Week 5: Restoration

This week's lesson will focus on the relationship between humans and the Earth. You will learn about both the positive and negative impacts that people can have on the environment, using the Putah Creek ecosystem as a case study.

Agenda:

1. Class Discussion: What do you already know about human influence on the environment?
2. Watch the video below ("What is Ecological Restoration?" by Morton Arboretum)
3. Putah Creek Poster Project:
   • Your instructor will distribute Chromebooks and divide the class into five groups. Each group will have a number - remember your number!
   • Click on the Google doc below and scroll down to your group's assigned chapter. Read the summary in pairs or as a group.
   • Discuss the content of the chapter as a group to make sure everyone understands the information.
   • Create a poster and short presentation for your class to represent the chapter you just read. It can be a drawing of something that took place in the chapter, an artistic representation of an issue presented in the chapter, etc. Feel free to be creative!
   • If you'd like, visit putahcreeklegacy.com for more details and to see some photos for inspiration.
   • Present your poster to the class as a group. Make sure to explain:
     • What your drawing shows
     • What your chapter is about
     • Why you chose this drawing to represent your chapter
4. Optional activities:
   • Watch the second video ("Putah Creek: Salmon Restoration Success" by Rice News) to learn about how the creek is doing now!
   • Check out the Putah Creek Legacy maps for even more information about the ecosystem's improvement.

Optional activity for at home: Visit Putah Creek! While you're there, observe and ask yourself: Is there any evidence of human influence (positive or negative)? If you are interested in identifying and/or learning more about native plants and animals, it might help to bring a Northern California field guide if your family has one. Be prepared to report on your visit next week.

Another optional activity: Read "Sage and the Bay." How is the Upper Newport Bay ecosystem similar to/different from the Putah Creek ecosystem? How are the restoration efforts similar/different?

©️ 2019 RISE for Change Environmental Club. Resources on this site are for classroom use and access only.