Science: Project Learning Tree
60 Points Per Year
7/12
2-015-018
General Objective
The purpose of this component is to provide an opportunity for participants to increase their knowledge of the environment and its importance in the following areas: (1) sense of smell and why smell is important to animals, including themselves. (2) learn how many different products we get from trees and how much we depend on trees in our daily lives. (3) students will discover the value of protective coloration as they pretend to be birds in search of colored worms or bugs. (4) conditions that trees need to live and grow, and help their students understand that trees must often compete for their needs. (5) students will be introduced to various steps of the water cycle and to the various paths water can take. (6) students investigate the papermaking process by trying it themselves. (7) the use of land and its effect. (8) connection between plants, animals, and successional stages in local ecosystems.
Specific Objectives
Upon completion of this component, participants will be able to:
1. Describe various ways animals use their sense of smell.
2. Explain why some animals use scent marking.
3. Identify the importance of the sense of smell in our daily lives.
4. Identify and categorize products derived from trees.
5. List forest products that are recyclable or reusable.
6. Specify actions for conserving forest resources.
7. Simulate how predators use their vision to find prey.
8. Describe different ways animals use camouflage for survival.
9. Invent a fictional animal that is camouflaged for its particular environment.
10. Simulate how trees compete for their essential needs.
11. Describe how varying amounts of light, water, and nutrients affect a tree's growth.
12. Simulate the paths that water takes in the water cycle.
13. Describe the importance of the water cycle to living things.
14. Conduct an experiment to discover how plants affect the movement of water in a watershed.
15. Describe how plants are important in maintaining water quality.
16. Make recycled paper from scrap paper.
17. Describe the steps of the papermaking process and identify the elements and outputs of the process.
18. Compare making paper by hand to the process used in factories.
19. Develop solutions to a land-use problem involving urban open space.
20. Simulate a city council meeting to discuss and decide on a land-use issue.
21. Describe the general structure of a tree and explain how different parts of a tree help the tree function.
22. Explore basic relationships between species diversity and ecosystem stability.
23. Identify successional stages in ecosystems based on plant and animal species.
24. Draw conclusions about the process of succession based on study test plots in different stages of succession.
25. Describe a forest fire, how it starts, spreads and burns out.
26. Explain several approaches to forest fire managements.
27. Understand the variety of management practices on forest land.
28. Analyze and make inferences about information on forest lands presented in charts and graphics.
29. Experience the analysis and decision making that goes into managing forest lands.
30. Create a forest management plan taking into account ecosystem stability.
31. Develop solutions to a land use problem.
32. Identify need for balanced information when forming opinion.
33. Share views and opinions and gain awareness on the range of values related to environmental issues.
34. Identify several trees using structural characteristics.
Description of Activities
Activities conducted under this component will be designed to provide rigorous content training in order to accomplish the specific objectives outlined above. They will include, but will not be limited to such things as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. The instructor will use A/V aides, field trip activities and instructional materials in order to teach the content most effectively.
Evaluation of Participants
Evaluation of the specific objectives will be determined by the activity leader or designee through analysis of student performance data affected by training activities, portfolios maintained by the training participant, documented observation by administrators, rubrics developed for special area curriculum, teacher-provided test results/grade books, or curriculum alignment data.
Evaluation of Activity
An online evaluation for this activity will be conducted through the Santa Rosa Professional Growth System.