Ripple, Karen L. “Wetland Education” Applied Wetlands Science and Technology Editor Donald M. Kent Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC,2001 ©2001 CRC Press LLC CHAPTER 14 Wetland Education Karen L. Ripple CONTENTS School System Requirements Science Curriculum Science Content Standards Multidisciplinary Units Student Action Projects Service Learning Credits Wetland Program Features Important to Educators Lesson Plan Format Instructional Objectives Multiple Intelligences Hands-On Learning Cooperative Learning Performance-Based Instruction Evaluating Wetland Programs and Activities Wetland Educational Programs for Grades K–12 National Education Programs WOW!: The Wonders of Wetlands Project WILD Aquatic Education Activity Guide Children’s Groundwater Festival Discover Wetlands A World in Our Backyard: A Wetlands Education and Stewardship Program Wading into Wetlands Student Wetlands Action Projects Schoolyard Habitats Program ©2001 CRC Press LLC Wicked Big Puddles: A Guide to the Study and Certification of Vernal Pools Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability WILD School Sites and Taking Action POW!: The Planning of Wetlands Grant Funding Membership Organizations Wetland Education for Professionals Certification University Continuing Education Independent Professional Training Environmental Concern Inc Wetland Training Institute Richard Chinn Environmental Training Institute for Wetland and Environmental Education and Research Membership Organizations References In the United States, public perception of wetlands as wastelands is slowly evolving into recognition of wetlands as productive, valuable natural resources (Tiner, 1998). Laws and regulations passed in the last three decades are beginning to curb wetland destruction previously encouraged through Congressional Swamp Land Acts (Kusler and Opheim, 1996). Wetland education is slowly evolving in response to changing attitudes. During the 1960s, college level ecology courses included wetland studies. Wetland education materials for students in grades kindergarten through twelve (K–12), however, were developed much later. Wetland activities within the newly developed environmental study units, and isolated wetland activities connected to regional issues, gradually appeared in classrooms. As the value of wetlands to society increased, the need to include wetland material within our educational programs was finally recognized and acted upon in the late 1980s. Now the field of wetland education is rapidly expanding, and resources of all kinds are readily available to educators. This chapter discusses educational approaches and programs applicable to K–12 wetland educators and identifies key elements of their success. Educational options for wetland professionals are also considered. The chapter reviews national education programs containing activities that can easily be integrated into current K–12 curric- ula. The programs require minimal teacher preparation. Current educational emphasis on developing student problem-solving skills leads naturally to programs encouraging the creation, restoration, enhancement, and monitoring of schoolyard wetlands. These newer programs are also reviewed. Model programs for student participation in wetland certification are examined next, as students learn to take action to protect our vanishing wetlands. Some funding sources for wetland education projects and ©2001 CRC Press LLC teacher training are discussed as well as organizations that effectively disseminate information on wetlands. Finally, professional courses for those seeking to improve their techniques, skills, and knowledge in relation to wetlands are examined. Ways of staying abreast of issues, methods, and information in the field of wetlands are also suggested. Undergraduate education and graduate research programs on wetlands, while important to increasing our wetland knowledge base, are not discussed herein. Colleges and universities can more readily supply current information on available courses and programs if contacted directly. Methods of disseminating knowledge are constantly evolving. While research generates knowledge through experimenta- tion and exploration, applied science refines the techniques and tools. The fruits of both research and applied science are transmitted to college students through a combination of lecture and laboratory work. While the lecture/laboratory approach to teaching has been traditionally linked to college courses and college bound student programs, this approach is not always effective. Younger students, and those not college bound, tend to respond to more active educational approaches that have practical applications to their own lives. Primary and secondary school students may not understand the relationship between wetlands and their lives. Alternatively, they may feel wetland losses are too large a problem with which to cope. Consequently, teaching techniques must be continually developed and refined to better fit the capabilities, interests, and needs of younger students as well as the broader community. Those outside the education field may not realize the importance of meeting the educational requirements of school systems as well as the needs of individual educators. Both are important to gain acceptance for a wetland program or activity. Providing something that young students like is not enough to gain access to the classroom. SCHOOL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS School systems establish the science curriculum based upon national science content standards or more stringent local standards. Increasingly, curricula include multidisciplinary units and student action projects. In addition, some school systems require students to earn service learning credits as a requirement for graduation. A closer look at these requirements and how they affect new wetland programs is warranted. Science Curriculum A science curriculum includes the science courses that will be available to students in a particular grade and what unit topics will be covered within those courses. The curricula of a school system are set by the superintendent, the curric- ulum specialists (e.g., science supervisor etc.), and the school board. Some systems allow teacher input. If a school system decides that wetland units will be taught in the second and eighth grades, then wetland materials targeting sixth graders will not likely be considered for use by that school system. ©2001 CRC Press LLC State, county, district, city, or some combination of these bodies organizes school systems. To understand the science curriculum of a particular school system, begin at the state level by determining what is mandated statewide, then contact appropriate local school boards to learn how state mandates are applied. If wetland programs or materials meet the state level curriculum criteria, they are more likely to be acceptable at the local level. Table 1 provides one example of a school science curriculum and the units covered in some courses. Table 1 An Example of Part of a District Science Curriculum Grade Course or Class Units or Topics 1 Science Seeds and plants Earth, dinosaurs, and space Magnets Schoolyard habitat 2 Science Animal classification Weather Sink or float Wetlands 3 Science Insects Earth Machines Forestry 4 Science Ecosystems Atmosphere Electricity Recycling 5 Science Soils and plants Rocks and minerals Estuaries 6 Science Physiology Dangerous storms Light Ecology 7 Science Zoology Astronomy Force and motion Environmental issues 8 Science Genetics Dynamic earth Acids and bases Global energy 9 Environmental Science Environmental concepts Biomes of North America Terrestrial ecosystems Wetland ecosystems 9 Biology Classification Human anatomy and physiology Plant structures and processes Ecosystems, populations, and communities ©2001 CRC Press LLC Science Content Standards Science content includes scientific knowledge, understanding, and abilities—the essential material contained within the units of a science course. Science content standards dictate the knowledge students should acquire through their science studies. In 1995, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences developed national science standards. The standards are grouped into three grade levels and eight categories, all of which might include some aspect of wetland science (Table 2). The three grade levels are K–4, 5–8, and 9–12. Standards in the first two categories, Unifying Concepts and Processes and Science as Inquiry , are consistent across all grade levels because these lifelong processes are basic for an understanding of the natural world. In the remaining six categories, the middle school standards build on those of the primary grades, and the high school standards build on those of the middle school level. The categories of Physical Science , Life Science , and Earth and Space Science focus on the facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models within each subject area. The Science and Technology category links the natural world and the designed world, with many parallels to the Science as Inquiry category. The category of Science in Personal and Social Perspectives concentrates on decision-making skills in personal and social issues. The final category, History and Nature of Science , reflects the change of science through time and the influence of science on world cultures. These national standards have been adopted unchanged by many educational systems. State and local school systems set their own standards, which usually are more stringent and more detailed than the national standards, and often reflect local needs and issues. Designers of science programs, including those about wetlands, should consider cross-referencing the national standards with their activities, thereby relieving educators of that necessity. Multidisciplinary Units Multidisciplinary programs, projects, or study units incorporate more than one subject or content area. Currently in favor with school systems, this approach blends boundaries between subjects and promotes teamwork among teachers. Multidisci- plinary units also remind students that subject areas do not divide the world beyond the school walls. One intriguing aspect of wetlands is that it is not just a science topic, although many treat it as such. Wetlands and water can form a multidisciplinary theme for an entire school or link activities within an entire grade level. Thanks to innovative teachers and a supportive principal at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax, VA, students there have been studying natural wetlands during integrated freshman biology, language arts, and technology courses. Recently, students began creating research wetlands within a school courtyard and soon will determine effective ways to enhance nearby natural wetlands. Additional courses are expected to shift focus to the wetland and water theme in the future, eventually involving the entire school body in wetland activities. ©2001 CRC Press LLC Table 2 National Science Content Standards Grades K–4 Grades 5–8 Grades 9–12 Unifying Concepts and Processes Systems, order, and organization Systems, order, and organization Systems, order, and organization Evidence, models, and explanation Evidence, models, and explanation Evidence, models, and explanation Change, constancy, and measurement Change, constancy, and measurement Change, constancy, and measurement Evolution and equilibrium Evolution and equilibrium Evolution and equilibrium Form and function Form and function Form and function Science as Inquiry Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Understandings about scientific inquiry Understandings about scientific inquiry Understandings about scientific inquiry Physical Science Properties of objects and materials Properties and changes of properties in matter Structure of atoms Position and motion of objects Motions and forces Structure and properties of matter Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism Transfer of energy Chemical reactions Motions and forces Conservation of energy and increase in disorder Interactions of energy and matter Life Science Characteristics of organisms Structure and function in living systems The cell Life cycles of organisms Reproduction and heredity Molecular basis of heredity Organisms and environments Regulation and behavior Biological evolution Populations and ecosystems Interdependence of organisms Diversity and adaptations of organisms Matter, energy, and organization in living systems Behavior of organisms Earth and Space Science Properties of earth materials Structure of the earth system Energy in the earth system Objects in the sky Earth’s history Geochemical cycles Changes in earth and sky Earth in the solar system Origin and evolution of the earth system Origin and evolution of the universe ©2001 CRC Press LLC Student Action Projects In some study units, students are encouraged, and sometimes required, to take action in a way that will make a positive difference in their school, community, or environment. These are often called student action projects. Wetland monitoring, protection, and creation are often the focus of these student environmental action projects. Removing trash from a wetland, raising funds to purchase wetland plants for a restoration project, planting a degraded wetland, and stenciling storm drains to indicate that they empty into a wetland are examples of student action projects (Figure 1). Service Learning Credits In an increasing number of states, students must participate in a minimum number of hours of community service as a requirement for high school graduation. Called service learning credits, students also reflect and communicate what was Science and Technology Abilities of technological design Abilities of technological design Abilities of technological design Understandings about science and technology Understandings about science and technology Understandings about science and technology Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by humans Science in Personal and Social Perspectives Personal health Personal health Personal and community health Characteristics and changes in populations Populations, resources, and environments Population growth Types of resources Natural hazards Natural resources Changes in environments Risks and benefits Environmental quality Science and technology in local challenges Science and technology in society Natural and human-induced hazards Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges History and Nature of Science Science as a human endeavor Science as a human endeavor Science as a human endeavor Nature of science Nature of scientific knowledge History of science Historical perspectives Adapted from the National Research Council, 1995. With permission. Table 2 (continued) National Science Content Standards Grades K–4 Grades 5–8 Grades 9–12 ©2001 CRC Press LLC learned in providing the service. A coordinator within the school system suggests existing community service activities available to students and coordinates new community service projects. Wetland restoration, creation, monitoring, and protec- tion projects usually provide opportunities for student service learning credits. WETLAND PROGRAM FEATURES IMPORTANT TO EDUCATORS What features do educators look for when they evaluate new programs? Educa- tors save precious time if activities are presented in a lesson plan format with clearly stated instructional objectives. Activities that encourage use of multiple intelligences and a variety of learning styles, such as hands-on learning, cooperative learning, or performance-based instructional techniques, are favored over the lecture/laboratory technique often used by colleges. A closer look at the needs of educators is necessary to understand how effective wetland programs are designed. The best programs will have many of the features described next. Lesson Plan Format A lesson plan indicates what an educator intends to accomplish with a lesson and how he or she intends to accomplish it. Most school systems require teachers to write detailed daily lesson plans before teaching a class and to have those plans Figure 1 In student action projects, students make a positive difference in their school, community, or environment. Third grade students planting a small constructed wetland at Horsehead Wetland Center is but one example of the many possibilities for positive change that can empower our youth. ©2001 CRC Press LLC at hand during the lesson. Many teachers are required to submit daily lesson plans to a supervisor for approval before the lesson is taught. Lesson plan formats vary from system to system, but minimally contain an objective, an activity and/or assignment, and some type of student assessment to determine if the objective was accomplished. Programs that are organized with lesson plan formats are easier for teachers to incorporate into their plans. Instructional Objectives Instructional objectives are statements expressing what the student is expected to accomplish with an assignment and are an important part of the lesson plan. Statements of objectives, or learning outcomes, have two essential parts: the action verb and the content. The action verb indicates the skill to be achieved, such as “measure.” The content indicates the knowledge to be gained, such as “water tem- perature.” Simple, specific wording of the objective allows students to clearly under- stand what is expected of them and eases teacher determination of whether the objective has been accomplished. For example, “students will appreciate wetlands” is a vague and immeasurable objective. “Imitate the sounds or motions of your favorite wetland creature” is more specific, more measurable, and therefore more useful as a guide for both teachers and students. Bloom’s taxonomy is a hierarchy of instructional objectives that build upon each other, extending from simple to complex thinking processes, and from concrete to abstract. The basic levels of the hierarchy from simple to complex are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Bloom, 1956). Table 3 summarizes the objectives of each level, the type of thinking skill required to achieve the objective, and action verbs consistent with those thinking skills. Table 3 Verbs for Instructional Objectives (Bloom, 1956) Thinking Skill Level Objective Action Verbs Consistent with Objective 1. Knowledge Recall information Circle, define, designate, determine, identify, label, list, mark, match, name, select, specify, state, underline 2. Comprehension Understand and interpret material Condense, describe, explain, interpret, outline, restate, rewrite, summarize, trace, translate 3. Application Use material in a new situation Build, construct, demonstrate, draw, illustrate, make, measure, model, operate, show, solve, use 4. Analysis Examine parts and relationships Analyze, classify, compare, contrast, debate, diagram, differentiate, explore, graph, organize, monitor, specify, test 5. Synthesis Rearrange parts to form a new idea, plan, or relationship Compose, construct, create, design, develop, establish, invent, plan, predict, produce, suggest, write 6. Evaluation Judge material based on evidence Assess, choose, compare, conclude, decide, evaluate, grade, judge, justify, rank, select, support, value [...]... 2087 8-2 983 800-BUG-IWLA www.iwla.org Education Division 700 Broadway New York, NY 10003 P.O Box 147 0 Ocean Springs, MS 3956 6-1 47 21 2-9 7 9-3 000 www.audubon.org 1840 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA 2220 1-3 000 70 3-2 4 3-7 100 www.nsta.org 8925 Leesburg Pike Vienna, VA 22184 4245 North Fairfax Dr., Suite 100 Arlington, VA 2220 3-1 606 80 0-5 8 8-1 650 www.nwf.org 70 3-8 4 1-5 300 www.tnc.org 22 8-0 -3 7 4-7 557 www.marine-ed.org... MA 01867 Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability Izaak Walton League of America, Save Our Streams Program 707 Conservation Lane Gaithersburg, MD 2087 8-2 983 ©2001 CRC Press LLC Phone/Web Site 41 0-7 4 5-9 620 www.wetland.org 30 1-5 2 7-8 900 www.projectwild.org 80 0-8 5 8-4 844 www.groundwater.org 36 0-4 0 7-7 472 www.wa.gov/ecology/pubs 80 0-3 6 3-3 382 80 0-5 8 8-1 650 www.nwf.org 80 0-8 2 2-9 919 www.nwf.org/nwf/habitats/... NY 1202 3-9 746 20 2-3 2 6-6 400 www.aaas.org 51 8-8 7 2-1 804 www.aswm.org 2010 Mass Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 20 2-8 3 3-8 773 www.sdsc.edu/ ~ESA/esa.htm 20 2-9 3 9-3 800 www.eli.org 20 2-5 4 7-6 223 1616 P St., NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20036 P.O Box 855 League City, TX 7757 4-0 855 4201 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA 22230 1207 Seminole Hwy., Suite B Madison, WI 53711 70 3-3 0 6-1 234 www.nsf.gov 60 8-2 6 2-9 547 www.ser.org... conference Local chapters Publications Convention Programs Publications Workshops Publications Local chapters Conservation 950 Herndon Parkway, Suite 300 Herndon, VA2017 0-5 531 70 3-9 0 4-1 225 www.uwin.siu.edu/~awra 6666 West Quincy Ave Denver, CO 80235 30 3-7 9 4-7 711 www.awwa.org One Waterfowl Way Memphis, TN 3812 0-2 351 80 0-4 5ducks www.ducks.org 206 South Fifth Ave., Suite 150 Ann Arbor, MI 48104 73 4-7 6 1-8 142 www.igc.org/green... 1207 Seminole Hwy., Suite B Madison, WI 53711 70 3-3 0 6-1 234 www.nsf.gov 60 8-2 6 2-9 547 www.ser.org P.O Box 1897 Lawrence, KS 6604 4-8 897 91 3-8 4 3-1 221 www.sws.org 677 South Segoe Rd Madison, WI 5371 1-1 086 60 8-2 7 3-8 095 www.soils.org 601 Wythe Street Alexandria, VA 2231 4-1 994 80 0-6 6 6-0 206 www.wef.org REFERENCES American Forest Foundation, Project Learning Tree, American Forest Foundation, Washington, D.C.,... Publications Annual conference Sections/activities Member directory Publications Activities Wetlands projects Publications Conferences Wetlands month 410 Tarvin Road Rock Spring, GA 30739 70 6-7 6 4-2 926 www.naaee.org 730 Polk Street San Francisco, CA 94109 31 7-2 3 1-1 908 www.sierra.org 4 Herbert Street Alexandria, VA 22305 70 3-5 4 8-5 473 www.terrene.org Sierra Club Terrene Institute ©2001 CRC Press LLC Phone/Web Site... singular focus on wetlands They have a long-term commitment to wetland education, search and development, and application of technology in wetland construction, restoration, and enhancement Quality professional courses are offered in the areas of wetland delineation, wetland hydrology, wetland mitigation, evaluation for planned wetlands, wetlands botany, wetlands horticulture, and more Wetlands courses... 36 0-4 0 7-7 472 www.wa.gov/ecology/pubs 80 0-3 6 3-3 382 80 0-5 8 8-1 650 www.nwf.org 80 0-8 2 2-9 919 www.nwf.org/nwf/habitats/ schoolyard/index.html 78 1-9 4 4-8 200 earth.simmons.edu/vernal/ pool/store.htm 800-BUG-IWLA www.iwla.org/sos grades K–12 grouped into five chapters: introducing wetlands, plants and animals, water, soil, and issues In 1995, Environmental Concern partnered with The Watercourse of Bozeman, MT, to... Box 22558 Lincoln, NE 6854 2-2 558 P.O Box 47600 Olympia, WA 9850 4-7 600 P.O Box 1016 Chapel Hill, NC 27 514 8925 Leesburg Pike Vienna, VA 22184 8925 Leesburg Pike Vienna, VA 2218 4-0 001 Children’s Groundwater Festival The Groundwater Foundation Discover Wetlands A World in Our Backyard Washington Department of Ecology, Publications Distribution Environmental Media Wading into Wetlands National Wildlife... available to educators Most were produced by nonprofit organizations and predate the national science content standards discussed earlier WOW!: The Wonders of Wetlands WOW!: The Wonders of Wetlands (Slattery and Kesselheim, 1995) is a unique educator’s guide that focuses entirely on wetlands WOW! provides hands-on activities designed to excite and educate students, then illustrates that action can be . 47600 Olympia, WA 9850 4-7 600 36 0-4 0 7-7 472 www.wa.gov/ecology/pubs A World in Our Backyard Environmental Media P.O. Box 1016 Chapel Hill, NC 27 514 80 0-3 6 3-3 382 Wading into Wetlands National Wildlife. 20878 30 1-5 2 7-8 900 www.projectwild.org Children’s Groundwater Festival The Groundwater Foundation P.O. Box 22558 Lincoln, NE 6854 2-2 558 80 0-8 5 8-4 844 www.groundwater.org Discover Wetlands Washington. History and Nature of Science Science as a human endeavor Science as a human endeavor Science as a human endeavor Nature of science Nature of scientific knowledge History of science Historical