Fifth grade – The Environment
Wetland Trail – S5L1a, S5E1 PE5.3, PE5.5 - Students walk the trail around the fishery ponds to the Blackwater Swamp. During the first part of the hike students are challenged to observe the contrast between a sand-hill habitat and a wetland habitat as well as compare and contrast the public fishing ponds with the hatchery ponds. Student observations of surface features within both habitats add to discussion of constructive and destructive processes such as weathering, erosion, and deposition as well as effects of animal and human activity.
Microscope Lab – S5L4, ELAGSE5SL1 - Students learn to view structure and composition of substances such as sand and salt prior to viewing a pond water sample. This activity focuses on identification of various plankton needed for a healthy pond ecosystem.
Introduction to Geocaching – SS5MGS9, PE5.3, PE 5.5, ELAGSE5SL1 - Students will learn the fundamentals of using a hand-held global positioning systems then use their knowledge (in pairs) to locate hidden caches. Students gain an understanding of the importance of latitude and longitude in determining location, as well as hone their skills in using GPS and documenting their finds.
Backyard Bass - MGSE5.OA.3, PE5.3, PE5.5, PE5.6, ELAGSE5SL1 - Fish targets are arranged in the field. Each pair of students is provided with a rod and reel. Students take turns casting from a given casting line to “hook” the fish and reel them in. As each fish is caught, students document its “species” (by color) on the chart and convert data into graph form in order to report their catch. The activity can teach teamwork, data collection and interpretation, as well as allow practice of rod and reel casting skills.
Discovery Room – S5L1, ELAGSE5RL1, ELAGSE5RI, ELAGSE5RI4, ELAGSE5RI5 - Students rotate through centers and animal displays (which are organized by class and species.) Students begin with a scavenger hunt for facts using the expository texts located in the display cases. Additional stations may include making leaf rubbings, creating animal tracks, identifying animal furs, using magnifying instruments, and using Mohs hardness scale.
Archery (National Archery in the Schools Program) - ELAGSE5SL1, PE5.2, PE.5.3c, PE5.3d, PE5.5, PE5.6, ELAGSE5SL1 - A certified instructor teaches the safety and technical basics of archery as specified by NASP. Students are then allowed to participate in shooting targets, scoring their attempts, and retrieving arrows. NASP promotes student education, physical education and participation in the lifelong sport of archery in an effort to inspire students to spend more time outdoors.
Wheel of Nature – ELAGSE5SL1 - Students participate in a game-style two-team activity. When it is his or her turn, a team-member spins a wheel to determine how much a question is worth. To obtain the points for his side, the student answers the given question. Questions are based on the MEEC curriculum and include habitat features, wildlife adaptations, and identification of animal pictures, pelts, sounds, offspring and tracks. Models and other audio visuals are used to bring questions to life. Team work is encouraged as rules allow students to confer on difficult questions. (Questions are adapted to grade/ability level.)
Wetland Trail – S5L1a, S5E1 PE5.3, PE5.5 - Students walk the trail around the fishery ponds to the Blackwater Swamp. During the first part of the hike students are challenged to observe the contrast between a sand-hill habitat and a wetland habitat as well as compare and contrast the public fishing ponds with the hatchery ponds. Student observations of surface features within both habitats add to discussion of constructive and destructive processes such as weathering, erosion, and deposition as well as effects of animal and human activity.
Microscope Lab – S5L4, ELAGSE5SL1 - Students learn to view structure and composition of substances such as sand and salt prior to viewing a pond water sample. This activity focuses on identification of various plankton needed for a healthy pond ecosystem.
Introduction to Geocaching – SS5MGS9, PE5.3, PE 5.5, ELAGSE5SL1 - Students will learn the fundamentals of using a hand-held global positioning systems then use their knowledge (in pairs) to locate hidden caches. Students gain an understanding of the importance of latitude and longitude in determining location, as well as hone their skills in using GPS and documenting their finds.
Backyard Bass - MGSE5.OA.3, PE5.3, PE5.5, PE5.6, ELAGSE5SL1 - Fish targets are arranged in the field. Each pair of students is provided with a rod and reel. Students take turns casting from a given casting line to “hook” the fish and reel them in. As each fish is caught, students document its “species” (by color) on the chart and convert data into graph form in order to report their catch. The activity can teach teamwork, data collection and interpretation, as well as allow practice of rod and reel casting skills.
Discovery Room – S5L1, ELAGSE5RL1, ELAGSE5RI, ELAGSE5RI4, ELAGSE5RI5 - Students rotate through centers and animal displays (which are organized by class and species.) Students begin with a scavenger hunt for facts using the expository texts located in the display cases. Additional stations may include making leaf rubbings, creating animal tracks, identifying animal furs, using magnifying instruments, and using Mohs hardness scale.
Archery (National Archery in the Schools Program) - ELAGSE5SL1, PE5.2, PE.5.3c, PE5.3d, PE5.5, PE5.6, ELAGSE5SL1 - A certified instructor teaches the safety and technical basics of archery as specified by NASP. Students are then allowed to participate in shooting targets, scoring their attempts, and retrieving arrows. NASP promotes student education, physical education and participation in the lifelong sport of archery in an effort to inspire students to spend more time outdoors.
Wheel of Nature – ELAGSE5SL1 - Students participate in a game-style two-team activity. When it is his or her turn, a team-member spins a wheel to determine how much a question is worth. To obtain the points for his side, the student answers the given question. Questions are based on the MEEC curriculum and include habitat features, wildlife adaptations, and identification of animal pictures, pelts, sounds, offspring and tracks. Models and other audio visuals are used to bring questions to life. Team work is encouraged as rules allow students to confer on difficult questions. (Questions are adapted to grade/ability level.)