Welcome and Introduction
1. Behavioral Guidelines for visit:
- We are in the animals' neighborhood
- Stay on trails with your group unless taken off trails with class activity
- Leave flowers and plants for animals (don't pick anything)
- Pick up trail treasures to enjoy on-site, but no collecting-leave everything
2. Introduction to Pond Ecology
Definition of Pond Ecology
Pond development at the Ogden Nature Center
Where to look for different kinds of animals and plants
- Edge-turtles, snakes, birds, mammals
- Surface-dragonflies, damselflies, water striders
- Below surface-fish, snails, frogs, tadpoles
- Mud-leeches, planaria, dragonfly nymphs
3. Metamorphosis
- Some animals don't change much as they mature (mammals, reptiles, birds)
- Insects and amphibians change a lot as they mature-called metamorphosis
Rotations
1. Build a Bug
We "change" a student into an insect to demonstrate: no bones, exoskeleton instead, 3 body parts, 6 legs, antennae, adaptations for an aquatic insect (gills, breathing tubes, paddle-like legs, etc.)
2. Pond Observations
Students use dip nets to catch and release aquatic animals
3. Classroom Explorations
- Microscopes to observe animals
- Pond table observations
- Write and draw in "Pond Books"
Topics are covered by varying degrees depending upon the maturity of students and time constraints.