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Here is a brief outline of the Wet Wild and
Wonderful Nature Labs currently planned for Fall 2010 and 2011. These labs are
suitable for all ages, K-12 to adult. All Labs are conducted in the field where these natural
systems can be examined and explored; i.e. viewed, touched, smelled,
measured, counted, etc.
These descriptions are tentative. Check back after 11/1/2010
and be sure to book your Nature Labs soon! You can check out
our calendar here online, then contact us
to reserve your time and date.
Click here to see the list of things that you need to know and
bring with you to the labs.
Times: Labs usually begin at 10:00am and 1:00pm
with lunch in the middle. Each lab lasts 90minutes mol. You
can book a morning lab and/or an afternoon lab.
If you stay through lunch
Lunch is held on the lawn under the big shade trees.
WET ~
Water and aquatic studies of our natural water systems.
Water
Recharge “How it works” Students trace the water’s movement
across Shady Grove Preserve from rain, to runoff/flood, to
retention and detention ponds, to recharge through percolation
and sink hole / swallet and beyond to Rainbow springs.
Exercises: trace Water’s path on its journey to the springs and
note vulnerable areas and danger zones for pollution and other possible
threats.
Materials: Lab Book with feature definitions, descriptions, maps,
local plant, insect, and animal pictures for identification, Pollutant
and threat lists, and glossary.
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Aquatic
plants and animals ~ Get out the magnifying glass; there is a lot to see in a Florida pond.
Exercises: Discover and collect samples, create a collective
inventory, identify what has been collected and answer questions such
as:
- How many plants, trees, insects, amphibians, lizards, animals
live here?
- Who eats what and whom?
- Where does the water come from?
- What are the threats to this environment?
Materials include: Lab Book with maps, local plant, insect, and
animal pictures for identification. Aquatic Systems fish trap and mini
magnifying glass. Pollutant and threat lists, and glossary.
WILD ~
Sand Hill Wildlife and the habitat
- What are the components of a
Sand Hill habitat?
- When a
tree falls down what happens - How Nature recycles
- Fire - how fire affects a
sand hill
Exercises:
Discovery and identification
- Compare plants and animals
- Flip over a rotten log, what happens.
- What creatures live here? Gopher Tortoises, Turkeys, Florida Fur
Rats, Squirrels, Opossums, Raccoons, Fox, Coyote, a whole bunch of
lizards, not to mention all the birds
- What do all these animals eat? Where do they live?
- Plant identification.
- Dangerous plants
to avid
- Native and Exotic plants
Materials: Lab Book with maps, with local plant, insect,
and animal pictures for identification. Pollutant and threat
lists, and glossary.
WONDERFUL ~
Tree and Plant identification in our old growth woodlands
Each
student is given a botany press as a part of this lab. Sample
collection, identification,
- When a
tree falls down what happens - How Nature recycles
- What is
this plant good for?
- What do
woodland creatures eat?
- Where
do Woodland Creatures Live?
- Why are
vines important?
- What
happens when it rains?
Materials: Botany press with local plant, insect, and animal pictures
for identification. Plants to avoid. Pollutant and threat
lists, and glossary.
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