Special Topics in Environmental Science
~ A Series of Summer 2007 Workshops ~
The Need
Pennsylvania’s public school students will be assessed in 2007 with regard to the Science
Anchors developed by the Department of Education. Many elementary and middle school
teachers lack confidence and training in the subject areas that are the focus of these
standards. Even many secondary teachers with subject specific degrees in one of the
sciences may have minimal training in ecology and environmental science topics that are
the subject of anchors 4.1-4.9. Most teachers also need help with developing lessons that
help students achieve well with regard to the anchors that are not subject specific. These
anchors include: 3.1 Unifying Themes; 3.2 Inquiry and Design; 3.8 Science, Technology
and Human Endeavors.
Our series of workshops is designed to help in addressing those needs. Each workshop
will include basic science education in the particular workshop topic, then include time
for teachers to develop ways to utilize field work to help teach these concepts, as well as
time to design lessons that help meet the standards expressed in the science anchors. The
workshop instructors will model these kinds of lessons in the design of the workshop
experiences.
Course Description and Components
This course will offer a unique format of a series of six one-day workshops on the
ecology and natural history of the Lehigh Gap. This site offers rich history, unique
geology, and an amazing story of the Industrial Revolution, the reclamation of a
Superfund site, and habitat restoration inspired by nature – interdisciplinary themes that
will be woven into each of the sessions (see http://www.lgnc.org/ for more information
on this site).
There are two options for participating in these workshops:
1. Registrants can also choose to attend any three for one-credit or all six for two credits
offered through Moravian College (MEDU 695.1; for more information about registering
for course credit, see https://secure.moravian.edu/comeniusctr/newsevents.aspx?id=44).
2. We have applied to the PA Department of Education for Act 48 continuing education
hours if an individual wishes to participate in these workshops without receiving graduate
credit. (If taken as a course through Moravian College, the institution is already
approved as an Act 48 provider.) There is no cost for those choosing this option other
than transportation to the site. After each hands-on session in the field, we intend to
have a session where participants can network with each other to begin developing
curricular plans that incorporate the ideas from the workshop. Regional educators have
indicated that some may need this additional time for a workshop to qualify as an inservice day.
Course Topics:
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Pennsylvania Birds and Wildlife (June 15th, 7:00 a.m. to noon);
Forest Ecology and Trees (June 26th, 9:00 a.m.);
Natural History (June 28th, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.);
Plants, Phytoremediation and Habitat Gardening (July 10th, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00
p.m.);
Pond and River Ecology (July 12th, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.); and
Geology (July 24th, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.).
Each hands-on workshop will focus on ways in which this unique regional resource
can serve as a classroom without walls or disciplinary barriers to teach scientific
principles and illustrate the interaction between humans and nature. We hope to
foster networking among participants who can share ideas on teaching ecological
topics and we will provide follow-up support to those educators who want to
incorporate the resources and opportunities available through Lehigh Gap Nature
Center (LGNC) into their curriculum.
Course Content Details:
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Pennsylvania Birds and Wildlife. Workshop participants will: be shown how
birding and wildlife observations can be used to teach scientific principles,
observation skills, data recording, graphing, and analysis of data; learn about the
PA Breeding Bird Census Project, Feeder Counts, etc. and show how they may be
used as classroom projects to help achieve standards; be shown through field
experiences the importance of maintaining various habitats such as forests,
grasslands, riparian zones, wetlands, and others for birds and other forms of
wildlife.
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Forest Ecology/Trees. Workshop participants will: learn how to create and
conduct a field trip through a forested area, which will review or teach the
principles of ecology, such as trophic levels, importance of decomposers, leaves
and the carbon cycle, interactions between living things and the physical
environment; investigate the structure and function of trees; use a dichotomous
key or field guide to identify native tree species.
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Natural History of the Lehigh Gap. Workshop participants will: investigate the
natural and unnatural history of Lehigh Gap from the time the ice age and prehistoric humans, through the industrial revolution to the present time of ecological
restoration; learn about the varied habitats at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center in the
field and explain what makes each habitat unique; explore the concept of
microhabitat; experience how the natural resources of LGNC can be used for
education, recreation and appreciation of nature, history and the human impact on
our environment (pollution, ecotourism, etc.).
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Plants. Workshop participants will: Learn about native, invasive, and
endangered species; explore the role of plants in succession and as creators of
habitats that support all other life forms; learn about the warm season prairie
grasses being used to restore habitat at the Superfund site; investigate teaching
science through gardening.
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Pond and River Ecology. Workshop participants will: compare the similarities
and differences of a pond and a river ecosystem in a training session that models a
student field trip; explore adaptations of plants and animals to various conditions
such as low oxygen levels, fluctuating water temperatures, and fast moving water;
perform chemical tests and measure physical factors in the stream; conduct a
macroinvertebrate survey of the pond and stream.
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Geology of the Lehigh Gap: Geologists from PA DCNR will conduct this
session designed to teach teachers about the geologic processes and formations of
Lehigh Gap. The Gap is an outdoor geologic textbook with exposed layers of
various deposits that illustrate sedimentary deposition, uplift, erosion, and water
currents. They will also cover topographic maps and will model lab and field
activities that teachers can utilize in bringing their students to Lehigh Gap Nature
Center.
List of competencies to be developed:
Workshop participants will be able to demonstrate their ability to perform the
following with regard to each workshop:
Birds and Wildlife
Identify 20 local bird species
Use binoculars and bird guides proficiently
Design a bird count protocol
Collect and record bird count data
Perform basic graphing and statistical analysis (means, birds per hour) using
data gathered from bird counts
Describe the relationship between various bird species and their habitat
Explain how bird structure (beaks, feet) are related to the bird’s way of life
Forest Ecology/Trees
Define the three trophic levels: Producer, Consumer, Decomposer
Explain the importance of dead leaves in a forest ecosystem including their
relationship to the carbon cycle.
Describe 3 ways in which the physical environment affects living things
Explain the role of decomposers in the forest ecosystem and name three
examples of forest decomposers
Describe the importance of snags (dead trees) in a forest
Differentiate between the ways that evergreens and deciduous trees are
adapted to winter in the temperate zone
Describe the role of roots, trunk, branches and leaves in tree physiology
Use a dichotomous key to identify native tree species
Identify at least 12 native tree species
Natural History of Lehigh Gap
Describe the relationship of glaciers to Lehigh Gap and its present rocks
Provide evidence that Native Americans utilized Lehigh Gap in ancient times
(circa 10,000-12,000 ybp)
Explain why a leather tannery was located at Lehigh Gap
Explain how zinc smelting caused the destruction of vegetation on the
mountain at Lehigh Gap and why the vegetation did not return on its own
Differentiate between warm and cool season grasses and explain why warmseason (prairie) grasses are adapted to conditions at Lehigh Gap
Describe the role of compost, lime, and fertilizer in the restoration process at
Lehigh Gap
Distinguish between the following types of habitat and explain the factors that
are responsible for the existence of each: wetland, pond, vernal pond,
river, riparian forest, deciduous forest, hemlock forest, grassland, savanna
Plants
Differentiate between native and non-native species
Differentiate between non-native and alien invasive species
Describe the adaptations that make species invasive
Explain the ecological threats caused by invasive species
Describe photosynthesis and explain the role of plants in food chains and food
webs
Define and give two examples of succession
Differentiate between primary and secondary succession
Explain why we detail plant communities rather than animals when describing
succession
List and describe three ways that a native plant garden in the schoolyard can
be used as a teaching tool
Pond and River Ecology
Describe the importance of dissolved oxygen (DO) to an aquatic ecosystem
Compare and contrast DO levels in a pond, slow moving river, river or stream
with rapids or riffles
Describe the importance of water temperature to DO content
Explain why a stream’s DO content is relatively steady while a pond’s DO
fluctuates daily
Describe the sources of nitrate and phosphate in an aquatic system and
explain the results of too much of these nutrients in the water
Explain what pH is measuring and identify the “normal” pH range of an
aquatic system
Describe three reasons that the pH of a pond or stream may be too acidic
Explain how the geology of an area may affect the pH of a pond or stream
Demonstrate proficiency at measuring levels and evaluating the results of DO,
nitrates, phosphates, pH, and alkalinity of a water sample
Describe the life cycles of dragonflies and mayflies as representative aquatic
macroinvertebrates
Demonstrate proficiency at capturing and identifying pond and stream
macroinvertebrates
Describe the adaptations of stream macroinvertebrates that allow them to live
in fast moving water
Compare and contrast pond and stream invertebrates and explain the reasons
for the differences
Explain why macroinvertebrates provide a more comprehensive measure of a
stream’s health that chemical tests
Geology of Lehigh Gap
Describe the geologic processes that formed Lehigh Gap
Explain the process of formation of a sedimentary rock and relate it to the
layers seen at Lehigh Gap
Identify shales, sandstones, and conglomerates and explain how conditions
differed during their formation
Show examples of water currents in rock formations at Lehigh Gap
Describe how uplift occurs
Explain the role of erosion in the features seen at Lehigh Gap and compare
gradual and event-based erosion
Correlate geographic features at Lehigh Gap to geologic formations and
processes
Means of developing competencies:
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Instruction for the workshops will be in the field at Lehigh Gap Nature
Center with follow-up in the classroom.
Instructors will model student field trips to demonstrate sound field trip
teaching development and teaching techniques.
Instructors will provide background reading material and reference lists of
books, materials and web sites for each topic.
Field work will be designed to teach the science and interdisciplinary
topics and model effective field trip organization and leadership.
Course participants will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of
the concepts taught in each workshop session through writing
assignments/ journaling, field work, and hands-on demonstrations of
proficiencies.
Course participants will produce lesson plans and units to demonstrate
proficiency with curriculum design related to course topics.
There will also be an opportunity for follow-up throughout the school
year.
We will facilitate networking among participants who can share ideas on teaching
ecological topics, and we will provide follow-up support to those educators who
want to incorporate the resources and opportunities available through Lehigh Gap
Nature Center (LGNC) into their curriculum.