Natural History Exploration at Letchworth State Park Randy

Natural History Exploration at Letchworth State Park Randy French Geneseo Central School

• Go to my Website if you want to see a movie of last year’s Dishmill Creek Hike.

What Would you like to know about field trips? Write down one thing. • In a minute I would like to hear what you are interested in.

This lesson plan is on my website. And also on My Place in the Finger Lakes. • Let’s go through what is in the plan.

Field trips should have clear objectives of what you want to accomplish.

• Lesson Objectives • At the conclusion of this lesson students will be able to: • Identify different stages in ecological succession including primary, secondary succession and climax forests. • Describe or visualize the length of time it took to create the sedimentary rock layers. • Define and identify what a sedimentary rock is and how it is made. • Identify, draw or diagram the effects of water erosion including waterfalls, stream bank eroding and rounding of rocks. • Identify and differentiate local sedimentary rocks from imported glacial rocks. • Explain why it is important for a society to set aside protected land.

• The following objectives and key ideas are taken from the New York State 5 -8 Core Curriculum for Intermediate level science. Additionally this field trip can be used for concepts such as ecosystems, balance, competition for resources, niches and habitats.

• -Standard 4: Students will understand apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. • -3. 2 a In all environments, organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for resources. • -3. 2 c Many thousands of layers of sedimentary rock provide evidence for the long history of Earth and for the long history of changing life-forms whose remains are found in the rocks. More recently deposited rock layers are more likely to contain fossils resembling existing species. • -7. 2 b The environment may be altered through the activities of organisms. Alterations are sometimes abrupt. Some species may replace others over time, resulting in long term gradual changes (ecological succession).

Preparation

- Walk or visit the area first to see if it is suitable. See movie

Figure out the school policies, transportation, nurse, permission slips, food, missed classes, subs, chaperones, and costs.

Be sure your letter home discusses what to where and bring. See movie

Use Google Earth • This program is awesome, but I was not sure how to get it on my powerpoint.

Vocabulary • • • Succession Climax forest Pioneer Species Geology Ecology Sedimentary Rocks Glaciers Erosion Sediments • • • Niche Habitat Mature forest Development Conservation Preservation Sandstone Silt Shale

Use a journal

Movies from journals, see movie

With luck • Here a copy of the notes…

Activities- Climax Forest see movie

… Geology see movie

Check for understanding. . see movie

What do the students like? ? see movie

Funding……. • • Summer Program Grants School budget Look for some place free PSTA Target Bus license This is the hard part

Background…. . • See lesson plan on my website

Questions?

Take Pictures and make movies • See this site on my web page.

Randy French • • • Geneseo Central School 4050 Avon Rd. Geneseo, NY 14454 585 243 3450 Randyfrench@geneseocsd. org I will leave this powerpoint on my website under the lesson plans.