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Wetland Habitats
103
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
Grade Level
Upper Elementary
Duration
50-55 minutes
Setting
The classroom
Vocabulary
Habitat
Wetland
Salinity
Wetlands Taste Test Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview
This lesson is designed to educate students about the different wetland
ecosystems found in Louisiana. The students will compare and contrast
these different habitats using their sense of taste.
Learning Objectives
The students will:
Learn the definitions of a wetland and an ecosystem
Learn how various salinity levels define wetland habitats
Taste water samples with various salinity levels and determine
what wetland habitat the water would likely have “come from”
GLEs Science
4th – (SI-E-A1, A2, A3, B4)
5th – (SI-M-A1), (LS-M-C3)
6th – (SI-M-A1, A2, A3, A7, B5)
English Language Arts
4th – (ELA-1-E5, E6)
5th – (ELA -4-M2)
6th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-7-M1), (ELA-4-M2)
Materials List
Four 2-liter bottles (teachers or students should bring from home
Small disposable cups or Dixie cups (teacher provides)
Salt (teacher provides)
Water (teacher provides)
Background Information
We are able to taste things, because we have “taste buds” on our tongues. Taste buds are on the
front, sides and back of the tongue. Taste buds allow us to determine if the food we eat is sweet,
sour, bitter or salty. The front taste buds taste the salty/sweet foods, the back taste buds taste the
bitter foods and the side taste buds taste the sour foods. The human tongue has almost 10,000
taste buds, and girls have more taste buds than boys. There are taste buds even on the roofs of
our mouths!
A habitat is defined as a location where plants and animals live. A wetland is a habitat type that
is defined as an area of land where soil is wet either permanently or seasonally, or a transitional
area between dry land and deep water (in essence, a “wet land”). There are different types of
wetland habitats found in Louisiana. Short descriptions of Louisiana’s wetlands are found below.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
For more information on Louisiana’s wetland habitats, as well as information on why
Louisiana’s wetlands are degrading, please see the General Wetland Information located at the
front of the curriculum binder.
Most of Louisiana’s wetland ecosystems are defined by the salinity of the water – the amount of
salt dissolved in the water. Salinity is measured in parts per thousand (or ppt). The average
salinity of the ocean is 32 parts of salt to 1,000 parts of water (or 32 ppt).
Louisiana Wetland Habitats
Swamp (salinity = 0 ppt) – any place holding water and having woody vegetation. In Louisiana,
cypress and tupelo gum are the most common trees found in a swamp. Swamps mostly contain
fresh water, but in Louisiana salt water is slowly creeping in.
Freshwater Marsh (salinity = 0-2 ppt) – areas that have no woody vegetation and are typically
holding fresh water. A freshwater marsh includes animals such as alligators, snakes, turtles,
minks, raccoons, otters, nutria, egrets, herons, ducks, bass, bluegills and grass shrimp, as well as
many insects.
Intermediate Marsh (salinity = 2-10 ppt) – a transitional zone between a freshwater and a
brackish marsh. Intermediate marshes have several types of plants that are found in both
freshwater marshes and the saltier marshes found near the Gulf of Mexico. The most common
plants are bull tongue, roseau cane and wiregrass. This is a great habitat to view a variety of
ducks and other water birds, snakes, alligators, some turtles, muskrats, raccoons, nutria and other
fur-bearing mammals.
Brackish Marsh (salinity = 10-20 ppt) – a marsh that mostly contains wire grass (Spartina
patents). It is a favorite habitat for waterfowl, and many salt-loving creatures begin to appear in
this marsh. This is one of the best habitats for blue crabs, redfish, speckled trout and fiddler
crabs.
Salt Marsh (salinity > 20 ppt) – a marsh that is flooded daily with saltwater tides. Specialized
plants have adapted to live in this habitat because of the high amount of salt in the water. The
plant most seen in this marsh is oyster grass (Spartina alternaflora). One tree that can take the
high amount of salt water is black mangrove. Fiddler crabs and oysters are common animals that
live in a salt marsh.
Definitions:
Wetland – an area of land where soil is really wet either permanently or seasonally. It often is a
transitional area between dry land and deep water.
Habitat – the type of environment in which an organism or group or organisms normally live or
occur.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
Salinity – the amount of salt in water measured in parts per thousand (ppt). Many of the
wetlands in Louisiana are primarily defined by the salinity levels found in the water.
Advance Preparation 1. Print out a copy of the student worksheet for every student in class.
2. Collect 4 jugs/jars that will hold at least 2 liters of water. Mark the jars with numbers 1,
2, 3 and 4.
3. Take the 2-liter bottle, fill it with drinking water (from faucet or fountain) and pour it
into a jug/jar. Assign the sample a number and record (for yourself) what number you
assigned this sample, which will not contain any added salt and thus will represent fresh
water. (Do not let the students know the salinity of the samples, because they will be
guessing which type of habitat it is from).
4. Fill the 2-liter bottle again and pour it into a second jug/jar. To this jar, stir in 1⅓
teaspoons of salt. Mix up the solution and label it with another number (1-4) that you
didn’t use for the first sample. Record this one as the “intermediate” sample.
5. Fill the 2-liter bottle for a third time and pour the water into a third jug/jar. Stir in 2
teaspoons of salt. Label this bottle with a number (1-4) you haven’t used and record it as
“brackish.”
6. Fill the 2-liter bottle a fourth time and pour the water into a fourth jug/jar. Stir in 4
teaspoons of salt. Label this bottle with the final number you haven’t used and record it
as “salt.”
(Below is a chart to explain the salinities of each solution.)
Solution Volume of Salt Volume of Water
Fresh water 0 ppt 2-liter
Intermediate 1⅓ teaspoons=6 ppt 2-liter
Brackish 2 teaspoons=12 ppt 2-liter
Salt 4 teaspoons=30 ppt 2-liter
Procedure
1. Using the information provided in the Background Material and the General Wetlands
Information found in the front of the curriculum binder, talk to the students about the
four different types of wetland ecosystems.
2. Explain that these ecosystems are different because of the different salinity levels found
in water.
3. Tell the students they will be taste testing the different levels of salinity found in
Louisiana marshes.
4. Tell the students that you have prepared the different levels of salinity in the four
jars/bottles, and they will taste each one and determine what type of marsh they think it
is.
5. Give the student’s time to sample all four water types and write down what they think
the salinity level is and what type of marsh the water came from.
6. Review the answers the students wrote on their worksheets and provide them with the
correct answers.
7. Now, have a small discussion with the students about the salinity levels and what
wetlands they belong in.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
Extension for Activity
If you would like to take your class through a more advanced lesson on salinity levels, see the
lesson “Density Dynamics” found in the Water section of the curriculum binder. That lesson
teaches students how to build their own hydrometers (devices that measures salinity) from
common household items.
Blackline Master
1. Wetlands Taste Test Data Sheet
Resources
Marsh Classroom Adventure. By Joy Levy Smith. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine and
Resources Department. South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.
http://nsgd.gso.uri.edu/scsgc/scsgce94001.pdf
Salinity table – www.csiro.au/resources/pfgr.html.
www.geography4kids.com/files/land_ecosystem.html
www.thinkquest.org/3750/taste/taste.html
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Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter
Wetlands Taste TestStudent Activity SheetName
Wetlands Taste Test Data Sheet:Taste the different samples of “wetland water” provided by your teacher. In the space below, write what you think the salinity is and what type of wetland the water came from. You can use the following choices:
• 0ppt=FreshwaterMarsh/Swamp• 6ppt=IntermediateMarsh• 12ppt=BrackishMarsh• 30ppt=SaltMarsh
Sample No. Salinity (ppt) Wetland Type Observations1
2
3
4
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
Wetlands Taste Test in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What The Students Do
Read over procedure in the
teacher section (blue pages)
and prepare the water
samples before beginning the
lesson.
There are wetlands all across
the state. Along our coastline,
there is a specific type of
wetland called a “marsh.”
A marsh is a type of wetland
that is described by the
grasses that grow in it.
Review the wetlands habitat
types in the background
portion of this lesson and in
the General Wetlands
Information at the front of
the binder.
Students will talk about what
they know about wetlands
and, more specifically,
marshes.
There are four main marsh
habitat types that we will
discuss today. They are
defined primarily by their
salinity. Do you know what
salinity means?
Students will answer the
salinity question.
Salinity means the amount of
salt dissolved in the water.
Salinity is measured in parts
per thousand (or ppt). The
average salinity of the ocean
is 32 parts of salt to 1,000
parts of water (or 32 ppt).
There are four major marsh
habitat types that are defined
by their salinity – fresh,
intermediate, brackish and
salt.
Review the marsh habitats
found in the beginning of this
section and explain those
types to the students.
Especially focus on the
salinities of each marsh
habitat.
In front of me I have four
water samples. They are
mixed to represent water
from four different wetland
types. Today, you will taste
the habitat types and
Hand out a small cup and the
student worksheet to each
student.
Students will collect the
items and prepare to do the
experiment.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
determine what the salinity is
and what wetland type the
water came from.
Give the students time to
sample all four water types
and write down what they
think the salinity level is and
what type of wetland the
water would have come from.
Students will sample the
water and determine what
they think the salinity is and
what habitat type the water
would be from.
Review the answers the
students wrote on their
worksheets and provide them
with the correct answers.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
Grade Level
Upper Elementary
Duration
50-55 minutes
Setting
Gym or
Outdoors
Vocabulary
Erosion
Saltwater Intrusion
Wetland Red Rover Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview
This lesson will teach students about one of the primary
reasons Louisiana’s coasts are eroding – saltwater intrusion.
They will learn this by planning a game similar to “Red
Rover.”
Learning Objectives
The students will:
Understand and discuss saltwater intrusion as a primary
cause of wetland loss in Louisiana.
Learn about wetland loss by playing a game that
promotes physical fitness.
GLEs Science
4th – (SI-E-A1, B6), (ESS-E-A1, A4)
5th – (LS-M-C3), (ESS-M-A7), (SE-M-A4)
6th – (SI-M-A1)
7th – (LS-M-D2), (SE-M-A4, A8)
8th – (ESS-M-A8), (SE-M-A3, A4, A10)
English Language Arts
4th – (ELA-7-E4), (ELA-4-E1, E5)
5th – (ELA-4-M2, M4)
6th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)
7th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)
8th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)
Physical Education
4th – (1-E-1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1)
7th – (1-M-1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2)
Background Information
Current estimates show Louisiana loses wetlands the size of a football field every 38
minutes. There are a variety of reasons why Louisiana’s coastline is eroding. Those
include Mississippi River levees, subsidence, sea level rise and saltwater intrusion from
channels and canals.
This lesson focuses on one cause of wetland loss – saltwater intrusion, or the movement
of salt water into a freshwater environment. This can cause irreparable ecological damage
because the salt water kills the plants living in the freshwater environment. Without those
plants (or specifically their important root structures) there is nothing to hold the
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
sediment in place, and the land begins to erode. Saltwater intrusion can happen through
natural processes, like when storm surge or hurricanes dump a large quantity of salt water
onto freshwater environments. It also can result from human interactions, such as oil field
canals and shipping channels.
In this lesson, students will be divided into two teams. One group will be the “salt water,”
and one group will be Louisiana’s coastline. They will play a game of “Red Rover” to see
which side will win – the land or the salt water.
See the General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more
explanation about saltwater intrusion and other causes of wetland loss in Louisiana.
Definitions:
Erosion – Natural processes, including weathering, dissolution, abrasion, corrosion and
transportation, by which soil and sediment is worn away from the Earth's surface.
Saltwater Intrusion – The movement of salt water into another environment, such as a
freshwater marsh. This can be caused by natural disturbances, such as hurricanes, or from
human alteration of the environment from shipping channels and oil field canals.
Advance Preparation
1. Locate a space where the game can be played – either the schoolyard or the gym.
Procedure
1. Divide the students into two separate-but-equal groups. One will be the coast of
Louisiana, and the other will be the Gulf of Mexico.
2. Tell the students that the Gulf of Mexico group will represent salt water that is
trying to cut into Louisiana’s coast and erode away the wetlands. The salt water
can come in from hurricanes, oil field canals or shipping channels.
3. Tell the students that the Louisiana coast group will represent the land that is
being lost along the coast of Louisiana and that it is their job to defend the coast
and try to increase the amount of land. This will keep our homes safe from
hurricanes and will help keep the fisheries and the environment of the state
healthy.
4. Have the two teams line up facing each other and hold hands. Leave about 20 feet
between the two lines.
5. Explain to the students that everyone needs to be careful when playing this game.
It is very easy to get hurt.
6. The Gulf of Mexico side will go first by calling out to the Louisiana coast team:
“Wetland coast, wetland coast, let [student’s name] come over.”
7. The student who is called will run toward the Gulf of Mexico side.
o If that student is successful in breaking the hands of two students on the
Gulf of Mexico line, the student can bring one person back to the coast of
Louisiana line. Explain to the students that the state of Louisiana just scored
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
a victory and has built more land which will protect our homes, jobs and
environment.
o If the student who ran toward the Gulf of Mexico line does not break the
hands of the students on that side, the student who ran will have to stay on
the Gulf of Mexico line (indicating a portion of the coast was eroded away).
8. The Louisiana coast team will go next by calling out to a student from the Gulf of
Mexico line saying: “Salt water, salt water, let [student’s name] come over.”
9. The student who is called will run toward the Louisiana coast team.
o If the student is successful in breaking the hands of the two students on the
Louisiana coast team, the student can bring one person back to the Gulf of
Mexico line. Explain to the students that the Gulf of Mexico just eroded
away a portion of the coast from saltwater intrusion.
o If the student who ran toward the Louisiana coast team does not break the
hands of the students, the student who ran will have to stay on the Louisiana
coast team’s side (indicating a portion of the coast was restored).
10. The game will continue until one side has collected all the students, or until time
runs out.
11. Upon returning to the classroom, have the students reflect on what they learned by
playing Wetland Red Rover.
Extension for Activity
In addition to the regular ways a student is released to run at the other group, another
option is to have the groups be able to call more than one student over at a time.
Gulf of Mexico Line can call over more students for the following reasons
Open up levees (allowing more sediment in) – 3 students
Planting marsh grass – 2 students
Dredging (pumping) sediment on the coast – 2 students
Build gates to keep out salt water – 1 student
Coast of Louisiana side can call over more students for the following reasons:
Hurricanes – 3 students
Tropical storm – 2 students
Shipping channel – 2 students
Oil field canal – 1 student
Resources
CWPtionary – Saltwater Intrusion - http://www.lacoast.gov/WATERMARKS/1996b-
fall/6cwptionary/
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Wetland Red Rover in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What the Students Do
Today we will be going
outside to play a game that
will teach us about one of the
primary causes of wetland
loss in coastal Louisiana –
saltwater intrusion.
Does anyone know what
saltwater intrusion is?
Talk about what they know
about saltwater intrusion and
land loss in coastal
Louisiana.
Use the information at the
beginning of the lesson and
the General Wetlands
Information at the front of
the curriculum binder to fully
explain wetland loss in
Louisiana and, more
specifically, coastal erosion.
Now that we understand
saltwater intrusion and why it
is hurting our wetlands, let’s
head outside and play
“Wetland Red Rover.”
Lead the students out to an
open area or to a gym to play
Wetlands Red Rover.
Students will head out of the
classroom to play Wetland
Red Rover.
I am going to divide you into
two groups. Once you are in
your groups, form a line
facing the other group.
Divide the students into two
teams. One team will be the
Gulf of Mexico, and the other
team will be the Louisiana
coast.
Form two groups.
The Gulf of Mexico group
will represent salt water that
is trying to cut into
Louisiana’s coast and erode
the wetlands. The salt water
can come in from hurricanes,
oil field canals or shipping
channels.
The Louisiana coast group
will represent the land that is
Students will form two lines
and face each other.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
being lost along the coast of
Louisiana. It is your job to
defend the coast and try to
increase the amount of land.
This will keep our homes safe
from hurricanes and will help
keep the fisheries and the
environment of the state
healthy.
The Gulf of Mexico team will
go first by calling out:
“Wetland coast, wetland
coast, let [student’s name]
come over.”
The student whose name is
called will run toward the
Gulf of Mexico team.
If that student is successful in
breaking the hands of two
students on the Gulf of
Mexico line, the student can
bring one person back to the
coast of Louisiana line.
The state of Louisiana just
scored a victory and has built
more land, which will protect
our homes, jobs and
environment.
If the student who ran toward
the Gulf of Mexico line does
not break the hands of the
students, the student who ran
will have to stay on the Gulf
of Mexico line
A portion of the coast just
eroded away.
Now it is the Louisiana coast
team’s turn. They will go
next by calling out to a
student from the Gulf of
Mexico line saying:
“Salt water, salt water, let
[student’s name] come
over.”
The student who is called
will run toward the Louisiana
coast team.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
If the student is successful in
breaking the hands of two
students on the Louisiana
coast team, the student can
bring one person back to the
Gulf of Mexico line.
The Gulf of Mexico just
eroded away a portion of the
coast from saltwater
intrusion.
If the student who ran toward
the Louisiana coast team does
not break the hands of the
students, the student who ran
will have to stay on the
Louisiana coast team’s side.
A portion of the coast was
restored!
The game will continue until
one side has collected all the
students – demonstrating
either that Louisiana’s coast
was restored or the Gulf of
Mexico eroded it away.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
Grade Level
Upper Elementary
Middle School
Duration
50-55 minutes
Setting
The classroom
Vocabulary
Metaphor
Wetland Function
Wetland Value
Biodiversity
Primary Productivity
Wetland Metaphors Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview
This lesson introduces the students to the many functions and
values of wetlands. This activity can actually be completed
twice. Use the activity as a teaser to see what students know
about wetlands before completing the comprehensive curriculum
activities. You can then do this exercise at the end of the year or
when all wetland lessons have been taught to see what
knowledge the students have gained!
Learning Objectives
The students will:
Describe the characteristics of a wetland
Identify the ecological functions of a wetland
Appreciate the values of wetlands to humans and wildlife
GLEs Science
4th – (S1-E-A1, A3, B6),
5th – (LS-M-C3)
6th – (SI-M-A1)
7th – (SI-M-A7), (LS-M-D2), (SE-M-A1)
8th – SE-M-A4)
English Language Arts
4th – (ELA-1-E5, E6), (ELA-4-E5), (ELA-7-E4)
5th – (ELA-4-M2, M4)
6th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)
7th – (ELA-4-M1, M2), (ELA-7-M4)
8th – (ELA-4-M2)
Materials List Sponge
Small pillow (teacher provides)
Whisk
Baby’s bottle
Strainer
Coffee filter (100 pack provided)
Antacid medicine
Bar of soap
Pillowcase (teacher provides)
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
Background Information
See the General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more
information on wetland habitats and why Louisiana’s wetlands are important.
From a purely biological viewpoint, wetlands are production machines, out-producing
most other ecosystems several times over. Plant material (termed primary productivity) is
produced in huge quantities, and it supports a complex food web made up of all kinds of
consumers: worms, insects, spiders, fish, reptiles and amphibians, crustaceans, birds and
mammals. Detritus, or dead and dying plant and animal material, actually makes up the
food source for most of the primary consumers in the food web. This productivity results
in a huge variety of animal life.
Migrating ducks and geese depend on wetlands for resting and feeding during their long
annual treks. Loss of wetlands means loss of waterfowl populations. The coastal wetlands
of Louisiana are also a crucial stopover point for neotropical (from tropical South
America) birds as they make their migrations in the spring and fall. They stop to feed and
rest along coastal cheniers and ridges, giving birders an opportunity to see unusual and
colorful species.
A number of endangered and threatened species also depend on wetlands for their
survival. Nationwide, 79 wetland plant and animal species are listed as threatened or
endangered. The bald eagle and the brown pelican are the best known of the recovering
species that reside in the wetlands of Louisiana, but there are others, including several
species of sea turtles and fish.
The marshes provide nutrition and shelter for numerous marine species that complete part
of their life cycle in the coastal wetlands and the remainder in the open water of the Gulf
of Mexico. Some species are economically, as well as biologically, important. All of this
adds up to an incredible diversity of plant and animal species supported by our coastal
wetlands and represents high levels of biodiversity.
The Major Wetland Habitats of Louisiana
Bottomland hardwood and natural ridge habitats represent the higher wet habitats of the
estuary. The land is higher and the soils are better drained. Trees, such as hackberry,
palmetto, and live oak, thrive. Animals that prefer dry land, including rabbits, deer,
armadillos, squirrels, raccoons, box turtles and king snakes, occupy these habitats.
Humans have also occupied these habitats more than any of the others, converting the
forest to farmland and urban areas.
Swamp habitat may be defined as forested wetland, flooded for a large part of the year.
The dominant vegetation includes bald cypress, swamp tupelo gum and red maple, three
species adapted to living in flooded conditions. The animals found in the swamp are also
adapted to wetter conditions. They include alligators and turtles, herons and egrets, nutria
and swamp rabbits.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
Freshwater marsh habitat is characterized by its wide variety of herbaceous plant
species, including bulltongue, giant cut grass, water lilies and pickerelweed. Many
species of birds, frogs, fish, snakes and other reptiles inhabit the freshwater marshes.
Intermediate marsh habitat is a transition zone between freshwater and brackish marsh
habitats. Though it has the largest number of furbearers, it has fewer species than the
freshwater habitat but more than the brackish habitat.
Brackish marsh habitat is characterized by having far fewer species of herbaceous
plants than the freshwater marsh. Plants living in brackish marsh must be able to tolerate
changing salinity levels as salt water and fresh water mix. The dominant species of plant
is wire grass. Common animal species include otter, mink, ibis, white pelicans, blue crabs
and shrimp.
A saltwater marsh is a more specialized habitat where fewer species are adapted to
living in the harsh conditions. The dominant vegetation is oyster grass, also called
smooth cordgrass or scientifically, Spartina alterniflora. Other plants include black rush
and black mangrove. The salt marsh snail lives on the stems of the oyster grass, and
oysters, shrimp, crabs and numerous species of fish abound beneath the water. The
saltwater marsh is the nursery ground for many Gulf species. Brown pelicans also are
seen feeding with gulls and terns.
Bays and lakes can lie on the edge of a salt marsh. Most of the life here is found beneath
the water, as any fisherman knows. Redfish, shrimp, blue crabs, flounder and oysters are
some of the many species living in these habitats.
Finally, barrier islands represent another important wetland habitat in Louisiana. The
barrier island habitat is harsh; the species there are adapted to an unstable, salty
environment. On one side, a barrier island is made up of a beach and low sand dunes
inhabited by grasses and shrubs including groundsel and iva. The other side of barrier
islands is dominated by salt marsh habitats. Barrier islands are subject to rapid erosion
rates and frequent storms, but they are very important, specialized habitats for many
species, particularly seabirds.
Definitions:
Metaphor – A figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that
it does not literally denote, in order to suggest a similarity.
Wetland Function – Properties that a wetland naturally provides.
Wetland Value – Properties of a wetland that are valuable to humans.
Biodiversity – The number of different species of organisms in a particular environment.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
One way to explain the importance of biodiversity is to ask the students to imagine the
ecosystem as a city bustling with “people” all taking care of the multitudes of jobs that
need to be done every day. Plants are converting sunlight to energy; insects are
converting plant matter to energy; decomposers, detritivores and scavengers are tearing
down dead, decaying material to make nutrients available for new plants and animals.
Biodiversity means there are enough kinds of organisms to do all of the jobs in an
ecosystem (city). If biodiversity is diminished, some jobs go undone and the ecosystem is
altered. It might be compared to when an essential group of workers goes on strike and
life becomes difficult for everyone. Biodiversity is also important to humans because of
the contribution to medicine and genetics-related research.
Primary Productivity – The production of new plant material; a measurement of plant
production, which is the start/bottom of the food chain.
Advance Preparation
1. Tape a piece of butcher paper to the board, or write on a transparency so you can
keep the students’ answer for a later date.
2. Make sure all materials are in the box for the activity.
3. Divide the students into groups of four or five.
Procedure
1. Tell the students that today we will discuss the values and functions of wetlands.
2. Ask students to give some of the values of the wetlands; as they do this write their
answers on the paper.
3. Now ask the students to list important functions of the wetlands. Write these on
the paper as well.
4. Discuss the fact that sometimes the values and functions are hard to separate
because they are so interrelated.
5. Pass out the mystery objects from the wetland metaphor box.
6. Do students know what a metaphor is? If not, please explain.
7. Give the students 10 minutes to discuss the metaphor objects in their groups.
8. Ask each group to tell the class the object they have and how it is a metaphor to
the wetlands.
9. Allow the class to discuss and give additional metaphors for objects outside of
their group.
10. Can students imagine life without the wetlands and without the functions and
values they provide? What would change? Would life be worse or better or not so
different?
Resources
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. Wetland Metaphors.
http://www.btnep.org
Kesselheim, A.S., Slattery, B.E. (1995). WOW! The wonders of wetlands. St Michaels,
MD: Environmental Concern Inc. (Lesson adapted from WOW! The wonders of wetlands)
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Wetland Metaphors in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What the Students Do
Louisiana has an abundance of
wetlands. In fact, coastal
Louisiana has 40% of the
coastal wetlands in the United
States, excluding Alaska. When
something is abundant, we
sometimes take it for granted
and may not appreciate it as
much as we should. Although
we have more wetlands than
any other state, we are also
losing our wetlands at a faster
rate than anywhere else. We
experience 80% of the
country’s coastal wetland loss.
Let’s list the values of our
wetlands to humans and
wildlife.
Write the list of values on
the board, easel or
overhead transparency.
Students list values of
wetlands of which they
are aware.
Wetlands also perform
important functions in the
environment that we may not
think are valuable to us but
help to keep ecological balance.
Can you list some of these
functions?
Some functions also appear on
the values list. It’s hard to
separate functions and values
because they’re interrelated.
Write the list of functions
on the board, easel or
overhead transparency.
Students list ecological
functions about which
they are aware.
Now we’re going to increase
our list of wetland functions
and value by the use of
metaphors.
Does anyone know what a
metaphor is?
Use common objects in the
classroom to help the
students come up with their
own metaphors.
Students define
metaphor if they can.
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A metaphor is a term
connecting one thing or idea
with another. You can use
metaphors to help explain the
meaning of something.
Sometimes you have to be
creative to see the relationship
in a metaphor. A metaphor for
a cactus might be a pincushion.
A beaver might be an engineer.
Can you think of other
metaphors?
I’m going to bring an object to
each pair or group. Your job is
to use your knowledge of the
values and functions of
wetlands to come up with the
function or value that your
object represents. After you
have decided, each group will
share its idea with the class.
Allow enough time for
discussion of metaphors before
stopping the group and asking
the students to share.
Divide the students into
groups of two or three (up
to 12 groups) and pass out
the objects from your
“mystery” metaphor bag or
box.
Write the functions and
values represented by the
objects on the board, easel
pad, etc.
Students share their ideas
with the rest of the class.
Students discuss the
metaphorical connection
between the object and a
function or value of
wetlands.
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Grade Levels
Upper Elementary
Middle School
Duration
50-55 minutes
Setting
The classroom
Vocabulary
Bioindicator
Macroinvertebrates
Nonpoint-source
pollution
Point-source pollution
Pollutant
Pollution
Surface runoff
Turbidity
Watershed basin
Bioindicator Bugs Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview
Students will learn how to indirectly determine the pollution level
of a freshwater body by investigating the type of aquatic animals
living in it. Aquatic macroinvertebrates can be used as
bioindicators to initially assess a system’s health. Students will
also discuss ways they can help improve the health of local water
bodies.
Learning Objectives
The students will:
Become familiar with the local watershed.
Learn about different types of pollution and how those
enter our waterways.
Discover how to use macroinvertebrates as an indicator of
pollution based on tolerance levels to pollution.
Calculate a pollution index based on number and type of
animals found.
Discuss ways to reduce the amount of pollution getting into
local waterways.
GLEs Science
4th – (SI-E-A1, A2), (LS-E-C2)
5th – (SI-M-A1, A2, A3, A4), (LS-M-D1), (SE-M-A2)
English Language Arts
4th – (ELA-1-E6), (ELA-3-E1, E2, E3), (ELA-4-E2), (ELA-5-E6), (ELA-7-E2)
5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2)
6th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-3-M2, M3, M4), (ELA-4-M2), (ELA-7-M4)
7th – (ELA-3-M2), (ELA-4-M2), (ELA-7-M2, M4)
8th – (ELA-1-M4), (ELA-3-M2), (ELA-4-M2), (ELA7-M2)
Materials List
Internet (optional)
Background Information
See General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more information
on Louisiana’s wetlands and wetland conservation.
The Clean Water Act of 1972 was enacted to regulate water pollution in the United States. In the
beginning, the focus of permitting and regulation was on point-source pollution, including
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industrial facilities, large businesses and large agricultural farms. In the 1980s, however, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that nonpoint-source pollution also was
contributing greatly to the impairment of water bodies. Nonpoint-source pollution is not the
result of one particular business or one particular person. Instead, it is the pollution that
accumulates in parking lots, roadways, ditches and your own backyard. The EPA relies on
communities and individuals, like you, to help reduce the amount of nonpoint-source pollutants
that come from various types of land uses. Examples of projects include planting wetland
vegetation, picking up trash, awareness programs for proper disposal of vehicle and household
chemicals, storm drain stenciling and proper backyard management.
Water pollution leads to the degradation of critical aquatic habitats such as our lakes, rivers,
wetlands and oceans. Nonpoint-source pollutants such as those from surface runoff (e.g.,
rainfall events or overwatering of lawns and gardens) travel over and through the ground,
entering nearby ponds, streams and lakes and eventually making their way to rivers and finally to
the ocean. The first inch of rainfall runoff carries 90 percent of the pollutants and causes at least
half of all water quality problems. Some of these pollutants include trash, fertilizers, pesticides,
vehicle chemicals (oil, brake fluid, antifreeze), sediment (soil) and animal feces (fecal
coliforms).
The first step in determining if your local water bodies are polluted is to determine what types of
aquatic animals live in them. All plants and animals need certain things to survive. Some animals
may prefer to eat worms, while other animals prefer to eat flies. Similarly, some animals may be
able to tolerate conditions that others cannot. For example, the penguin prefers to swim in the icy
cold waters of the Antarctic, while alligators prefer the warm coastal waters of Louisiana.
Macroinvertebrates are no exception! Some of these animals can tolerate polluted waters, but
others cannot. Because only certain types of animals can survive in polluted waters, these
animals are sampled by scientists and used a bioindicators.
Definitions:
Bioindicator – a species used to monitor the health of an environment.
Macroinvertebrates – an invertebrate that is large enough to see without a microscope.
Nonpoint-source pollution – water pollution from a variety of diffuse and indistinguishable
sources.
Point-source pollution – pollution from a single, identifiable, distinct source.
Pollutant – a waste material that pollutes air, soil or water.
Pollution – introduction of contaminants into an environment that cause reduced health of an
ecosystem.
Surface runoff (runoff) – water flow that occurs when soils are infiltrated to full capacity and
excess water from rain, snowmelt or other sources flows over the land.
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Turbidity – cloudiness of a fluid caused by individual particles.
Watershed basin – an area of land where water from rain or snowmelt flows downhill into a
body of water.
Advance Preparation
1. Print out pictures of Louisiana watersheds and the watershed drawing to show to
students. (Both can be drawn on the board or projected for better viewing.)
2. Make copies of student worksheets.
Procedure
1. Review the Background Information with the students and lead a class discussion on
pollutants, especially those found in our water bodies.
2. Ask students to define pollution aloud and list as many forms (pollutants) as they can.
Examples given should include nonpoint-source and point-source pollution.
a. Write these pollutants on the board for the entire class.
Below are some major pollutants and their effects on waterways:
Pollutant Sources Negative Effects
Sediment (dirt, soil, clay, sand) Construction sites,
agricultural lands
Clouds water (increased
turbidity), resulting in reduced
sunlight penetration and oxygen
in water
Fertilizer (excess nutrients) Farms, backyards Algal blooms (low dissolved
oxygen)
Pathogens (pesticides, oil, other
car fluids, chemicals)
Parking lots, driveways,
chemical plants
Reduced plant and animal
health
Trash/debris Roadways Clogged drainage ways, reduced
animal health or death
Fecal coliforms Farms, sewage Algal blooms (low dissolved
oxygen), human health risks
3. Tell students that Louisiana is divided into 12 main watersheds or drainage basins.
4. Show students the map of Louisiana river basins (on board or projected) and have them
determine which main watershed their school or city is located in.
a. Optional: You can have the students use the Internet to research your local watershed
further. Also, see the lessons “Watersheds” and “Create Your Own Watershed” for
more information.
5. Tell students that within their local watershed, all water from rainfall, snowmelt, ponds,
streams and rivers ends up in the same large river or may flow directly into the Gulf of
Mexico (for those in the South). This means ANY pollutant, whether it be backyard
waste, manure from farms, or trash, can eventually end up in our rivers and the Gulf of
Mexico.
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6. Show students (on board or projected) the diagram of how water travels within a
watershed. The overall message from this diagram is that when rainfall events occur, the
pond water may overflow into nearby streams and rivers.
7. Explain to students that they can determine the health of a waterway based on the
macroinvertebrates they find living in it.
a. Note: This is an indirect measurement and does not tell you the type of pollution or
the amount. Other water quality techniques would be used to give more quantitative
results.
8. Tell students that different macroinvertebrates can tolerate different levels of pollution.
Some cannot survive in polluted waters, while some can survive in slightly polluted
waters and others can survive in extremely polluted waters. By collecting samples of the
macroinvertebrates living in the water, we can begin to determine the health of the
waterway.
9. Read this to students: “A local biologist has been monitoring the water quality of the
local streams and rivers. Last week, she noticed a spike in the pollution level of one of the
streams. She knows there is not a chemical plant or other facility nearby to dump waste
into the waterway, so she figures the pollution must be the result of a nonpoint source.
Adjacent to the stream are three neighborhoods, each of which has its own pond that the
residents use for fishing and boating. When it rains, the water travels from these ponds to
the local stream that was found to have high pollution levels. It is your job to determine
which of these ponds is most polluted and therefore could be the one contributing to this
nonpoint-source pollution. You will do this based on the types of macroinvertebrates you
find in each pond.”
10. Pass out the Pond Assessment worksheets. Students can work individually or in groups of
two.
11. Tell students to use the Pollution Tolerance Levels of Macroinvertebrates Key to
determine which pollution tolerance group each animal belongs to in each pond.
12. Have students mark a 1, 2 or 3 next to each animal on the Pond Assessment worksheet,
indicating which tolerance group the animal belongs to.
13. Explain how the health of the pond is determined:
a. The basic concept is that the lowest pollution tolerance group present indicates the
health.
b. If animals from the lowest tolerance group (Group 1) were present, the pond is in
GOOD HEALTH.
c. If no animals from Group 1 were present, but animals from the semi-tolerant group
(Group 2) were present, the pond is in FAIR HEALTH.
d. If only animals from the tolerant group (Group 3) were present, the pond is in POOR
HEALTH.
14. Based on the numbers they assigned each animal, have students determine the health of
each of the three ponds.
a. Answer: Lakeview is FAIR; Willow is POOR; and Bluefield if GOOD.
15. After they determine the health of all three ponds, students should complete the Pond
Health Report worksheet regarding what they would report to the local biologist. (Make
sure they aren’t trying to determine the type of pollution or amount; this cannot be done
using macroinvertebrates.)
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16. Discuss their worksheet answers as a class and decide together what the next step would
be.
a. Other analyses could be conducted to determine the source of the pollution, including
visual surveys, water quality tests (pH, nutrient amounts, dissolved oxygen) and
collecting water samples to send off to a scientific lab (to determine pollutant type).
17. Have an open discussion with students concerning how they would be able to help
improve the waterway’s health after knowing what the pollutant was.
a. Consider having students organize an activity to improve the health of a local water
body.
See table for possible pollutants and ways to improve health:
Pollutant Remedy
Trash/debris Organize a trash bash.
Vehicle fluids: oil, brake fluid, antifreeze Plant wetland vegetation around perimeter
of pond to act as a filter.
Excessive nitrogen and phosphorous Education and outreach to residents about
fertilizer use in the backyard.
Bacterial overload Educate residents about picking up their
dog’s feces. Also, investigate whether there
is a nearby farm and talk with the farmer
about management practices.
Too much soil in water column (turbidity) Plant grasses and wetland vegetation to
keep soil from eroding into pond.
Blackline Masters
1. Louisiana River Basins
2. Diagram of a Watershed
3. Pond Assessment Worksheet
4. Pollution Tolerance Levels of Macroinvertebrates
Resources
Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/bioindicators/html/benthosclean.html
http://www.epa.gov/owow_keep/NPS/index.html
http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/lcwa.html
http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/index.cfm
http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/watewaterpollution.html
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=6
The Global Water Sampling Project
http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/waterproj/macros.shtml
The Groundwater Foundation
http://www.groundwater.org/kc/kc.html
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Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education – Online
PowerPoint on using Macroinvertebrates as Bioindicators
http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/education/stream/Macroinvertebrate.pdf
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Bioindicator Bugs Student Activity Sheet
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Bioindicator Bugs Student Activity SheetName
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Bioindicator Bugs Student Activity SheetName
Pond Assessment Worksheet Directions: Complete the following questions to provide a pond health report to your local biologist.
1.What are the pond names and what did you determine to be the health of each?
Pond name Health____________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ _______________________________
2.How did you determine this? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.What types of pollutants might you find in the ponds? (Remember: These ponds are found in neighborhoods.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4.What steps would you take next to determine exactly which pollutants are in the polluted pond(s)? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5.What could you do to improve the health of the pond(s) that are not in good health?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(continued)
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Bioindicator Bugs Student Activity SheetName
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Bioindicator Bugs in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What the Students Do
Today we will be learning about
pollution and how we can use
aquatic animals to determine if a
water body is polluted.
Can anyone tell me what
pollution is?
What are some examples of
pollution?
Use background
information to lead students
in this discussion.
Write examples on board.
Students define pollution
and give examples.
There are two types of pollution:
point-source and nonpoint-source.
Point-source pollution comes
from a known location or output,
whereas nonpoint-source
pollution comes from discrete
locations, such as backyards,
roadways, ditches and parking
lots. Nonpoint-source pollution
makes its way to our waterways
via rainwater. As rainwater travels
over land, it picks up nonpoint-
source pollutants (e.g., vehicle
discharges, fertilizer, soil,
herbicides, etc.).
Use the background
information to define these
two types for students.
Probe students for
examples.
Separate examples into
point-source or nonpoint-
source.
Listen and give examples
of nonpoint-source
pollutants that may be on
the streets, in their
backyards or from
agricultural farms.
Have students copy down
the examples and whether
they are point-source or
nonpoint-source.
Can anyone tell me what a
watershed is?
Can you give an example or do
you know which watershed you
live in?
A watershed includes an area in
which all of the water (including
that from rainfall, ponds, lakes,
rivers and streams) flows and
ends up in the same water body.
Many times it is a larger river, or
it may be the Gulf of Mexico.
Use the information and
pictures to guide students to
understand what a
watershed is.
Show the picture of
Louisiana watersheds to
students or pull it up on
your projector (Louisiana
Department of
Environmental Quality
website).
Listen and observe.
Determine which
watershed they reside in.
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Let’s draw an example of a
watershed to determine how the
water may travel.
Draw the watershed
diagram on the board and
show how water travels
downhill from smaller water
bodies to larger ones and
eventually the sea.
Show how rainfall would
occur, flowing over the land
and into ponds and then into
nearby rivers or streams.
Copy down the watershed
diagram.
Because rainfall brings pollution
to our local waterways and our
waterways end up flowing into
the Gulf of Mexico, it is
important that we monitor how
healthy our local waterways are.
One way to do this is to sample
the types of aquatic animals that
are living in our ponds, rivers and
streams. The animals are called
macroinvertebrates and are bugs
that live partly or fully in water.
Different macroinvertebrates can
tolerate different levels of
pollution. Some cannot survive in
polluted waters, but some can. By
sampling for these animals, we
can begin to determine if the
water body is healthy or not
Use the background
information to enhance what
you tell students.
Also read the blurb from
procedure No. 7 to
introduce the idea of
sampling.
Listen.
Imagine that we went out to these
three neighborhood ponds and
scooped up macroinvertebrates to
identify. The first worksheet
shows you which animals we
found in each pond.
The second worksheet, titled
Pollution Tolerance Levels of
Macroinvertebrates, shows you
which group – Group 1, Group 2
or Group 3 – the animal belongs
to.
Pass out worksheets.
Students can work in groups
of two or individually.
Listen and ask questions
about how to complete the
worksheets.
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Macroinvertebrates in Group 1
cannot tolerate pollution. In
Group 2, the animals can tolerate
a little pollution, and in Group 3,
they can tolerate a lot of
pollution.
Use the Pollution Tolerance
Levels of Macroinvertebrates Key
to determine which group each
critter belongs to.
Next to each macroinvertebrate
on your Pond Assessment
Worksheet, write a 1, 2 or 3.
Make sure students
understand to mark on the
Pond Assessment
worksheet.
Mark group number next
to macroinvertebrate on
Pond Assessment
worksheet.
Now, based on the critters we
found and the group they are in,
let’s determine the health of each
neighborhood pond.
(The basic concept is that the
lowest pollution tolerance group
present indicates the health. )
First, next to each pond, write
which groups are represented by
the animals.
If animals from the lowest
tolerance group (Group 1)
were present, the pond is
in GOOD HEALTH.
If no animals from Group
1 were present but animals
from the semi-tolerant
group (Group 2) were
present, the pond is in
FAIR HEALTH.
If only animals from the
tolerant group (Group 3)
were present, the pond is
in POOR HEALTH.
Work slowly through the
descriptions.
Read through the bullet
points describing how to
determine health and have
them answer aloud what
they think about the health
of each pond.
Answer: Lakeview is FAIR;
Willow is POOR; and
Bluefield if GOOD.
Students look over each
pond and write which
groups of
macroinvertebrates are
present.
Determine the health of
the ponds.
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We need to now answer some
questions that the local biologist
sent over about the health of these
ponds.
Answer Questions 1, 2 and 3.
Pass out the Pond Health
Report to Local Biologist.
Students can work
independently, in groups of
two or as a whole class.
Students should answer
questions 1, 2 and 3 on the
worksheet.
OK, we now know the health of
the ponds, but there is so much
more about the polluted ponds
that we don’t know.
We don’t know what types of
pollutants are in the ponds. We
only know that one of the ponds
is unhealthy. What other tests
could we run to find out more
information about the ponds?
Probe students to think
about other water tests that
can be used to get a better
idea of the pond’s health.
Other analyses could be
conducted to determine the
source of the pollution,
including visual surveys,
water quality tests (pH,
nutrient amounts, dissolved
oxygen) and collecting
water samples to send off to
a scientific lab (to
determine pollutant types)
Students will listen and
answer aloud as you probe
them.
Answer question 4 on the
worksheet.
There is so much that you and I
can do to improve the health of
our local ponds and rivers. Can
you think of some things?
Allow students to answer
aloud and probe for more
solutions based on the table
at the end of the procedure.
Consider doing a service-
learning project with your
students. Call one of the
LSU AgCenter Youth
Wetlands Program agents;
they can provide materials
and guidance.
Discuss ideas for reducing
pollutants and improving
local water body health.
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Grade Level
Upper Elementary
Middle School
High School
Duration
50-55 minutes
Setting
The classroom
Vocabulary
Carnivore
Secondary Consumer
Tertiary Consumer
Omnivores
Scavengers
Detritivores
Producers
Herbivores
Wetland Webs Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview
This lesson introduces the students to the food chain of the
wetlands. Students play a specific role in the food chain and
eliminate themselves to see how all wetland organisms are
related and rely on one another.
Learning Objectives
The students will:
Create a physical representation of a wetland food
web and identify the importance of each component
in the web.
GLEs Science
4th – (SI-E-A1), (LS-E-A3, C1), (SE-E-A2)
5th – (LS-M-C2M, C3, C4, D1), (SE-M-A2)
6th – (SI-M-A1)
7th – (LS-M-C2, C3, C4, D1, D2), (SE-M-A2, A4, A5)
8th – (SE-M-A4)
High School – (SE-H-A7, A10), (LS-H-D2)
English Language Arts
4th – (ELA-1-E5), (ELA-4-E1, E5), (ELA-7-E4)
5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M4)
6th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2)
7th – (ELA-4-M1, M2), (ELA-7-M4_
8th – (ELA-3-M2), (ELA-4-M1, M2)
High School – (ELA-4-H1, H4), (ELA-7-H2, H4)
Materials List Large index cards (1 pack of 100 provided)
Hole punch
Markers (1 pack provided)
Books or magazines of wetland wildlife (teacher provides)
Ball of yarn
Background Information
See the General Wetlands Information section at the front of the curriculum binder for
more information on the different wetland habitats found in Louisiana and the types of
animals that inhabits those areas.
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All living things need food to be active and healthy and to grow and reproduce. Almost
all plants make their own food. Animals must eat other living things to get the food they
need. Animals can be herbivores, carnivores or omnivores based on what they eat.
Plants and animals make up links in different food chains. A food chain is made up of
plants and animals that are connected because they either eat or get eaten by each other.
Every plant and animal belongs to at least one food chain.
Definitions:
Carnivores - Animals that eat other animals.
Secondary consumer - An organism that feeds on primary consumers; a carnivore.
Tertiary consumer - A high-level consumer, which is usually the top predator in an
ecosystem and/or food chain.
Omnivores - Feed on both plants and animals.
Scavengers - Animals that feed on dead or decaying organic matter.
Detritivores - Feed on detritus, the little-altered remains of living organisms.
Producers - Plants that perform photosynthesis and provide food for consumers.
Herbivores - Animals that eat only plants.
Advance Preparation
1. Complete “Wetland Metaphors” before beginning this activity.
2. Divide the class into 6 groups.
Procedure
1. Discuss with students that the wetlands are one of the most productive habitats on
earth in terms of the variety and amount of organisms they can support. Only the
rain forest is more productive than a marsh!
2. Wetlands provide habitat for wildlife. Is this a value or a function? (Answer =
both) Does it benefit people? Is it something the wetlands do to keep the
ecological balance of earth?
3. Give the students the list of wetland wildlife.
4. The first group makes up the producers. What do the producers have in common?
How do the producers get their food?
5. Ask the same questions for herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, scavengers and
detritivores.
6. Divide the groups into primary and secondary producers. (See T-3 format for
additional information.)
7. Now we will make a food chain from our list of organisms.
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8. Have the students divide into 6 groups. Each person in the group will choose an
animal from one of the groups. All groups of organisms should be represented.
9. The students will decorate an index card with a picture of their organism, its name
and what it eats. Punch two holes in the top of the card and string it around their
necks, as if it were a necklace.
10. Now the student is his or her organism.
11. The students will now create a food web. The producers should come to the first
row, the herbivores behind them, carnivores behind the herbivores, scavengers
behind carnivores and detritivores behind all.
12. The teacher will represent the sun. The instructor will pass a ball of yarn to each
of the producers. Each producer must then choose an herbivore or omnivore who
would feed on it and pass the ball of yarn to them (hold loosely onto the thread).
This represents passing the energy along the food chain.
13. Now each herbivore and omnivore must find a carnivore. Pass the ball of yarn,
holding on to the thread.
14. The result should be a series of food chains that may cross over to create a web. If
some of the organisms cannot find an “eater” to eat them, they can hand the ball
of yarn to the scavengers or the detritivores.
15. Ask the questions: Can some organisms eat more than one kind of organism in
the web? Can some organisms be eaten by more than one organism in the web?
16. The scavengers and detritivores can actually feed at any level, but for the sake of
simplicity they can come last in the food chains. Discuss with the students how
the producers can directly feed the detritivores. Also, you can choose to bring in
the decomposers which have the job of breaking down the dead plant material and
making it more accessible to the detritivores.
17. Now ask the questions: What would happen to the food web if there were fewer
plants? What would happen if there were no scavengers?
18. Finally, discuss the following with the students: How would people be affected
by these last two events? What would happen if we doubled the number of
secondary consumers? If this wetland were drained, which organisms would
disappear from the food web? Could this affect people? What might happen if
there was an oil or chemical spill? What does this activity tell us about the value
of wetland food webs to people?
Blackline Masters
1. Pictures of wetland wildlife
2. Wetland Web Organism List
Resources
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. Wetland Webs.
http://www.btnep.org
Ducks Unlimited Greenwings. Accessed October 15, 2008.
http://www.greenwing.org/teachersguide/fall_98_folder/omnivores/More_About/more_about.html
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Wetland WebsStudent Activity Sheet
Pictures of Wetland WildlifeInstructions: Students can cut out pictures from this page to add to their index card, or they may draw their own wetland wildlife pictures.
ProducerCarnivore
Herbivore
DetritivoreOmnivore
Scavenger
Youth Wetlands Program
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Wetland WebsStudent Activity SheetName
Wetland Webs Organism ListPRODUCERS
Smooth cordgrass
Wire grass
Bulltongue
Giant cutgrass Cattail
Three-cornered grass
Phytoplankton
Alligator weed Duckweed
HERBIVORES
Lubber grasshoppers
Nutria
Deer
Rabbit
OMNIVORES
Opossum
Raccoon
Human
Coot (poule d’eau)
CARNIVORES
Golden silk spider
Alligator
Redfish
Leopard frog
Cottonmouth
Great egret
Ibis
DETRITIVORES
Amphipods
Fungi
Shrimp
Crawfish
SCAVENGERS
Turkey vulture
Crawfish
Shrimp
Blue crab
Housefly
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Wetland Webs in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What the Students Do
One of the values of
wetlands we listed in
Activity 1 (Wetland
Metaphors) was providing a
rich habitat for wildlife.
Wetlands are one of the
most productive habitats on
earth in terms of the variety
and amount of organisms
they can support. Only the
rain forest is more
productive than a marsh!
Would this be a value or a
function of wetlands? Does
it benefit people? Is it
something wetlands do to
keep the ecological balance
of the earth?
The students may reply
“both” to this question. If
they are uncertain, let this
activity help them decide.
Here is a list of organisms
that live in the wetlands.
The list is divided into six
groups. Let’s look at the
first group, the producers.
What do they all have in
common?
How do plants get their
food?
Hand out student activity
sheets with pictures of
wetland wildlife and
organism list.
The students observe that
they are all plants.
Students reply that plants
make their own food using
sunlight, water and carbon
dioxide through the process
of photosynthesis.
What about the next group,
the herbivore or primary
consumers. Do they have
anything in common?
Now the carnivore group.
We also can call them
secondary and tertiary
consumers. What do they
all have in common?
Students reply they are all
animals that eat plants.
They all eat animals.
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What do omnivores eat?
What do scavengers eat?
What do detritivores eat?
They eat plants and animals.
They eat dead animals.
They eat decaying plant
matter.
Detritivores often get
overlooked, but in the
marsh and swamp
ecosystem they are very
important. They live on
dead and decaying plant
material that we call
detritus. In the marsh, dead
and decaying marsh grass
makes up a large part of the
food supply at the
beginning of the food chain.
A lot of energy is locked up
in the dead material, and the
detritivores’ job is to break
down the materials by
converting the energy to a
form that can be used
further along the food
chain.
Let’s make a food chain
from our list.
We are going to make cards
with the organisms from the
list. We will divide the class
into six groups. Each group
will take a type of organism
from the list: producers,
herbivores, carnivores,
detritivores, omnivores,
scavengers. Each person in
your group should choose a
favorite organism and make
at least one organism card.
Write the name of your
organism on the card. If you
don’t know what your
organism eats, look in one
of the books in the
Help the students construct
a food chain using the list.
You can add to the list if
necessary.
Students construct food
chains using the organisms
in the list.
Each student chooses an
organism and makes a card
representing that organism,
researching information on
the diet of the organism and
drawing or finding a photo
of their organism to
illustrate the card.
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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
classroom to find out. Write
this information on the
card. You can either draw a
picture of your animal or
plant on the card or find a
picture of it and stick it on
the card.
When you have finished
your card, punch two holes
in the top edge and thread a
piece of yarn through it so
you can hang it round your
neck. You then “become”
that organism.
Now we are going to create
a food web.
All the producers come to
the front of the classroom
and make a row.
All the herbivores line up in
a row further back.
All the carnivores make the
next row (both secondary
and tertiary consumers).
The students make the cards
into labels and attach string
to hang the labels around
their necks.
The students organize into
groups of different levels of
the food chain.
Now make a row of
scavengers.
And finally, in the back of
the classroom, make a row
of detritivores.
I represent the sun, the
source of all energy on
Earth.
I will pass a ball of yarn to
each of the producers. Each
producer must then choose
an herbivore or omnivore
who would feed on the ball
(holding loosely onto the
thread). This represents
passing the energy along
The end result should be a
series of food chains which
may cross over to create a
web. If some of the
organisms cannot find an
“eater” to eat them, they
can hand the ball of yarn to
the scavengers or the
The producers pass the yarn
to the herbivores and
omnivores, the herbivores to
the carnivores, etc.
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the food chain.
Now each herbivore and
omnivore must find a
carnivore. Pass them the
ball of yarn, holding onto
the thread.
detritivores.
Now, what about the
scavengers?
What about the
detritivores?
Can some organisms eat
more than one kind of
organism in the web?
Can some organisms be
eaten by more than one
organism in the web?
The scavengers and
detritivores actually can
feed at any level, but for the
sake of simplicity, they can
come last in the food chain.
Discuss with the students
how the producers can
directly feed the
detritivores. Also, you can
choose to bring in the
decomposers, which have
the job of breaking down
the dead plant material and
making it more accessible
to the detritivores.
The students consider how
the scavengers and
detritivores fit in to the food
web.
Students recognize that
some organisms eat or are
eaten by more than one
other type of organism in
the web.
What would happen to the
food web if there were
fewer plants?
What would happen if there
were no scavengers?
The students answer the
questions, considering how
imbalances can affect the
food web, how the
imbalances can affect
people and how people can
cause the imbalances.
How would people be
affected by these last two
events?
What would happen if we
doubled the number of
secondary consumers?
If this wetland were
drained, which organisms
would disappear from the
food web? Could this affect
people?
The students should see that
people are part of the
wetland food web and that
healthy wetlands mean a
healthy economy for the
human inhabitants.
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What might happen if there
was an oil or chemical
spill?
What does this activity tell
us about the value of
wetland food webs to
people?
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Grade Level
Upper Elementary
Middle School
High School
Duration
Two 50-55 minute
class periods
Setting
The classroom
Vocabulary
Wetland
Article Wetland Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview
In this lesson, students will learn how to write a newspaper article,
as well learn about wetlands and the animals that live there.
Learning Objectives
The students will:
Learn how to write a newspaper/magazine article
Lean about the importance of Louisiana’s wetlands
GLEs Science
4th – (SI-E-A1, A5, B1, B6)
5th – (SI-M-A1, B1, B7, C3)
6th – (SI-M-A1,M A7, B1)
7th – (LS-M-D2), (SE-M-A1, A4, A8)
8th – (SE-M-A4)
High School – (LS-H-D4), (SE-A7)
English Language Arts
4th – (ELA-2-E1, E3, E4), (ELA-3-E1, E2, E3)
5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-2-M1, M2, M3, M4), (ELA-3-M2, M3, M4, M5),
(ELA-4-M3), (ELA-5-M2), (ELA-7-M4)
6th – (ELA-1-M1, M4), (ELA-2-M1, M2, M3), (ELA-3-M2, M5), (ELA-4-M1, M4), (ELA-5-M1,
M2, M4, M5), (ELA-6-M3), (ELA-7-M4)
7th – (ELA-1-M4), (ELA-2-M1, M2, M3, M6), (ELA-3-M2, M3, M5), (ELA-4-M1, M3),
(ELA-5-M1, M2, M3), (ELA-6-M3), (ELA-7-M4)
8th – (ELA-1-M4), (ELA-2-M1, M2, M3, M4), (ELA-3-M2, M3, M5), (ELA-4-M1, M3),
(ELA-5-M1, M2, M3, M5), (ELA-7-M1, M4)
High School – (ELA-1-H3, H4), (ELA-2-H1, H2, H3, H4, H5), (ELA-3-H2, H3), (ELA-4-H1,
H2, H3, H4, H5), (ELA-5-H1, H2), (ELA-7-H1, H2, H3, H4)
Social Studies
8th – (G-1D-M1)
High School – (G-1D-H5)
Materials List Pencils (one pack provided)
Colored pencils (one pack provided)
Copy of a recent newspaper (optional – teacher provides)
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Background Information
See the General Wetlands Information section at the front of the curriculum binder for more
information on the various types of habitats found in Louisiana’s wetlands.
The following are major wetland habitats found in Louisiana:
Swamp habitat may be defined as a forested wetland that is flooded for a large part of the year.
The dominant vegetation includes baldcypress, swamp tupelo gum and red maple – three species
adapted to living in flooded conditions. The animals found in the swamp are also adapted to
wetter conditions. They include alligators and turtles, herons and egrets, nutria and swamp
rabbits. The swamps are also found in the upper part of the estuary.
Freshwater marsh habitat is characterized by its wide variety of herbaceous plant species
including bulltongue, giant cutgrass, water lilies and pickerelweed. Many species of birds, frogs,
fish, snakes and other reptiles inhabit the freshwater marshes. The freshwater marshes are found
adjacent to swamps, south of forested wetlands.
Intermediate marsh habitat is a transition zone between freshwater and brackish marsh
habitats. Though it has the largest number of furbearers, it has fewer species than the freshwater
habitat, but more than the brackish habitat.
Brackish marsh habitat is characterized by having far fewer species of herbaceous plants than
the freshwater marsh. Plants living in brackish marsh must be able to tolerate changing salinity
levels as salt water and fresh water mix. The dominant species of plant is wire grass. Common
animal species include otter, mink, ibis, white pelicans, blue crabs and shrimp.
Traveling toward the Gulf of Mexico, the next habitat is the saltwater marsh. This is a more
specialized habitat; fewer species are adapted to living in the harsh conditions of the salt marsh.
The dominant vegetation is oyster grass, also called smooth cordgrass or scientifically Spartina
alterniflora. Other plants include black rush and black mangrove. The salt marsh snail lives on
the stems of the oyster grass. Oysters, shrimp, crabs and numerous species of fish abound
beneath the water. The saltwater marsh is the nursery ground for many Gulf species. Brown
pelicans also are seen feeding with gulls and terns.
At the edge of the estuary lie many bays and lakes as the salt marsh gives way to the Gulf of
Mexico. Most of the life is found beneath the water, as any fisherman knows. Redfish, shrimp,
blue crabs, flounder and oysters are some of the many species living in these habitats. Almost
half of Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary is made up of shallow open water, which includes the
saltwater bays as well as the freshwater lakes further inland.
Finally, the barrier islands represent the last terrestrial habitat before the open waters of the
Gulf. The barrier island habitat is harsh; the species there are adapted to an unstable, salty
environment. On the Gulf side, a barrier island is made up of a beach and low sand dunes
inhabited by grasses and shrubs including groundsel and iva. The bay side of barrier islands is
dominated by salt marsh habitats. Barrier islands are subject to rapid erosion rates and frequent
storms, but they are very important, specialized habitats for many species, particularly seabirds.
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Louisiana Wetland Facts
Land Loss in Coastal Louisiana
Louisiana has lost 1,900 square miles of land since the 1930s. Currently, Louisiana has
30 percent of the total coastal marsh and accounts for 90 percent of the coastal marsh loss
in the lower 48 states.
Between 1990 and 2000, wetland loss was approximately 24 square miles per year – that
is the equivalent of approximately one football field lost every 38 minutes. The projected
loss over the next 50 years, with current restoration efforts taken into account, is
estimated to be approximately 500 square miles.
According to land loss estimates, hurricanes Katrina and Rita transformed 217 square
miles of marsh to open water in coastal Louisiana.
Population Living in the Coastal Parishes
In 2000, more than 2 million residents, which is more than 50 percent of the state’s
population according to U.S. Census estimates, lived in Louisiana’s coastal parishes.
Shoreline and Flood Protection
Louisiana’s coastal marshes protect the shoreline from erosion by acting as a buffer
against wave actions and storm surge. For every mile of wetland, storm surge is reduced
by 1 foot. Wetlands near the coast and near rivers will slow surging floodwater, thus
reducing flood damage.
Wetlands as a Water Filter Scientists and engineers around the world recognize the ability of wetlands to filter
pollutants and absorb nutrients can be put to work to help purify wastewater. In
Louisiana, the abundance of natural wetlands makes the use of wetlands for water
purification an option. Wetlands act like the kidneys of the ecosystem because they are
capable of filtering pollutants such as sewage, fertilizer runoff (nitrogen and phosphorus)
and heavy metals from industrial waste. In Amelia and Thibodaux, studies focus on using
distressed wetlands to purify water that has been partially treated in a sewage treatment
plant. The wetlands can replace much costlier artificial methods without negative
environmental health consequences. In fact, studies have shown that the nutrient-rich
water from the sewage plant can help restore a wetland area suffering from the effects of
subsidence and insufficient freshwater and nutrient inflows.
Waterborne Commerce
Louisiana coastal wetlands provide storm protection for ports that carry 487 million tons
of waterborne commerce annually. That accounts for 19 percent of all waterborne
commerce in the United States each year. Five of the top 15 largest ports in the United
States are located in Louisiana.
Fishing, Hunting and Harvesting in the Wetlands
In 2005, Louisiana commercial landings exceeded 847 million pounds with a dockside
value of $253 million; that accounts for approximately 25 percent of the total catch by
weight in the lower 48 States. Annual expenditures related to noncommercial fishing in
Louisiana can amount to between $703 million and $1.2 billion.
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In 2001, hunting-related expenditures in Louisiana amounted to $446 million.
Trapping and fur harvesting in Louisiana coastal wetlands generates approximately $1.78
million annually. The Louisiana alligator harvest is valued at approximately $30 million
annually.
Louisiana Wetland Animals
Migrating ducks and geese depend on wetlands for resting and feeding during their long
annual treks. Loss of wetlands means loss of waterfowl populations. The coastal wetlands
of Louisiana are also important stopover points for neotropical (from tropical South
America) birds as they make their migrations in the spring and fall.
A number of endangered and threatened species also depend on wetlands for their
survival and thrive in Louisiana’s wetlands. Up to 43 percent of endangered species use
wetlands for habitat for all or part of their lives. The bald eagle and the brown pelican are
the best known recovering species that live in the wetlands, but there are others, including
several species of sea turtles and fish.
The wetlands provide nutrition and shelter for numerous marine species that complete
part of their life cycle in the coastal wetlands and the remainder in the open water of the
Gulf of Mexico.
Other animals that use Louisiana’s wetlands to make their home include deer, rabbit,
nutria, raccoon, humans, fungi, shrimp, crawfish, redfish, alligator, blue crab,
grasshoppers, duckweed, coot and opossum.
Definitions:
Wetland – An environment that is transitional between dry land and water. Water is the
dominant factor controlling the nature of the soil and, therefore, the types of plants and animals
living in and on the soil.
Advance Preparation
1. Make a copy of the Planning a Wetland Newspaper Article activity sheet for every
student in your class.
2. Make two copies of the Article Wetland activity sheet. One will be distributed on the first
day so the students can write a rough draft, and the second one will be distributed on the
second day to make a final draft.
Procedure
1. Ask students if they can describe or define a wetland. Discuss with the class the different
types of wetlands and why Louisiana wetlands are important.
2. Pass around a current newspaper for students to review.
3. Hand out the Planning a Wetland Newspaper Article activity sheet to the students and
help them fill it out.
4. Tell students to use what they wrote on the Planning a Wetland Newspaper Article to
write a newspaper article on what takes place on a day-to-day life in a Louisiana wetland.
Make sure students use some facts in their article.
5. Let the students know that this is only a rough draft and tomorrow they will rewrite it and
present it to the class.
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6. On the second day, give the students a chance to rewrite their article and decorate it.
Once students are done, let them present it in front of the class and let the class vote on
who has the best article with decoration.
Blackline Masters
1. Planning a Wetland Newspaper Article
2. Article Wetland
Resources
Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources: Coastal Fact Sheet.
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/crm/coastalfacts.asp
Mitsch, W. and J. Gosselink. 1993. Wetlands. New York, NY.
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Article WetlandStudent Activity SheetName
Planning a Wetland Newspaper ArticleFollow this step-by-step guide to plan your wetland article:
1. What will your article be about? What is the main message/thesis? _________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
2. What is your opening sentence? (Grab the reader’s attention by using an opening sentence that is a
question or something unexpected!) _________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
3. How will your wetland article answer these questions?
•Who?_______________________________________________
•What?_______________________________________________
•Where?______________________________________________
•When?_______________________________________________
•Why?_______________________________________________
4. What will your supporting paragraphs be about? Give the details. Write in the third person (he, she, it or
they). Be objective. Use active verbs so the reader feels things are really happening! _____________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Last paragraph: Round off your article. Try ending with a quote or a catchy phrase!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What is the title/headline of your article? A headline is like a short poem. It communicates a lot of information
in a small space.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Byline: Underneath the article title, state who wrote the article; “By ....”
___________________________________________________________________
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Article WetlandStudent Activity SheetName
YOUTH WETLANDS OBSERVER
By: _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Article Wetland in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What The Students Do
Today you will be learning
about wetlands and why they
are important to Louisiana.
Do you know what a wetland
is?
Wait for student’s response. The students will give you
their definition of a wetland.
A wetland is an environment
in that is transitional between
dry land and water. Water is
the dominant factor
controlling the nature of the
soil and, therefore, the types
of plants and animals living
in and on the soil. Examples
of wetlands in Louisiana
include marshes (salt,
brackish and fresh), swamps,
bogs and even barrier islands.
Go over in detail (from the
background information)
what makes the different
types of wetland habitats
unique.
Does anyone know why
wetlands are important to
Louisiana?
Wait for students’ responses. Students will discuss why
they feel wetlands are
important to Louisiana.
Louisiana’s wetlands are
important for a lot of
different reasons.
Go over the details of
Louisiana’s wetland loss and
other Louisiana wetland facts
from the background
information.
What are some ways we can
let people in our communities
know about Louisiana’s
wetlands?
Listen to the students’ ideas
about letting people know
about wetlands.
Students will give ideas about
how they can let other people
know about Louisiana’s
wetlands.
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One way we can let other
people know about
Louisiana’s wetlands is by
writing articles for our local
and school newspapers.
Pass around examples of a
current newspaper.
The students will look over
and discuss the newspaper
articles.
You will write a newspaper
article based upon the daily
life in the wetlands. To help
you out, we will first outline
our article using this activity
sheet.
Distribute the “Planning a
Wetland Newspaper Article”
activity sheet to the students.
Students will fill out the
“Planning a Wetland
Newspaper Article” activity
sheet.
Now you need to use the
outline to write a rough draft
of your wetland article.
Make sure you use some facts
about wetlands that we
discussed earlier.
Distribute the “Youth
Wetlands Week” Observer
handout for the students.
The students will write a
rough draft of their wetland
article.
Tomorrow you will rewrite
your article, decorate it and
present it in front of the class.
So be creative!!!!
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