Footprints on the Marsh

How many birds can you name? Students will focus on the diversity of birds and why they are so different. Students will take a hike with binoculars and tally how many different birds they can find in different habitats found at the Sweetwater Marsh Refuge.

PROGRAM LENGTH:

4 hours, 9:30am-1:30pm

PLEASE PREPARE YOUR STUDENTS

We have chosen one lesson for you to do with your students before you come, titled HABITAT MATCH and the corresponding lab sheets (Included in lesson) so they will have the optimal experience when they are here. These Lab Sheets are also available in Spanish here: SPANISH CORRESPONDING LAB SHEETS. Please use it to prepare your students. Please teach the second lesson, titled GRAPHING A FIELD TRIP and the CORRESPONDING GRAPH, within a week of completing your Coastal Education program to expand on the material learned during the Footprints on the Marsh Program. The graph is also available in Spanish here: SPANISH CORRESPONDING GRAPH. There are many more resources for you and your students listed below as well!

PLAN OF THE DAY: (If only one class, just see 9:30am-11:30am Group A)

Your students will be able to participate in the Footprints on the Marsh Lesson, a Docent-led Tour around the Living Coast to see birds, turtles and touch stingrays, complete a scavenger hunt and go for a hike or listen to a Read Aloud. Half of the day you will be with a Teacher or Docent and the other half of the day you will be leading your class through provided activities.

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE - Detailed Schedule link (Actual schedule may vary)

Additional Resources

Below are other optional activities and resources related to the Footprints on the Marsh Program.

Student Information:

Beaks in the mud

Teacher Background:

Birds of San Diego Website

Activities and Lessons:

Habitat Match

Spanish Habitat Match Lab Sheets

Graphing a Field Trip & Graph

Spanish Graph

Bird Olympics

Observation Lesson

Games, Songs and Crafts:

A Bird Watching Tool

Native Birds Coloring Sheets

Paper Bag Mallards

Standards:

NGSS

    • 2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats

    • LS4.D. There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

Common Core

ELA-Literacy.

  • SL.2.1. Participate in collaborative covnersations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups

  • SL.2.2. Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

  • SL.2.3. Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

  • L.2.6. Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe.

Math

  • 2.NBT.A.2. Count within 1000; skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s.