Sandlapper Tours
A unique maritime
educational experience
for students and teachers
Focusing on Fifth Grade South Carolina State Standards
in Science
Ahoy, Mates!
My name is Captain Bryan.
I‘d like to take you on a field trip where we will see and learn about lots of
living and non-living things that interact and work together. Yes, that's
what it takes to make an ecosystem.
We'll be visiting several different ecosystems as we cruise out of the
Charleston Harbor on my boat, The Sandlapper.
A few of the ecosystems we'll observe will be a salt marsh,
an estuary, and a barrier island. Watch this slide show to get a better idea
of all the things you’ll learn about!
Through this educational experience,
students will be exposed to numerous 5th
grade South Carolina State Science
Standards.
Ecosystems: Terrestrial and
Aquatic
Standard 5-2:
The student will demonstrate an understanding
of relationships among biotic and abiotic factors
within terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Students observe a female blue crab’s egg sack (or sponge).
5-2.2 Summarize the composition of an
ecosystem, considering both biotic factors
(including populations to the level of
microorganisms and communities) and
abiotic factors.
Female loggerhead sea turtle nest and tracks where she laid her eggs on the beach.
5-2.3 Compare the characteristics of
different ecosystems (including
estuaries/salt marshes, oceans, lakes
and ponds, forests, and grasslands).
An ecosystem is a collection of all the organisms
interacting with each other and with the nonliving
things in their environment.
Ecosystems include:
• forest
• grassland/prairie
• lake or pond
• estuary/salt marsh
• ocean
5-2.4 Identify the roles of
organisms as they
interact and depend
on one another
through food chains
and food webs in an
ecosystem,
considering producers
and consumers
(herbivores,
carnivores, and
omnivores),
decomposers
(microorganisms,
termites, worms, and
fungi), predators and
prey, and parasites
and hosts.
The living parts of the
ecosystem are called biotic
factors and include
populations and
communities of organisms.
The nonliving parts of the
ecosystem are called the
abiotic factors and include
the temperature, water, soil,
air, and sunlight.
An osprey’s nest
5-2.5
Explain how limiting factors including
food, water, space, and shelter) affect
populations in ecosystems.
All organisms need energy to live and
grow. This energy is obtained from
food. The role an organisms serves in
an ecosystem can be described by the
way in which it gets its energy.
Organisms can take the role of
producer, consumer, or decomposer.
A sea urchin on the beach at Morris Island.
Landforms and Oceans
Standard 5-3:
The student will demonstrate an
understanding of features, processes, and
changes in Earth’s land and oceans.
(Earth Science)
5-3.1 Explain how natural processes (including
weathering, erosion, deposition, landslides, volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes, and floods) affect Earth’s
oceans and land in constructive and destructive ways.
5-3.4 Explain how waves, currents, tides, and
storms affect the geologic features of the
ocean shore zone (including beaches, barrier
islands, estuaries, and inlets).
5-3.5 Compare the movement of water by waves, currents, and tides.
Earth’s oceans and land can be affected in constructive ways and destructive ways by natural
processes.
Constructive processes are processes such as deposition, landslides, volcanic eruptions,
and floods which create landforms
Destructive processes are processes such as weathering, erosion, landslides, volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes, and floods which destroy landforms.
Weathering
Weathering is a general term used to describe processes that break down rocks
or near the surface of the earth.
Weathering can be either physical or chemical.
These processes cause the surface of the earth to dissolve, decompose, and bre
into smaller pieces.
Water is an important cause of weathering.
Plants cause weathering when roots break apart rock.
Changes in temperature can break rock, as well as ice forming inside cracks in th
rock causing it to break even more.
Anything that causes rocks to wear down or break apart is a cause of weatherin
5-3.6 Explain how human activity (including
conservation efforts and pollution) has
affected the land and the oceans of Earth.
WOW! WHAT A FIELD TRIP!!!
A child’s journey to learning continues…
Our children deserve the opportunity to
experience the real world and to realize that their impact on our oceans
depends on the knowledge they gain today.
With this awareness, they could make a
significant impact on the future of the world we live in.
After all, the children we mold today are our next generation!
It is up to us to give them the desire to learn!
LET THE TIDE CONTINUE TO RISE ALONG WITH EACH
CHILD’S ASPIRATION TO DISCOVER AND LEARN!
AFTER ALL, THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD…
LIES IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHILDREN
WE ARE TEACHING TODAY!
We invite you to share this unique educational experience with your
class. It will be an event they will never forget!
And that’s not all…
Upon booking a field trip with Sandpaper Tours, supplementary learning
materials connecting to South Carolina standards and indicators
addressed by this educational experience will be provided. These
materials were specifically designed for this field trip and were created by
a third and fifth grade teacher. Their credentials can be viewed on the
following slides.
Tamron Hall
Fifth Grade Teacher, August 2007 - Present.
Third Grade Teacher, August 1997 - May 2007
Gifted and Talented Endorsement, June 2009
National Board Certified Teacher, Middle Childhood Generalist, 2005
Who’s Who Among Teachers, 2005
Master of Education, December 2001
Lisha Hylton
Third Grade Teacher – 14 years
Presently obtaining Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy and Management
JULY 2008 NOAA TEACHER AT SEA
2006 – 2007 South Carolina Department of Natural Resources State of South Carolina
Conservation Teacher of the Year
2005-06-Lexington County Conservation Teacher of Year
2005-2007 – Member of THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA RISING TIDE
PALEOTEMPESTOLOGY TEA- Pelion Elementary School; Teacher of the Year
2003–STAR recipient (Strategies for Teacher Advancement) - statewide program recognizing
outstanding veteran teachers (Participant in STAR teacher conservation retreat -Seabrook
Island)
2003 – Pelion Elementary Teacher of the Year
2004 – Recipient of The American Legion Award for outstanding teaching in American
Patriotism.
2005 – Honored at South Carolina Veteran’s Administration Ceremony for outstanding
teaching in programs and activities directed for students in American Patriotism.
Publications:
2005-“Hallowed Grounds” – Published by Arlington National Cemetery (on their poetry
website)
2006-Amazon Books, Inc. published – Joe T. McNab; a children’s book written for teaching
animal adaptation, conservation and survival (Book available June 2006 at
amazonbooks.com)