Sept. 18 Coastal Ecology

The Eastern 4-H Center is located on beautiful Bulls Bay in north eastern North Carolina. As part of the Albemarle Sound, The Eastern Center is situated in a marine estuary where the freshwater of North Carolina's rivers meets the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean. This creates a dynamic and diverse environment for life. In this session, students will explore the vibrant ecology of the Albemarle Sound, learning about the plants and animals that make this unique ecosystem their home.

Required Materials: None

Optional Materials: Download and print the Coastal Ecology Learning & Discussion guide for students to use as they follow along; Parents/Guardians/Teachers can use the Coastal Ecology Answer Key to check the student's work.

Tech Requirements: Hosted on Zoom

Recording: Coastal Ecology Zoom Recording; we had some bandwidth issues, so if the presentation photos and text are too hard to read in the recording, you can access them here via Prezi.

Use this link to print a pdf of the vocabulary and standards alignment for this session.

Key Vocabulary & Learning Concepts

Estuary Ecosystem Flora Fauna Bald Cypress

Macro-invertebrate Carapace Salinity Water Quality

Sound Brackish water Biotic Index

This session aligns with the following NC teaching standards for grades 2 through 7

Second Grade

Science 2.L.1 Understand animal life cycles

Science 2.L.2 Remember that organisms differ from or are similar to their parents based on the characteristics of the organism.

Social Studies 2.G.2 Understand the effects of humans interacting with their environment

Language Arts L.2.4 Determine and/or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and context, choosing flexibility from an array of strategies: context clues, word parts, word relationships, and reference materials

Third Grade

Science 3.L.2 Understand how plants survive in their habitats

Language Arts SL.3.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally

Language Arts L.3.4 Determine and/or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies: context clues, word parts, word relationships, and reference materials

Language Arts L.3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain- specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships

Social Studies 3.G.1.6 Understand the earth’s patterns by using the 5 themes of geography

Fourth Grade

Science 4.L.1 Understand the effects of environmental changes, adaptations and behaviors that enable animals (including humans) to survive in changing habitats

Language Arts RI.4.7 Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears

Language Arts RI.4.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area

Language Arts L.4.4 Determine and/or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies: context clues, word parts, word relationships, and reference materials

Language Arts L.4.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being and that are basic to a particular topic

Fifth Grade

Science 5.L.1 Understand weather patterns and phenomena, making connections to the weather in a particular place and time

Science 5.L.2 Understand the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystem

Language Arts SL.3.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally

Science 5.L.2 Understand the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystem

Language Arts RI.5.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area

Science 5.L.3 Understand why organisms differ from or are similar to their parents based on the characteristics of the organism

Sixth Grade

Science 6.L.1 Understand the structures, processes and behaviors of plants that enable them to survive and reproduce

Science 6.L.2 Understand the flow of energy through ecosystems and the responses of populations to the biotic and abiotic factors in their environment

Language Arts RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text; analyze the impact of specific word choice on meaning

Language Arts SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study

Language Arts L.6.4 Determine and/or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies: context clues, word parts, word relationships, and reference materials

Language Arts L.6.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; develop vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression

Seventh Grade

Language Arts L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; develop vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression

Science 7.L.1 Understand the processes, structures and functions of living organisms that enable them to survive, reproduce and carry out the basic functions of life

Science 7.L.2 Understand the relationship of the mechanisms of cellular reproduction, patterns of inheritance and external factors to potential variation among offspring

Language Arts L.7.4 Determine and/or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies: context clues, word parts, word relationships, and reference materials

Language Arts L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; develop vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression