weather report. Is a "pollution index" included in
the report?
Environment/Earth Science
per adult volunteer
Materials: a globe
Begin the activity by showing the children the globe and talking
about our earth and how important it is to keep the earth clean
and healthy. Ask if anyone knows what the word "pollution"
means. Generate a discussion by asking these questions:
• What is pollution?
• Can you think of different kinds of pollution?
(water, air, sound)
• What are some things that might cause water pollution?
(factories dumping waste, tankers running aground)
• Can you think of things that might cause air pollution?
(exhaust from cars, burning fuel)
• What are some things that happen because of pollution?
(water is contaminated and fish die; air is dirty, etc.)
• What do you think people can do about these problems?
The Problem of Pollution
TIME FRAME:
THE
@
PROBLEM
OF
POLLUTION
ACTIVITY: "The Rain Cycle" (4 - 6 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: large clear glass baking dish, plastic wrap, rubber band, and boiling
water.
Ask the children what they think happens to the rain after it falls. Demonstrate
the rain cycle by carefully pouring boiling water into the baking dish. Quickly
cover the dish with plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band. Ask the children to
observe what happens as the water evaporates and forms droplets on the plastic wrap.
Eventually the droplets will fall back down into the dish when they cool. Explain that
this is how the rain cycle works on our earth. When it rains, the rain falls, it evaporates,
and after a while it falls again. The cycle repeats over and over. When the rain falls
on pollutants (smoke, exhaust, etc.) it collects tiny pieces of them and the rain then
becomes polluted.
Application: Ask the children to look at the sidewalk after it rains. The sidewalk is
wet for a while but eventually "dries off;" that's how evaporation works!
@ ACTIVITY:
"How Clean Is Your Rain and Air?" (4 to 6 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: leaves from trees or plants close to a roadway, clear glass jars or cups, toothbrushes, water, and
white coffee filters.
Show the children the leaves. Explain that you want to do an experiment to see how clean the rain and air
are where the leaves came from. Give each child several leaves, a cup of water, and a toothbrush. Ask them
to gently scrub their leaves in the water. After the leaves have been cleaned, pour the water through a coffee
filter. Have the children examine the coffee filter. Are there tiny pieces of dirt, or a colored residue left on
the filter? Ask the children how they think the dirt got there.
Application: Encourage the children to test their rainwater at home by collecting it in a bottle and pouring it
through a coffee filter. Is it cleaner or dirtier than the water from the leaves?
II. DIGGING DEEPER
@ ACTIVITY:
"Clean Air Test" (5 -7 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: candle, matches, fireproof baking dish, potholder, and napkins.
In this experiment, the children will be able to observe one of the ways air pollution occurs.
Ask the children to sit in a circle. Caution them to stay away from the flame and not try this
experiment at home. Light the candle. Hold the baking dish, with the potholder, over it
until it starts to turn black. Blow out the candle. Show the children the bottom of the
dish. After it cools, let each child wipe some "pollution" off on a napkin. Explain that
air pollution happens every time something burns. Ask them to think of examples by
naming things that put smoke or exhaust in the air.
Application: Encourage the children to look for smokestacks or chimneys in industrial
areas that put out heavy smoke.
ACTIVITY: "Pollution Scavenger Hunt" (7 - 9 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: pencil, list of possible pollutants (below).
THE
PROBLEM
OF
POLLUTION
Take a hike outside. See how many items you can find that pollute our environment:
• cars, trucks, motorcycles, school buses
• trains
• jet airplanes
• oil leaks on the ground
• oil "rainbows" floating on steam or river water
• aerosol cans
• gas grills
• charcoal grills
• litter
• cigarette butts
• diesel trucks
Ask the children if they can find additional pollutants. Emphasize that many kinds of things pollute our
environment. Some of these things are necessary to use even though they pollute (cars, planes, etc.).
Scientists and environmentalists are working to find ways to decrease the amount of pollution from cars
and other things that burn fuel. Ask the children if they have any ideas about helping decrease the amount
of pollution.
Application: Ask the children to think about what they and their families can do at
home to help the pollution problem.
III. LOOKING WITHIN
@ ACTIVITY:
"Create a Bumper Sticker" (5 - 7 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: pieces of white construction paper cut in half lengthwise, markers.
Encourage the children to be an advocate for the Earth! Have them draw pictures or
write short messages about keeping the earth clean.
Note to the Volunteer: Have the children make extra examples to use in the Art Exhibit
and Cloverbud Display lessons in the subject area of Community Expressive Arts.
Application: Encourage the children to be aware of posters, bumper stickers, and items
in the media that have an environmental message.
@ ACTIVITY:
"Oil Spill" (7- 9 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: baking dish, cooking oil, small milk carton, water, paper towels, feathers,
pinecones.
Oil spills can be a serious problem to shorelines, plants, and the animals that live near them. Demonstrate
how an oil spill happens. Fill the milk carton with cooking oil. This will be an "oil tanker." Put it in the
baking pan filled with water. The water will represent the ocean. Puncture the "tanker" at the bottom so
the oil drains out. What happens? Does the oil mix with the water? Put pinecones and feathers in the
water. These will represent plants and animals. What happens to them? Have the children try to clean
them off with paper towels. Can they be cleaned? Ask the children to imagine thousands of gallons of
black oil along a shoreline. What might the consequences be?
Application: Encourage the children to look for news items in the paper or on television that focus on
pollution.
@ ACTIVITY
PROBLEM
OF
POLLUTION
"Environmental Diorama" (6 - 8 minutes)
Grade Level: K - 3
Materials: construction paper, shoe boxes, scissors, glue, crayons or markers, and outdoor or wildlife
magazines.
Help the children appreciate how beautiful our earth is and how important it is to keep it clean. Give
each child a shoe box and help them make the inside a beautiful scene from nature. Have them use
magazine pictures or draw their own scenery on the paper. Assist them in making the diorama three
dimensional. Show them how to make free-standing trees or flowers by propping them up with a triangle of folded paper. Stress the importance of keeping our environment clean and beautiful, just like in
their dioramas.
Note to the Volunteer: Have the children make extra examples to use in the Art Exhibit and Cloverbud
Display lessons in the subject area of Community Expressive Arts.
Application: Ask the children to take time to stop and look at the beautiful countryside - or even their
own backyard!
IV.
BRINGING CLOSURE
Ask the children to pretend they are a bee, flower, butterfly, or bird. The environment they live in is
slowly becoming more and more polluted. Tell them to imagine that they can talk. Ask each child what
they would say to the people on earth to convince them to be kinder to the earth and to those many
things that live in its environment.
Reading Adventures
This listing of reading materials can be used by you as background, or for sharing before to set the stage
for the lesson or for sharing afterwards to reinforce the lesson.
Author: Bobbie Grawemeyer
THE
Michael Bird Boy, by Tomie dePaolo
My River, by Shari Halpern
The Wump World, by Bill Peet
Prince William, by Gloria Rand
Wildlife
OBJECTIVES:
• Develop an interest in local wildlife and their habits.
• Develop a responsibility and caring attitude toward wildlife.
• Develop an understanding that plants are a part of wildlife.
• Develop an understanding of endangered/extinct animals.
Wildlife
• Introduce and familiarize children about wildlife.
GROUP SIZE:
TIME FRAME:
BACKGROUND:
Wildlife are plants and animals that have not been domesticated. They are simply
plants and animals which live in the “wild.” When the colonists first came to this
country and for many years following, there was an abundance of wild animals.
They were hunted for furs, food, and even sport, often without regard for the
future. In time, the natural habitats of these animals were disturbed by cutting
down forests, draining swamps, and using large areas of land for farming, contributing to the destruction of wildlife. Today, many efforts are in place to conserve
our wildlife such as wildlife centers, national parks, and wildlife preserves.
• Social skills and decision
making will be developed
through group games and
discussions.
• Hand-eye coordination, smallmotor skills, and short-term
memory can be developed by
the various coloring activities.
• Try to create appropriate
atmosphere by decorating the
room with posters and props
and playing background music.
• Large-motor skills will be
developed by group activities.
• Pre-meeting preparation by the
4-H members will be helpful by
having members collect pictures
of wildlife they think may live
around them.
• Choose one or two of the
following activities from each
section.
LIFE SKILL AREAS
Wildlife
1. Getting Started
ACTIVITY “Getting Familiar with Wildlife”
Materials: pictures or live specimens of wildlife (fish, wild
flowers, butterflies), and large sheet of paper to make list
Wildlife are plants and animals that have not been domesticated.
People often think of wildlife as the deer or rabbit they hunt or
the fish they catch. Wildlife include the following: ducks, rabbits, moose, deer, squirrels,
turkeys, robins, wild flowers, coyotes, frogs, elk, butterflies, mockingbirds, beavers,
fish, foxes, bears, raccoons, and many other species.
Have the children sit on the floor in a half circle. Explain the term wildlife and have
them brainstorm as many examples of wildlife species as they can. Discuss with them
all the various types of wildlife and list. Have pictures of wildlife (squirrels, fish, etc.) or
live specimens (fish, wild flowers, butterflies, etc.) in which the children can learn more
about. Are any considered endangered species? What does “endangered species” mean?
Application: Which of the wildlife listed are around us?
ACTIVITY “Nature Walk”
Materials: crayons, markers, pencils, and construction paper
Take the children for a nature walk in a wooded area, park,
field, or grassy area. Familiarize children with the term
wildlife and have them look for wildlife such as birds,
squirrels, insects, wild flowers, etc. Ask them to be very
quiet and listen to the sounds of nature. What does it sound
like? Have them pick some wild flowers. What do they smell
like?
Application: After the nature walk, have the children
draw with markers, crayons, or pencils on construction
paper what they saw when they were on the nature walk.
Ask them to think for a minute of what they saw and then
to draw it.
Wildlife
2. Digging Deeper
ACTIVITY “Wildlife Collage”
Materials: construction paper, markers, crayons, glue, tape, magazines with wildlife pictures, and wildlife
specimens (see below under Preparation)
Preparation: Gather wild flowers, weeds, leaves, sticks, tree bark, nuts, etc. and place in boxes.
Have the children make a wildlife collage using construction paper, markers, magazines, and
the plants, sticks, nuts, etc. in the boxes. Encourage the children to be creative and use specimens from the
boxes, plus drawings or pictures of wildlife from magazines to make a wildlife collage.
ACTIVITY “Stained Glass Leaves”
Materials: wax paper, various tree leaf samples, crayon shavings, old cloth or shirt, and a hot iron
Preparation: Cut two 12-inch X 12-inch squares of wax paper per child, collect leaves from various trees, and make
crayon shavings by taking old crayons and grating them like cheese in a cheese grater.
Begin an activity learning about tree leaves. Ask for three volunteers to come up in front and to face the others. Ask the
other children how you can tell these three children apart. Answers such as hair color, eye color, boy
or girl, shape of face, and height will be common. Relate these traits to characteristics of leaves. Use examples and
drawings to show children. We can differentiate one leaf from another by the characteristics which make it up.
Kinds of leaves
• Simple leaf—only one blade
• Compound leaf—divided into two or more leaflets
Shapes of leaves
• Smooth edges, lobed edges, jagged edges
Leaf attachment
• Alternate—1 leaf attached at each node and point in different directions
• Opposite—leaves attached across from each other
Parts of Leaves
• Veins—leaf veins are either parallel or opposite
• Waxy coating—some leaves are more waxy than others
Have the children choose one large leaf or three to four smaller leaves and arrange on wax paper. Have the children
decorate the area around the leaves with crayons shavings. Volunteers need to place the top layer of wax paper
directly over the first, being careful not to move the leaves in between. Carefully place an old cloth or shirt over the
wax paper and iron for 30–45 seconds or until crayon shavings melt both wax papers together. Note: All ironing
should be done by adults. Have children cut the edges around their leaves. You have just made a “Stained Glass Leaf”
which looks great when hung in a window.
Wildlife
Application: Leaves are just one example of the beauty of nature. Ask the children what are
other beautiful things in nature?
3. Looking Within
ACTIVITY “Food Chain —Who Eats Who?”
Materials: pictures of wildlife in magazines, crayons, markers, construction paper, and glue
All living things get their food in different ways. The sequence in which they get food is
known as the food chain. Plants and animals have different food chains.
Have the children arrange animals and plants from left to right on a piece of paper with lines
showing the proper food chain order in nature. Have the children cut pictures from magazines, glue, color, and draw animals or plants for the food chain. Encourage creativity.
ACTIVITY “Critter Creek Hunt”
Materials: jars, water source, tubs and nets (optional)
Take the children to a shallow stream, lake, or pond so they can observe aquatic wildlife.
Have the children wade into the shallow water in search of insects, fish, or plants. The
children can place anything they find into small jars and take with them for further study.
Make this a great learning experience.
Note to the Volunteer: Make sure the children are watched carefully when
around water sources. If wading into water is not an option, you can make
a wonderful learning experience on shore. Just take a large bucket and
scoop water and aquatic wildlife and place in large tubs on shore.
Maybe catch some small fish or insects with nets and place in tubs.
The children then can simply observe the tubs of aquatic
wildlife fun.
Application: Why is it important to protect our
wildlife? Remind the children that fish,
insects, and plants growing in and around
water (streams, lakes, ponds, etc.) are
considered wildlife.
Wildlife
4. Bringing Closure
ACTIVITY “Ecosystem Fun”
Materials: 2-liter plastic pop bottle, soil, gravel, small plants, rocks, sticks, leaves, insects,
flowers, water, and plastic wrap
An ecosystem is all the parts of a particular environment. It is a self-sustaining, selfregulating community of organisms living together. An ecosystem includes those parts that
are living (biotic factors) and those that are nonliving (abiotic factors). Living parts of an
ecosystem are plants and animals that compete for space, water, and food. Nonliving parts
that are essential for life include air, water, sunlight, and soil. These living and nonliving
parts are constantly trying to maintain a balance in the system and live in harmony. See
picture of ecosystem at end.
Explain to the children what an ecosystem is and the parts that make it up. Get examples
from the children. Then have the children make their own ecosystem using a plastic 2-liter
pop bottle.
Note to the Volunteer: A younger group of children may do better making one big
ecosystem together, while an older group may want to make their own ecosystems.
Making the ecosystem: Cut the top portion of the bottle off for the children. Have the
children fill the bottom 2 inches with gravel and then fill with 2 inches of soil. Have the
children collect small plants from the yard or flower bed and replant in the soil in the
bottle. The children can then add anything they want to their ecosystem such as sticks,
leaves, rocks, flowers, insects, etc. Add water and cover the top of the ecosystem with
plastic wrap. Place ecosystems in direct light.
Application: Look at the ecosystems at the next
meeting. Have them look at the fog or water
droplets on the inside. Explain to the children
that this is water, and as the plants live in the
container, water will evaporate from them
and will condense on the sides of the bottle to
form water drops. These water drops will then
fall on the plants as rain. Explain that as long as
the plants are in the ecosystem, they will not need
to be watered because they have their own built-in
sprinkler system, courtesy of Mother Nature.
5. Going Beyond
ACTIVITY “Extinction and Endangered Animals”
Materials: colored poker chips (maybe 25 of each color)
Discuss the difference between extinct and endangered animals. Have the children give
examples of each. Have pictures to show the children:
Extinct—dinosaurs, teradactyles, mammoths
Authors: Michael Gower, Ft. Recovery, OH; Lisa Wittenauer, Medina County
Endangered—bald eagles, whales, pandas
Have the children sit in a circle. Place 10 of
each color poker chips in the middle with
the remainder of the chips in piles outside
the circle. Have the group pretend that
they are on a “poker chip safari.” During
the first round, let each child pick their
favorite color poker chip.
The adult will then replace each chip
taken with a chip of the same color (taken
from a pile outside the circle). Have the children
count how many chips of each color are left in the middle and outside the
circle. At the beginning of the second round, tell the group that the blue chips are worth the
most points, with the object of the safari being to get the most points. Draw the group’s
attention to the number of blue chips left as the supply of the blue poker chips outside the
circle dwindles. Relate the concept of endangered species to the game when the only blue
chips left are the ones in the middle. As the children continue to “hunt” the blue chips, the blue
chips eventually become “extinct.”
Variation for older children: Tell the group that the supply of blue poker chips will double
every two turns. Have them think about how this should affect their “hunting habits.” Have
them apply this to the endangered and extinction concepts.
Application: Ask the children why some wildlife no longer exists. What can they do to help
endangered animals?
Reading Adventures
This listing of reading materials can be used as background information, for sharing before the
group activity to set the stage for learning, or for sharing afterwards to reinforce the activity.
Rescuing Endangered Species, by Jean F. Blahfield
A New True Book: Endangered Animals, by Lynn M. Stone
Places of Refuge: Our National Wildlife Refuge System, by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
What We Can Do About Protecting Nature, by Donna Bailey

Digging Those Dinosaurs Digging Those Dinosaurs

Transcription

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