How the Envirothon Works
A Basic Introduction for Our Team
We will prepare this year
• To compete at a one day State environmental competition in May
• High School students from all over Massachusetts will be there
• ~500 people!
A basic understanding of ecosystems is essential
• FIRST STEP • Identifying: • Plants• Animals• Soils• Aquatic organisms
This is why the Envirothon program works
• Students (no coach/teacher help!) work with their team of five to:
• Answer 25 questions per ecostation that involve:
• Plant, Animal, Soils, & Aquatics ID
• Along with a basic understanding of the environment
5 basic topics in competition
• 5 basic topics in competition • Forestry Ecostation- 75 points • Wildlife Ecostation- 75 points • Soils Ecostation- 75 points• Aquatics Ecostation- 75 points (All ecostations, 25 questions, 3 points each)• Current Issue Presentation - 100 points (15 minute presentation by students with 10 minutes of questions by judges)
• So… 75% of team score is ecostation tests, 25% of score is the presentation (based on your research and community work on the Current Issue)
Forestry• Native trees/shrubs• Latin names• Common names• Winter buds are critical!• leaves, bark, fruit• Typical habitat• Learn to use the field guide
book!• You can use it at the
competition
Wildlife• Tracks• Scat• Fur/hair• Bones/skulls• Evidence of feeding• Dens• Sounds• Movement• Behavior
Fisher
Turkey tracks
Deer scat
Soils• Understand the basic
soil types• Parent material• How they feel• Colors• Size of particles• Where typically found• Soil profiles- soil pit
Envirothon EcostationTeam identifies soils
Digging a soil pit
• Allows you to see the soil profile
Aquatics• Collect & ID aquatic
insects & plants• Record any other aquatic
life forms found (amphibians)
• Measure stream flow• Oxygen concentration• pH• Understanding the
importance of wetlands• Where is your watershed?
Current Issue• Research- understand the
issue basics• Get to know your community:
• Interview• Collect data• Write • Debate
• Perfect your public speaking• Find an issue that really
interests you and is a practical step for your community
• Implement!
Put all of your work on the Current Issue together
• Each team member should speak (~3 minutes/student x 5 students = 15 minutes)
• Practice!• Anticipate questions• Each student be
prepared to answer a question
Whether you win or not
• You’ll discover that winning isn’t as important as what you will learn about the environment
• Guaranteed to change your world!:)
• Have FUN!