A.  Winter Ecology Field Trip Program Descriptions 

 GRADE 3

1.  A Bug's Other Life

Summary:  Students explore the ways that insects meet their needs in order to make it through the winter. Search for bugs on the snow, in galls, under bark, and in other
habitable places.  Objective:  Students will explain what happens to insects in the winter, where they go and how they survive.  Content Benchmarks Addressed: SCI.I.I.E.1,6;  SCI.II.I.E.4;  SCI.III.2.E.2-4;  SCI.III.4.LE.2; MAT.III.1.E.1-2

2.  For The Birds

Summary: Birds don't hibernate, so how do they cope with the cold? Some birds migrate out of our area for winter, some migrate in, and some stay here year-round. Students will learn about a variety of survival techniques birds use, and students will also search for signs of birds and their nests from seasons past.  Objective:  Students will learn which birds are in our area during winter, what they are eating, how they stay warm and well fed.  Content Benchmarks Addressed: SCI.I.I.E.1,6;  SCI.II.I.E.4;  SCI.III.2.E.1-4;  SCI.III.4.E.2;  SCI.III.5.E.2;  MAT.III.1.E.1-2

GRADE 4

1.  Best Insulator

Summary: Students will test the insulating qualities of different materials in both wet and dry conditions. They will collect data and create a graph of their findings.  Objective: Students will make hypotheses, use thermometers to measure and collect data, and evaluate their results using a line graph.  Content Benchmarks Addressed: SCI.I.1.E.1-6; SCI.II.1.E.1,4;  SCI.III.4.E.2;  MAT.II.3.6; MAT.III.1.E.1-2

2.  Think Small

Summary:  Where do small mammals live in the winter? How do they stay warm and what do they eat? Students will search for habitable places and collect data from these micro-sites, including temperature, food availability and shelter. Objective:  Students will identify the needs of mammals and determine how their needs are met in winter.  Content Benchmarks Addressed: SCI.I.1.E.1-6; SCI.II.1.E.1,4;  SCI.III.2.E.4; SCI.III.4.E.2;  MAT.II.3.E.6; MAT.III.1.E.1-2

GRADE 5

1.  It's Snow Good!

Summary: What's really in that snowflake on your tongue? Students will investigate what makes up that wonderful white powder that falls around us for months on end. Students will take measurements of snow volume at various depths and graph their data.  Objectives: Students will be able to explain how snowpack structure varies depending on the depth.   Students will also explain how air pollution can be measured and identified in snow.  Content Benchmarks Addressed: SCI.I.1.MS.1-4; SCI.II.1.MS.5; SCI.IV.2.E.1; SCI.V.2.E.1; MAT.II.3.MS.6; MAT.III.1.MS.1-2

2.  Snowshoe Math

Summary: Students will use math and science to determine and design the correct size snowshoes for a given body weight.  Part of this program will take place indoors.  Objectives: Students will learn that the formula for pressure = weight ¸ area. With this in mind, students will determine which animals have the best "snowshoes" for their weight. Lastly, knowing a person's body weight, students will design a pair of snowshoes that will allow the person to "walk on snow."  Content Benchmarks Addressed:  SCI.I.1.MS.2,4; SCI.II.1.MS.5; SCI.III.4.E.2; AT.II.3.MS.6; MAT.III.1.MS.1-2;  MAT.V.1.MS.2

3.  Winter Tree Identification

Summary:  Using guidebooks and dichotomous keys, well rely on observations of terminal buds, tree silhouettes, and branch patterns to help identify our local trees. Students will also be introduced to measurement of tree height, diameter, and volume. Objectives:  Students will identify tree species common to our area and will take measurements of basic tree characteristics.  Content Benchmarks Addressed:  SCI.I.E.3-6; SCI.II.MS.5; SCI.III.2.MS.1; MAT.II.3.MS.6; MAT.III.1.E.4 ; MAT.V.1.MS.2

GRADES 6-8

1.  Track & Tale    

Summary: Finding tracks in the snow not only allows us to guess what critters passed by, but also what might have been happening at the time. Was there a chase? Was a rabbit nibbling quietly?  Objectives: Students will be able to classify general forms of tracks. Students will measure track sizes, and learn to use terms like straddle and stride when referring to tracks. Students will then create a story to explain what happened with the tracks we see.  Content Standards Addressed: SCI.II.1.MS.5; SCI.III.4.E.2; SCI.III.2.MS.1; ELA.III.3.MS.1; MAT.III.1.MS.1-2

2.  Winter Weeds

Summary: Well take a closer look at these herbaceous plants.  What does their presence tell us about the habitat?  Who depends on these plants for survival?  Insects for shelter?  Wildlife for food? Humans for medicine?   What ingenious methods of seed dispersal have these plants developed?  Which is most effective?  Objectives:  Students will identify various forbs commonly seen in our winter landscape and consider their importance to wildlife, insects and humans.  Students will also explain five methods of seed dispersal.  Content Benchmarks Addressed:  SCI.II.1.MS.5; SCI.III.4.E.2; SCI.III.2.MS.1 MAT.III.1.MS.1-2

GRADES 7-8

Chill Out!          
Summary:  Students explore the concept of wind chill and how it is calculated to help them determine "how cold it feels."  Data is collected using anemometers and thermometers.  An investigation follows which has the students testing the cooling power of evaporation of different liquids.  Objectives: Students will explain what wind chill is and how is calculated.  Students will explain how and why they get cold without proper insulation. Content Benchmarks Addressed: SCI.I.1.MS.2-6; SCI.II.1.MS.3,5; SCI.V.3.MS.1; MAT.II.3.MS.6;  MAT.III.1.MS.1-2; MAT.V.1.MS.2,4