1. Listen to the story called The Hidden Life of the Pond by David M. Schwartz to familiarize yourself to the animals and plants that live in the pond.
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2. Go to the websites Aliens Explore Earth and The Missouri Botanical Garden. Read about the aquatic plants of a pond being divided into several plant zones. These plant zones are shoreline plants, emergent plants, floating plants, and submerged plants.
3. Read about Water Lilies or Duckweed and why they are important parts of the pond. List 5 important facts about water lilies or duckweed on the provided Plant Data Sheet.
4. Read about Cattails and their importance to the pond. List 5 important facts about cattails on the Plant Data Sheet.
5. Read about Coontail or Elodea. List 5 important facts about coontail or elodea on the Plant Data Sheet.
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6. The class will develop a Pond Field Guide.
a.) Each of you needs to decide on a particular animal from the pond habitat. As soon as you know what animal you are going to research, let me know. Everyone must choose a different animal.
b.) Information to look for includes name, type, outer covering, locomotion, appendages, habitat, food, adaptations, size, color, etc. Also, find a picture of your animal.
c.) After you have written your rough draft, put your picture and information on a Field Guide Assignment Sheet.
d.) Places to find information on pond animals.
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World Book Come Along on a Nature Walk
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7. What is the difference between a pond and a lake? Read the information from THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. Fill in a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting a lake and a pond.
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8. What is the water cycle?
Read about the importance of the water cycle at the following sites.
A. National Wildlife Federation - "Take a Cool Tour of Water"
B. The Missouri Botanical Garden - "The Water Cycle"
C. Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water - "Simple Water Science"
D. Watch "The Water Cycle At Work."
On the water cycle diagram, label the six important processes of the water cycle.
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9. What can I do to help save water?
Every day, the average fifth grader uses about 50 gallons of water for drinking, bathing, cooking, and other things we do in our daily life. It is important for everyone of us to help stop water pollution and protect our drinking water.
But first you must understand what is meant by groundwater. To learn about groundwater go to The Groundwater Foundation. This organization began to edcate children and adults about groundwater. The site explains how important groundwater is to us and how to protect our groundwater.
10. How can I help conserve water?
At The Groundwater Foundation site read about the Top 10 Ways We Can Protect Groundwater. Also, navigate to the website of the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water. Read about six mistakes humans make that harm our drinking water. Another website to view is by the National Wildlife Federation. They give students some very simple ways to conserve water. Make a poster to be hung in school to remind children and adults what they can do to protect our groundwater.
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Resources
1. The Hidden Life of the Pond by David M. Schwartz is a book to familiarize students to the animals and plants that live in the pond.
2. Aliens Explore Earth is a great database for information on pond plant and animal life.
3. The Missouri Botanical Garden includes information on the water cycle, water pollution, aquatic plants, and aquatic creatures.
4. The World Book website is a site to learn about plant and animal life in thepond.
5. University of Connecticut has information and pictures of frogs.
6. University of Tennessee has information on dragonflies.
7. National Wildlife Federation is a great site to learn the importance of the Earth's freshwater.
8. The Environmental Protection Agency - The Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water has a site just for kids to teach them the importance of water, the water cycle, water pollution, and water conservation.
9. The Groundwater Foundation teaches students how to protect groundwater.
Through the combined efforts of each member of your group, you have learned stategies for studying a complex problem - the conservation of ponds, woodlands, and the salt marsh on Cape Cod. You have analyzed all of the complex information that you have found either on the Internet or a field trip. A Five Point Action Plan was then formulated. It is this Action Plan which your group will give to the EPA as an effective solution for the conservaion of these habitats. Finally, you will include this Action Plan in your Field Guide .