BIOLOGY POND LIFE LESSON PLAN

Instructor – David Mielke

Grade Level– 9th grade Biology Students

Subject(s) – My part will be in the field of Biology – also includes Chemistry and Math Classes

Duration - The duration of this will include 3 lessons (same lesson at different parts of the pond and different times of the year) over a period of the school year.

Description –I will get a group of students who are willing to work after school to work on this project. We will collect pond life (plants and invertebrates) using nets and other instruments. We will then use a lens, a microscope, the Fieldmaster Aquavue, an underwater fishing camera, books, the internet and other resourcesto try to identify as many species as possible. After the identification process we will take pictures of each of the species found with a digital camera and make identification cards for each organism. The identification cards will include common name, scientific name, classification, average size, movement, what it eats, what eats it, life cycle and reproduction of the organism. We will then display them in a photo album for the school and the city officials of West St Paul working on the restoration of ThompsonLake to see.

Goals - The students will learn about the diversity of life in a pond and discover their importance in a balanced aquatic habitat. The students will classify the organisms by making identification cards for city officials to use for restoring the water quality of ThompsonLake.

Objectives -

1. The students will identify organisms living in a small body of water.

2. The students will create a food web illustrating the relationship of organisms forThompsonLake.

3. The students will classify the organisms by making identification cards that include common name, movement, diet, etc. for city officials to use for restoring the water quality of ThompsonLake in West St Paul.

Materials and Resources – waders/boots, small collecting jars, big pans to hold water with organisms, various dipping nets, seine net, hand lens, Aquavue tube, Aqua – vu underwater camera, Copies of “A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America” J. Reese Voshell Jr. and “Pond Life: Revised and updated (A Golden Guide from St. Martins Press)” George K Reid, microscope with , digital camera, index cards, access to internet with identification keys, canoe and life jackets,

Procedure –

Part 1 – Introduction

We will start this project after we have covered our Ecology unit in the classroom. The unit will include food chains, food webs and interdependence of organisms in a habitat as well as many common aspects of Ecology. The student will have a pretty good grasp and understanding on the importance of Ecology by the time we start this lesson. This lesson will be used to deepen their understanding and to see first hand how ecology works – mainly identifying the diversity in a pond and understanding the importance of a well-balanced aquatic ecosystem.

Part 2 – Getting Started (Where are they going?)

1. Ask the students to come up with why ThompsonLake is important to West St. Paul.

2. Have the students come up with a list of possible organisms in ThompsonLake (plant and animal).

3. Have the students write how these organisms help maintain the balance of the aquatic system (ThompsonLake).

Part 3 – “Let’s Get Wet” (How are they going to get there?)

  1. Allow the students to collect many different water samples (from the surface, the middle and the bottom). Also have the students take all these samples in 3 different areas of the pond. The students may use the dip nets, the aquavue tube or the aqua-vu camera to gain the specimens needed. Provide copies of the lab worksheet to allow students to document their observations. They will also be able to use microscopes to locate microscopic organisms. The canoe can be used to take the students out to the middle of the pond to get samples and to use the underwater aqua-vu camera.
  2. The student should take a picture with the digital camera of each organism when located. Get the best picture possible as this will be used for the identification card. Pictures of the microscopic organisms can be taken from the tv monitor. We will use a microscope camera to do this.
  3. The student will then gather as much information as possible about each organism using books and the internet. The information will include the common name, scientific name, classification, average size, movement, the diet, what eats it, the life cycle and reproduction of the organism. Once all this is gathered the student will make an identification card with the picture of the organism and all the information found. We will then put these cards into a photo album for viewing.

Part 4 – “How does this all get put together?”

  1. Review the different organisms found in a food web such as producers, consumers and decomposers. Have the students use the interactive cards to make 3 food chains of ThompsonLake. (Encourage them to make long food chains and remind them that the arrows show the direction of ENERGY flow.
  2. Now ask the students to use the 3 food chains to make 1 food web of ThompsonLake. Allow students to make new connections.

Part 5 – Discussion “Have they arrived?”

  1. Ask various questions to stimulate discussion!
  2. What is the difference between microorganisms and macroorganisms?
  3. Which organisms were most abundant?
  4. How would your food web change if one of the organisms was to be removed from the web due to a disease or pollution? (Stress here why the city officials of West St Paul are very concerned about water quality in this lake)
  5. How would the introduction of an exotic (invasive) species affect the food web?
  6. What can we learn about the quality of water in a pond based on the organisms we observe?
  7. What can we do to protect the freshwater habitats in our area?

Assessment –The students will be assessed in a variety of ways. First they will give insight on the “Getting Started” questions. The teacher will evaluate to see if the student is making the connection that a balanced ecosystem is very important for the survival of many organisms in an aquatic system. The student will also be evaluated on the proper use of a microscope and making a wet mount slide. The teacher will assist any student that needs help. The food webs will be evaluated to determine if the students were able to understand the big picture. They will be graded on how accurate they are. The identification cards will be graded based on the amount of required information gathered, the accuracy of the diagram and the appearance of the card (make them look professional).

Resources

Tracy Trimpe Pond Water Survey Project. 2006. Web

“A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America” J. Reese Voshell Jr.

“Pond Life: Revised and Updated (A Golden Guide from St. Martins Press)” George K.

Reid