DOCUMENT RESUXE ZD 347 083 SE 052 866 AUTHOR De Jong, Neil, Comp. TITLE An Activity Guide fOr Teachers: Everglades National Park. Grades 4-6. INSTITUTION Everglades National Park, Homestead, FL.; Florida Advisory Council on EZvironmental Education, Tallahassee. PUB DATE 91 NOTE AVAILABLE FROM Florida National Parks and Monuments Association, P.O. Box 279, Homestead, FL 33030 (014.95 plus tax and handling). PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) -- Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160) EDRS FRICE m1jno9 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Conservation (Environment); *Ecology; Endangered Species; Environmental Education; Estuaries; *Interdisciplinary Approach; Intermediate Grades; *Learning Activities; Natural Resources; Outdoor Education; Plants (Botany); Science Education; Water; Water Pollution; Water Quality; *Water Resources; Wildlife IDENTIFIERS Biological Diversity; Environmental Action; Environmental Awareness; *Environmental Issues; *Environmental Managemant; Environmental Problems; Habitats; National Parks ABSTRACT Everglades National Park is recognized as one of the most threatened National Parks in the country. Human and technological intervention has affected the park's water resources, fauna and flora through the introaction of foreign species. This curriculum-based activity guide is intended for intermediate grade students. It has been designed from a myriad of educational activities mutually created by classroom teachers and park stafx, and used in the park's Environmental Education program. It is designed to meet the needs of teachers and students who may never visit the park as well as for on-site lessons about the everglades ecosystem. The document presents the following: (1) four activities to introduce students to the purpose of the National Park System, and basic concepts associated with the Everglades ecosystem; (2) six activities that introduce components of the ecosystem, the interrelation of these components, and recommendations for future use of the environment that will impact these components; (3) seven activities that focus on the importance of plants and trees in the Everglades, and an evaluation scheme concerning future hunan impact upon them; (4) 12 activities that focus on the wildlife of the Everglades food chains; (5) eight activities involving the issues of timing, quantity, quality, and distribution of water resources in the Everglades; and (6) a series of appendices that provide background information for the activities, supplementary activities, songs, a vocabulary of common Everglade and ecological terms, and a.list of resource materials and bibliography. Each lesson plan begins with a section containing pertinent subject areas, length of activity, location, and key vocabulary. This section is followed by instructional objectives and methods, background information, materials, procedures, and an evaluation section. (MCO) An Activity Guide for Teachers: ot, Everglades National Park Grades 4 6 = ; 7/5-77,/ 1'71' I"PERMISSION TO REFRODLCE THIS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF foment)* olive MATERIAL HAS SEEN GRANTED BY ducal one) Resemich end Inevoleffiera EDUCATIONAL RE sougc ES staTORMAT Neil De Jona /ON CENTER tERIQ X The document has teen fetwoduced as feceAved Nom the person 01 ofstanuatton or /a Welt) r 44,^0, Changes have been made to Imotote reproduction quetaly ITO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Pfunta Q wee of awrifte stated In Ms docv man, Oa n0 necessarily represent &boat INFORMATION CENTER IERICI." OEM ooturton of mots Alra. Y tymm ST This material has been prepared by Everglades National Park using funds from the Save Our State Environmental Education Trust Fund Grant Program and is the joint property of the State of Florida and Everglades National Park. Information concerning the use, display, or reproduction of this material may be obtained by contacting: 7- p. Florida Advisory Council on Environmental Education Florida Advisory Council on Environmental Education Room 237, Holland Building Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1400 or Everglades National Park P.O. Box 279 Homestead, Florida 33030 Printed on recycled paper. FOREWORD There is no other Everglades in the world! In 1947, this unique natural area became the first national park set aside specifically to protect this unique diversity of plants and animals. More recently the United Nations has recognized the area as an International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. Its 1,500,000 acres of wild land have been, and still are, the subject of heated debate in numerous environmental decisions. Today, Everglades National Pari.. is recognized as one of, if not the most threatened National Park in the country. Many of the threats facing the Eve;glades originate outside me park's borders. Man has had a greater impact on the Everglades than any other species. The diversion of water through an intricate system of canals and floodgates has drastically altered the natural flow. Scientists believe that the quality of water entering the park is being affected by the increased nutrient load from the agricultural industry around Lake Okeechobee. Exotic species, which man has brought in from outside the area, are threatening to displace the park's native flora and fauna. While there are grave concerns facing the park, there is also a great deal of hope. The greatest hope for the future of the Everglades is the children. As resource-users and future decision-makers, the fate of Everglades National Park lies in their hands. As responsible owners of this valuable resource, they must protect the park for themselves, the park's other residents, and future generations of visitors. This guide will help educators teach their students about the Everglades and the responsible action they can take to ensure its survival. Share the guide and the activities included in it with your students. When you have concluded your study of the Everglades, I would encourage you and your students to make a commitment to protect the park by signing the Owner's Manual at the end of Appendix A. We must all take responsible action to ensure the survival of this unique resource. This guide has been derived from the myriad of educational activities used in the park's Environmental Education program over the last twenty years. Many were created by classroom teachers, while others were developed by park staff. When possible, credit has been given, with the realization that this guide and, indeed, the entire Environmental Education program at Everglades National Park, would not exist without the help of all the teachers, students, parents, and park staff who have participated over the past twenty years. It is to them that this Activity Guide is dedicated. Finally, the State of Florida is to be commended for recognizing the need for a publication of this type. Without the financial support provided the Florida , y Advisory Council on Environmental Education, through the Save Our State Envi- ronmental Education Trust Fund Grant, this edition of "An Activity Guide for 1 Teachers: Everglades National Park" could never have been produced. Our hope, the Everglades' hope, and the earth's hope, lies in a concerned, educated, and mot;vated public. It begins with the education of our youth.Thus, I am pleased and proud to endorse this edition of "An Activity Guide for Teachers: Everglades National Park". If you have any comments or suggestions for the next edition, please complete and return the evaluation form included in the Resource Materials Section, or contact the park's Environmental Education office at: Environmental Education Office Everglades National Park P. O. Box 279 Homestead FL 33030 (305) 242-7753 A. Durand Jones Acting Superintendent Everglades National Park 5 " - ?'.-St:;:' . ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Coordinator Mil De Jong, Everglades National Park Sponsors Florida's Save Our State Environment Education Trust Fund Everglades National Park Development Tham Editor/Primary Author Sandy Dayhoff. Everglades National Park Editor/Primary Author Neil De Jong, Everglades National Park Editor/Primary Author David Kronk, Everglades National Park Editor/Primary Author She Hie Forcucci, Teacher Quest Program, Dade County Schools Designer, Nancy Balow, Mother Wit Writing and Design, Charleston. West Virginia Illustrator, Connie Hillyer, Homestead. Florida Contributors Susan Ball, Everglades National Park Sonny Bass, Everglacles National Park Margie Bouchard, Everglades National Park Pat Brewer, Lee County Public Schools Cherrie Brice, Everglades National Park Anne Carter, Everglades National Park Robert Chandler, Everglees National Park Eugene W. Cox, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Leslie Frye Allen, Florida Advisory Council on Environmental Education The Honorable Robat Graham, United States Senator from Flprida A. Durand Jones, Everg Wks National Park Isobel Kalafarski, Everglades National Park Barbara Lape, Dade County Public Schools Bill Loftus, Everglades National Park Given Nelson, Dack County Public Schools John Ogden, Everglades National Park Elizabeth Perez, Everglades National Park Mike Robb lee, Everglades National Park Bill Robertson, Everglades National Park Devi Sharpe, Everglades National Park Pat Tolle, Everglades National Park Brenda Young, Dade County Public Schools Pan Zelenak, Dade County Public Schools The activities in this guide have been developed and/or field tested by thousands of students, teachers, and park rangers who have participated in Everglades National Park's Environmental Education Program during the past twenty years. The guide could not have been produced without their contribufions. When possible, individuals have been credited in the guide. Completion of this publication was made possible through funding provided by the FloridaAdvisory Council on Environmental Education. Thank you all!! CONTENTS Foreword Acknowledgements Introduction to Using This Guide vii An Overview of the Units viii Unit I: Getting to Know Everglades National Park Locating Everglades National Park 1- 1 Habitat Cards 1-5 Park Vocabulary 1-7 Create A National Park 1- 1 1 Unit II: What's Happening to Our Environment? Touch Boxes II- 1 Do You Sense What I Sense? 11-5 Riddles Guess the Organism 11-8 What's So Special About the Everglades9 II- 1 1 Where Have Our Plants and Animals Goner' II- 1 2 Create A Community 11- 14 Unit III: Plants The Giving Tree III- 1 The Ecological Symphony III-6 Celebrity of the Slough I11-8 Pineland Invaders III- 10 The Lorax Activity III-12 Leaf Hunt 111- 19 Algae: If Feeds, It Kills, It's Dying 111-2 1 Unit IV: Wildlife Animal Olympics IV- 1 Population Interaction IV-3 Create a Food Chain IV-5 Please Don't Feed the Gators 1V-8 Camouflage Critters IV-1 1 Skeeter Wriggler Tag IV-1 3 Night Sounds IV- 1 Build a Bird Nest IV- 1 7 Why Alligators Look Like They Do IV- 1 8 What Extinct or Endangered Species Am I') 1V-22 And Then There Were None 1V-23 The Advertising Game 1V-28 Unit V: Fresh/ Salt Water Ecology Water Poetry V-1 Lake Okeechobee. The Everglades. and the Rainy Season in Three Cups V-6 . We're Sponging off the Everglades V-9 The Water Watch V-11 What's That Slippery Mess') V-15 Who's Killing Our Fish? V-17 Going Going Gone! . . . . . . V-20 Shrimp Scampers V-22 Appendix A: Information to Duplicate Geology A-1 The Everglades Water Story A-2 Habitats A-5 Vegetation A-7 Fire in the Everglades A-10 Birds of the Everglades A-11 Reptiles and Amphibians A-14 Endangered Species A-17 Mammals A-19 Marine SptAles A-20 Freshwatrr Fish A-22 Snails A-23 Insects and Spiders A-24 Exotic Species in the Everglades A-26 Safety Concerns A-27 SPICE Strands A-29 Owner's Nianual to Everglades National Park A-31 Appendix B: Supplementary Activities and Drawings Secret Message B-1 Magic Square B-3 Crossword Puzzle B-5 Who is Using Our Water(' B-8 Animals of Fashion B-9 Drawings B-10 %Appendix C: Everglades Songs tppendix D: Vocabulary Words %Appendix E: Resource Materials and Bibliography GUIDE INTRODUCTION TO USING THIS For over twenty years, Everglades National Park has cooperated with schools from surrounding counties to conduct a dynamic envinmmental education (E.E.) program. Smiting with a few field trips to the park in 1970, the fonnal program has evolved into an effort which touches more than 20,000 teachers and students annually. In 1985, the park's Office of Environmental Education responded to the requests of teachers participating in our program and pioduced a teacher's activity guide. Since then, the Everglacks' fame has continued to spread; teachers from all over the world call asking for information they can share with their students. This 1991 version of "An Activ ity Guide forTeachers: Everglades National Park" is designed to meet the needs of teachers and students who active participants in the may never have an opportunity to visit the park, as well as those who are park's on-site Environmental Education program. While targeted specifically toward fourth through sixth graders, many of the activities can be readily adapted for other grade levels. We and need. encourage tiv adaptation of the material to make it fit each special circumstance The objectives of this guick for teachers are to: 1. Provide teachers with a resource guide about the Everglades ecosystem; 2. Acquaint students with the Everglades ecosystem through hands-on interactive activities; 3. Develop within the students an understanding of the value of the Everglades to all of south Florida; 4. Develop within the students an appreciation for the total environment; 5. Direct stucknts towards a status of active thinking and, hopefully, active particimtion relating to the environmental problems and decisions of south Florida. The individual activities were selected to meet curriculum objectives of Dade County, Florida; however, other school systems will find that most of the activities can readily fit into their science objectives for grades four through six. An interdisciplinary appoach was taken when aeating the guide so that materials are easily integrated into varied school and subject skill areas. The three-ring binder will enable teachers to insert appropriate information and activities. AN OVERVIEW OF THE UNITS The guide has been organized into five units to better serve the teacher; however, many of the activities are easily integrated into other categories and teachers are encouraged to be flexible when using the materials. Unit 1 Getting to Know Everglades National Park contains activities that introduce the - students to the Everglades. Students will become familiar with the purpose of national parks in general, and specifically, Everglades National Park. They will become familiar with the park's location and identify basic concepts associated with the Everglades ecosystem. Unit 2 What's Happening to our Environment? has activities that will help students - understand the Everglades ecosystem. Students will use their senses to identify familiar organisms of the Everglades. They will analyze the components of the Everglades environ- ment, discover how those components are interrelated, and make recommendations for future use of that environment. Unit 3 - Plants focuses on the importance of plants/trees in our environment. The students will take an in-depth look at various concepts dealing with these issues. Students will be able to evaluate and make tesponsible decisions concerning their own lives and how the ir behav ior affects the environment. Unit 4 Wildlife activities focus on a wide variety of - concepts dealing with wildlife in the Everglades. Students will consider the significance of interrelationships among organisms. They will compare basic food chains and recognize adaptations of the organisms as well as summarize problems which are causing organisms to decline. Unit 5 Fresh/Salt Water Feology focuses on the vital issue of water in the Everglades. Students will differentiate among issues involving the timing, quantity, quality, and distribu- tion of water in the Everglades envimnment. They will be able to point out the source of water in the Everglades, identify various groups who are competing for that water, and design a plan demonstrating what they can do to conserve water. ORGAMZATION OF INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES Each activity begins with a section which provides the subject(s) from which the activity is drawn, duration or length of each activity, location of the activity (whether it should be performed outdoors or in the classroom), key vocabulary which may need to be reviewed to better understand the activity, and the page number(s) of related activities. The above section is followed by instrpctional objwtives, a brief description of the instructional viii 'k.4