An Exercise in Taxonomy by Brad Daniel from Montreat College, NC

Background: Taxonomy involves grouping, naming, and classifying like objects or organisms based on their characteristics. Taxonomists look for similar and dissimilar characteristics to distinguish between classification categories or taxons. The characteristics might include such things as size, shape, color, patterns, or texture.
This simple exercise introduces students to taxonomy. It can be done with many natural materials including leaves, rocks, or twigs. Alternatively, you could use patches of cloth with a variety of shapes, colors, or designs.

Outcomes:
1. The student will be able to group items based on their similarities.
2. The student will be able to describe characteristics by which organisms are classified.

Group size: Approximately 15

Procedure: The teacher will collect three sets of 20 leaves from 20 different species of trees, shrubs, ferns, or grasses. If possible, some specimens should be from similar organisms (e.g. leaves from three different species of maple). Each complete set is placed in a Ziploc bag. Class members are divided into three small groups. Each group receives a bag of leaves along with the following instructions: Your task is to examine the leaves provided and then to place them into groups based upon their similarities. You must decide 1) The number of groups, 2) The determining characteristics, 3) Why the other leaves do not belong in this group. You will be asked to justify your answers to the rest of the class. You have thirty minutes. Begin.

After 30 minutes, have each group share their answers with the rest of the class. Students should record their observations on the similarities and differences between how the groups went about their task.

Discussion:
1. Did all of the groups agree on the number of groups? On the defining categories? Why/Why not?

2. What have you learned about taxonomy from this exercise?

3. What makes it difficult to place organisms into groups?

Wrapup Exercise:
Ask the group to work together to try to come to consensus as to the number of groups and the defining categories.

National Science Education Standards
Teachers of science design and manage learning environments that provide students with the time, space, and resources needed for learning science. Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students.

North Carolina Standard Course of Study
Technology Competency Goal 2: Objective 3 & 4
Technology Competency Goal 3: Objective 5
6th Grade Science Competency Goal 2: Objective 2:01

Background: Teachers that are planning on implementing this lesson plan in their classroom need to be familiar with the local trees in their area. It would be wise for them to purchase a field guide and to familiarize themselves with their school yard setting before embarking on this adventure with their students. They may even want to engage a naturalist from a local college to take the students around and introduce them to their native plant species if they do not feel comfortable doing so.

Focus Question: What types of trees surround our school yard?

Outcomes: Students will be able to distinguish between the different types of trees on the school’s campus. They will be able to use a variety of media and formats to communicate the information they have gathered to their audience. Students will use technology to gather information, process data, and report results.

Time: 5 days

Group Size: 30 Students

Materials: field guides, digital cameras, paper, markers, colored Pencils, crayons, computers, and scanner

Safety Precautions: Anytime students are outside the classroom they should be monitored accordingly. It would be wise to have students “buddy-up” and to encourage them to, if in warm weather, wear sun screen and drink plenty of fluids.

Procedures:
1. Collect various leaves for example purposes.
2. Show the students the different leaves from different trees that exist locally then discuss the differences and similarities.
3. Ask the students what types of tree they think the leaves might have come from.
4. Explain how they are going to collect leaves or pictures of leaves from the local area for examination and classification in class.
5. List the following headings on the board and have students copy them into their notebooks: Photo number, Location found, basic description.
6. Form the class into small groups
7. Have students get a notepad and a pen or pencil.
8. Ask the students to collect various samples of leaves or take pictures of the leaf with a digital camera. Remind students to always collect carefully so as not to damage the tree.
9. In their notebook, students are to fill in the details of the sample leaves that they have found.
10. When they are finished collecting their samples, they are to either scan the leaf samples onto the classroom computer or download the pictures from the digital camera.
11. When all samples are entered into the computer, students are to look at these images and observe the different textures and details of the leaves.
12. Complete the task by asking students to make a leaf booklet using the leaves found during the collection period. Students will also be able to utilize the scanned images and photos to enhance their booklet.

Opportunities for Cooperative Learning:
Students could work in groups to collect samples and/or to complete their leaf booklet.

Subject: Earth/Environmental Science; Grades: 9 - 12

National Science Education Standard: This is totally dependent upon the activities used once a nature trail has been established on a school campus.

NC Science Framework: This activity meets several of the requirements found within the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Earth/Environmental Science. Once a trail has been established on a school campus, the educator can design and/or implement a variety of activities and studies that meet all of these goals. These competencies/goals are listed below.

Competency Goal 1; Objectives 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 1.04, 1.05, & 1.06
Competency Goal 2; Objectives 2.03 and 2.05
Competency Goal 4; Objectives 4.01

Background: The teacher should have a good understanding of the area around the school and should be able to identify plants and animal species that may be found in the trail area. This information will vary from place to place. The teacher could seek guidance from school maintenance personnel, other teachers, students, PTA representatives and ground maintenance personnel.

Funding sources for the clearing and construction of the trail should be researched as well. Oftentimes, students are eager to participate in such projects and their volunteer time is invaluable. Trail clearing and construction makes for an excellent Eagle Scout project! PTA funds may exist for such a school improvement project. Local hardware stores and nurseries (Lowe’s, for example) should be contacted, as they can be considered “sponsors” of the activity, and goods can be traded for publicity. Many times companies consider such donations tax deductions and community involvement opportunities. The teacher should also investigate any grant opportunities (both local and national) that may be available to them). A list of possible grant opportunities could include:

North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
The Bright Ideas Education Grant Program: North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy
Cooperatives
North Carolina Beautiful: “Window of Opportunity” Grant program
EPA: Environmental Education Grants Program
Carol Bond Memorial Scholarship offered by NC American Waterworks
Association
National Gardening Association

The grants listed above are just a sample of the funding opportunities that may be available.

Partnerships with local museums and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources are excellent ways to establish relationships with professionals who specialize in providing support for educators. These organizations are eager to assist any teacher who is willing to make the outdoors available to their students.

Focus Question: How can a teacher establish a nature trail on his/her school campus?

Outcome: The teacher will have a framework with which he/she will feel comfortable planning and constructing a nature trail on his/her school campus.

Process: Upon approval by appropriate supervisory staff (administrator, maintenance personnel, etc.) the teacher must choose a site for the nature trail. It can cover many acres or be contained within the schoolyard. When a potential site has been found, walk the area several times. Consider photographing the site, make a map and record any major natural features. Use twine to outline the area and make an inventory of any vegetation (grasses, shrubs, trees, wild flowers, and harmful plants such as poison ivy), geologic features (rock outcrops, streams, ponds, wet areas, slopes, potential erosion areas, soil study areas), and animal habitats (nesting trees, brush piles, fallen logs, food plants, rocky areas).

Once your trail is ready to be built, enlist the help of students. The trail should be rid of any unwanted weeds and cleared using proper equipment. Woodchips could be used to identify the desired footpath. Depending on the site, this could be time intensive. If available, utilize the wood shop class to build signs, benches, birdfeeders and birdhouses.

Learning stations are an integral part of a schoolyard nature trail. These are areas where students can do investigative activities that will reinforce classroom lessons. The types of learning stations will depend upon the natural features found in the area. If there is a wet area or pond, learning stations could revolve around water loving plants and animals. Areas of erosion could be used to study erosion rates and students could experiment with ways to remedy the problem. Dense trees and shrubs could allow students to observe a forest area. If there is an area of dead trees, decomposers could be the focus of attention. Interpretative signs should be used to identify any plants or animals that may be seen along the footpath.

Safety Procedures: Student safety is of utmost importance both during the construction phase of a nature trail and during any use of the established footpath. Supervision is necessary when appropriate. It is suggested that when students are working on the trail (either physically or academically) they wear identification vests that can be purchased at local hardware stores. Such a vest easily identifies those students that are on the trail.

Opportunities for Cooperative Learning: When discussing the nature trail with other teachers you may find that some teachers are ambivalent about the idea, believing that the nature trail is only good for the science educator. However, subjects such as language arts and music have been taught using the nature trail. Language arts students could be encouraged to complete a field guide to be used when walking the trail, and music students could be asked to write or provide songs with an environmental theme. Math students could be enlisted when considering population studies. History teachers could consider a study of the environment over time. Once support from other subject area teachers is enlisted, the opportunities for cross curricular activities are bounded only by the teachers’ imagination.

References: http://www.cosm.sc.edu/cse/plantrail.html
http://www.bend.k12.or.us/casadems2/naturetrail/trailhistory.html

Subjects: Science and Environment; Grade level: K-2

Description:This activity will use all the senses--hearing, smelling, sight and touch--to explore nature.

Objectives:
- to improve observation skills
- to explore the characteristics of the organisms
- to increase appreciation for nature
- to stimulate their senses

Procedures: Take the children to a place which can be in the school surroundings or in a trail. Once in the place, give the pile of four cards to each of the students. Start walking with students and make some stops in which they will be told to turn a card and follow its sign. For example, a card with a nose means that the student will explore the area by smelling at things or if the card is an eye means that the student will explore the area by looking at the things. All the cards should be turned at least once since it will give the chance for each student to use the four senses.
Tip: Choose a sign, which can be a palm clap or an animal noise to make the stops and have the students to turn each card.

Wrap-up: the teacher can choose a place to sit down with the students, which can be outdoors or in classroom, and have a moment of sharing experiences.
To make them reflect on their experiences, some questions are suggested such as:

1. What did you touch, smell, hear and/or see?
2. Which sense did you enjoy the most to use? Why?
3. Which sense did you least enjoy to use? Why?
4. Would you like to describe one of your touching, hearing, smelling or sighting experiences?
5. Do you think that by using only one of your senses, you would be able to explore all the characteristics of an animal, plant, soil, rocks…? Why?
6. When touching [hearing, smelling or seeing], which things were you able to feel?

Pictures to be copied and cut

Time: 45 minutes (the time will mostly depend on the number of times that the cards can be turned as well as time availability).

In class option: the teacher can collect materials from outdoors and use a table or the floor as area of exploration.

Materials: make copies of the cards and pile them up with the four kinds of senses. A key ring can be used to hold the cards together and make easy their handling by the students.

Safety concerns: if taking the students in a trail, orient the students about poison ivy and insects such as ants, bees and snakes.

Before hand: visit the site to check for the resources as well as for objects that can threat students’ safety.

Follow-up: the students can do a journal on their experience. They can also choose only one element to use all the senses and then write a description based on the things the student could see, touch, smell and hear. in a trail. Once in the place, give the pile
of four cards to each of the students. Start walking with students and make some stops in which they will be told to turn a card and follow its sign. For example, a card with a nose means that the student will explore the area by smelling at things or if the card is an eye means that the student will explore the area by looking at the things. All the cards should be turned at least once since it will give the chance for each student to use the four senses.
Tip: Choose a sign, which can be a palm clap or an animal noise to make the stops and have the students to turn each card.

National Science Education Standard:
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives: Environmental Quality

NC Science Framework: Earth/Environmental Science, Objective 1.06: Identify and evaluate a range of possible solutions to earth and environmental issues at the local, national, and global level.

Background: The students will do this activity as a follow-up after studying the mountain ecosystem, its biodiversity, and its environmental problems. As the mountains have become more populated and developed, they have also become more polluted. In order to help the environment, the students will develop a public relations campaign to educate the general public about the problems.

Focus Question: What information needs to be included in order to educate and motivate the general public about this environmental concern?

Outcomes: The students will learn about an environmental concern in their area and educate others about how to help alleviate this situation by producing a public service announcement, a newspaper article, and a poster, which will be presented in a formal presentation to the class.

Content: The following content knowledge will be necessary before doing this activity:
Science: mountain ecosystems, environmental issues
Technology: power point presentations
Language: informative writing skills

Process: The students will use the internet and library to further research the environmental concern and produce a 60 second power point public service announcement (commercial), a newspaper article, and a poster, all of which will be used to educate and motivate the general public.

Time: 1 week

Group Size: 2

Materials:
Students: computer access, internet access, word processing program, power point program, poster board, markers
Teacher: list of environmental concerns from which students will choose

Safety Precautions: filtered internet server

Procedures: Working in pairs, the students will research their topic and produce their products.

Opportunities for Cooperative Learning: Students will formally present their power point presentations, newspaper articles, and posters with the class.

Extension/Enrichment Activities: The students can send their articles and posters to the local newspaper for possible publication. The students can present their products at a school science fair or other exhibition.

Relevant Internet Sites: www.epa.gov, www.shepherd.edu/passweb/links.htm, www.appvoices.org, http://www.appalachianregionscience.usgs.gov/appal/, www.grandfathermountain.com