Lesson Plan for Grasshopper Activity on the Konza Prairie Kelly ...
Lesson Plan for Grasshopper Activity on the Konza Prairie Kelly ...
Lesson Plan for Grasshopper Activity on the Konza Prairie Kelly ...
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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Less<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Plan</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grasshopper</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Activity</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> K<strong>on</strong>za <strong>Prairie</strong><br />
<strong>Kelly</strong> Landes, USD475, 7 th grade science<br />
Objectives:<br />
Students will collect and classify grasshoppers, <strong>the</strong>n analyze and interpret grasshopper data from K<strong>on</strong>za<br />
<strong>Prairie</strong>.<br />
Students will identify and draw <strong>the</strong> food chain that <strong>the</strong> grasshopper is part of, and <strong>the</strong>n a simplified food<br />
web of <strong>the</strong> K<strong>on</strong>za <strong>Prairie</strong><br />
Standards:<br />
Standard A-Science as inquiry<br />
Identify questi<strong>on</strong>s that can be answered through science investigati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
C<strong>on</strong>duct scientific investigati<strong>on</strong>; use appropriate tools and technology to ga<strong>the</strong>r, analyze and interpret<br />
data; communicate scientific procedures and explanati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Standard C-Life Sciences<br />
Regulati<strong>on</strong> and behavior<br />
Populati<strong>on</strong>s and Ecosystems<br />
Standard G-History and Nature of Science:<br />
Science as a Human Endeavor<br />
Nature of Science<br />
Resources:<br />
KEEP website<br />
Book: Field Guide to <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grasshopper</str<strong>on</strong>g>s, Katydids and Crickets of <strong>the</strong> United States, Capinera, Scott,<br />
Walker, 2004, Cornell University<br />
Pre-K<strong>on</strong>za Field Trip Activities<br />
Logistics: Arrange date, fill out field trip request <str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g>m, hand-out permissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g>ms, make schedule <str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<strong>the</strong> two days of <strong>the</strong> field trip. Day be<str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g>e trip: review rules of K<strong>on</strong>za, remind students about lunches,<br />
sun screen, bug spray, proper clothing and shoes, and need to alert us to any medical c<strong>on</strong>cerns of <strong>the</strong><br />
students.<br />
Geography: Students will learn about <strong>the</strong> different land types: desert, tundra, grasslands, <str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g>ests, etc.<br />
Science:<br />
1. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Plan</str<strong>on</strong>g>ts and Animals of <strong>the</strong> K<strong>on</strong>za <strong>Prairie</strong> Game: Do activity with plant and animal cards, and <strong>the</strong><br />
poster, similar to <strong>the</strong> activity we did at <strong>the</strong> KEEP workshop.<br />
2. Why do <strong>the</strong>se regi<strong>on</strong>s exist? What is <strong>the</strong> K<strong>on</strong>za <strong>Prairie</strong> Biological Stati<strong>on</strong>? Why is l<strong>on</strong>g-term<br />
research important? Present Tallgrass <strong>Prairie</strong> Ecology slide show from KEEP website, and/or J.<br />
Blair<br />
3. Explore <strong>the</strong> KEEP website – guided explorati<strong>on</strong>-find a bird, an insect that lives makes its home <strong>on</strong><br />
K<strong>on</strong>za, what is <strong>the</strong> role of fire, etc.
Questi<strong>on</strong>: Why would researchers be interested in studying grasshoppers? How would <strong>the</strong> grasshopper<br />
populati<strong>on</strong> differ in our schoolyard versus <strong>the</strong> prairie?<br />
4. Schoolyard <str<strong>on</strong>g>Activity</str<strong>on</strong>g>:<br />
Materials: kill jars, nets, straight pens, Styrofoam pieces, science notebooks<br />
Procedure: Students will go out to <strong>the</strong> school yard (or <strong>the</strong> mowed vacant lot). Students will locate<br />
grasshoppers and write observati<strong>on</strong>s about grasshopper habitat (types of plants in lawn). Students will<br />
collect grasshoppers, pin <strong>the</strong>m, draw <strong>the</strong>m and describe <strong>the</strong>ir physical characteristics, <strong>the</strong>n try to identify<br />
from field guide.<br />
K<strong>on</strong>za Field Trip<br />
Logistics: Timeline and Checklist<br />
Hike: Students will record <strong>the</strong>ir observati<strong>on</strong>s, reacti<strong>on</strong>s, things of interest, plant/animal names &<br />
drawings, during hike.<br />
Collect grasshopper data according to SLTER protocols. (½ <strong>on</strong> native, ½ <strong>on</strong> restored)<br />
Post K<strong>on</strong>za <strong>Prairie</strong> Activities:<br />
Reflecti<strong>on</strong> log <strong>on</strong> bus:<br />
1. What new in<str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g>mati<strong>on</strong> did you learn today about <strong>the</strong> tallgrass prairie?<br />
2. What activity did you enjoy <strong>the</strong> most today? Why was it your favorite?<br />
3. What surprised you about <strong>the</strong> K<strong>on</strong>za prairie?<br />
4. Write at least <strong>on</strong>e questi<strong>on</strong> you have about <strong>the</strong> K<strong>on</strong>za <strong>Prairie</strong> ecosystem or populati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
5. Do you think <strong>the</strong> tallgrass prairie always be present in <strong>the</strong> Flint Hills? Why or why not?<br />
Classroom:<br />
1. Enter data into database.<br />
2. Research questi<strong>on</strong>: Thinking about <strong>the</strong> data we collected, what questi<strong>on</strong>(s) could we answer with our<br />
data? Discuss <strong>the</strong>ir ideas and guide <strong>the</strong>m to looking at <strong>the</strong> populati<strong>on</strong> size and types of grasshopper<br />
species in native versus restored prairie.<br />
Graphing:<br />
1. Do M&M activity to introduce Excel and making pie/bar graphs<br />
2. Students will create a graph of <strong>the</strong>ir data. Students will find <strong>the</strong> average number of each species in<br />
each area. Students will create a bar graph comparing <strong>the</strong> average number of each species in <strong>the</strong> two<br />
areas.
3. Interpret graph: What c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s can you make about grasshopper species based <strong>on</strong> your data?<br />
What are some limitati<strong>on</strong>s of your data? What o<strong>the</strong>r in<str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g>mati<strong>on</strong> would be helpful to have to interpret<br />
<strong>the</strong> data?<br />
4. Go to Science Adventures, click <strong>on</strong> KEEP grasshopper data. Look at <strong>the</strong> different questi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
KEEP website. Pick <strong>on</strong>e questi<strong>on</strong> that has data you can compare to your own data. Copy/paste this data<br />
into an excel spread sheet. Make a bar graph that compares your data to <strong>the</strong> data you selected <strong>on</strong> KEEP<br />
data base. (Or have a pre-made graph with 5 years of data plus <strong>the</strong>ir data <strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong>e bar graph.)<br />
5. Interpret graph: What c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s can you make about grasshopper species based <strong>on</strong> your data?<br />
What advantages does <strong>the</strong> KEEP data have? What are some limitati<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> KEEP data?<br />
6. Food Web/Food Chain: Using <strong>the</strong> KEEP website <str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g> background in<str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g>mati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> organisms of<br />
<strong>the</strong> KP, draw a food chain that includes <strong>the</strong> grasshoppers. Next, draw a food web that includes at least 6<br />
producers (3 grasses and 3 <str<strong>on</strong>g>for</str<strong>on</strong>g>bs), 3 primary c<strong>on</strong>sumers, and 2 sec<strong>on</strong>dary c<strong>on</strong>sumers.<br />
Big picture questi<strong>on</strong>s:<br />
Why should we care about preserving <strong>the</strong> prairie?<br />
Why do we care about biodiversity?