PROGRAM NOTE: 

Activities Referred to in Lesson

Instructor Feedback from 4 different past instructors who have taught this lesson

Ideas for other activities that could be incorporated into lessons about ecosystems

Maggie's Notes on how to teach "Ecosystems" in a more integrated, student-centered, nature-centered, authentic way using the learning cycle with opportunities for exploration, discussion, application, and reflection.

For the hula hoop lesson - you can still do this, but don't "seed" with anything - instead, give students hand lenses and use their observation routine (INIWIRMO, which they should be doing all the time) to see how many things they can find, then classify together. Or give students a string circle to choose their OWN areas to oberve and compare. Use the gradient from the stream (IN the stream, on the bank, x feet away, farther way, etc, to see the different composition of ecosystem parts.)

Lesson Components - take advantage of what's in your environment, be ready to change and adapt, and follow your students' interest. If you see deer, do the "What Lives Here?" observation activity. Use journals for drawing and listing. Use the checklists - and add anything not included. 

Plan to do Discovery Swap and focus on ecosystem and adaptations. Bark Beetle exploration works up at Big Jeff really well - all the stumps have galleries. Use the Ecosystem Literacies and Exploration Guides to do guided explorations in different environments. Compare and contrast ecosystems, and have students apply their learning to different ecosystems, e.g., do a plant discovery swap after the one in the pond or stream.