AN ORGANISM IN IT’S ECOSYSTEM PHOTO ASSIGNMENT:
Observe, photograph and research the ecological relationships of a local, wild species!
©Sue Boudreau, 5.25.2010
1. Find a quiet, wild area to sit and wait for wild life to appear.
Observation tips: Go somewhere where you have observed this animal or plant before. Dawn and dusk are good times for larger animals. Bring something to sit
on, something to write on and a pencil. Binoculars are fun. Be aware of safety – Discuss what you are doing with your parents. Don’t sit near to raccoons at night,
or on poison oak. There may be mountain lions so don’t sit way out in the wilderness unsupervised. Leave dogs at home – they’ll scare away wild life. Sit still and
camouflaged as much as you can. Be patient. Bring a field guide if you have one, a flashlight.
2. Watch your animal or plant in it’s natural environment. Can you observe any relationships it has with other species – what’s it eating? What’s eating it? What
does it rely on for shelter or camouflage?
3. Photograph the animal or plant you observed. You may NOT use a photo from the internet or someone else’s picture or sketch. You must do this yourself from
living things outside.
Photography Tips: Lean on a stable surface to keep your camera steady (or use a tripod). Have your camera on fully automatic mode to catch quick action. If
you take a shot through a window, angle the camera so it doesn’t reflect the flash back. Take several shots, maybe on ‘burst’. Choose the best one.
4. Use your field guide or the internet to identify the species you were observing.
5. Use the species name to research more about it’s relationships with other species on the internet or in books.
6. You will be graded on the following: A LOCAL, WILD species. Sharp focus. Good exposure. Accurate information. Full citations. Well-composed.
7. Here's my example of how to present your work. (you can't do mule deer though :-)
California Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus californicus
Eats grasses, low brush and tree leaves, garden plants
(especially expensive ones!)
Photo or sketch credit:
Fawns, sick and old deer may be hunted by coyotes, mountain lions. People
hunt and eat deer. Cars run them over.
Sue Boudreau, April 18th, 7am, field outside my house, El Sobrante, Ca.
Source of information: Information from Wikipedia and eNature.com Field Guide pages http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/
Turn over for your blank form ------------
Name: __________________________________ Period: _____
Field Study of An Animal or Plant from a Wild(ish) Area around Orinda.
(This is small because your work will form part of a huge, local food web)
What it eats & species it
depends upon for other
reasons.
Your own photo or sketch of an animal or plant you observed
Common Name: _____________________________________________
Latin Name: _________________________________________________
Photo or sketch credit:
Time and date observed:
Exact location:
Cite sources of information (title, last update, organization, url if applicable.)
What eats it & other species
that depend upon your species
for other reasons.