Module I: The Food Chain
Objective:
This module is designed to teach students the importance and complexity of the food chain, in the garden and in the larger world. It
will also show students what happens when a link in the food chain is removed by pollution or other detrimental human impacts.
Important vocabulary: (These definitions are simplified for student use
Children 5-8
 Producer- an organism that makes its own food from the sun, usually a plant
 Primary consumer- plant-eating animals that eat producers
 Secondary consumer- animals that eat primary consumers
 Tertiary consumer- larger animals that eat secondary consumers
 Herbivore- an organism that eats plants
 Carnivore- an organism that eats meat
 Omnivore- an organism that eats both plants and meat
 Habitat- the area that an organism lives in
Children 9-11
 Autotroph- an organism that produces its own food
 Heterotroph- an organism that relies on other organisms for food
 Trophic level- level in a food chain
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
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Where do organisms live?
o Grass- Grass is actually a combination of many plant species and can grow in many different kinds of soils, as it is very
hardy. It does need a good amount of sunlight so usually grows in open spaces or forests with sparse canopy cover.
o Grasshoppers- Hinted at by the name, grasshoppers live mainly in grasslands but have a great variety of habitats and
can be found in rocky areas as well as gardens.
o Snakes- There are many species of snake that occupy a plethora of habitats. They live in all types of climates in most
places in the world.
o Hawks- Hawks will live in areas where prey is easily attainable and like the other organisms discussed here can live in a
variety of places.
o (These organisms do not have specific habitats but rather have conditions that they will survive best in. Ensure students
that find many different answers in research that most of their answers are probably right, considering these organisms
are not necessarily species specific and the groups are very general).
What does it eat?
o Grass- Grass is an autotroph that makes its own food through photosynthesis.
o Grasshoppers- Grasshoppers are herbivorous and can eat anything from grass to vegetables.
o Snakes- Snakes are predators and carnivorous. Depending on their size they can eat anything from small insects to
medium sized mammals.
o Hawks- Hawks prey on snakes as well as a variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and if in the proximity of water,
fish.
What eats it?
o Grass- innumerable animals eat grass, from large mammals like cows to small insects like grasshoppers.
o Grasshoppers- Grasshoppers are eaten by many kinds of insectivores, including birds, small mammals, amphibians,
and in this food chain, snakes.
o Snakes- Snakes are eaten mainly by large predatory birds.
o Hawks- Hawks are eaten by very few animals, but when hawks die their bodies are decomposed by fungi, and so these
organisms break down the hawk into nutrients that can be used by the grass, bringing the food chain full circle.
Omnivore, an herbivore or a carnivore?
 Grass- none, autotroph
 Grasshoppers- herbivores
 Snakes- carnivores
 Hawks- carnivores
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Is it a producer or a consumer, if it is a consumer what kind is it (primary, secondary, tertiary)?
 Grass- Producer
 Grasshoppers- Primary Producer
 Snakes- Secondary Consumer
 Hawks- Tertiary Consumer
Is my organism an autotroph or a heterotroph?
 Grass- autotroph
 Grasshoppers- heterotroph
 Snakes- heterotroph
 Hawks-heterotroph
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
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How could the food chain be disrupted?
o A disruption most commonly occurs when a species is killed or dies off, therefore removing itself from the food chain or
when something toxic is eaten by an animal and is passed to other species when they eat it. Or with introductions of
non-native species!
Do you think this happens naturally?
o Drastic changes in population can occur due to disease, or natural disaster but it is uncommon to have a species
eliminated from the food chain through natural means. It can easily be natural – if we include human involvement as part
of natural process.
Can people do this?
o Yes, in fact it is most often people that cause missing links in the food chain. Through the introduction of invasive
species, pollution, development, industry, logging, hunting, pesticide use and innumerable other activities people
destroy habitats and endanger species in them. We leave animals with no place to reproduce, with no food to be
obtained and with toxic chemicals in their tissues to be passed on up the food chain.
*Start list of ways to protect our environment
Food Chain Resources:
http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Science/FoodChain/FoodChain.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/food
http://ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/index
http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm
http://www.planetpals.com/foodchain.html
http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_foodchain.html
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/difference.html
http://www.faulkingtruth.com/Articles/GlobalWarning/1009.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/12/13/HOGK63KAVL1.DTL
Module II: Plant Parts
Background:
Flowering Plant parts: This section of the lesson plant should familiarize students with the basic parts of flowering plants. They
should be able to identify them in the classroom and the garden. Students should be given a diagram such as the one to the right:
Activity II: Find plant parts in the garden
After students have created their own plant take them into the garden to further their understanding of plant morphology. Have them
try to find plants that have flowers and when found discuss the flower as a group, asking the students to identify the parts of the
plant. Emphasize that not all stems, leaves, flowers, and roots look the same, but that every flower has its own
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unique and beautiful shape.
Materials:
 Magnifying glass – 1 per student
Activity III: What do these parts do?
After these two activities students should be given the functions of different parts of the plant but without the name of the part that it
corresponds to. Ask students to speculate about which part of the plant each function belongs to.
(flower)- This part of the plant attracts bees and other insects.
(stem)- This part of the plant provides support for he plant.
(leaf)- This part of the plant is wide to catch sunlight to make food.
(root)- This part of the plant brings the plant important vitamins from the soil.
Once students have matched part and function explain to them why each answer is correct. This will lead into an explanation of how
plants live and grow.
*Artistic diagrams?
Activity VII: How do flowers get pollinators to come to them? Plants want insects, birds, and small mammals to
pollinate them so that they can reproduce and insects want to visit flowers because of the sweet nectar or food that they provide.
Plants use a variety of techniques to attract pollinators including:
 Bright, vivid colors
 Stripes running towards the center of the flower that act much like a runway at an airport, guiding insects
 Sweet nectar, which is the major attraction
 Sweet smell
 Large petals or cup shaped petals that make it easier for an insect to land and feed.
*Explain Petals, sepals etc. purpose and location
Plant Resources:
http://www.kathimitchell.com/plants.html
http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/educate/kids/photsyn.htm
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio104/photosyn.htm
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/botany/plantparts.html
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/trmar98.htm
http://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_main.html
http://pollinator.com/kids/kids_index.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/pollin5.html
http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/images/plant.gif)
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/images/otherparts.gif
http://www.prairiefrontier.com/pages/families/flwrparts.jpg)
Module III: Symbiosis
Module Objective:
This module will acquaint students with the idea of symbiosis and in a larger sense, a balance in nature. This lesson set will discuss
three common examples of symbiosis that can be seen in the Ohio area. After this lesson set students should be able to identify
symbiotic relationships in nature and realize the effect that their own symbiotic relationships can have on the world 3
around them.
Background:
 Symbiosis as two or more species living together. Emphasize that symbiosis is a very general term that involves many different
ways that organisms relate to one another.
 Symbiosis occurs anywhere where two organisms are interacting. Symbiosis does not inherently indicate a good or a bad
relationship, just a relationship.
 Symbiotic relationships can be good or bad. Some organisms will benefit from a symbiotic relationship but others may not.
 There are many different types of symbiotic relationships
Discussion for Younger students:
Types of symbiosis:
1. One species gets something good and the other doesn’t get anything, good or bad
2. Both species get something good
3. One species gets something good but hurts the other species by getting it
Discussion For Older Students:
1. Commensalism- One species benefits (gets food, shelter or other resources) and the species it is interacting with isn’t harmed
but doesn’t get anything good. It is good for one species and neutral for the other.
2. Mutalism- Both species benefit from the relationship; they provide each other with resources without harm to either.
3. Parisitism- one species benefits while the other is harmed. This usually involves one species feeding on another species.
Activity I: Commensalism – The clown fish and the anemone
This activity should attempt to get students to come up with the relationship between the clown fish and the anemone. Give students
all of the particulars of the relationship and then ask them to figure out the relationship. These are the clues.
1. The anemone has toxins that stop fish from eating it.
2. The clown fish is immune to anemone toxins.
3. The clown fish is brightly colored and so can be seen easily by predators.
4. The clown fish is the only fish immune to the anemone toxin.
Given these clues students should deduce that because the clown fish is immune to the toxins of the anemone and other fish aren’t
and it needs protection from predation, the clown fish can hide within the anemone for protection.( There are some theories that
suggest that the clown fish benefits the anemone by cleaning it but there has not been enough research on this and the relationship
is considered commensalistic). This is commensalistic because the clownfish will gain protection from the anemone and also food
from the leftovers of animals caught by the anemone. The anemone, on the other hand does not gain from the relationship.
Activity II: Commensalism – Clown fish tag
This game is similar to classic tag and strives to teach children the roles of predators like sharks, clownfish and the anemone. Here
is how to play.
1. Children should separate into 3 teams, sharks, anemones, and clown fish.
2. On a playing field instruct anemones to spread out in a large circle, the will stand still and act as “safe spots for the
clown fish”
3. The sharks, as predators “eat” the clownfish by tagging them
4. Clownfish can escape from the sharks but only for ten seconds by touching one of the anemones.
After 10 minutes sharks will become anemones, anemones will become clownfish and clownfish will become sharks.
Activity III: Mutualism – Algae and fungi = lichen
Again give students clues to the roles of these two organisms and see if they can figure out their relationship.
1. Algae is small and can’t efficiently obtain nutrients from the soil.
2. Algae can make its own sugar from the sun through photosynthesis.
3. Fungi can spread and is large and can obtain nutrients from the soil.
4. Fungi is not green and photosynthetic so it can not make its own food.
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These clues indicate that algae and fungi live together, the photosynthetic algae providing the fungi with glucose while the fungus
provides the algae with nutrients and water from the soil. They are so often occurring completely mutualistic that together they are
referred to as one organism, lichen. By providing each other with nutrients that the other can not obtain itself algae and fungi provide
an example of one of nature’s most efficient and hardy mutualistic systems,
Activity IV: Mutualism – “Create your own mutualistic relationship”
Now that the children know the definition of commensalism and have seen an example encourage them to make up their own
mutualistic relationship, using themselves as one organism and thinking of another person they could have a mutualistic relationship
with. Ask them questions like:
 What special talents do you have that you could offer to others?
 What are other talents that you don’t have but that someone could else could have?
 Would this relationship help both of you?
This is a very simplified exercise but the children should be able to grasp the idea that each organism is giving the other something
and receiving something in return. Give the children a few examples like:
 On a baseball team, if Billy is good at pitching but not batting and Sammy is good at batting but not pitching, Billy and Sammy
can exist in a mutualistic relationship with Sammy offering his batting skills and Billy offering his pitching skills to create an
efficient team.
Activity V: Parasitism – “Parasite chain”
An example of a common parasite is a tick. Ticks will attach to a host and suck the hosts blood. While the tick receives a blood meal
the host looses blood and is often infected with diseases harbored in the gut of the mosquito. Explain to the children this example
and then have them play a game. This running game should show children how a parasite can impede an organism.
1. Split class into parasites, hosts and predators.
2. Have parasites hold on to hands of host
3. Host and parasite must run together to get away from predator
Activity VI: What kinds of symbiotic relationships are you in?
This section should encourage children to think about their impact on the natural world through their relationships with it. Though
these are biological concepts the interpretation of them is often philosophical and up to discussion. Ask students questions like
these:
 Do humans participate in commensalism with other animals?
o Humans often benefit from animals but less frequently without harming them.
 Do humans participate in mutualism with other animals?
o Humans exist in very few mutalistic relationships with animals. Some people consider us to benefit domesticated
animals but only after their domestication.
 Are humans parasites?
o Yes, we may not be parasites in a strictly biological sense but we have developed into ones. We often take benefits of
animals while harming them or the habitat they live in.
End this section with the idea that we, as people, must try to reduce our impact on the globe and its creatures. Encourage children to
look up ways that they can help animals around them. Whether it is volunteering at a pet shelter, or encouraging better practices for
animal care in the food industry, every little bit helps.
Symbiosis Resources:
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/ecol_com/ecol_com.html
http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/ExamplesOfParasitism.html
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent591k/symbiosis.html
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1994/bisaccio_symbiosis.html
(http://www.kidsolr.com/science is where I found this page and is a great general resource)
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9058426/parasitism
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fungi/lichens/lichens.html
http://www.earthlife.net/lichens/intro.html
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Module I: Birds
Module Objective:
This module will introduce children to observational techniques and the awesome life in the sky.
Background:
 Birds are helpful environmental indicators. Health and strength of bird populations mirrors the health of the overall
environment. Birds have a variety of feeding habits including the ingestion of: insects, fish, meat, seeds, nectar and fruit.
 Birds, like humans, use color and hearing more than smell. Birds tend to be attracted to bright colored berries for feeding.
 Feathers are a type of modified ectoderm. They are made primarily of keratin. Keratin also makes up the hair and nails of
mammals. Each flight feather is connected to a muscle and so birds are able to adjust each feather individually. Feathers
also help to maintain body heat by trapping in pockets of air close to the body. Feathers vary in colors, textures, patterns,
and shapes. These differences help to distinguish birds based on gender, age, species, and social status. Some feathers
also grant camouflage which helps to protect them against predatory attacks.
 Birds maintain a very high body temperature – about 104° to 108° F. This high body temperature creates an internal
environment in which chemical reactions can easily take place.
 Birds are the fastest breathers of any animal. A pigeon, when in flight, breathes almost 450 times per minute. A human, when
running, breathes around 30 times per minute.

Birds do not need as much sleep as most other mammals. It is assumed that birds sleep only to relax their muscles
rather than to relax their brains. Some migratory birds are able to sleep for only a few seconds at a time for a month or more.

Annual migration allows birds to travel between climates so that the birds can remain in suitable climates year-round.
Migration also helps birds to avoid food shortages. Some migratory seabirds travel more than 20,000 miles in one year.
 The greatest bird diversity is found in the tropics of North and South America
Activity I: Feed the Birds
Objective: Encourage native birds to the area so that the students can begin to observe them up close.
Time: This is a two-day activity that can be shortened as necessary.
Birdseed Cookies:
Materials:
 2 cups flour
 Cookie cutters
 1/2 tsp baking powder
 Yarn to hang cookies
 1/2 cup of sugar
 Oven
 2/3 cup shortening (Crisco)
 Cookie sheet or tinfoil
 2 eggs
 Paperclips – 1 per student
 3/4 cup birdseed (use small seeds)
 Cookie cutters – optional
 3 egg whites
 Paintbrushes
Procedure:
1. Mix dry ingredients
2. Mix in shortening
3. Add eggs
4. Add birdseed and kneed until smooth
5. Allow dough to chill over night
6. Have students roll dough out to ¼ inch thickness
7. Have students cut dough into shapes – either with a blunt knife or with cookie cutters
8. Brush egg whites on top of cookies and press birdseed into the top of the cookies.
9. (instructor only) Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet or on sheet of tinfoil at 325° F for 10-15 minutes.
10. Once cookies and paper clips have cooled: have students thread yarn through the paper clips.
11. Hang the cookies around the perimeter of the garden
Bagel Bird Feeder:
Materials:
 Day old (or older) bagels – free at many bakeries and grocery stores
 Vegetable shortening (Crisco)
 Birdseed
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 Yarn
Procedure:
1. Have the students spread shortening on bagel
2. Place greased bagel into a bag of birdseed.
3. Shake bag
Pine Cone Bird Feeders:
Materials:
 Large pine cone – one per student
 Yarn
 2 cups bread crumbs
 1/2 cup unsalted nuts
 2 - 3 chopped apples
 2/3 cup of raisins
 1 cup sugar
 1/4 cup cornmeal
 1/2 pound ground beef suet
 1/2 cup flour
 8 oz. jar of peanut butter
 1 cup wild birdseed
4. Remove bagel
5. Loop yarn through the center of the bagel and hang outside
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Procedure:
1. Allow students to collect pine cones in heavily
forested areas
2. Have students combine ingredients – proportions are
not too important
3. Students press combination into the spaces in the
pine cones
4. String yarn through pine cones and hang in the
garden’s periphery
Possible Extensions
 Run sightings boards on which students can monitor how
many visitors each type of feeder gets
 Try different colors of yarn – do brighter colors attract
more birds?
 Try adding colorful ribbons to the feeders
 If there are any extra bird feeders have the kids take them
home to hang in their yards
Bird Resources:
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552516_6/Bird.html
http://ohioline.osu.edu/b865/index.html
http://ohioline.osu.edu/b865/b865_01.html
http://ohioline.osu.edu/b865/index.html
http://www.gardenweb.com/overture/index.html?kw=Bird%20Feeder
http://www.gardenweb.com/overture/index.html?kw=Decorative%20Bird%20Feeder
http://ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/0013.html
http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/feedingthebirds.htm
Module II: Garden Friends
Module Objective:
This module will debunk the common misconception that all insects and other visitors are pests in a garden.
Background is included in each activity in this module.
Activity II: Pillbug Box Party
Objective:
Help students to study one of the most common garden insects while learning about the scientific process.
Materials:
 Shoeboxes – one per group
 Black and white construction paper
 Glue
 Scissors
 Collection cups
 Water spray bottle
Procedure:
1. Divide students into groups
2. Have students glue black construction paper to cover the inside of the box on one half and white construction paper to cover the
inside of the other half of the box
3. While the glue is drying: have the students collect 10 pillbugs per group in their collection cups
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4. Once the glue is dry, have students spray one half of the black papered area with water and one half of the white papered area
with water
5. Place 10 pillbugs in each box in the center of the box.
6. After ten minutes have the students count where the pillbugs are and record it in a table
7. Repeat after 20 minutes, 40 minutes and 1 hour
Discussion/Extension:
 What does this tell us about the pillbugs preferred habitat?
o Pillbugs like dark, moist places
 Where would you expect to find pillbugs in the garden?
o In moist soil, by sides of garden beds, etc.
Module III: Butterflies
Module Objective:
This module will educate kids about one of the most beautiful and mesmerizing insects in the United States. Students will learn
about migrating patterns, metamorphosis, life cycles and habitats through many different mediums.
Background:
Butterflies are complex organisms that offer a great variety of educational experiences for children. Butterflies are a part of
the order Lepidopterans. Lepidopterans undergo metamorphosis from a caterpillar to the winged butterfly. Lepidopterans have a
very specific body type in adult form. The body is covered by an exoskeleton and is divided into three sections: head, thorax and
abdomen. The two wings that come of off the body is divided into the forewing and hind
wing. The wings have veins for structural support. Antennae come off from the head
and allow the butterfly to use its olfactory (smelling) senses to determine the location of
food and mates. Lepidopterans feed by extending their proboscides – tubes that spend
most of the time rolled up under the head. The organism can extend the proboscis,
which can range from less than one inch in length to over on foot, in order to suck up
nectar from flowers. Butterflies prefer to inhabit flowery fields, meadows, and along
hillsides. It is preferable for these areas to be near shelter from wind and rain.
Butterflies need protection from the elements and it is important to consider providing this
when creating a butterfly habitat. It is important for butterflies to feed in sunny places as
they are cold blooded organisms. The ideal internal flight temperature for butterflies is
ninety to one-hundred degrees Fahrenheit – to reach this temperature, butterflies are often found sunning themselves on large
rocks. This is yet another landscaping element to be considered for butterfly habitat.
After mating, the adult female butterfly lays the eggs on plants that are edible for a caterpillar. Some species lay their eggs
singly on plant’s leaves while others lay eggs in clusters around the stem. The egg hatches into a caterpillar. The caterpillar then
consumes its nutrient-rich egg-shell and begins to feed on its host plant. Once the caterpillar reaches full size it secures itself in a
chrysalis – a hard, oval structure secured to a plant. The
caterpillar’s organs break down
into liquid form and then reassemble into the organs of the adult
butterfly. When the butterfly is
fully developed, it breaks open its chrysalis and crawls out. The
butterfly holds the wings out to
allow them to dry and harden, then the butterfly is ready to begin its
adult life. Many adult
butterflies live only a few weeks, however there are a few migratory
species such as monarchs that
live over six months.
Monarch butterflies are a migratory species. Monarchs
migrate each year from the
northern United States down to Mexico. These butterflies require specific plants on which to feed and rest, specifically milkweed.
However, a great amount of milkweed has been destroyed by over-development of the United States – as a result, the monarch
population has greatly decreased in recent years. Monarchs are important pollinators and therefore must be protected.
*students should be taught the above background material as it is vital to a full understanding of the activities.
Activity I: Artistic Butterflies
Objective:
This activity allows students to use their recently acquired scientific knowledge – Lepidoptera anatomy – to create works of art.
Time: ~45min - 75min
Materials:
 Paper; one sheet per student
 Paints, markers, pens, colored pencils and/or crayons; enough to easily share
 Paper clips (optional to attach anatomical labels); six per student
 1 pair of scissors; to cut anatomical labels and/or cut out butterflies
Procedure:
1. Review Lepidoptera anatomy with class (esp. spelling) ~ 5-15 min
2. Explain art project
3. Allow the students to have artistic freedom over their butterfly creations ~ 25-45 min
4. Students label important anatomical parts either by paper-clipping labels or by writing the labels on the butterfly. ~5-15 min
 Some students may not want to label their artwork – in this case you can either have butterfly outlines ready for them to
label or ask them to sketch a separate butterfly to label.
5. Decorate the learning space with these new colorful butterflies ~10 min
 As an extension of the decoration, the class could also create flowers and plants that could attract butterflies
Activity II: The Butterfly Tales
Objective:
It is important for students to be able to identify with the insects that they are studying. Metamorphosis is a difficult concept to
understand. A writing assignment may greatly help students to understand how metamorphosis works and what it is.
Time: ~Dependent on desired length of essays and desired complexity of understanding shown in the writing. Anywhere from 1.5
hrs – 4 hrs. This activity can easily be spread out throughout several sections. This keeps the concept in the minds of the students.
Materials:
 Scratch paper; one to two pieces per student
 Computer access or lined paper
o For younger kids: create booklets by stapling folded paper together
 Pen/pencil/computer; one per student
 Large diagram of butterfly lifecycle; one
 Optional: paints, markers, colored pencils, pens, and/or crayons; recommended for younger students
Procedure:
1. Explain the process that a butterfly undergoes during metamorphosis to the students
2. Discussion time:
o Can you think of any other organisms that undergo full or partial metamorphosis?
o Do humans undergo metamorphosis?
o Come up with an agreed upon definition of metamorphosis
o If you were able to undergo metamorphosis what organism would you like to become?
o What do you think being in the chrysalis would be like?
o How would you feel when you emerge from the chrysalis?
o *For younger children ask the same questions but ask them about butterflies – it may be too difficult for younger children
to imagine themselves in the butterfly’s position
3. Tell the students that they have the opportunity to write a short story about metamorphosis
4. Hand out scratch paper and have kids map out their storyline
5. Hand out booklets, lined paper or take kids to computer labs to begin writing
a. Allow several different sessions for writing – the younger children should be expected to write for less time and write
shorter stories
6. Allow time for students to present their stories – either in outline form or word for word (depending on time)
Butterfly Resources:
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761578331/Butterflies_and_Moths.html
http://www.travelassist.com/mag/a99.html
http://www.mygreathome.com/outdoors/garden_butterfly.htm
http://www.foremostbutterflies.com/butterfly_garden/
Module I: Soil
Objective:
The objective of this module is to provide students with a basic understanding of soil, especially in ways in which the knowledge can
be applied to gardening, by providing them with terms and ways to describe soil. Students should be able to successfully describe
different soils and be able to explain what constitutes good gardening soil and why.
Background:
WHAT IS SOIL?
Soil comprises the outermost part of the earth’s surface. It is what we walk on and interact with on a daily basis, and it is what most
plants need to grow. Soil is made up of a combination of three phases: solid, liquid, and gas. The solid phase is the organic matter
(what you touch and play with, and generally think of when you think of soil), and includes all the microorganisms that live in the soil.
The liquid phase is the moisture in the soil, and is very important because it is the part that plants soak up nutrients from. The
gaseous phase is the oxygen which circulates through the soil, and is also necessary for the roots of the plants.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOIL.
Soil will have different texture and composition depending on where it is located. Soil in riverbanks is often soft, dense, and claylike, while other soil may be sandy and loose. Soil color also varies widely, depending on mineral content. Some soil is more acidic
while other soil is more basic (this is dependent on the mixture of nutrients). There is a world wide classification system used to sort
soils around the world into different categories.
WHAT ARE NUTRIENTS?
A nutrient is something that an organism needs for energy and to help make up the structure of the organism. Nutrients can come in
many different forms; for example we consume nutrients at every meal when we eat our food. (The nutrition label on packages will
tell us what nutrients we are consuming). Plants consume nutrients by soaking up moisture from the soil.
WHAT NUTRIENTS ARE IN SOIL?
Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are the main nutrients needed in soil. If there is too much or too little of any one nutrient,
many plants won’t grow well. If soil is overworked it may be depleted of nutrients and need something
additional, like fertilizer
or compost which are rich in these nutrients. The teacher can provide examples here of ways in which industrial farming practices
and other environmentally damaging activities may have a detrimental effect on soil quality.
WHAT CONSTITUTES GOOD GARDENING SOIL?
Some plants are more hearty than others, but generally soil needs to be well aerated (this is why tilling is done). Earthworms are a
good sign of healthy soil, because by burrowing through the soil they are keeping it naturally aerated. Soil also needs a proper
balance of nutrients, which is why fertilizers are often added. If soil is too dry or too wet, or too dense, many plants will not grow
well.
Key Vocabulary:
Soil, three phases, solid, liquid, gas, organic matter, nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, compost, fertilizer, depletion, soil
texture, soil color, aeration.
The teacher should provide students with the above information about soil as a basis,
and reinforce information when it is relevant to the activity at hand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/soil
Soil Resources:
Module II: Compost and Other Fertilizers
Background:
WHAT IS FERTILIZER?
Fertilizer is any compound that adds nutrients to the soil. There are many types of fertilizer, some man-made, and some occurring
naturally. In both of these groups there are both organic and inorganic fertilizers. Examples of inorganic, naturally occurring
fertilizers include sodium nitrate and limestone. Naturally occurring organic fertilizers are things like manure, peat, seaweed, and
leaf mulch. Man-made, or manufactured, organic fertilizers include compost and bonemeal. Manufactured, inorganic fertilizers
include a variety of chemical fertilizers, often referred to as N-P-K fertilizers (containing nitrogen, phosphorous or potassium).
WHAT TYPE OF FERTILIZER SHOULD YOU USE?
There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer to this question. However, it should be taken into consideration that man-made,
inorganic fertilizers often result in further depleting soil of its nutrients in the long run, and therefore more and more must be added,
which can result in things like chemical runoff that poisons waterways. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, are natural, easy to
make, and often cheap, and do not have these adverse effects.
WHAT IS COMPOST?
Compost is what is left as the result of the decomposition of organic matter (Organic matter is any carbon-containing matter and
matter that can be broken up into its original elements. Often being organic coincides with being naturally occurring. ).
HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?
This happens through a complex process in which micro-organisms cause the material to break down. During the process high
degrees of heat are created, which accelerates the composting process. If a compost pile is too wet or too dry, or is not mixed well,
it will compost very slowly.
WHY SHOULD WE COMPOST?
Compost can be used as a fertilizer, and is an environmentally friendly, easy, and cheap way to give nutrients back to the soil and
make your garden flourish. Composting also allows you to turn old food into something good, instead of throwing it away and having
it go to a landfill.
HOW DO YOU MAKE COMPOST?
Compost can be made with many different household scraps, especially fruit and vegetable remnants and crushed eggshells. Dairy
and meat scraps are not good for putting into your compost. Grass clippings, leaves, wood ash, and garden scraps are all good for
putting into the compost. Compost needs to be layered, because different things put into it have different nutrients. As a general
rule, there should be layers of browns (carbon-rich materials) and greens (nitrogen-rich materials). When you put in a layer of rotting
fruits or vegetables, a layer of browns should also be added. The compost also needs to have a good drainage system so that it will
not get too wet and turn into mush, but if it is too dry it should be hosed down. Lastly, compost should be turned every now and then,
and provided with ventilation, because the process needs oxygen to work.
Objective:
The objective of this lesson is to teach students what fertilizer is and why certain fertilizers might be preferable to others, especially
in terms of environmental impact. The goal is to place a particular emphasis on compost and have students come away with a good
understanding of how compost is made and why it is such a good fertilizer to use.
Key Vocabulary:
 decomposing
 organic matter
 micro-organisms
 heat
 layering
 browns/greens
 drainage
 ventilation
 environmentally-friendly
Teacher should once again provide students with this background information before doing activities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/compost
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fertilizer
Compost and Other Fertilizers Resources:
Module III: Soil Quality and the Environment
Background:
WHAT IS MEANT BY SOIL QUALITY? Soil quality has to do with how capable soil is of providing functions such as sustaining plant
life, cycling nutrients, filtering, and so on. Soil that is of low quality will not have the capacity to grow plants as well as healthy soil,
as it will be deficient in nutrients and/ or be poorly aerated or too wet or dry.
WHAT IS SOIL AERATION? Aeration refers to the circulation of air through a given medium, in this case soil. Soil aeration is
accomplished by loosening the soil so that it is easier for oxygen to circulate. This is often done by tilling, but can be done on a
small-scale by hand, using garden forks and such. Earthworms are also a good sign of healthy and well-aerated soil, as they
naturally cause aeration by moving around in the soil.
WHAT ARE MICROORGANISMS? Microorganisms are microscopic organisms that live in the soil and in many cases work to keep
it healthy, although sometimes these microorganisms actually do harm to plants, and cause things like fungi.
WHAT IS MEANT BY SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE? Sustainable agriculture involves agricultural practices that cause as little
change as possible to the natural environment, while at the same time allowing an indefinite production of food. Sustainable
agricultural practices include, but are not limited to, crop rotation, not using pesticides, practicing no-till farming and using recycled
materials as fertilizer, as with compost or manure.
WHAT SORT OF IMPACT DO CONVENTIONAL FARMING PRACTICES HAVE?
Conventional farming practices often involve the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and excessive tillage of the soil.

Chemical fertilizers can cause depletion of the soil’s nutrients in the long run, because farmers just add more and more of
them to make up for nutrient deficiencies, instead of giving the soil time to regenerate in between crops. Since chemical
fertilizers are added in such excess amounts, there is also a problem of runoff, where when it rains, excess fertilizer in the
topsoil gets washed into local waterways, causing pollution.
 Pesticides not only kill garden pests, but are also often harmful to other animals that may try to eat the plants.
 Excessive tillage of the soil can lead to soil erosion, where the topsoil gets washed away and many important nutrients as
well. It also disturbs the natural habitats of organisms living in the soil.
These impacts not only affect the farm itself, but all local ecosystems, so they are harmful to the environment as a whole.
Key Vocabulary:
 Soil quality
 no-till farming
 Aeration
 runoff
 Tilling
 pollution
 microorganisms
 habitat
 sustainable agriculture
 ecosystem
 crop rotation
 environment
 pesticides
Objectives:
The objective of this module is to first provide some additional knowledge about soil health to the students, and secondly to help
them understand the negative consequences to soil quality associated with conventional farming, as well as understanding the
bigger impact on the environment as a whole.
The teacher should provide the information in the “subject matter” section before beginning the activities.
Activity II: Thinking like a farmer
Background:
 crop rotation means planting one crop in a given area for one season, and then planting something that helps replenish nutrients
in the next season. A common example is alternating corn and soybeans, as soybeans replenish the nitrogen in the soil. This is
an alternative to using chemical fertilizers.
 no-till farming does not necessarily mean the complete absence of tilling, but farmers may till only the strip of land in which
seeds are to be planted, therefore reducing the disturbance of soil (and also the use of the tractor, which = oil = greenhouse
gases).
 not using pesticides involves various other, more environmentally-friendly practices, such as planting crops away from the food
crop that will attract the insects, using natural insecticides, and introducing natural predators, although this last method is not
necessarily the best because it is introducing a new organism to the ecosystem.
 the use of alternative fertilizers has already been explained.
Objective:
Students learn to think critically about reducing damage to the soil and the surrounding environment, while having the chance to
think about it from someone else’s perspective.
Materials:
resource
 Paper
 crayons
 Pencils
 potentially access to an encyclopedia or some other
Procedure:
1. Teacher takes plenty of time to review the differences between conventional agricultural practices and sustainable agriculture,
making sure students have a full understanding of both.
2. Students are told to pretend that they are starting a farm of their own.
3. Students are given paper and crayons, and have the chance to draw a picture of what their farm will look like.
4. Students then will write an essay, answering the following questions, and anything else they wish.
- What is the name of your farm?
- What crops do you grow there?
- What sort of fertilizer do you use and why?
- Do you use pesticides? Why or why not?
- If not, what do you do instead?
- Do you rotate your crops? Why or why not?
- Do you till your land?
- Is your farm environmentally-friendly and why or why not?
Encourage students to be creative, possibly coming up with a new name for themselves, or even a new species of plant that will add
nutrients to the soil. This assignment is about understanding the importance of soil health and a healthy environment, not
necessarily correct information about plants.
Activity III: Earthworms – soil aeration, and decomposition
Objective: Students get to see not only what earthworms do to help aerate the soil, but how they help decompose organic matter as
well.
Materials:
 two liter soda bottles with top half cut off
 trowels
 aluminum foil
Procedure:
1. Teacher reviews the concepts of soil aeration and decomposition and explains that earthworms can help in this process.
2. Students break into a few groups
3. Each group brings a soda bottle into garden and fills it part way with soil.
4. Groups dig up earthworms to put into their bottles
5. Students place some organic material in the bottle that can decompose
6. Students cover bottles with aluminum foil
a. This project is an ongoing process. They will not get results in one day, so each day they must continue to check
the progress and also check soil moisture and add water if necessary to help with decomposition.
7. Students go back in side and each group writes a paragraph or two predicting
8. what will happen to the soil - will it get looser?
9. what will happen to the organic matter?
10. why might worms be considered decomposers?
This activity was taken from www.naturewatch.ca/english/wormwatch/activities/invest2.html
Soil Quality and the Environment Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/microorganisms
Module I: Introduction to Water
Objective:
This module will instruct children about one of nature’s most important tools--water. Students will learn about the special properties
of water and why it is so special on this planet. In addition, students will learn about why we need water and partake in some
experiments that will truly amaze them. This unit should be fun while at the same time, establishing vital scientific principles that are
easy to understand and necessary for life on this planet.
Background:
 Water is the most precious material on earth! Without it, all living organisms would die. 72% of the Earth is covered in water,
97% of which is found in the ocean.
 The molecular formula of water is H2O, which means it has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
 Water has some amazing properties thanks to things we call “hydrogen bonds.”
 Hydrogen bonding gives water remarkable properties: it happens when a negatively charged oxygen atom in one water
molecule forms a weak bond with a hydrogen atom in another water molecule forming a “sticking” or cohesive property of water.

Like you, plants cannot survive without water. Plants need water for enzyme function and because, like you, they are made up
of cells and those cells are made up mostly of water.
 Cohesion- water molecules are attracted to one another creating water droplets.
 Capillary action is the ability of water to move up long, tube like structures due to these hydrogen bonds. This ability is very
useful to plants (like trees) that need to get water from soil all the way up vertically to the rest of the plant.
 Surface tension- molecules of water on the surface are not completely surrounded by other molecules and “stick together” with
more force. This makes it harder to move something through the surface than when it is completely underwater.
 Some bugs are extremely light and designed so that they can walk on water! A water strider is one example of several insects
that have this incredible ability. They are able to do this thanks to a very light build and a geometric shape that distributes their
weight evenly over a large area.
Key Words: hydrogen bonds, surface tension, cohesion, capillary action,
Activity I: Salt Water Planet
Objective: This experiment should demonstrate the relative amounts of freshwater on the planet and give them a perspective how
truly small of an amount it is compared to the presence of salt water.
Time: ~40 minutes
Materials: green food coloring, empty 2-liter soda bottle, yellow corn oil, salt, water
Procedures:
1. Put several drops in the bottom of the 2-liter bottle.
2. Fill the bottle with water up to the base of the neck.
3. Add 2-3 teaspoons of salt to the green water. Tell the students that this represents salty ocean water than cannot be drank or
used by plants.
4. Pour in 60ml of the corn oil on top of the green water. Explain to students that this represents the lone 3% of the freshwater on
the planet.
Discussion/Analysis: Have the students take 5-10 minutes to write out their thoughts about what they have seen. Discuss the
importance of conserving water and why it is bad to waste water by leaving faucets running or taking very long showers. Explain
that not everybody in the world is privileged to have freshwater readily available to them.
Activity II: Capillary Action
Objective: This activity will demonstrate capillary action hand how cohesion between water molecules allows water to “stick
together” even against the force of gravity. Capillary action is vital for upright plants because it allows water to travel through the
roots up into the interior of the plant where they hydrate cells and allow enzymes to function correctly.
Time: ~30-40 minutes
Materials: drinking glass, water, straw
Procedures:
1. Fill the glass of water about 2/3 with water.
2. Put the straw into the water. Notice how the water will actually be slightly higher in the straw than the surrounding water.
3. Pull the straw up out of the water and watch it’s base. The water level in the base of the straw will be significantly higher
than that of the surrounding water in the drinking glass
4. Have the students take notes on what they see. They should make observations and draw pictures in addition to providing
an explanation of what could be happening.
Discussion/Analysis: Have a group discussion where students explain what they think may be happening in the water. Draw a
hydrogen bond on the board and go over cohesion. Ask them why this is important for plants and answer any questions they may
have. Although hydrogen bonding may seem intimidating, it is extremely vital to all forms of life and its effects, as demonstrated by
this experiment, can be quite amazing.
Activity III: Balancing a Cork
Objective: The goal of this exercise is to show surface tension in action! This experiment should demonstrate the ability of water to
“support things” through the surface tension of water, a result of cohesion between water molecules.
Time: ~30-40 minutes
Materials: drinking glass, cork, water
Procedures:
1. Fill the empty drinking glass almost to the top with water.
2. Ask students to drop the work into the center of the glass and try to center it. No matter how hard they try, they will not be able
to keep the cork from floating around away from the center.
3. Finally, have the students fill the drinking glass all the way to the top so that the water is bulging over the edges of the glass but
not spilled. The water will form a concave surface and the cork should center itself over the highest point. This happens
because of the surface tension of the water.
4. The students should take observations and notes on this experiment while also drawing what they see and trying to explain what
they think is happening.
Discussion/Analysis: Discuss the observations with the students and go over what they saw. Why does the water actually reach a
level higher than that of the glass? Talk about surface tension with the students and make sure they understand why it happens.
Introduction to Water Resources:
http://www.hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/surten.html
http://www.academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/biology/bio4fv/page/hydroge.htm
http://www.lenntech.com/i mages/Water%20molecule.jpg
http://www.carlsbadca.gov/water/wdkids2.html
Module II: The Water Cycle
Objective:
This module should instruct students about the hydrologic cycle (or “water cycle”) and provide a solid understanding of the
movement of water in the ecosystem. Through fun activities and good explanations, hopefully students will foster strong knowledge
about the cycle and be better able to understand how ecosystems work. Rather than focus on experiments, this module instead
focuses on good writing, studying
Background:
 The water cycle is an essential component of almost every ecosystem in the world! Plants and animals both require water
and it is important to understand how water cycles in an environment.
 The water cycle has no particular starting point. One logical place to start describing it is the ocean, where most of the
Earth’s water is. The first step of the process is Evaporation. Water in the oceans is heated by the sun and evaporates into
the atmosphere where it is stored as clouds and water vapor.
 Sublimation from ice and snow on the planet also contributes to water in the atmosphere as well as evapotranspiration,
when water used from plants evaporates from the soil.
 Once in the atmosphere, the water rises higher and higher until it cools, and condenses into clouds. These clouds are
moved around the world by winds and eventually condense enough to from precipitation in the form of snow, sleet, rain, etc.
 Snow sometimes accumulates on top of mountains where it can thaw during the hotter seasons and form runoff into lakes
and other freshwater bodies or remain frozen for thousands of years.
 The precipitation will eventually runoff into streams, lakes, ponds and other bodies of freshwater. Some of it will enter into
groundwater aquifers or reservoirs through the process of infiltration. This usually involves the water sinking through the
soil.
 From the underground, the water can enter back into the ocean or other bodies of water through ground-water discharge.
From the lakes and oceans, it once again begin to evaporate and the whole process beings again.
Key words: evaporation, evapotranspiration, condensation, ground-weather discharge, infiltration, runoff, precipitation
Activity I: Getting Acquainted
Objective: This activity is designed to allow students to visualize and truly grasp the foundations of the water cycle by drawing it out
themselves. To make it fun and interesting, students should be given plenty of colorful markers or colored pencils and encouraged
to be creative with their depictions.
Time: ~40 minutes
Materials: paper, colored markers or pencils
Procedures:
1. Distribute markers and papers to students.
2. Instruct students to draw out the water cycle in am artistic and colorful way. They may use lines or a flow-chart style if they like
or a more creative way like drawing out the ecosystem where it occurs.
3. Make sure to provide essential visual descriptions of the water cycle as well. This activity is not a test but merely a more
efficient way to teach the children the cycle by making it artistic and fun.
Activity II: Water Cycle Game Show
Objective: This activity should foster a greater desire to learn the water cycle by implementing a healthy dose of competition among
students.
Time: ~30-45 minutes
Materials: blackboard, chalk (whiteboard, markers)
Procedures:
1. Assemble question cards before the experiment (probably about 14 or 16 but make sure it’s enough that each student will have
a chance to answer keeping in mind that two students will be going at a time).
2. Split the class into 2 even groups. Ask them to come up with team names preferably something relating with the water cycle.
Ask the students to clear their desks: they should have no material about the water cycle on their desks.
3. Instruct the students that they will playing a game show on the board where both teams will have one half of the board and a
chance to answer at the same time.
4. Call up different students to go against each other and ask them questions about the water cycle with each question being equal
to one point. Whichever side wins the most points will get a small prize designated by the teacher if both sides get an equal
number of points everybody will get the prize.
5. Remember, the goal here is to foster learning through healthy competition and reward intelligence. The goal is not to embarrass
or dwell on students who haven’t learned the material as well. Hopefully this game will encourage better understanding of the
cycle.
Water Cycle Resources:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclehi.html
http://www.und.nodak.edu/instruct/eng/fkarner/pages/cycle.htm
Module III: Understanding Weather, Clouds and Storms
Objective:
This module should provide a brief but thorough introduction to students about weather and where water goes in the atmosphere.
Students should be able to apply what they have learned about the hydrologic cycle and apply it to learning about weather patterns
and simple things like rain storms. The experiments will all be done solely by the instructor but will be fascinating for the children to
watch. All of the experiments are taken from http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/
Backround:
 The air surrounding the earth is called the atmosphere. In the 6-10 mile thick bottom layer of the atmosphere called the
troposphere is where weather changes take place.
 Weather patterns are driven by the sun: when the sun heats up one part of the earth more than the other, differences in air
temperature will cause weather changes to occur.
 Land is more easily heated than water, a fact that creates significant temperature differences between oceans and continents.
This creates wind pressures, varying temperatures and ocean currents.
 Wind is a result of differences in temperatures of the air. In between cold and warm airs, something called fronts emerge.
 Fronts yield rapidly-moving currents of air called jet streams. Inside the jet stream, low and high air pressure forms causing air
to rise and creating clouds and causing precipitation to form.
 Remember that the hydrologic cycle is fueled by this precipitation and condensation pattern. It is the sun, however, that fuels
the evaporation of water and keeps the cycle going. Everything in nature is connected!
 Rain clouds form high up in the air where water molecules driven upward by the jet streams and small particles of dust being to
form snowflakes. When these snowflakes become heavy and fall, they are warmed by the air and become raindrops. If the air
in the troposphere is not warm enough, they will remain snowflakes and fall as snow.


A thunderstorm happens when the temperature in the atmosphere falls rapidly and large, dark clouds called cumulonimbus form.
Lighting is electricity formed in these could when strong air currents in clouds cause water molecules to collide together.
Eventually, the charges in the cloud will separate and the difference will become so great that electricity will flow out the clouds
and hit the earth causing a lightning strike.
Key Words: atmosphere, troposphere, fronts, jet streams, precipitation
Activity I: Making Clouds
Time: ~30 minutes
Materials: black paper, gallon jar, matches, water with blue food dye, gallon-size bag of ice
Procedure:
1. Hand out paper and instruct the students to take observations and explain what they think is happening.
2. Tape the black paper around the jar so you can’s see through to the other side.
3. Fill about 1/3 of the jar with the warm water.
4. Light the match and hold it over the jar.
5. Drop the match in and then cover the jar with the ice. If done correctly, a cloud should form.
Discussion/Analysis: Go over the observations that the students make. Ask why they think the reason is for what they saw
happen.
Activity II: Making Lightning
Time: ~30 minutes
Materials: Styrofoam plate, aluminum pie pan, thumbtack, small piece of wool fabric, brand new pencil with an eraser
Procedure:
1. Hand out paper and instruct the students to take observations and write down explanations for what they see.
2. Push the thumbtack through the center of the aluminum pan from the bottom.
3. Push the pencil into the thumbtack so it is sticking up vertically from the pan.
4. Rub the underside of the Styrofoam plate vigorously for 1 minute.
5. Pick up the pie pan using the pencil as a handle and put it on top of the overturned Styrofoam plate.
6. Touch the pie pan with your finger; if you don’t feel anything, rub it again.
Discussion/Analysis: Go over the possible explanations the students have. Make sure to tell them that this is related to lighting
because of the flow of electricity that is occurring from the aluminum plate.
Activity III: Make it Rain
Time: ~30 minutes
Materials: hot water, ice cubes, small plate, large glass container like a jam jar
Procedure:
1. Hand out sheets and instruct students to write down observations or explanations for what they see.
2. Pour about 2 inches of very hot tap water into the jar. Cover it with the plate and let it sit for about 3 minutes.
3. Place ice cubes on the plate and observe what happens.
Discussion/Analysis: Ask the students what they thought happened and why they thought so. Go over the fact that the moisture
from the hot water causes it to evaporate partially and rise, eventually condensing on the index card.
Understanding Weather, Clouds and Storms Resources:
http://www.wxdude.com/page1.html
http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/