This week's field trip will focus on a small section of your backyard or a local park.
Materials you will need:
a piece of string or yarn 12 feet long
a hand lens, if you have one
a trowel or small shovel
two or three small jars with lids
a small shallow box or a pie pan
your lined (writing) and unlined (drawing) notebooks
a lead pencil and colored pencils, if you have them
lightweight rubber gloves, if you want to avoid getting your hands muddy
Time commitment:
This backyard field trip will require at least two hours. You may complete this project in one long session or two or more shorter sessions.
Tie the two ends of your string together to make a circle.
Survey your backyard or local park for an area that looks interesting. Choose an area with high biodiversity .
Use your string circle to establish the outside border of your study area.
Begin a page in each of your observations notebooks by writing the date, the time of day, sunrise, sunset, and the precise location of your study area.
Describe the weather and then make a sketch of your study area including the locations of large plants and other landmarks.
Part One:
As you slowly approach your study location watch for animals (mammals, birds, insects, etc.) that escape before you reach your research area.
Spend the first twenty minutes sitting quietly observing your chosen location, spend twenty minutes describing your observations in your notebook, and spend your next twenty minutes drawing what you see.
Part Two:
Systematically take an inventory of all the plants and animals that you find inside your string circle. Start at ground level and slowly work your way up to the tallest structures.
Note where each organism is located in study area and what that organism is doing.
Write down the names of each organism that your recognize.
If you don't know the name of an organism, draw a picture of it or write a detailed description so you can look it up later.
To avoid injuring small animals such as insects and spiders, place them gently in a jar. When you have completed your observations, return each organism back to its original location in your study area.
Look for organisms in the leaf litter on the ground. Many decomposers can be found between the decaying leaves or under a pile of leaves.
Carefully turn over any rocks, logs or branches that are laying on the ground. Describe the organisms you discover in these locations. Always return these objects gently to their original position to avoid injuring the organisms.
Use your trowel to scoop up some dirt from your study area. Place the dirt in your shallow box or pan. Describe the condition of the soil and any organisms you find. Return the soil to its original location when you have finished.
Follow -up activities:
Use your course textbooks to identify any unknown animals and plants.
If you are unable to find some of the organisms that your observed try Flora & Fauna Northwest, an extremely useful web site created by Paul Slichter at Gresham High School, Gresham, Oregon or eNature.com, a comprehensive web site that covers ecosystems and the animals and plants that inhabit them.
Use the Internet to extend your understanding of your local area. North Seattle Community College, the host college for this course, is located in the Thornton Creek watershed .
Make a list of organisms that can produce food (autotrophs) and those that consume food molecules made by other organisms (heterotrophs).
Develop at least two possible food chains using organisms from your study area..
Complete your first field trip by summarizing what you learned from your observations.
Make a list of questions that this exercise has generated. Keep these questions in mind as you progress through the units in this course.
To complete your field trip you must send in your Field Trip Report.
Preview the information that you will need to complete your Field Trip Report form and then prepare your answers using your Word Processing Program. Be sure to proofread your answers for both grammar and spelling.
When you have completed all of your answers, open the Field Trip Report and cut and paste your answers into the boxes on the form.
Caution: If you are using a PC you must use the RETURN key when typing your report. Do not use the ENTER key because it will immediately abort your project and you will have to begin again.