Station #2: Urban Ecosystem Ingredients



Soil Horizons – Is it a Wetland? Teacher’s Guide

Subject (Body of Knowledge): Integrated Science (Life; Earth-Space; Physical)

Big Idea (topics): Wetlands, Soil, Abiotic Factors, Classification

Summary: Students examine and classify the soil at two different locations along the nature trail to determine which site is a wetland.

|Objective(s): |After completing the field lab, students will be able to: |

| |Identify wetland soil based upon its characteristics (moisture, texture, etc.) |

| |Discuss the advantages and any disadvantages of wetland areas |

|Ecosystem(s): |Freshwater Wetlands, Uplands |

Equipment:

• Soil Probe

• Munsell color charts (10YR)

• GPS

• Sand Gauge Card

• Data sheet & pencil

• Meter stick

• Petri dishes

• Tables

• Spray bottle

• Cardboard

Background (Pre-field Classroom Activity):

• Equipment Training: Munsell Color Chart and GPS Practice Activity

• Vocabulary: Wetland, abiotic factors, biotic factors, Munsell color chart, soil composition, soil horizons, soil profile, detritus, anaerobic, hydric

• Reference material: Soil profiles and horizons introduction, wetland of Florida (poster), Wetlands Soils in Living Color, part I (Project WET), Fabulous Wetlands (Video)

• Pre- Activity: Crossword, Vocabulary, Word Search

Procedures (Engage; Explore; Explain; Elaborate; Evaluate):

1. Engage. Ask students to look around and write down whether the surrounding area is a wetland or not. How can you tell?

2. Explore.

a. Divide students into two groups. Half go to the left and half to the right.

b. To the left, students examine a 60cm deep soil profile hole. (place a meter stick vertically inside the pit)

c. Students observe different horizons (layers) previously marked and record the beginning and end of each horizon in cm. (If standing water is observed in hole, record the last visible measurement followed by “water table” under depth).Record the presence of rust streaks or dark mottles under Color.

d. To the right, use a soil probe to extract three 20cm cores from a single hole. (Mark location with flag for relocating)

e. Students place the cores on a labeled piece of cardboard in the order and direction in which they were removed from the ground and then separate the soil into the different observable layers.

f. Swap activities and repeat steps a-f. Both groups bring cardboard and samples to the tables.

g. Once situated at the tables, students place soil from each layer in the corresponding Petri dish.

h. Table 1, use Munsell Color Chart to match color of soil in each dish. The corresponding numbers along the left and bottom of chart are recorded as value/chroma (i.e. 5/2). Record the presence of rust streaks/dark mottles under color.

i. Students then refer to the Color Name Diagram to get an accurate color description (i.e.: grayish brown).

j. Next, the soil from each dish is squeezed tightly in the hand to determine its’ moisture. Record “wet” if water squeezes out, “damp” if soil holds its shape or “dry” if sample will not hold shape and crumbles.

k. Table 2, rub small amount of soil between fingers to determine how it feels (ex. gritty, slippery, sticky or combination: gritty/ slippery).

l. Determine content (gritty = sand, slippery = silt, sticky = clay or gritty with organic material /plants = topsoil).

m. Using clean hand compare grain size of sample with sand gauge card and record (coarse, medium, fine or very fine)

n. Swap tables, remaining in the same groups repeat steps i – n.

3. Explain.

a. Answer and discuss the assessment questions as a group and allow each student to record an answer.

b. Review the key concepts (items on pre/posttest).

Sunshine State Standards:

Science: SC.6.E.6.1 ; Mathematics:MA.7.G..4.4; Language Arts: LA.6.4.2.2; Social Studies: SS.6.G.1.1

Is it a Wetland? Soil Horizons Student Data Sheet

General Information

|Full Name: | |Date: | |

|School (teacher): | |Time: | |

Student Hypothesis and Rationale:

If soil type is determined by color texture and moisture, than I hypothesize that I (Choose one: will/will not) observe difference between an upland soil and a wetland soil because… ______________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________.

Field Observations/Measurements/Data

Location 1:

|Latitude: |Longitude: |

Soil Profile and Core (Identifying different layers)

|Distinct Layers or Horizons |Soil Profile |Soil Core |

|(measured in cm from the surface) |(existing soil pit) |(extracted by students) |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Table 1 (soil color and moisture)

|Layer or Horizon |Munsell Chart |Munsell Chart |Moisture |

|(from soil core info above) |(value/chroma) |Color Description |(wet, damp or dry) |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

Table 2 (soil texture and composition)

|Layer or Horizon |Texture |Content |Grain Size |

|(from soil core info) |(gritty, slippery, sticky) |(Sand, silt, clay, or topsoil) |(coarse, medium, fine, or very |

| | | |fine) |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

Student Data Sheet (continued)

Location 2:

|Latitude: |Longitude: |

Soil Profile and Core (Identifying different layers)

|Distinct Layers or Horizons |Soil Profile |Soil Core |

|(measured in cm from the surface) |(existing soil pit) |(extracted by students) |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Table 1 (soil color and moisture)

|Layer or Horizon |Munsell Chart |Munsell Chart |Moisture |

|(from soil core info above) |(value/chroma) |Color Description |(wet, damp or dry) |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

Table 2 (soil texture and composition)

|Layer or Horizon |Texture |Content |Grain Size |

|(from soil core info) |(gritty, slippery, sticky) |(Sand, silt, clay, or topsoil) |(coarse, medium, fine, or very |

| | | |fine) |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

Is it a Wetland? Soil Horizons Assessment

1. What was the color, texture, and moisture of the third layer or horizon in Location #2 (refer to your data sheets)?

| |

| |

| |

2. Did either of the two locations have gleyed soil (mottled or marked with blotches or patches of color) or have wet soil?

| |

| |

| |

3. Does your data support your hypothesis? Whether your hypothesis was supported or not, what can you infer from your observations, measurements, and results?

| |

| |

| |

4. If wetlands are found near water bodies such as rivers and lakes, where else might we find wetlands?

| |

| |

| |

5. If wetlands help to capture, store, and slowly release excess water in the environment, what would happen if we removed wetlands from a particular area?

| |

| |

| |

Portfolio Journal Prompt

Plants that live in wetlands have to adapt to regular periods of being flooded or immersed in water. Before you begin writing think about if you were a plant that lived in wetlands. Describe some of the structures and mechanisms you would want to have to survive these conditions?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download