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Pond Habitat
Pond Habitat
Half-day trip, various locations
Half-day trip, various locations
(Morning trip: 9:30-11:30; Afternoon trip: 12:20-2:00)
Collect, identify, observe and release aquatic organisms to understand local freshwater habitat systems.
Units – “No Place Like Home" & "Stick Together” (Spring)
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Students begin learning as soon as they board the bus! Naturalists discuss proper collection methods, pond habitats, and invertebrate life cycle phases that are dependent on the aquatic environment. Learning to OBSERVE and make a "best guess" or SCIENTIFIC HYPOTHESIS of what is happening in the field is an important aspect of this trip.
Collecting, sorting and sharing - Nets are provided. Collected specimens are placed in containers for sorting and identification. Student groups are encouraged to "share" their finds with each other near the end of the trip. Prior to departure, specimens are carefully released back in to the pond.
Identification - Students consult reference guides (see Teacher Information) and naturalists for identification of the many creatures found in the pond. Specific animal behaviors and adaptations are discussed, as well as the connection between habitat quality and the variety of specimens found. Watch this VIDEO for examples of creatures found on pond field trips. And check out this wonderful website to learn more about macroinvertebrates!
Above: leopard frog; green frog in transition; and a crayfish with parasites.
Below: tad poles; an emergent dragon fly unfolding its wings; and a water scorpion.
Interesting adaptations - In its nymph form, dragonflies will occupy ponds for one to three years. Watch this VIDEO showing the stunning mechanics of the nymph's lower jaw. The adult dragonfly has its own impressive hunting adaptations, shown in this VIDEO.
What's in a name? A lot! When studying bugs and insects, the terms "larvae" and "nymph" are often interchanged - but understanding the difference can help with field identification. Larvae and nymphs are both immature, or "young" versions of the adult insect. However, larvae undergo complete metamorphosis, whereas nymphs undergo incomplete metamorphosis.
LARVAE - For aquatic insects, the predacious diving beetles provide a great example of the larval stage. The adult female lays eggs along vegetation. The larvae that hatch out of these eggs are called water tigers. They are aggressive predators, but more importantly, they do not look like the adult form. Water tigers will need to go through the pupal stage before emerging as the adult diving beetle. Second graders study metamorphosis in moths and butterflies, providing a foundation for this same process in aquatic insects.
NYMPH - The dragonfly also lays its eggs along the underside of aquatic plants (see picture series below). However, when the nymphs emerge, they display many characteristics that are identifiable with the adult form. As the nymphs grow larrger, they shed their exoskeleton in a process called molting. (They do not undergo a pupal phase.) These molts - sometimes over one dozen! - allow the nymphs to grow larger and larger, with the wing buds becoming more obvious. In the last transition, the nymphs molt to reveal their adult form, including wings. Students are likely to find various stages of dragonfly nymph.
NAIAD - Aquatic nymphs are called "naiads" by entomologists (scientists who study insects).
Osprey at Olson Pond
Students from Ann Arbor Open headed to Olson Pond to study aquatic habitats and the animals that live in and around the pond. Many insect specimens were collected for study (and then released). Mid-way through the outing, an Osprey flew over head, and dove down to catch a fish! Teacher Denise Chacon Lontin "brings on the birds" - past trips to Olson Pond have included Bald Eagles and Trumpeter Swans. Learn more about the fascinating abilities of the Osprey by clicking this CORNELL page, or for a video, click BBC VIDEO. Photo credit: National Geographic
Bald Eagles
These majestic raptors can be seen circling overhead. Recent sightings include Olson Pond, where A2 Steam students watched an eagle catch fish from the surface! Perfect connection to the classroom, as these students are studying ways to facilitate successful salmon populations in southeast Michigan. Just a few weeks later, Bach students on a Water Tour watched a bald eagle snatch a snake off the sand beds for lunch! Want to spot an eagle? Look for the enormous wing span - mature adults will have the distinctive white head and under-tail markings. Nests have been sited, including at Kensington MetroPark. This picture is from Barton Pond, where an eagle stopped by for lunch. Researcher Josh Cohen captured these images as part of a federal monitoring program.
In the Netherlands, bald and golden eagles are trained to intercept drones. They are rewarded for their efforts with a piece of meat. Read the article and watch the video HERE.
The American Eagle Foundation has a Live Eagle Cam tracking the progress of an eagle family in the Washington D.C. area. Click HERE to see live streaming video of the nest, chicks and adults. Check the links on their page for still image highlights. © 2016 American Eagle Foundation, eagles.org
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