Wetlands Alive!: 
A Middle School looks at Iowa's wetlands

Jumping Jehoshaphat! Seventh graders at Linn-Mar Middle School in Marion had some up-close and personal experiences with wetlands this past fall, thanks to an educational activity grant from the Iowa Space Grant Consortium.

"The students learned about their wetland heritage in an enjoyable way that will be long lasting," says Doug Smith, a science teacher at Linn-Mar Middle School who was in charge of the project.  "One of our most important overall goals was to help students understand the importance of Iowa's wetlands."

The six-week course was inquiry-oriented and activity-centered.  To meet the objectives of the curriculum, students engaged in many different types of activities, ranging from making their own Jumpin' Jehoshaphat (paper frogs that can jump), to examining samples of algae, fish and insects they collected from a man-made pond on the school grounds, to getting their hands dirty in a wetlands model project.

A unique feature of the wetlands curriculum project is its use of interdisciplinary activities.  Social studies and language arts teachers incorporated wetland activities in their curriculum.  One of the language arts activities that was especially successful was a poster project.

Smith used a variety of resources for the course, which he adapted for Linn-Mar's curriculum.  He also took a nature photography course and made a slide set of wetland pictures to use in class.

---

Check back soon for another ISGC News Brief!

Browse the News Brief Archives

Back to ISGC Home
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Student Objectives:

1. Become aware of the characteristics of wetlands and learn how they are defined by the presence of water, hydric soils and hydrophytic plants.
2. Classify wetlands into palustrine, lacustrine and riverine based on their characteristics.
3. Locate different kinds of wetlands on a map of the U.S.
4. Recognize that plant and animal adaptations can be inferred from observations of organisms' physical structures.
5. Describe living and nonliving components of wetland habitats.
6. Develop an understanding of the interdependence of wetland organisms, including humans, in the food web.
7. Make a connection between the importance of natural resources and the impact humans have on them.
8. Measure and monitor water chemistry, including pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, phosphates and turbidity.
9. Learn to measure surface area and rate of water flow in a wetland pond and stream.
10. Draw conclusions about wetlands based on water measurements and analyses.
11. Describe physical differences between wetland and upland soils.
12. Learn how the physical properties of soil are related to its permeability.
13. Gain an appreciation for wetland plant and animal diversity.
14. Identify at least 10 wetland animals and plants based on physical characteristics.
15. Understand the importance of preserving wetland and learn the historical significance of wetlands in our history.

Educator:

Wetlands Model Project:

Objective:  To build a three-dimensional model of a wetland.

• It may be one of the following:  salt marsh, forested wetland, prairie potholes, wet meadows, shrub swamp, oxbow lakes, muskeg (tundra), fen, bog, or shallow pond.
• The wetland could be constructed any way you like as long as it is practical.  It may or may not actually have water in it.  Groups of three students will work together, each bringing materials from home.  Include the major plants and animals in your model as well as a food web.

Time line:  brainstorm and research, 2 days; construction, 3 days; final paper, 2 days; presentation, 1 day.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wetlands Promotional Poster:

Purpose:  As you are learning in science, our wetlands are dwindling.  This assignment gives you the chance to remind others how important our wetlands are to the community.

Directions:  Create a promotional poster with a slogan that will stress to others the importance of maintaining our wetlands.  In addition to the slogan, which should be the central focus of your poster, include at least three important facts about wetlands.

Grading Criteria:  inclusion of original, fitting slogan, 5 points; inclusion of three facts about wetlands, 3 points; careful proofing, 3 points; neatness and eye appeal, 4 points.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wetlands Resources:

Environmental Concern, Inc.
WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands activity guide
POW! The Planning of Wetlands action guide
P.O. Box P
St. Michaels, MD  21663
410-745-9620
http://www.wetland.org

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Welcome to the Wetlands poster
Wetlands Reading List (preK-12)
Wetlands Information Hotline
1-800-832-7828
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands
Surf Your Watershed
http://www.epa.gov/surf

U.S. Geological Survey
National Wetland Inventory maps
1-800-USA-MAPS
http://www.usgs.gov
National Mapping Information
http://mapping.usgs.gov
The Learning Web:  K-12 Education
http://www.usgs.gov/education
Water Science for Schools
http://wwwga.usgs.gov/edu
Water Resources Education Posters
Wetlands: Water, Wildlife, Plants, and People poster
U.S. Geological Survey
Information Services Branch
P.O. Box 25286
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO  80225
1-800-435-7627
http://water.usgs.gov/public/outreach/OutReach.html

Terrene Institute
Wake Up to Wetlands video
4 Herbert St.
Alexandria, VA  22305
703-548-5473
http://www.terrene.org
 

National Audubon Society
Life in a Freshwater Marsh poster ($5 unfolded)
Life in a Salt Marsh poster ($5 unfolded)
Audubon Adventures Newspapers--Wetlands ($5/35)
National Audubon Society Education Materials
700 Broadway
New York, NY  10003
212-979-3183
http://www.audubon.org

Publications

Wetlands Plants & Animals Coloring Book, Annika Bernhard,1994, $2.95

Swampland Animal Stickers, Lisa Bonforte,1997, $1.00

Frogs & Toads Stickers, Nina Barbaresi, 1997,$1.00

Dover Publications, Inc.
31 East Second St.
Mineola, NY  11501-3582

In Search of Swampland, R.W. Tiner, 1998, $26.00

Rutgers University Press
100 Joyce Kilmer Ave.
Piscataway, NJ  08854
1-800-446-9323

Kids Discover Wetlands, 1997, $3.00 each

Kids Discover magazine
170 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY  10010-5911
212-242-5133

Wading into Wetlands, 1997, $12.95

Ranger Rick's NatureScope
National Wildlife Federation
P.O. Box 777
Mount Morris, IL  61054-8276

The Digital Field Trip to the Wetlands [CD ROM],1996, $99.00 educational version, $49.00  home version

Digital Frog International, Trillium Place
7363 Calfaso Road
Puslinch, Ontario, NOB 2JO Canada
519-766-1097
http://www.digitalfrog.com

Wetland Teacher Resources
http://www.athena.iw.nasa.gov/curric/land/wetland/resource.html