4-H Environmental Science
Learning Enrichment Outreach Module
Exploring Your Environment
through Hands-on Activities:
A 5-lesson introduction to ecosystems
for youth ages 8-13.
1. Ecosystems and Soils
2. Forest Ecosystems
3. Aquatic Ecosystems
4. Food Webs and Feeding
5. Protecting the Environment
Thomas Hutson
4-H Youth Development Educator
Maryland Cooperative Extension
St. Mary’s County
Rationale for the Learning Module
Environmental awareness is becoming increasingly important as urbanization continues
to take place throughout the United States. As our population grows, the combined impact of
more than 300 million United States citizens on the environment is contributing to accelerated
degradation of natural ecosystems. In addition, recent national surveys have indicated that the
average American spends much less time engaged in outdoor activity when compared to similar
surveys conducted twenty years ago. People who feel less connected to the natural world are
less likely to take an interest in and develop an understanding of environmental science and
environmental issues. Consequently, there is an increasing need to expose our young people to
basic ecology concepts through experiential learning and instill in them an appreciation for
natural ecosystems.
Maryland state curriculum and national science initiatives include environmental science
concepts within their core learning goals for students. One of the most effective ways to increase
understanding of environmental science is to provide students with experience-based, hands-on
opportunities to learn about ecosystems. This module was created in an effort to expose students
to basic ecology concepts related to the study of ecosystems. All laboratory activities
incorporate Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum science skills and processes learning
indicators. Likewise, lesson content is aligned with Maryland’s life science standards for grades
K-8 and environmental science standards for grades 4-8. The first four lessons offer a broad
overview of ecosystems and basic ecology principles. Lesson five focuses on human activities
that cause harm to the environment and offers recycling as an example of how altered human
behavior can improve environmental quality. Each lesson is built around hands-on activities
intended to provide students with experiential learning opportunities within a traditional
classroom setting. This module is by no means a comprehensive study of ecosystems. It is an
overview, intended to help students improve their understanding of and interest in ecology and
environmental science. These lessons were designed to provide students with positive learning
experiences that motivate them to continue learning about their environment.
Modifications for Varied Ability Levels
Laboratory procedures within this series of lessons have been designed to work equally
well with students of all ages from elementary school through high school. The assessment
questions and lab analysis questions, however, have been designed for students ages 8-13 and are
most closely targeted for ages 10 and 11 (grades 5 and 6).
Older and higher ability students may need questions that provide them with more of a
challenge. Pre- and post-assessment questions can be modified by the teacher to address higher
levels of thinking at the application and evaluation levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Likewise, the
number and complexity of analysis questions following a lab activity may be increased to offer
more of a challenge. Younger or lower ability students may need questions that are decreased in
complexity, completed with a partner, or discussed orally as a group rather than completed in
written form.
4-H Learning Enrichment Module:
Exploring Your Environment through Hands-on Activities
Lesson 1: Ecosystems and Soils [70 minutes in length]
Objectives:
-Identify several parts of an ecosystem and explain how living things depend on the
environment.
-Compare soil samples to see how they are similar and different.
-Analyze soil to determine what it is made of and explain why soil is important to organisms.
1. Pre-assessment (5 minutes)
__ materials: copies of pre-assessment/post-assessment question sheet
a) Distribute the pre-assessment sheet and have students answer questions about the
following concepts:
-parts of an ecosystem
-composition of soil
-plants found in soil
-animals found in soil
2. Introduction to ecosystems (10 minutes)
a) Explain to students that this series of classes will help them better understand their
environment by understanding ecosystems. An ecosystem is made up of living things
(organisms) and nonliving things (the environment) that surround them.
b) Draw a large chart on the board with the following information:
ECOSYSTEM
LIVING
(organisms)
NONLIVING
(the environment)
Have students suggest things that can be found outdoors and, as a group, classify those
items as living or nonliving. Discuss how organisms depend on their environment.
Identify several examples of ecosystems (forest, pond, rotting log, grassland, puddle,
etc.)
3. Soil: What is in it? lab activity (45 minutes)
__ materials: newspaper, magnifying glasses or dissecting microscopes, several plastic food
bags filled with various soils, forceps (tweezers), plastic Petri dishes, small beakers or
containers with lids, spoons or stirring rods, colored pencils
__copies of soil organism identification guides
__copies of soil lab data sheet
a) Ask students what soil is and why it is important. Is soil different than dirt? Discuss
ideas. (Note: Dirt consists of mineral particles such as sand, silt, clay, and rocks. Soil
is dirt that includes organic material from plants and animals. The organic material is
what gives topsoil the ability to nourish plants.) Emphasize that soil is a mixture of
different things. Have each group choose a soil sample to analyze. (5 min)
b) Students should put some of the soil in a beaker, add water, mix, and allow the soil
mixture to settle for at least 15 minutes while they do the rest of the lab. After 15
minutes they will see layers of sand, silt, clay, and organic material in the beaker.
Different soils have different amounts of each material in them. (5 min)
c) Instruct students to place small amounts of soil in a Petri dish and look through it to
see what they can find using magnifying glasses or microscopes. They should look for
mineral particles (rocks, sand), plant materials (roots, seeds), and animal materials
(insects, worms, eggs). In the appropriate areas of the data sheet, each student should
very carefully draw and describe what he or she finds in the soil sample. Students may
use the soil organism guide to help them identify some species. Students should draw
the soil particle layers visible at the bottom of the beaker of water. Students should
analyze additional an additional sample(s) if time permits (30 min)
d) As a group, write a definition of soil that is based on the observations students made
during the lab. Discuss why soil is important and explain that the kind of soil can
determine the kind of plants animals found in an ecosystem. For example, “Soil is a
mixture of different things that includes mineral particles such as sand and rocks plant
materials such as leaves and roots animal materials such as earthworms and insects,
water, and air. (5 min)
4. Post-assessment (5 minutes)
__ materials: copies of post-assessment
a) Give out assessment questions and have students answer them. This data can be
compared to the pre-assessment to measure learning during the lesson.
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 1: Ecosystems and Soils
Pre-Assessment:
1. Which of these is part of the environment in an ecosystem?
A. plant
B. bird
C. rock
D. insect
2. Which of these is an organism found in an ecosystem?
A. plant
B. rock
C. water
D. sunlight
3. Which of these is NOT a natural part of soil?
A. dead leaves
B. plastic bags
C. rocks and sand
D. small animals
4. Which of these is a reason why soil is important in an ecosystem?
A. soil kills weeds
B. soil is very hard like a rock
C. nothing lives in soil
D. soil gives minerals to plants
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 1: Ecosystems and Soils
Post-Assessment:
1. Which of these is part of the environment in an ecosystem?
A. plant
B. bird
C. rock
D. insect
2. Which of these is an organism found in an ecosystem?
A. plant
B. rock
C. water
D. sunlight
3. Which of these is NOT a natural part of soil?
A. dead leaves
B. plastic bags
C. rocks and sand
D. small animals
4. Which of these is a reason why soil is important in an ecosystem?
A. soil kills weeds
B. soil is very hard like a rock
C. nothing lives in soil
D. soil gives minerals to plants
Name________________________
Date ______________Class______
Laboratory Activity
Soil: What is in it?
Objectives:
-Observe a soil sample and identify what it is made of.
-Compare different soil samples to see how they are different.
Materials:
Soil samples
plastic Petri dishes
soil organism guide beakers or cups
magnifying glasses (or microscopes)
spoons and forceps (tweezers)
water
newspaper
colored pencils
Directions:
1. Choose a soil sample.
2. Put some soil in a beaker, add water and stir. Let the mixture settle for 15 minutes.
3. Put some soil in plastic dish and look at it using a magnifying glass or a microscope. Use the forceps to
help you pick up small objects.
4. Very carefully draw or describe the things that you see in the soil. Also draw the layers of particles that
formed inside the beaker.
5. Use a guide to soil organisms to help you identify living things in the soil.
6. Repeat steps 1-5 with a different sample of soil.
Sample Name: ______________________
Rock and mineral
particles:
Plants or plant parts
(roots, seeds, etc.)
Animals or evidence of
animals (insects,
cocoons, bones, etc.)
Drawing of settled soil
mixture layers:
Organic
Clay
Silt
sand
Sample Name: ______________________
Rock and mineral
particles:
Plants or plant parts
(roots, seeds, etc.)
Animals or evidence of
animals (insects,
cocoons, bones, etc.)
Drawing of settled soil
mixture layers:
Organic
Clay
Silt
sand
Analysis and Conclusion Questions
1. How are the soil samples similar?
2. How are the soil samples different?
3. Think about what you observed in the soil samples. Then write a definition of soil in your
own words.
4. Think: Why is soil important to living things?
4-H Learning Enrichment Module:
Exploring Your Environment through Hands-on Activities
Lesson 2: Forest Ecosystems [70 minutes in length]
Objectives:
-Describe several organisms that live in a deciduous forest ecosystem.
-Identify different ways that deciduous forest organisms are adapted to survive the forest
environment.
1. Reinforce soil concepts from lesson 1 (5 minutes)
a) Discuss concepts from the soil lesson: structure of ecosystems, makeup of soil,
importance of soil, soil animals and plants, etc.
2. Pre-assessment (5 minutes)
__ materials: copies of pre-assessment/post-assessment question sheet
a) Distribute the pre-assessment sheet and have students answer the questions dealing
with the following concepts:
-nonliving parts of the environment found in a forest.
-forest plants and their adaptations
-forest animals and their adaptations
-forest products used by humans
3. Introduction to forest ecosystems (10 minutes)
a) Ask students to describe a forest. What is the soil like? What kinds of plants are in it?
What kinds of animals? What is the climate like? What kinds of things that people use
come from a forest? Discuss ideas.
4. Forest organisms lab activity (25 minutes)
__ materials: preserved forest plants and animals or photographs of various forest organisms
__ copies of forest organisms lab data chart
(Note: Preserved organisms in jars may be purchased from Science Kit or other suppliers.)
a) Distribute the forest organisms lab data chart and have students look at the preserved
forest organisms or photographs of organisms. Students should choose 10 organisms
and decide for each organism: plant or animal, where it lives in forest, how it gets
food. (20 min)
b) Discuss student ideas and how they classified each organism. Correct misconceptions.
(5 min)
5. Forest organism adaptations activity (20 minutes)
__ materials: photographs of large and common forest plants and animals (different from
those used in #4 above)
a) Discuss the concept of adaptation with students. Be sure they understand that
adaptations are traits that help organisms survive in their environment.
b) Hold up various photographs of forest organisms and have students identify ways that
each organism is adapted to survive in its environment. Students may identify multiple
kinds of adaptations.
6. Post-assessment (5 minutes)
__ copies of post-assessment
a) Give out assessment questions and have students answer them. This data can be
compared to the pre-assessment to measure learning during the lesson.
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 2: Forest Ecosystems
Pre-Assessment:
1. Which of these is a part of the environment in a forest ecosystem?
A. tree
B. sunlight
C. earthworm
D. squirrel
2. Which of these can help trees survive the winter in a forest?
A. breaking off long roots
B. being cut down by people
C. losing branches in a storm
D. losing leaves in the fall
3. Which of these can help animals survive the winter in a forest?
A. sleeping during cold weather
B. not eating anything during the summer
C. moving to where the weather is colder
D. being eaten by another animal
4. Which of these is the most important product people get from a forest?
A. corn and wheat to eat
B. oil to make gasoline for cars
C. wood to build furniture
D. cotton to make clothing
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 2: Forest Ecosystems
Post-Assessment:
1. Which of these is a part of the environment in a forest ecosystem?
A. tree
B. sunlight
C. earthworm
D. squirrel
2. Which of these can help trees survive the winter in a forest?
A. breaking off long roots
B. being cut down by people
C. losing branches in a storm
D. losing leaves in the fall
3. Which of these can help animals survive the winter in a forest?
A. sleeping during cold weather
B. not eating anything during the summer
C. moving to where the weather is colder
D. being eaten by another animal
4. Which of these is the most important product people get from a forest?
A. corn and wheat to eat
B. oil to make gasoline for cars
C. wood to build furniture
D. cotton to make clothing
Forest Organisms Lab Activity
Name ________________________________
Date _______________ Class ___________
Objective: Identify (circle or describe) different ways that plants and animals are adapted to survive in a forest.
Name of Organism
Plant or Animal?
Where it Lives
(Think: How do you
know?)
How it Gets Food
(Think: How do you know?)
small plants
trees
sunlight
eats plants
eats animals
eats dead things
PLANT
ANIMAL
soil
ground
small plants
trees
eats plants
ANIMAL
soil
ground
sunlight
PLANT
eats animals
eats dead things
small plants
trees
eats plants
ANIMAL
soil
ground
sunlight
PLANT
eats animals
eats dead things
small plants
trees
sunlight
eats plants
ANIMAL
soil
ground
eats animals
eats dead things
small plants
trees
sunlight
eats plants
ANIMAL
soil
ground
eats animals
eats dead things
small plants
trees
sunlight
eats plants
ANIMAL
soil
ground
eats animals
eats dead things
eats plants
ANIMAL
small plants
trees
sunlight
PLANT
soil
ground
eats animals
eats dead things
small plants
trees
eats plants
ANIMAL
soil
ground
sunlight
PLANT
eats animals
eats dead things
small plants
trees
eats plants
ANIMAL
soil
round
sunlight
PLANT
eats animals
eats dead things
small plants
trees
eats plants
ANIMAL
soil
ground
sunlight
PLANT
eats animals
eats dead things
PLANT
PLANT
PLANT
Ways it is Adapted to
Survive
(long roots, large leaves, legs
for walking, wings, etc.)
Conclusion: In your opinion, which organism has the best adaptations to help it survive in a forest? Why do you say that?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4-H Learning Enrichment Module:
Exploring Your Environment through Hands-on Activities
Lesson 3: Aquatic Ecosystems [70 minutes in length]
Objectives:
-Describe several organisms that live in aquatic ecosystems.
-Identify different ways that aquatic organisms are adapted to survive in their environment.
1. Reinforce forest concepts from lesson 2 (5 minutes)
a) Discuss concepts from the forest lesson: structure of ecosystems, forest plants and
adaptations, animals and adaptations, forest products, etc.
2. Pre-assessment (5 minutes)
__ materials: copies of pre-assessment/post-assessment question sheet
a) Distribute the pre-assessment sheet and have students answer the questions dealing
with the following concepts:
-nonliving parts of an aquatic environment.
-aquatic plants and their adaptations
-aquatic animals and their adaptations
-aquatic resources used by humans
3. Introduction to aquatic ecosystems (10 minutes)
a) Ask students to describe ponds, lakes, streams, oceans, etc. What is the aquatic
environment like? What kinds of plants are there? What kinds of animals? What
products that people use come from aquatic environments? Discuss ideas.
4. Ocean organisms lab activity (25 minutes)
__ materials: preserved ocean plants and animals or photographs of ocean organisms
__copies of ocean organisms lab data sheet
(Note: Preserved organisms may be purchased from Science Kit or other science suppliers.)
a) Distribute the ocean organisms lab data sheet and have students look at the preserved
ocean organisms or photographs of ocean organisms. Students should choose 10
organisms and decide for each organism: plant or animal, how it moves, how it gets
food, and other adaptations. (20 min)
b) Discuss student ideas and how they classified each organism. Correct misconceptions.
(5 min)
** Option: Instructors may want to substitute pond, river, or Chesapeake Bay organisms
in place of ocean organisms in order to tailor the lesson to local interests. It will then
be necessary to change the title of the lab data sheet to reflect the source of the water
samples.
5. Pond water lab (20 minutes)
__ pond water samples, beakers, slides, cover slips, droppers, magnifying glasses, compound
and dissecting microscopes
__ copies of field guides to aquatic organisms
a) Show students how to prepare a wet mount slide and how to focus a compound
microscope. Tell them that their objective is to identify small organisms that live in
pond water. If microscopes are not available, magnifying glasses will help students
observe organisms that are visible to the naked eye.
b) Allow students to work on identifying organisms in pond water. They can use the field
guides to aquatic organisms to help them identify the organisms they find.
6. Post-assessment (5 minutes)
__ copies of post-assessment
a) Give out assessment questions and have students answer them. This data can be
compared to the pre-assessment to measure learning during the lesson.
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 3: Aquatic Ecosystems
(Ponds, streams, ocean, etc.)
Pre-Assessment:
1. Which of these is a part of the environment in an aquatic ecosystem?
A. plants
B. fish
C. water
D. frogs
2. Which of these can help plants survive in an aquatic ecosystem?
A. floating at the surface to catch sunlight
B. living very deep where it is dark
C. being eaten by lots of animals
D. getting harmed by salt in water
3. Which of these can help animals survive in an aquatic ecosystem?
A. needing a lot of food to stay alive
B. having legs or fins for crawling or swimming
C. being a food source for larger animals
D. having colors that make them easy to see
4. Which of these is an important resource people get from aquatic
ecosystems?
A. plants such as vines and cactuses
B. pets such as parrots and hamsters
C. crops such as corn and wheat
D. foods such as crabs and oysters
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 3: Aquatic Ecosystems
(Ponds, streams, ocean, etc.)
Post-Assessment:
1. Which of these is a part of the environment in an aquatic ecosystem?
A. plants
B. fish
C. water
D. frogs
2. Which of these can help plants survive in an aquatic ecosystem?
A. floating at the surface to catch sunlight
B. living very deep where it is dark
C. being eaten by lots of animals
D. getting harmed by salt in water
3. Which of these can help animals survive in an aquatic ecosystem?
A. needing a lot of food to stay alive
B. having legs or fins for crawling or swimming
C. being a food source for larger animals
D. having colors that make them easy to see
4. Which of these is an important resource people get from aquatic
ecosystems?
A. plants such as vines and cactuses
B. pets such as parrots and hamsters
C. crops such as corn and wheat
D. foods such as crabs and oysters
Ocean Organisms Lab Activity Name
________________________________
Date _______________ Class ____________
Objective: Identify (circle or describe) different ways that plants and animals are adapted to survive in the ocean.
Name of Organism
PLANT
ANIMAL
How it Moves
(Think: How do you
know?)
doesn’t move floats
swims
crawls
PLANT
ANIMAL
doesn’t move
swims
floats
crawls
ANIMAL
doesn’t move
swims
floats
crawls
eats plants
ANIMAL
floats
crawls
sunlight
PLANT
doesn’t move
swims
eats animals
eats dead things
floats
crawls
eats plants
ANIMAL
doesn’t move
swims
sunlight
PLANT
eats animals
eats dead things
eats plants
ANIMAL
floats
crawls
sunlight
PLANT
doesn’t move
swims
eats animals
eats dead things
floats
crawls
eats plants
ANIMAL
doesn’t move
swims
sunlight
PLANT
eats animals
eats dead things
floats
crawls
eats plants
ANIMAL
doesn’t move
swims
sunlight
PLANT
eats animals
eats dead things
floats
crawls
sunlight
eats plants
ANIMAL
doesn’t move
swims
eats animals
eats dead things
floats
crawls
sunlight
eats plants
ANIMAL
doesn’t move
swims
eats animals
eats dead things
Plant or Animal?
PLANT
PLANT
PLANT
How it Gets Food
(Think: How do you know?)
sunlight
eats plants
eats animals
eats dead things
sunlight
eats plants
eats animals
eats dead things
sunlight
eats plants
eats animals
eats dead things
Ways it is Adapted to Survive
(floats to get sunlight, has fins,
blends in, sharp teeth, etc.)
Conclusion: In your opinion, which organism has the best adaptations to help it survive in the ocean? Why do you say that?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4-H Learning Enrichment Module:
Exploring Your Environment through Hands-on Activities
Lesson 4: Food Webs and Feeding [70 minutes in length]
Objectives:
-Analyze owl pellets and identify the diet of barn owls within a food web.
-Compare bird beak shapes to determine how beak shape affects feeding success.
1. Reinforce aquatic ecosystem concepts from lesson 3 (5 minutes)
a) Discuss concepts from the aquatic ecosystems lesson: environmental factors, plants and
adaptations, animals and adaptations, resources, etc.
2. Pre-assessment (5 minutes)
__ materials: copies of pre-assessment/post-assessment question sheet
a) Distribute the pre-assessment sheet and have students answer the questions dealing with the
following concepts:
-what, when, and how owls feed
-ways owls are adapted to survive
-how bird beak shape relates to feeding ability
3. Introduction to food chains and food webs (5 minutes)
a) Ask students where plants and animals get their food. Introduce the idea of food chains and
food webs. Discuss ideas and diagram some sample food webs on the board.
4. Owl pellets lab (35 minutes)
__ materials: owl pellets, plastic containers with lids, water, liquid soap, newspaper, strainer or cheese
cloth, forceps/tweezers, black paper, plastic bags, owl pellet guides, poster of barn owl food web
(if available)
(Note: owl pellets may be purchased from Science Kit or other science suppliers.)
a) Begin with a discussion about owls and what students know about them: they are birds,
physical traits, behavioral traits, adaptations (flight, talons, keen hearing and eyesight). Have
students speculate where owls fit in a specific food web. (5 min)
b) Show students how to place their pellet in a container of water with a little soap and shake it to
make the pellet come apart more easily. (5 min)
c) Allow students to strain off the water and use the forceps to pull apart the owl pellets and
remove major bones and skulls. They can place the bones on black paper to make them more
visible. Explain to students how to record their data on the lab data sheet. They should
observe and record their findings, comparing them to the owl pellet guides to determine what
kinds of animals are in their pellet. (20 min)
d) Discuss the analysis questions as a group and have students record their answers on page 2 of
the lab sheet. (5 min)
5. Bird beaks and feeding activity (15 minutes)
__ materials per group: 4 tools to represent different bird beaks (fork, scissors, forceps, clothespins);
4 items to represent food items (pennies, toothpicks, beads, paper clips); small cups to
represent “stomachs” plastic containers to dump “food” items in for foraging
__ copies of the chart for recording type of beak and the number of food items “caught” by each
a) Have each group dump their bag of food items into a plastic container. Each student should
select one of the four “beaks” and think about what kinds of food it would be good for picking
up.
b) Hold one-minute rounds of play in which students attempt to pick up food items with their
beak and the results are tallied. Have students try additional beaks in order to compare the
effectiveness of each beak.
c) Lead the discussion to the conclusion that the shape of a bird’s beak is an adaptation that
allows it to feed efficiently on a specific type or types of food. The clothespin will most likely
be the beak that is least adapted to all 4 food types and the forceps will most likely be the most
adapted to a wide variety of food.
6. Post-assessment (5 minutes)
__ copies of post-assessment
a) Give out assessment questions and have students answer them. This data can be compared to
the pre-assessment to measure learning during the lesson.
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 4: Food Webs and Feeding
Pre-Assessment:
1. Where does all of the energy come from that is used by organisms in an ecosystem?
A. water
B. soil
C. rocks
D. sunlight
2. Why do owls usually eat at night?
A. they can’t see during the day
B. it must be quiet for owls to fly
C. things they eat are active at night
D. owls can’t stand the heat during the day
3. What kinds of foods do owls eat?
A. flowers and berries
B. small birds and mice
C. tree leaves and bark
D. insects and worms
4. Why do different kinds of birds have beaks of different shapes?
A. some beaks are better at eating certain foods
B. if birds eat too much they end up with wide beaks
C. birds that are sick have large beaks
D. small beaks are caused by birds fighting
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 4: Food Webs and Feeding
Post-Assessment:
1. Where does all of the energy come from that is used by organisms in an ecosystem?
A. water
B. soil
C. rocks
D. sunlight
2. Why do owls usually eat at night?
A. they can’t see during the day
B. it must be quiet for owls to fly
C. things they eat are active at night
D. owls can’t stand the heat during the day
3. What kinds of foods do owls eat?
A. flowers and berries
B. small birds and mice
C. tree leaves and bark
D. insects and worms
4. Why do different kinds of birds have beaks of different shapes?
A. some beaks are better at eating certain foods
B. if birds eat too much they end up with wide beaks
C. birds that are sick have large beaks
D. small beaks are caused by birds fighting
Owl Pellets Lab Activity
Name _______________________
Date ___________ Class _______
Objective: Analyze owl pellets and identify the diet of barn owls within a food web.
Every day, barn owls spit up an owl pellet that contains the remains of food they ate the day before. You can
identify what barn owls eat by studying owl pellets.
Materials:
owl pellets
newspaper
plastic bags
plastic container with lid
strainer or cheese cloth
owl pellet guides
water
forceps/tweezers
liquid soap
black paper
Directions:
1. Take 1 owl pellet for your group and place it into a container of water with some water and a little bit of
liquid soap. Shake the container gently and wait about 5 minutes to soften the owl pellet.
2. Strain the water off of the pellet and place it on newspaper. Use the forceps to gently pull apart the pellet.
Place bones or other remains of organisms on black paper so that you can see them easily.
3. Use the owl pellet guide to identify the things you find and determine what organisms they came from.
4. Record your data in the data table and answer the questions at the end.
Data Table:
Drawing of skull, bones, etc.
Type of animal (see chart)
Number of this
animal in pellet:
Drawing of skull, bones, etc.
Type of animal (see chart)
Number of this
animal in pellet:
Drawing of skull, bones, etc.
Type of animal (see chart)
Number of this
animal in pellet:
Questions are on the next page!
Analysis and Conclusion Questions:
1. Is your owl an herbivore (eats plants), a carnivore (eats animals) or an omnivore (eats plants and animals)?
How do you know?
2. What kinds of organisms does your owl eat and where do they live?
3. Where did the animals your owl ate get their food? Are they carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores?
For your information:
A series of one thing eating another is a food chain.
chain
Several food chains linked together are called a food web.
web
Owls are predators that eat organisms
found at lower feeding levels in the food web.
Bird Beaks and Feeding Activity
Name_______________________
Date _____________ Class _____
Objective: Compare bird beak shapes to determine how beak shape affects
feeding success.
Materials per group of 4: 4 tools to represent different bird beaks (fork, scissors,
forceps, clothespins); 4 items to represent food items (pennies, toothpicks, beads,
paper clips); small cups to represent your stomach, plastic container to dump “food” items in
Directions:
1. Dump all of the “food” items into the plastic container.
2. Have each person in your group choose one of the 4 “beaks” and take a cup to represent his or her stomach.
3. When your teacher says go you will have one minute to catch as many of the “food” items with your beak as
possible. You may pick up only 1 food item at a time. Put each food item in your stomach cup.
4. When your teacher says stop, you will need to count the total number of each food item caught by the beak
you used and record the information in the data table below.
5. Repeat the procedure for 3 more rounds of play. Use a different beak each time.
Data Table:
Beads
Number of each type of food caught
Pennies
Paper Clips
Round 1
Beak type (circle):
clothespin fork
Round 2
Beak type (circle):
scissors
tweezers
clothespin fork
Round 3
Beak type (circle):
scissors
tweezers
clothespin fork
Round 4
Beak type (circle):
scissors
tweezers
clothespin fork
scissors
tweezers
Analysis and Conclusion Questions:
1. Which type of beak you used was best at catching all four types of food?
2. Which type of beak you used had the hardest time picking up certain kinds of food?
3. Think: Why do different kinds of birds have beaks with different shapes?
Toothpicks
4-H Learning Enrichment Module:
Exploring Your Environment through Hands-on Activities
Lesson 5: Protecting the Environment [70 minutes in length]
Objectives:
- Identify the three major ways in which people cause environmental damage.
- Create recycled paper from existing paper and explain why recycling helps protect resources.
- Determine the most environmentally friendly fate for typical “trash” items.
1. Reinforce food web concepts from lesson 4 (5 minutes)
a) Refresh students’ memory about the importance of food chains, energy flow, and roles
of organisms such as owls in an ecosystem. Transition discussion to the idea that
people can have negative effects on the environment.
2. Pre-assessment (5 minutes)
__ materials: copies of pre-assessment/post-assessment question sheet
a) Distribute the pre-assessment sheet and have students answer the questions dealing
with the following concepts:
- types of environmental problems and ways people harm the environment
- techniques that can reduce environmental damage
3. Introduction to environmental problems and recycling (25 minutes)
__ materials: short video clip showing materials that can be recycled (you can find video
clips on the internet)
a) Ask students to suggest ideas about how humans and our activities can cause harm to
the environment. List all ideas on the board and try to group them into categories.
Tell students that almost all environmental problems fall into three categories:
pollution, extinction, and overusing resources. Discuss actions that people can take to
reduce environmental problems. (5 min)
b) Explain to students that people tend to overuse natural resources and then throw
products away in the trash, sending them to a landfill. Ask them what they know about
recycling and lead the discussion to the concept that recycling allows us to re-use
materials instead of just throwing them away. (5 min)
c) Show the video clip to introduce students to the process of recycling. Discuss several
types of materials that can be recycled. (approx. 15 min)
4. Recycling paper lab activity (30 minutes)
__ materials: various kinds of paper, water, plastic containers, blender, corn or laundry
starch, pieces of window screen, newspaper (for blotting), option: an iron for drying
out newly made paper.
__ list of “trash” items that might normally be thrown away
a) Instruct students to choose a few different kinds or colors of paper to make into new
paper. Each group will need to tear up the equivalent of about ½ to 1 sheet of loose leaf
paper. Students should put about an inch of water into the bottom of a plastic shoebox
or similar container and tear their small sheet(s) of paper into small pieces and placing
the pieces in the water. Explain to students that paper is made from trees and that
soaking the paper in water allows the small wood fibers to separate so that they can be
made into new paper. (10 min)
b) Place each group’s paper pulp in a blender and blend it for about 30 seconds to further
loosen the pulp. You may want to add a little starch to help the new paper bind
together. Pour the pulp onto a piece of screen and allow most of the water to drain
through into the plastic container. Place another piece of screen on top and squeeze
out excess water, then blot the paper inside of newspaper to soak up even more water.
If you have time, you have the option of running and iron over the newspaper to speed
up the drying of the newly created paper. (15 min)
c) Conclude the activity by reading items off of a list of typical trash items. Make a chart
on the board and have students decide the environmentally friendly fate for each thing.
Use categories such as those listed below to guide the activity. (5 min)
recycle
re-use
donate to charity
send to landfill
put in compost pile
5. Post-assessment (5 minutes)
__ copies of post-assessment
a) Give out assessment questions and have students answer them. This data can be
compared to the pre-assessment to measure learning during the lesson.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Following the final lesson: Promoting 4-H
Provide students with handouts about 4-H and give them a listing of local 4-H clubs with contact
information. Encourage them to have their parents take them to a 4-H meeting to try it out and
see what kinds of projects and hands-on activities are taking place.
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 5: Protecting the Environment
Pre-Assessment:
1. Which of these is a human activity that protects ecosystems?
A. dumping used motor oil on the ground
B. taking old batteries to a recycling center
C. cutting down most of the trees in a forest
D. killing the snakes and other predators
2. Which of these trash items can easily be recycled?
A. styrofoam cups
B. light bulbs
C. plastic milk jugs
D. spray paint cans
3. What is recycling?
A. turning waste items into new products
B. storing old containers under ground
C. sending your trash to the landfill
D. re-using plastic and glass containers
4. Which of the following activities wastes natural resources?
A. putting leaves and grass in a compost pile
B. sending your trash to be buried in a landfill
C. reducing the amount of trash you produce
D. re-using bottles and other containers
Name______________________________
Date ______________________________
Lesson 5: Protecting the Environment
Post-Assessment:
1. Which of these is a human activity that protects ecosystems?
A. dumping used motor oil on the ground
B. taking old batteries to a recycling center
C. cutting down most of the trees in a forest
D. killing the snakes and other predators
2. Which of these trash items can easily be recycled?
A. styrofoam cups
B. light bulbs
C. plastic milk jugs
D. spray paint cans
3. What is recycling?
A. turning waste items into new products
B. storing old containers under ground
C. sending your trash to the landfill
D. re-using plastic and glass containers
4. Which of the following activities wastes natural resources?
A. putting leaves and grass in a compost pile
B. sending your trash to be buried in a landfill
C. reducing the amount of trash you produce
D. re-using bottles and other containers
styrofoam cup
cardboard box
batteries
flea collar
envelopes with plastic
windows
used motor oil
iPod with broken headphones
milk jug
grass and leaves
rubber band
plastic butter bowl
plastic bubble wrap
old window air conditioner
old athletic shoes
old tire (flat)
light bulb
banana peels
plastic forks
wooden chair,
missing a leg
spoiled meat
glass soda bottle
shoe box
soda can
old clothes
junk mail (white paper)
CD case
used cat litter
plastic grocery bags
Appendix:
Common Soil Organisms Guide
(use with lesson 1)
Key to Life in a Pond
(use with lesson 3)
A note about science equipment: Supplies such as preserved
deciduous forest organisms, preserved ocean organisms, and owl
pellets/guides can be ordered from science supply companies
such as Science Kit and Boreal Laboratories, Carolina
Biological, Frey Scientific, or Ward’s Biology. Most of these
companies have websites that provide contact and product
information.
Identification Key to Soil Organisms
Source: Klein, William J.
Learning Under the Sun, New Ed. 1993.
MB Learning System, Sioux City, Iowa
Common Soil Organisms
Organisms Found in and around Soil
Key to Life in a Pond
Source: University of Wisconsin Extension