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in the Victory Bog by Ilene Kanoff VRP Goals: Goals: • Assess students’ s prior knowledge of birds • Learn how to use a field guide for birds as well as observing them via binoculars • Gain an understanding of the role of bogs and their inhabitants, specifically the Victory Bog • Participate in a project in which each student studies a particular amphibian and presents the learning to the class • Observe how a university researcher works in the field and participate in Gray Jay tracking • Perform data collection for the State of Vermont • Develop a methodology for keeping track of visits to the bog Focusing questions: • How are birds classified, by what characteristics? • What information is provided in a field guide and how might we use that information to identify local birds? • What types of amphibians inhabited our local world and how might they be identified? • What is a bog and what role does it play in sustaining birds and amphibians? • How do scientists and researchers keep track of the work they do in the field? Activities: • Group work on assessment of prior knowledge • Practice activities (in class) on using field guide to identify birds • Internet and book research on amphibians culminating in written project and oral presentation • Reading about the Victory Bog as well as excerpts from Charles W. Johnson’s Bogs of the Northeast • Field trips (2) to the Victory Bog Vermont Standards: 7.2 Investigation 7.13 Organisms, Evolution and Interdependence 4.6 Understanding Place 1.5 Writing 1.19 Research 2.1 Questioning/Problem Solving Assessment project: Each student will complete a naturalist field guide for both birds and amphibians. In addition, they will include some information about types of vegetation found in the Victory Bog. Timeline: Week 1: Assessment of prior knowledge about birds, use of field guide and binoculars Week 2: Gain an understanding of birds as an indicator of environmental health; learn about bogs and their vegetation, specifically the Victory Bog; first trip to Victory Bog using the field guide, binoculars and filling in student naturalist field book; meet Dr. William Barnard (professor and Gray Jay researcher) at the bog Week 3: Review of bird findings at the Victory Bog; begin researching amphibians Week 4: Finish researching amphibians, complete project and give oral presentations Week 5: Second trip to Victory Bog to study amphibians; perform recording for Jim Andrews, State of Vermont; finish field guide Ilene Kanoff Newark Street School Grades 7-8
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