Wetland Wildlife and Fisheries
238 Animal Adaptations Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview Grade Level The plants and animals that live in wetlands have special Upper Elementary characteristics that help them live in these wet areas. This lesson teaches students how animals survive in their habitat Duration by adapting, or fitting in, to the environment. 50-55 minutes
Learning Objectives Setting The students will: The classroom . Describe the behavioral and physical adaptations of a wetland animal Vocabulary . Relate how animal adaptations help them survive in a Adaptation specific habitat Wetland . Design the ultimate wetland animal with wetland Habitat survival adaptations
GLEs Science 4th – (S1-E-A1, A3), (LS-E-A3, C1, C2) 5th – (LS-M-C3, D1) English Language Arts 4th – (ELA-1-E5, E6), (ELA-4-E2, E5) 5th – (ELA-1-M1, M3), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M4, M6), (ELA7-M1)
Materials List . Wooden craft sticks (to be cut and used as teeth) . Brown towel or brown coat (teacher provides) . Swim fins . Spray bottle with oil written on the side . Gloves . Headphones (to be used as earplugs) . Nose plugs . Goggles . Musk cologne or perfume ( teacher provides) . Paddle
Background Information See the General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more information on wetlands and the animals that live in these areas.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
239 A habitat is where animals live. Habitats provide food, water and shelter that animals need to survive, but there is more to survival than just what is found in their habitat. Animals also depend on their physical features to help them obtain food, be safe, build homes, withstand weather and attract mates. These features are called physical adaptations and some examples are: . The color of the fur . The thickness or thinness of the fur . The shape of the nose or ears . Horns or antlers that can be used to fight off predators . Chemicals that are sprayed from various body parts to deter predators . Animals may even be poisonous or unpleasant-tasting so that predators soon learn to leave them alone or avoid them.
Many animals have developed remarkable defenses to keep from being eaten. For example, grazing animals often feed in herds for protection. When a predator attacks, the animals scatter and run in different directions to confuse the predator and allow time for the animals to escape. These characteristics are called behavioral adaptations and other examples are: . Animals never venture too far from their home in underground dens or thick vegetation; therefore, they can quickly hide when danger approaches . Animals rely on camouflage or the ability to blend in with their surroundings to hide from predators . Animals use their keen senses of sight, smell and hearing to detect danger and escape . Animals are active only at night when it is harder for predators to find them . Animals rely on trickery and copy the defenses of other animals to protect themselves.
Wetlands Animals Wetlands are unique habitats that are characterized by the presence of water and saturated soils. This means that plants and animals living in these habitats must have special adaptations in order to survive there. Wetland plants must be suited for survival in soils that remain wet for most of the year. Animals that live in wetlands must have special biological and behavioral characteristics in order to live there. They must be able to use nutrients found in water, protect themselves from their enemies in a wet environment, and survive during times of saturation or drought. These animals are not able to survive in a wetland area unless they adapt or develop the skills necessary to migrate when conditions become undesirable.
Here are some examples of animals that live in Louisiana wetlands and the adaptations that help them survive there:
Alligator . Webbed hind feet for steering . Bulging eyes which make it look like a log . Protective, armor plated skin
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
240 Nutria . Webbed hind feet . Eyes, ears, and nostrils are set high on their heads. . Teats of the female are located high on the sides, which allows the young to suckle while in the water
Crawfish . Breathe through gills . Eyes are on movable stalks to allow sight in different directions. . Emit chemical cues to identify one another
Louisiana Black Bear . Ability to not eat, drink, urinate, or defecate, in the winter . Claws reach up to 9-12 inches long in order to catch and maintain its diet of fish, berries, and nuts . Possess a very acute sense of smell
Brown Pelican . Large bills with a flexible lower pouch that functions both as a fishing net and as a temperature regulation surface . Special air sacs under the skin on the front of its body protect the pelican from the impact of the dozens of dives it makes each day
Beaver information (Read out loud to class) The beaver is the largest North American rodent and lives in every state and province in the United States and Canada. Its biological name is Castor canadensis. American Indians called the beaver the “sacred center” of land because of its ability to change the landscape by damming streams and small rivers that enables other wetlands mammals, fish, frogs, turtles, ducks and birds to thrive in the newly constructed wetland habitat. Beavers live in lodges that they build on the banks of rivers and streams from small trees and mud. First, the beaver gnaws down trees and intertwines them to construct a dam, which floods the upstream portion of the river. Beavers then build their home, or lodge, on the bank of the river with the opening to the home underwater, which helps keep them safe from predators. Beavers are great swimmers and can hold their breath for as long as 12 to 15 minutes and can swim underwater up to a mile.
Beavers are often confused with another large rodent that is not native to Louisiana, the nutria. Unlike the nutria, beavers have a wide flat tail, which measures 11-15 inches long and 6 inches wide. They use their big tails like a paddle to propel them through the water when swimming and to warn other beavers of danger by slapping it on the water to raise an alarm. Adults are humped-backed and weigh an average of 33 pounds.
Beavers have several features besides their tails that help them live in an aquatic habitat. They have webbed feet and special castor glands on their abdomen that produce oil that the beaver rubs onto its fur to waterproof it. Also, their ears and nose have special muscles that allow them to close these openings when underwater.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
241 Beavers mate for life during their third year. Both parents care for the baby beavers, called “kits,” which are usually born in the spring. From one to four kits can be in a litter. The kits normally stay with their parents for two years, and yearlings act as babysitters for the new litter. Beavers can live for as long as 19 years and can grow as long as 3 to 4 feet. During their lifetime, beavers are strict vegetarians, eating on the outer layers of many woody trees, such as sweetgum, yellow poplar and willow. In Louisiana, beavers are trapped for their fur, which is part of a fur industry that produces more than 1.3 million pelts a year from nutria, muskrat, mink, otter and beaver.
Definitions:
Adaptation – The ability of a species to survive in a particular habitat or niche. Any physical changes in an organism that allow it to survive a particular habitat, defend itself from prey or more easily reproduce.
Habitat – The natural environment of an organism; place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism
Wetland – A low-lying area that is wet year-round or during portions of the year. It is usually able to support types of vegetation typically adapted for saturated soil conditions.
Advance Preparation 1. Place all beaver adaptation props in a brown bag or pillow case. 2. Place pictures of a beaver at the front of the classroom. 3. Divide students into groups of no more than 3 or 4.
Procedure 1. Tell the students that today we will discuss several animals that live in wetlands and how they are able to survive living in those wetlands. Bring up the vocabulary word adaptation. Can students define adaptation? 2. Use the background information to lead to class discussion on adaptations and wetland animals. 3. Read out loud the background information of a beaver to the class. 4. Ask the students for a volunteer to come to the front of the classroom. This person will be the “new class pet,” a beaver. 5. Take out one prop at a time from the bag. Ask the students what adaptation of a beaver the prop represents. 6. If the student gets it right he or she can help the “new class pet” put on the prop. See list of correct answers for all props. You may have to help students think creatively. 7. Now that students have completely dressed their new class pet and described many typical adaptations of a beaver to a wetland, ask students to once again define a wetland. After getting several student answers, ask them to describe a wetland. You may want to write descriptive words on the blackboard. Good answers would be lots of water, sometimes salty, muddy, different kinds of plants, different kinds of animals, etc.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
242 8. Once students have adequately described a wetland, ask the groups to create a fictitious wetland animal. They will need to give their fictitious wetland animal at least five different adaptations that allow it to survive in the wetlands. 9. Students should draw their new animal on the student activity sheet and list the five adaptations below the picture. 10. Student volunteers will then hold up the fictitious wetland animal picture for the class to see and describe how that particular animal is adapted to surviving in the wetlands. 11. Hang all class pictures around the classroom!
Answer key to dressing a student like a beaver!
Item Represents Beaver Part Functions Paddle Tail • Helps beaver maneuver while swimming (propeller to push it through the water and rudder to steer). • A warning for other beavers of possible danger when slapped on the surface of water. • A place to store fat when the food supply is low. • Becomes a support (like a stool) when beaver sits to gnaw on trees. Teeth Teeth • Help the beaver obtain wood materials for food (tree cambium) and to build their lodges and dams. • Are unique. They grow at an enormous rate (as much as 3 inches a month). • Front teeth grow continuously, keeping pace with the constant wear from gnawing wood. They stick out past beaver's lips so it can gnaw, chew and swallow underwater without choking. Brown Towel Fur • Helps keep the animal warm. • Inner fur, or undercoat, is thick, soft and fuzzy. It traps air to keep the body warm. • Outer fur consists of tough guard hairs that shed water like a raincoat. • The beaver has a built-in radiator, a special kind of circulation that brings heat to their legs and feet, which are often wet and exposed to the cold. • The brown coloration of beaver fur provides protective camouflage when out of water. • The beaver was once an endangered species in western North America because of extensive trapping for the sale of furs. Oil can Oil gland • Oil helps keep the beaver dry even when swimming. Swim flippers Back feet • Webbed hind feet of the beaver enhance the
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
243 swimming ability by providing propulsion. • Second toe on each foot has a split nail that is used for grooming. Gloves Front paws • Enable beaver to grasp materials much like human hands. • Used for digging, working on dams and building lodges, as well as gripping food. Ear plugs Special muscles in ear • Enable beavers to close their ear openings canals completely so no water enters when underwater. • Beavers can stay underwater up to 15 minutes. Nose plugs Special muscles in nose • Enable beavers to close their nose openings completely so that no water is able to enter while they are submerged. • Beavers can stay underwater up to 15 minutes. Swimming Third clear eyelid • The “nictitating membrane” covers and goggles protects the eyes. Musk Castor gland • This special oil gland is used for marking perfume territory. • Beaver musk oil has been used to make some perfumes and medicines.
Blackline Master 1. Animal Adaptation
Resources Alaska Department of Wildlife and Game Division of Wildlife Conservation. River Otter Fun Facts. Black Bear Fun Facts. http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=funfacts.riverotter http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=funfacts.blackbear
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. Understanding Animal Adaptations. Living Resources: Animal Adaptations. www.btnep.org
Mosbacker, Linda Animal Adaptations Utah Education Network http://www.uen.org/utahlink/activities/view_activity.cgi?activity_id=4750
Seaworld. Manatees Adaptations for an aquatic environment. http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/manatee/adaptations.htm
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
244 Animal Adaptations Name Student Activity Sheet Animal Adaptation Directions: In the box below create the ultimate wetland animal. Give your animal at least 5 adaptations that allow it to survive in the wetlands. Describe the adaptations of your animal below the box!
Adaptations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 245 Animal Adaptations in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What the Students Do All animals live in habitats Explain to the students Students will listen to your that provide water, food and about habitats. explanation of habitats. shelter for them.
Today we will discuss Solicit answers from Students will answer with several animals that live in students about what they what they think adaptation wetlands and how they are think the word adaptation means. able to survive living in means. those wetlands. Can anyone define the word adaptation?
I will now read out loud Read out loud the Students will listen to the some background background information of background information information on beavers to a beaver to the class. you present to them about you. beavers.
Ask the students for a Pick a student volunteer. Students will pick volunteer volunteer to come to the to be the new “class pet front of the classroom. Tell beaver.” them that this person will be the “new class pet,” a beaver.
Tell the students that you Take the props out one at a Students will give their have some adaptations of a time and solicit answers feedback to you on what beaver in a bag and that you from the students about type of adaptation each prop want them to name the what kind of adaptation is represents. Then they will adaptation as you take out a represented by the prop. help the “class pet” put on prop. Tell them that the the prop. student who gets the adaptation correct will get to help the “class pet” put on the adaptation (prop).
Ask students to once again Solicit answers from the Students will define a define a wetland. class. wetland.
After they have defined a Solicit answers and write Students will describe the wetland ask them to them on the blackboard. characteristics of a wetland. describe a wetland. Good answers would be lots
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
246 of water, sometimes salty, muddy, different kinds of plants, different kinds of animals, etc.
Tell the students that in Give students directions Students should draw their their groups, they will about what their fictitious new animal on the student create a fictitious wetland wetland animal needs to activity sheet and list the 5 animal. Tell them that they have. adaptations below the will need to give their picture. fictitious wetland animal at least 5 different adaptations that allow it to survive in the wetlands.
Tell the students to Help appoint a group The group representative designate a group representative if the will hold up the fictitious representative and he or she students cannot decide animal drawing and will hold up the fictitious themselves. describe what it is and what wetland animal picture for the adaptations of the the class to see and describe animal are. how that particular animal is adapted to surviving in the wetlands.
Tell the students that you Hang the drawing of the will hang the fictitious fictitious animals around animals around the the classroom. classroom so they can admire each others work and maybe even learn something else about adaptations.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
247 Math Crabbing Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview Grade Level This lesson uses one of Louisiana’s favorite animals, the Upper Elementary blue crab, to introduce students to prime and composite Middle School numbers. Use this activity to determine what the students know about blue crabs (besides that they are good to eat) the Duration number of legs that they have. Two 50-55 minute class periods Learning Objectives The students will: Setting . Learn important information about the blue crab The classroom . Distinguish the difference between prime and composite numbers Vocabulary Prime number GLEs Composite number Science th 4 – (SI-E-A1), (LS-E-A3, C2) 5th – (SI-M-A1), (LS-M-D1) Math 5th – (N-1-M), (N-2-M), (N-4-M), (N-5-M), (N-6-M) 6th – (N-1-M)
Materials List . Pencils (1 pack provided)
Background Information The blue crab’s scientific name is Callinectes sapidus, which means, “Beautiful swimmer that is savory.”
Blue crabs are important bottom-dwelling predators that live in marshes along the Atlantic Coast of North and South America. Feeding – Blue crabs are scavengers and will eat anything they can get their claws on, including grass particles, small fish, decaying larger fish and detritus. Legs – Blue crabs are called “Decapods.” o Deca means 10 and pod means feet. . Thus, crabs have 10 legs. o Two front legs are the big claws – used for grabbing and shredding food o Middle six legs are the walking legs. . Crabs don’t walk forward and backward, they walk sideways
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2012
248 o Back two legs are called “swimmerets” – they are shaped like paddles/shovels. They’re used for digging into the sand and swimming away quickly (that’s why crabs can be hard to catch) o Blue crabs have the ability to re-grow their legs. This works as a defense mechanism if a bird or someone picks them up by their legs. They will break off that leg and re-grow it the next time they molt (explained below). Male/female blue crabs – look at the belly o If it is shaped like a “rocket ship” or the “Washington Monument” it’s a male. o If it’s shaped like a “pyramid” or the “top of the Capitol building,” it’s a female Egg laying – The pyramid-shaped portion of the female blue crab is called the “purse” and will open up when the crab lays eggs. The egg sack looks like a big orange sponge. Females lay 750,000 to 8 million eggs at one time. How blue crabs grow – If you are ever at the beach and find the empty shell of a blue crab, most people think it is dead, but that’s not the case. o Blue crabs will “molt” when they grow. Since they have an exoskeleton, it does not grow as they get larger. Because of this, a crab will start to outgrow its shell (like a person outgrows shoes). o Just before they molt, the crab is surrounded by both the hard, outer shell and a soft, new one just beneath it. o When a crab has outgrown its shell, the top will break away from the bottom portion at the back of the body. The crab will then step out of the back of its shell and leave the empty carapace behind. o For three days, the blue crab is a soft-shelled crab (a favorite food here in Louisiana.). . Blue crabs will take in sea water (which has calcium in it) and then push this calcium out through their skin to form the hard shell. (They “sweat out” the calcium). Blue crabs breathe by using gills – they inhale water and pass it over their gills to remove oxygen from the water. If you ever hold a crab outside of the water and see it blowing bubbles, it is doing that to keep its gills moist and this allows it to keep breathing even though it is out of the water. Blue crabs can see 360 degrees. They can pull their eyes into their shell or stick them out.
Definitions:
Prime Number – a number that only can be divided by itself and 1. A prime number can be divided, without a remainder, only by itself and by 1. For example, 17 can be divided only by 17 and 1.
Composite Number – a number that is a multiple of at least two numbers other than itself and 1. Any number, greater than 1, that is not a prime number.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2012
249 Helpful facts: . The only even prime number is 2. All other even numbers can be divided by 2. . If the sum of a number's digits is a multiple of 3, that number can be divided by 3. . No prime number greater than 5 ends in a 5. Any number greater than 5 that ends in a 5 can be divided by 5. . Zero and 1 are not considered prime numbers. o Except for 0 and 1, a number is either a prime number or a composite number.
Advance Preparation 1. Make one copy of the activity sheet for every student.
Procedure 1. Ask students if they know what kind of animals live in the Louisiana wetland. (Let the students know that one of the animals is the blue crab. 2. Give the students some facts about the blue crabs from the background information. 3. Introduce the topic about prime and composite numbers to the students. Explain the difference between the two by reading the definitions to them. a. Prime numbers are numbers that only can be divided by itself and 1. Examples are 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, etc. b. Composite numbers is a number that is a multiple of a least two numbers other than itself and 1. a. Examples are 4, 6, 8, 9, etc. b. Factors of the number 8 = 1, 2, 4 and 8. 4. To prove whether a number is a prime number, first try dividing it by 2 and see if you get a whole number. If you do, it can't be a prime number. If you don't get a whole number, next try dividing it by prime numbers: 3, 5, 7 and 11 (9 is divisible by 3) and so on, always dividing by a prime number. 5. Give students the Math Crabbing work sheet. The directions are for the students to count the total number of crab’s legs and then break the total number down to a prime number. 6. Once the class is finished, discuss the answers with the whole class.
Blackline Master 1. Math Crabbing
Resources http://www.bluecrab.info/
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/bluecrab.asp
www.factmonster.com
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2012
250 Math Crabbing Name Student Activity Sheet Math Crabbing
Blue crabs can drop their legs to get away from predators. Their legs will grow back the next time the crab molts. Before that happens, we can use the number of remaining legs to learn about prime and composite numbers.
Prime number = a number that is only divisible by itself and 1. Composite number = a number that is a multiple of at least two numbers other than itself and 1.
Directions: Before the crabs molt and regrow their legs, add up the number of legs by using the numbers in the stomach and then breaking them down into prime numbers.
1.
6 6 2 7 3
How many legs do all the crabs have total? ______
Is the number of legs a prime or a composite number? ______
If the number of legs makes a composite number, what are the prime numbers?
______
2.
7 4 2 10
How many legs do all the crabs have total? ______
Is the number of legs a prime or a composite number? ______
If the number of legs makes a composite number, what are the prime numbers?
______
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 251 Math Crabbing Name Student Activity Sheet (continued)
3.
9 8 4 7
How many legs do all the crabs have total? ______
Is the number of legs a prime or a composite number? ______
If the number of legs makes a composite number, what are the prime numbers?
______
4.
6 4 5 3
How many legs do all the crabs have total? ______
Is the number of legs a prime or a composite number? ______
If the number of legs makes a composite number, what are the prime numbers?
______
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 252 Math Crabbing in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What The Students Do Today we will be doing an activity Wait for students’ The students will give their dealing with prime and composite response. opinion of what a blue crab numbers by learning about blue crabs. is. Does anyone know what a blue crab is?
Let’s discuss a few things that make a Review the background blue crab unique. information on blue crabs with the students.
Now we will go over prime and After the students Students will define what composite numbers. Can you give me response you will read prime and composite the definitions of a prime number and a the definitions of prime numbers are. composite number? and composite numbers.
I will give examples of prime numbers Give examples of each. Students will break down and composite numbers. Prime When examples of composite numbers into the numbers are 1,2,3,5,7, etc. and composite numbers are prime numbers that the composite numbers are 4,6,8,9, etc. given, ask the students composite numbers are to beak composite divisible by. To prove whether a number is a prime numbers down to prime number, first try dividing it by 2, and numbers. see if you get a whole number. If you do, it can't be a prime number. If you don't get a whole number, next try dividing it by prime numbers: 3, 5, 7 and 11 (9 is divisible by 3), always dividing by a prime number. Now we will do an activity sheet about Pass out the activity Work on the activity sheet. prime and composite numbers using sheet. blue crabs as an example. You count the crab legs and determine if the total number of legs is a prime or composite number. If it is a composite number, break the number of legs into a prime number.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
253
Alligator Egg Hunt Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview Grade Levels In this lesson, students will experience the process of alligator egg Upper Elementary hunting and retrieval for ranching purposes. Alligator ranching, a Middle School source of economic value for Louisiana, also aids in conservation; by helping to protect the American alligator and wetland Duration ecosystems. 50-55 minutes
Learning Objectives Setting The students will: Outdoors with inside . Know major alligator adaptations reading exercise . Understand the basics of alligator ranching . Discover the difference between alligators and crocodiles Vocabulary . Comprehend how alligator ranching and wetland Natural resource conservation are related Renewable resource Nonrenewable GLEs resource Science Human resource 4th – (SI-E-A1, A2, A5, B4), (LS-E-A3, C2, C3) Capital resource 5th – (SI-M-A3, A4, A7), (SE-M-A2, A4), (LS-M-D1) Endangered species th 6 – (SI-M-A4, A7, B7), (SE-M-A6, A8) Population 7th – (SI-M-A4, A7, B7), (LS-M-D2), (SE-M-A1, A4, A8) th Reptile 8 – (SI-M-A4, A7, B7), (SE-M-A4) English Language Arts 4th – (ELA-1-E5, E6, E7), (ELA-7-E1, E4) 5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-7-M1, M3) 6th – (ELA-7-MI, M3) 7th – (ELA-7-M1) Math 5th – (D-1-M), (D-2-M), (P-3-M), (A-4-M) 7th – (D-2-M), (N-3-M), (N-4-M), (N-5-M), (N-6-M), (N-7-M), M-8-M) 8th – (D-1-M), (N-5-M), (N-8-M)
Materials List . Cotton balls (A bag of 100 will be provided; teacher should provide any additional cotton balls needed.) o Ping pong balls, plastic Easter eggs or any other object that could be used as an egg can be used. (FYI: An alligator has 20-40 eggs per nest. The number of eggs used in your nests can be based on your personal preference.) . Leaves, sticks, pine needles, wood chips, to conceal eggs in nest (teacher provides) . Markers (1 pack provided)
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
254 Background Information See General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more information on Louisiana’s wetlands and wetland conservation.
The American alligator is a rare success story. The species was nearly wiped out by a high demand for alligator wallets, belts, boots and purses. They went from being near extinction and placed on the endangered species list in 1967 to not only recovering but thriving in both captivity and the wild. They were removed from the endangered species list 20 years later in 1987, due to strict state and federal protections, habitat preservation efforts and reduced demand for alligator products. Now, alligators are in such abundance that they are farmed, ranched and hunted for their hides and meat. The alligator population has increased from less than 100,000 to around 2 million in the past 30 years. What makes alligators so remarkable is that scientists believe the species is more than 150 million years old, meaning it was able to survive an extinction that killed its dinosaur counterparts 65 million years ago. They truly are living fossils. The only threats they face today are habitat destruction and encounters with humans.
First of all, what’s the difference between an alligator and crocodile? Salt Glands on Sensory Snout Jaws and Teeth Tongue Pits Upper jaw wider than lower jaw, Wide, overlapping it. The lower teeth are Sensory Salt glands are ALLIGATORS U-shaped, mostly hidden when mouth is closed pits only nonfunctional. short (and fit into sockets in the upper near jaws. jaw). Upper jaw is about the same size as lower jaw. The lower teeth show Sensory Narrow, Salt glands on the outside the upper jaw when mouth is pits over CROCODILES V-shaped, tongue excrete closed (especially noticeable is the most of the long excess salt. huge fourth tooth). The upper teeth body. show outside the lower jaw. Chart by Enchanted Learning
Alligators have many amazing adaptations or special tools or characteristics that help them to survive in the wild. Their tough skin, numerous sharp teeth, webbed feet, two sets of eyelids, anatomical positioning and ability to hold their breath help gators survive in the wetlands of the Louisiana. (Teachers: See “Animal Adaptations” in the Youth Wetlands program binder for an additional activity. Feel free to create an alligator costume on your own to supplement the beaver costume supplies provided.)
Skin The tough skin of the American alligator helps protect it from the harsh Southern sun, thick wetland vegetation, stubborn prey and rival gators. In addition, alligators have bony plates inside their skin called scutes or osteoderms. These osteoderms make the skin relatively impenetrable. Their skin also helps to camouflage them in their environment – giving them a striking resemblance to a floating log.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
255 Teeth With 80 teeth in a gator’s mouth at one time and 3,000 over a lifetime, these beasts truly are top predators. They have the strongest bite in the animal kingdom; an adult male gator delivers 2,125 pounds of force with each crushing bite compared to an adult lion with 940 pounds of force. Alligators don’t chew their prey. Instead, they shake it violently or submerse it until it drowns.
Feet/Tail An alligator’s back feet are webbed, allowing them to be excellent swimmers. Their webbed feet combined with the strong tail not only allow them to swim well but also allow them to steer and maneuver their large bodies with great agility. Alligators also have sharp claws that help them to dig.
Eyelids Alligators have two sets of eyelids. The outer set is comparable to humans – made of skin and closing top to bottom. The inner set is clear and it closes back to front. This clear cover helps them to see more clearly while under water.
Anatomical Positioning An alligator’s eyes, ears and nostrils all are located on the top of its head. This positioning allows them to be aware of what’s happening on the surface even when their submerged body is allowing them to be relatively unseen. Alligators are powerful swimmers and feel more comfortable in the water than on land. It’s important that their important sensory features allow them to stay in the water. They are able to close their ears and nostrils, making them air tight. Alligators also have sensory pits on their snouts that allow them to keenly sense vibrations/movement.
Ability to Hold Breath Alligators are able to hold their breath for nearly an hour as they lurk around waiting for prey. That sometimes can be extended to two hours if they are resting and up to eight hours in very cold water!
The American alligator is a true Louisiana icon. It is built for the harsh life of Louisiana wetlands. Alligators can be found throughout the state in ponds, canals, bayous, swamps, rivers, lakes and marshes. Louisiana has led the way in alligator conservation, serving as an example for conservation programs worldwide. Louisiana alligator conservation has been bringing in approximately $17.6 million annually for the past 40 years. Humans nearly wiped out the species, but due to conservation efforts, alligators are now flourishing and hopefully will live on for millions more years while continuing to help our local economy.
Definitions:
Natural resource – A material source of wealth, such as timber, fresh water or a mineral deposit that occurs in a natural state and has economic value.
Renewable resource – A substance of economic value that can be replaced or replenished in the same amount of time, or less time, that it takes to draw the supply down. Some renewable
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
256 resources have essentially an endless supply, such as solar energy, wind energy and geothermal pressure, while other resources are considered renewable even though some time or effort must go into their renewal, such as wood, oxygen, leather and fish. Most precious metals are considered renewable as well; even though they are not naturally replaced, they can be recycled because they are not destroyed during their extraction and use.
Nonrenewable resource – A natural resource such as coal, oil or natural gas that takes millions of years to form naturally and therefore cannot be replaced once it is consumed; it eventually will be used up.
Human resource – Humans who make up a workforce.
Capital resource – Productive asset such as equipment, inventory and plant that (unlike a natural resource) is manmade and employed in generation of income.
Endangered species – A population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters.
Controlled hunting – A controlled hunt limits the number of hunters allowed and the amount of game that can be killed.
Population – All the organisms that both belong to the same species and live in the same geographical area.
Reptile – Cold-blooded vertebrates that breathe air with lungs, have scales or scutes and lay eggs (generally).
Advance Preparation 1. Create alligator nests using mounds of leaves, pine needles and sticks found on school grounds. Once created, fill the nest with “eggs” using the cotton balls provided (or other materials you choose). Hide these nests around school grounds and cover them with leaves, sticks, needles and/or wood chips. a) The number of nests you need will depend on the size of your class. Your class will be separated into groups. Make one nest for approximately every 6 students. 2. Don’t forget where you hide your nests! Feel free to draw a map of the area to help you remember. 3. Make one copy of the reading exercise and student worksheet to be passed out to every student.
Procedure 1. Talk with your class about animal adaptations; include specific alligator adaptations (using the background information provided). 2. Pass out copies of the reading exercise to every student. 3. After the students finish the reading assignment, have them work on answering the supplemental questions individually or in small groups. 4. Once the students have answered the questions, review the answers as a class.
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257 5. Tell the students they will have the opportunity to play helicopter pilots or airboat operators from a gator ranch. They get to go in search of alligator eggs in a Louisiana marsh! 6. Divide the class into groups of two, three or four (depending on class size). You will need an even number of groups, because half the groups will play helicopter pilots and the other half will play airboat operators. a) Students must stay within their assigned roles as pilots or airboat operators. 7. Each group of pilots must pair with a small group of airboat operators. 8. First, send all the helicopter pilots out in search of a nest around school grounds. Each group should have a piece of paper and a writing instrument to draw with while at the nest site. a) You can choose to send one group out at a time or all pilots at once. 9. Helicopter pilots should locate one nest per group and should not touch the eggs. That is the job of the airboat operators. 10. Once a helicopter pilot group has found a nest, it must work together to draw a map to its nest for its airboat operator partner to follow a later time. 11. After a pilot group draws the map to its nest, that group should deliver the map to its partner airboat operator group. There should be no talking during this exchange. 12. Airboat operators then head out in search of the assigned nest by following the map provided by the pilots. 13. Once they find the nest, the airboat operators should gather the eggs and bring them back to their partner pilot group. 14. When all the airboat operator groups have located their nests, gathered the eggs and reunited with their partner pilot groups, have the class return to the classroom to “hatch” the eggs. 15. Tell students that on average in Louisiana, 86 percent of eggs in a nest hatch. The rest of the eggs are termed “empty eggs.” 16. Have the students count the total number of eggs from their nests and determine how many of them will hatch. 17. Based on this number, have the students determine the number of baby alligators that they will have to return to the wild. a) 14 percent of hatched alligators must be returned to the wild, which is required by Louisiana law. (You may opt to round down to 10 percent for an easier math exercise, however.) b) The rest of the hatched alligators are kept by the rancher and raised for hides and meat. Alligators generally are sold for a profit by the rancher when they reach 4 feet long. 18. Have the students create a pie chart showing the success of their nests. Use the following categories to divide the chart: a) Number (or percentage) of empty eggs. b) Number (or percentage) of alligators kept by the ranchers. c) Number (or percentage) of alligators returned to the wild.
Blackline Masters 1. Alligator Egg Harvest Reading Exercise 2. Reading Comprehension
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258 Resources Alligator Egg Hunt activity and reading assignment courtesy of Louisiana Alligator Advisory Council. http://alligatorfur.com/alligator/alligator.htm.
Brain, Marshall. 27 January 2004. How Stuff Works. How Alligators Work. Retrieved 20 August 2010, from http://animals.howstuffworks.com/reptiles/alligator2.htm
Ebersole, Rene. 01 August 2004. Open-Shut Case. Retrieved 25 August 2010, from http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National- Wildlife/Animals/Archives/2004/Animal-Perception.aspx Enchanted Learning. Retrieved 24 August 2010, from http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/Alligator.shtml
National Geographic. American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis. Retrieved 20 August 2010, from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/american-alligator/
Schreiber, Brandon. Adaptations. Retrieved 24 August 2010, from http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2007/schreibe_bran/adaptations.htm.
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259 Alligator Egg Hunt Name Student Activity Sheet Photos courtesy of the Louisiana Reading Exercise: Alligator Advisory Council Alligator Egg Collection
Directions: Carefully read the following passage. Be prepared to answer questions.
Alligators used to be an endangered species, but now alligators are a thriving species in Louisiana. The alligator population has increased from less than 100,000 to around 2 million in the past 30 years. When alligators were listed as endangered, the government stopped all alligator hunting, allowing the wild population to stabilize. During this time, scien- tists studied alligator biology to determine the ideal conditions to breed, hatch and raise alligators. After 7 the wild alligator population was stable, controlled hunting was allowed in certain areas where high alligator populations existed, and an alligator ranch- ing program was developed. This ranching program provides economic incentive to the landowners to protect the alligator’s habitat. In July and August, landowners and ranchers pick up alligator eggs out of the nests in the marshes. These alligators are hatched on ranches.
On the ranches, they are raised under ideal condi- tions, so they grow faster (4 feet in 12-18 months) than they do in the wild (4 feet in 4 to 5 years). Every year, the ranchers return 14 percent of their healthy, 4-foot-plus alligators to the wild. Only 10-20 percent of the wild alligators ever reach 4 feet in the wild, because birds, snakes, raccoons and other wetland 2 animals like to eat them when they’re small.
So the ranchers are returning alligators, which are too large to be prey to birds and raccoons. Ranchers or landowners fly over the marshes in helicopters to look for the nests. When they find one, they throw a pole down, so that they can spot it later from an airboat. They also mark the spot where they saw the nest on the map. Then they go out in airboats to col- lect the eggs. The man pictured on the top is studying the map. Then he spots the pole on the bottom.
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 260 Alligator Egg Hunt Name Student Activity Sheet (continued) Here, the egg collector has just found a nest. He will open the nest and then mark each egg with a magic marker across its top. Because of the way the baby alligator’s placenta attaches to the egg, if the egg is rolled over the alligator will drown in the egg. So the eggs are marked carefully and then set gently into a bucket and covered with grass.
After eggs are collected, ranchers buy eggs from the landowners. The landowners use the money they get from selling the eggs to protect the wetlands. The wetlands have been eroding, and seawater has been seep- ing in. Much of the wildlife living in the wetlands, including alligators, cannot live there if the water is too salty. So the landowners build land barriers between the wetlands and the sea and plant grasses to protect the area from erosion and salt water.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries determines the number of alligators that ranchers must return to the wild each year. It also controls the number of alligators allowed to be hunted and in which areas hunting is allowed. The department’s experts believe alligator hunting and ranch- ing programs are a model of wise environmental management and are supported by extensive scientific data. They also believe the wise use of this renewable natural resource helps maintain Louisiana’s cultural heritage.
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 261 Alligator Egg Hunt Name Student Activity Sheet Alligator Egg Hunt Reading Comprehension Directions: Answer the following questions by using the information provided by the reading.
1. What is the main idea in the reading passage above?
2. Put the following events in the correct order from 1 to 6.
______Scientists study alligators. ______Government started an alligator ranching program. ______Alligators were determined to be endangered. ______Alligators were determined to no longer be endangered. ______Government banned alligator hunting. ______Government allowed alligator hunting.
3. Order the steps of alligator ranching.
______Ranchers return 14 percent of their healthy alligators to the wild. ______Ranchers buy alligator eggs from landowners. ______Ranchers mark coordinates of alligator nests on a map. ______Landowners use money from egg sales to build land barriers. ______Ranchers go by airboat to collect alligator eggs. ______Ranchers fly over the marsh in helicopters to spot alligator nests. ______Alligator eggs are hatched on the ranches.
4. What is the author’s purpose for writing this passage?
5. Identify the things below as a natural resource, human resource or capital resource.
Airboat ______Helicopter ______Rancher ______Marsh ______Scientist ______Alligator ______
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 262 Alligator Egg Hunt Name Student Activity Sheet (continued)
6. Name an economic activity mentioned in the passage above related to one of Louisiana’s natural resources.
7. Describe an ecosystem important to maintaining an alligator industry.
8. Which government agency works with alligator ranchers to answer the four basic questions all producers must answer? (What will be produced? How will it be produced? For whom will it be produced? How much will be produced?) Which of the four basic questions does the government have the most control over? Which does the government have the least control over?
9. What is the economic benefit to increasing scientific knowledge about alligator biology?
10. What size of alligator is a common prey?
11. Name two predators that feed on small alligators.
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 263 Alligator Egg Hunt Name Student Activity Sheet 12. Predict possible outcomes for the following scenarios. a. Ranchers no longer buy alligator eggs from landowners. b. The government does not control the number of alligators hunted. c. Ranchers are not required to return any alligators to the wild.
13. How does the marsh ecosystem change when the salt content of the water increases?
14. Name a possible concern of removing small alligators from the wild.
15. Has the removal of small alligators from the food web had a significant effect on the population of birds, raccoons, snakes and other predators?
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 264
Alligator Egg Hunt Teacher Answer Key
1. What is the main idea in the reading passage above? Alligator hunting and ranching programs are a model of wise environmental management.
2. Put the following events in the correct order from 1 to 6. Government allowed alligator hunting. Alligators determined to be endangered. Government banned alligator hunting. Scientists study alligators. Alligators determined to no longer be endangered. Government started an alligator ranching program.
3. Order the steps of alligator ranching. Ranchers fly over the marsh in helicopters to spot alligator nests. Ranchers mark coordinates of alligator nests on a map. Ranchers go by airboat to collect alligator eggs. Ranchers buy alligator eggs from landowners. Landowners use the money from egg sales to build land barriers. Alligator eggs are hatched on the ranches. Ranchers return 14 percent of their healthy alligators to the wild.
4. What is the author’s purpose for writing this passage? The author’s purpose for writing this passage is for the reader to better understand the alligator ranching industry. The passage explains how humans nearly brought alligators to extinction but how they have also made a comeback thanks to good management practices. Alligator ranching has helped bring money to wetlands protection, increase alligator populations and help the Louisiana economy.
5. Identify the things below as natural resource, human resource or capital resource. Airboat – capital resource Helicopter – capital resource Rancher – human resource Marsh – natural resource Scientist – human resource Alligator – natural resource
6. Name an economic activity mentioned in the passage above related to one of Louisiana’s natural resources. Alligator ranching
7. Describe an ecosystem important to maintaining an alligator industry. Wetlands
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265 8. Which governmental agency works with alligator ranchers to answer the four basic questions all producers must answer? The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
The four questions all producers must answer are: 1. What will be produced? 2. How will it be produced? 3. For whom will it be produced? 4. How much will be produced?
9. What is the economic benefit to increasing scientific knowledge about alligator biology? Scientists are able to determine the ideal conditions to breed, hatch and raise alligators while increasing their knowledge. Knowing the ideal conditions allows ranchers to increase populations with less effort, thus increasing the number of gators that can be harvested.
10. What size of alligator is a common prey? Those less than 4 feet long
11. Name two predators that feed on small alligators. Could be any of these: Birds, snakes, raccoons or other wetland animals
12. Predict possible outcomes for the following scenarios. a. Ranchers no longer buy alligator eggs from landowners. –Landowners would no longer have the money to protect wetlands. Ranchers might start breeding alligators at their ranches to be able to have new eggs. In addition, alligators wouldn’t be as abundant in the wild because many would not survive their youth. b. The government does not control the number of alligators hunted. –Alligators could possibly be overhunted like they once were. We would have a repeat of population decline, and alligators could wind up on the endangered species list yet again. c. Ranchers are not required to return any alligators to the wild. –Wild populations might decrease. Alligator populations would continue to flourish in captivity, but there would be a large decline in wild alligators.
13. How does the marsh ecosystem change when the salt content of the water increases? Many plants and animals can’t live in the water if it gets too salty. Animals likely would move, and plants could die off.
14. Name a possible concern of removing small alligators from the wild. A concern is that by removing small alligators from the wild, the amount of food available to other animals in the ecosystem that would prey upon small alligators is reduced.
15. Has the removal of small alligators from the food web had a significant effect on the population of birds, raccoons, snakes and other predators? Not all small alligators are removed from wetland ecosystems. In addition, the predators that prey upon small alligators also prey upon many other animals, too. Food is probably less abundant but still plentiful in the rich wetlands.
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266 Alligator Egg Hunt in T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What the Students Do Talk with your class about animal adaptations. Include specific alligator adaptations (using the background information provided).
Pass out copies of the reading Students read the lesson sheet lesson, which can be found and then answer questions under “Blackline Masters.” about the reading.
After the reading/questions are complete, discuss students’ answers. Then move class outside to where you’ve hidden “nests of eggs” around campus.
Tell the students they will Divide the class in half. Half Each group of pilots must have the opportunity to play the students will play pair with a group of airboat helicopter pilots or airboat helicopter pilots, and the operators. operators from a gator ranch. other half will play airboat They get to go in search of operators. If you have a alligator eggs in a Louisiana larger class, students can marsh! break up into groups of two, three or four. They must, however, stick with their original assignments of pilots or airboat operators.
Send all the helicopter pilots Once a group of pilots has out in search of a nest around found a nest, that group must school. (Teachers: You can work together to draw a map choose to send one group at a to its nest for its airboat time or send all pilots out at operator partners to follow. once.) Remember that the rules are: ONE NEST PER GROUP, and PILOTS DO NOT TOUCH THE EGGS. THAT IS THE JOB OF THE AIRBOAT OPERATORS.
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267 Airboat operators then head out in search of the assigned nest by following the map provided by the pilots. Once they find the nest, they gather the eggs and bring them back.
When you have the students Students will create a pie regrouped, you “hatch” the chart showing the number of eggs. Ask them: What eggs collected. percentage hatched? (85 Use the following categories percent to 88 percent is to divide the chart: typical statewide.) 1. Number (or percentage) of empty Have the students determine eggs the number of alligators they 2. Number (or will have to return to percentage) of the wild. (14 percent of the alligators kept by the hatched alligators is the ranchers amount required by Louisiana 3. Number (or law. You may opt to round percentage) of down to 10 percent for an alligators returned to easier math exercise, the wild however.) Follow up with a conclusion about the importance of alligator adaptations and how alligator ranching and wetland conservation go hand in hand.
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268 Gone Fishin’ in Louisiana Wetlands Teacher Instructions
Grade Level Focus/Overview Upper Elementary In this lesson, students will learn basic fish anatomy and how several Middle School Louisiana fish species survive in the different wetland habitats found in High School our state. The students will explore “ edge effect” and fisheries populations by simulating marsh deterioration. Duration One to two 50-55 minute Learning Objectives class periods The students will: . Identify and label parts of a fish Setting . Identify fish as freshwater, saltwater or offshore species The classroom . Explore the relationship between wetland loss and fisheries . Understand how edge effect can change fisheries production in Vocabulary and around wetland areas Anatomy Edge effect GLEs Land-water interface Science 4th – (SI-E-A5, (LS-E-C1, C2) 5th – (SIM-A4, B3) 6th – (PS-M-B4), (SE-M-A6), (SE-M-A8) 7th – (G-3-M), (SL-M-C3), (SE-M-A1, A4), (P-1-M) 8th – (N-4-M), ESS-M-A7, A8), (G-5-M), (A-5-M), High School – (ESS-H-A1), (SI-H-A1), (G-2-H) (D-1-H), (M-1-H), (M-2-H),(M-3-H), (LS-H-DH, F1, E3) English Language Arts 4th – (ELA-1-E1, E2, E5, E6), (ELA-3-E1) (ELA-4-E2, E5) 5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M4, M6), (ELA-5-M6), (ELA-6-M1), (ELA-7-M1) 6th – (ELA-1-M1, M3), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M4, M6), (ELA-5-M6), (ELA-6-M1), (ELA-7-M1) 7th – (ELA-1-M1, M3), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M6), (ELA-7-M1, M4) 8th – (ELA-1-M1, M4), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M6), (ELA-7-M1, M4) Social Studies 4th – (G-1D-E1) 5th – (G-1D-M3) 6th – (G-1D-M3) 8th – (G-1D-M1 High School – (G-1B-H1, H2), (G-1D-H4)) Math 4th – (M-3-E, (D-1-E) 5th – (A-3-M), (D-1-M), (D-2-M), (M-2-M)
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269 Materials List . Hole punch . Ribbon . Sidewalk chalk
Background Information See the General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more information on wetlands, the plants and animals that live in wetlands and the different habitats located in wetlands.
All things are connected in nature. The survival rate of one plant or animal can be very dependent on the survival of something else. This is especially true for wetlands. Because so many organisms depend on the presence of a wetland, destruction of or damage to a wetland habitat can drastically reduce the number of organisms living there. The seafood industry is an important part of Louisiana’s economy – with commercial fisheries alone accounting for a harvest value of more than $202 million (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2007). Th e state’s marshes provide an ideal nursery ground for many economically important species including shrimp, crabs, redfish and other fin fish.
Louisiana Wetland Marsh Habitats There are different types of habitats in Louisiana wetlands that are characterized by the level of salinity found in the water. Salinity in the water refers to its “saltiness,” and this measurement is commonly expressed as parts per thousand (ppt). The parts per thousand measurement is an approximation of the amount of salt per kilogram of the solution. The salinity level determines what plants and animals can survive in these habitats. High levels of salt may hurt some animals and help others thrive.
The following describes the different habitats of Louisiana wetlands and what types of animals might be found there:
. Swamp – (salinity = 0 parts per thousand) 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, mink, 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 roseaucane, and wiregrass. This is a great habitat to view a variety of ducks and other water birds, snakes, alligators, a few turtles, muskrats, raccoons, nutria and other fur-bearing mammals.
. Brackish Marsh – (salinity = 10-20 ppt) a marsh that mostly contains wiregrass (Spartina patens). It is a favorite habitat for waterfowl and many salt-loving creatures begin to appear in
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
270 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 that is most seen in this marsh is oyster grass or smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). 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.
Fish Anatomy There are five common characteristics found in most fish –they have a backbone, are cold-blooded, live in water and have gills, have fins and most (but not all) have scales. Fish come in all shapes, sizes and colors; but they share many traits because they are all adapted to aquatic life. Understanding fish anatomy helps us understand how fish are adapted to live in the water. They have special body parts that help them move freely, defend themselves, find food, breathe and sense their surroundings.
Body Parts of a Fish: . Anal Fin – the fin on the lower side of the body near the tail that lends stability in swimming. . Caudal Fin – in most fish, the Caudal or tail fin is the main propelling fin. . Pectoral Fins – the paired fins on either side of the body, near the head, that allow side-to-side movement. . Pelvic Fins – the paired fins on the lower side of the body, near the head. . First Dorsal Fin – the harder fin on the upper side of the body that lends stability in swimming. . Second Dorsal Fin – the softer fin on the upper side of the body that lends stability in swimming. . Eyes – sight organs located on the head. Vision under water is limited to a few yards at best, and fish do not use sight as one of their primary senses. . Operculum (gill cover) – a flexible, bony plate that protects the sensitive gills. Gills are fleshy organs that are used for breathing. They are located on the sides of the head. Water is “inhaled” through the mouth, passes over the gills and “exhaled” from beneath the operculum. . Lateral Line – a series of sensory pores (small openings) that are located along the sides of fish that sense vibrations in the water. This line can be easily seen on a fish as a band of darker looking scales running along its side. . Mouth – the part of the body which the fish uses to catch food. It is located at the front of the body. The mouth’s shape is a good clue to what fish eat. The larger it is the bigger the prey a fish can consume. . Nostril – Paired nostrils, or nares, in fish are used to detect odors in water and can be quite sensitive. In general, fish use smell rather than sight to locate food.
Edge Effect Numerous fish live in Louisiana’s wetlands and the current problem of wetland loss can have negative effects on these species. As the marsh subsides and breaks into pieces, small islands of marsh grass are created. These islands of broken marsh can temporarily support more organisms than the healthy, unbroken marsh. This is due to a phenomenon called “edge effect.” Edge effect is an increased number of organisms supported at the interface between habitats. In this case, the edge referred to is the area between the marsh and the shallow open water habitat.
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271 The formation of these small islands of marsh grass provides more surface area of edge for organisms to feed on detritus formed from decaying marsh grasses. This area of edge is called the “land-water interface, ” and the edge effect in such an area results in an increased number of organisms thriving there. It is important to note, however, that this is only a temporary support system. As erosion and other natural and manmade processes cause the marsh to further deteriorate, the islands get smaller and the entire ecosystem continues to break down. Over time, the habitat is no longer able to support the food web, and the numbers of fish species and seafood organisms begin to decline.
When studying the edge effect, you could be fooled into thinking the breakdown of the marsh is actually beneficial to the fisheries of Louisiana. This is simply not true. The edge effect is a trend that creates a temporary increase in the numbers of fish and seafood that spawn and feed near the edge of land. As wetlands continue to deteriorate, the loss of habitat leads to a loss of fisheries and a decline in populations across the state.
Definitions:
Anatomy – the bodily structure of a plant or an animal or of any of its parts.
Edge Effect – where two habitat types join together resulting in increased diversity for vegetation and wildlife.
Land-Water Interface – area where land and water meet.
Advance Preparation 1. Make one copy of Fish Anatomy worksheet for each student. 2. Each student will need one fish ID card to make into a necklace. Therefore, make enough copies of the fish ID cards for each student to receive one card 3. Cut out Fish ID cards and punch a hole in the top left and right corners. 4. Cut ribbon into segments to be used to make necklaces that easily can be slipped on and off the students’ heads. Cut enough pieces of ribbon for each student to receive one. 5. Draw a large fish sketch (from blackline master No. 1) on board.
Procedure Part 1 1. Discuss the types of fish students have seen or heard about. Talk about where the students might have seen these fish – at an aquarium, a lake, the ocean or a pet store. 2. Ask which of these fish they have seen in Louisiana waters. Write the names of these fish on the board as students call them out. 3. Tell students they are going to learn about the anatomy of a fish. Ask if anyone can define “anatomy”? (Anatomy simply means the body parts of a fish.) Lead class discussion using the following questions: a. What body parts do you use to see, hear, taste, touch and smell? b. What body parts do you use to move around? c. How do you move backward? (Let students demonstrate.) d. How do you move side to side? (Let students demonstrate.) 4. Tell students fish move around the same way we do – using their body parts.
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272 5. Pass out Fish Anatomy worksheet. Without reviewing any of the background information, have students label the parts using the word bank included on the sheet. 6. When every student has completed the worksheet, use the large drawing of the fish on the board to review the sheet. The background information provides useful facts about each body part that should be reviewed with the class as you go through the diagram. Part 2 7. Pass out a fish ID card and piece of ribbon to each student. 8. Have each student place the ribbon through the holes in the fish ID card and tie it into a necklace that easily can be slipped on and off of his or her head. 9. Designate three areas in the classroom as fresh water, salt water, and off shore. 10. Allow students a few minutes to read their fish ID cards to learn more about their fish and determine which body of water their fish belongs in. 11. Once the students have read their cards, have each fish “swim” to the area in which it belongs – fresh water, salt water or off shore. a. The teacher may wish to make it more interesting by having the freshwater fish “swim” by doing the overhand stroke to their area, the saltwater fish “swim” by doing the back stroke and the offshore fish “swim” doing the breast stroke. 12. After this is complete, have each student show the class which fish he or she has on the necklace and tell a few facts about the fish aloud to the rest of the class. 13. Using the background information, lead a class discussion on the different types of Louisiana wetland marsh habitats. Ask the students where they have encountered some of these fish, and discuss why the fish is found in its particular habitat. (Example: Catfish live on the bottom of lakes, rivers and ponds because they are freshwater species.) Part 3 14. Using the background information, explain to the students about the edge effect and how this might result in a loss of fisheries populations. 15. Have class go outside to a concrete area. 16. Using the sidewalk chalk provided, have students draw a grid on the sidewalk. The grid should consist of 25 squares with rows and columns of 5 squares. Each square should be approximately 1 foot by 1 foot. 17. Explain that this grid represents a 25-acre marsh. The edges or sides of the area represent feeding opportunities for the fish. 18. Tell students they are all fish today, and have the fish stand around the edges of the marsh. 19. Tell the fish to lift their fins (arms) and see if they touch fins with the fish next to them. 20. Discuss the fact that though all the fish may fit around the edge of this marsh, they don’t have much room to feed. 21. Using the chalk, shade the center row of squares to represent a canal that has been dug across the marsh. (Use attached Teacher Instructions to shade correct areas.) 22. Have the students count the number of squares of remaining unbroken marsh. These are the acres of marsh left after the canal is dug. 23. Tell the fish to move around the new edges of marsh. (Note that they have more room to feed.) 24. Now shade in the center row of squares that are perpendicular to the first canal. 25. Have the students count the number of squares of remaining unbroken marsh. These are the acres of marsh that are left after this second canal is dug. 26. Have the fish move around and give each other more room since there is yet more marsh edge to feed around. Again, have them notice, by flopping their fins, how much more room each one of the fish has.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
273 27. Tell the fish that the first canal is eroding because of boat traffic and saltwater intrusion, and over time it doubles in width. (Show this by shading in the row next to the first canal.) 28. Have the fish count the number of squares left, move to the new edges, and discuss what is happening with this wetland loss. a. You can use this step to lead a class discussion on wetland loss. Canal dredging and erosion are not the only causes for erosion, and wetlands deteriorate due to a number of reasons. With wetland loss comes habitat loss for the plants and animals living in these wetlands. 29. Now, have the second canal erode and double in width. Shade the column of squares next to the one you marked as the second canal. 30. Have the fish shift around again, and ask the students if they notice the fish are getting cramped around the marsh area again. 31. Continue to widen each canal, one at a time, until there is no habitat left for the fish. 32. Use the background information to lead a class discussion on how wetland loss equals fisheries loss.
Blackline Masters 1. Fish Anatomy 2. Fish ID Cards
Resources Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/
BTNEP: http://www.btnep.org
University of Maine Museum of Art: http://www.umma.umaine.edu/downloads/BonyFishAnatomy.pdf
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
274 Gone Fishin’ Name Student Activity Sheet Fish Anatomy
Directions: Label the parts of the fish using the words in the word bank.
MOUTH ANAL FIN FIRST DORSAL (BACK) FIN PELVIC FIN GILL SLIT (OPERCULUM) EYE CAUDAL (TAIL FIN) PECTORAL FIN SECOND DORSAL (BACK) FIN NOSTRIL LATERAL LINE
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 275 Gone Fishin’ Teacher Answer Key to Fish Anatomy
Fish Anatomy
Directions: Label the parts of the fish using the words in the word bank.
MOUTH ANAL FIN FIRST DORSAL (BACK) FIN PELVIC FIN GILL SLIT (OPERCULUM) EYE CAUDAL (TAIL FIN) PECTORAL FIN SECOND DORSAL (BACK) FIN NOSTRIL LATERAL LINE
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
276 Gone Fishin’ Teacher Instructions for Edge Effect Game
Instructions on how to shade squares: Once you have the five-by-five table drawn on the sidewalk, follow Steps 1 through 6 to shade the dark areas in the order shown below. As you shade areas with the chalk, the “fish” will try to fit around the areas left that have not been shaded. Each time you shade, there will be less marsh left. At the end of the game, you should only have four marsh areas remaining.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013 277 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Fish Identification Cards
The alligator gar is a primitive ray-finned fish that lives in fresh water. This fish gets its name from its alligator-like teeth and its long snout. It is the largest species of gar and the largest freshwater fish in North America. The fish are brown or olive in color, can be 8 to 10 feet long and can weigh more than 200 pounds. The current world record for one caught on a rod and reel is 279 pounds.
alligator gar
The Atlantic croaker is closely related to the black drum, silver perch and the spotted sea trout. They commonly are found in estuaries from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico and live in coastal waters from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico. Extremely young croakers eat small planktonic organisms, while juveniles and adults feed on bottom organisms such as marine worms, mollusks, crustaceans and some smaller fish. They live in fresh water.
Atlantic croaker
The black crappie is a freshwater fish that is in the sunfish family. These fish usually are less active during the day and tend to feed at dusk or dawn. Other names for crappies are calico bass, paper mouths, strawberry bass, white perch, perch, speckled perch and sac-a-lait (in southern Louisiana). The black crappie is darker than other crappies and has black spots. It also prefers clearer water and usually lives about seven years. It also has eight spines on its dorsal fin. black crappie
278 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The Atlantic spadefish is a saltwater fish commonly found off the coast of southeastern Louisiana. It is named by many other names including angel fish, ocean cobbler and moonfish. The Atlantic spadefish gets its name from its “angelfish-like” appearance. They normally weigh from 3 to 10 pounds but have found as large as 20 pounds.
Atlantic spadefish
The bluegill is a freshwater fish often known as a bream, brim or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family, is used in game fishing and is renowned as a very tasty fish. It is relatively easy to catch. These fish can be caught with live bait, hot dogs, flies, corn, raw chicken, maggots, small spinners, spoons or crank baits. The blue-gill usually gets no longer than 16 inches, and these fish often are used as bait for larger species. Because of its small size, it is sometimes called a panfish. bluegill
The black drum is a saltwater fish that is known as the largest member of the drum family. Some of these fish have been found to exceed 90 pounds. The world record black drum was 113 pounds. Black drum are bottom feeders and commonly are caught with the bait either on the bottom or with the bait suspended within a couple of feet of the bottom.
black drum
279 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The bowfin, along with the gar and the sturgeons, are among the few freshwater fish that are contemporaries of the dinosaurs. The more common name for a bowfin in Louisiana is the choupique. When the oxygen level is low in the water, this fish can rise up to the surface and gulp air into its swim bladder, which is lined with blood vessels and can serve as a lung. The bowfin lives in fresh water.
bowfin
The bluefish is found in saltwater areas in all climates. It is commonly known as a shad on the East Coast and as an elf on the West Coast. The bluefish is a migratory marine fish found in most places except for the eastern shores of the Pacific. They are also very voracious and are the only fish known to kill just for the sake of killing.
bluefish
The channel catfish is a freshwater fish and is North America’s most abundant catfish species. These fish also are the most fished catfish species – with more than 8 million anglers targeting them each year. They thrive in large rivers, small rivers, ponds and natural lakes. They also posses a very keen sense of smell. Channel catfish can be caught using a variety of natural and artificial baits. They have been known to even take Ivory soap as bait. channel catfish
280 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The flounder is an ocean-dwelling flat fish found in coastal estuaries of the Northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. When hatched, the flounder has one eye situated on each side of its head. One eye migrates to the other side of the head during metamorphosis. The flounder is known for lying on the bottom of the ocean floor and camouflaging itself from predators. Because of the eye placement, the fish can still observe its surroundings.
flounder
The flathead catfish is a large North American freshwater catfish. It is sometimes called the yellow cat. They grow up to 61 inches and may weigh up to 120 pounds. Sport fishing for this fish can be an exciting pastime. Anglers look for flathead catfish in small rivers, large rivers and reservoirs. Generally, large live baits work best when fishing for flathead catfish. They also are easier to fish for at night.
flathead catfish
The king mackerel is a migratory species of mackerel found in salt water. They are typically found as a 5-pound to 30-pound fish but have been caught as large as 90 pounds. These fish are found near the coast of Texas in the summer to the mideast coast of Florida in November through March. King mackerel are the most sought after game fish in their range of North Carolina to Texas.
king mackerel
281 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The largemouth bass is a species of fish in the sunfish family. It is sometimes known as the big-mouth or wide-mouth bass. This fish lives 15 years, on average, and it is the largest of all the black basses. The largest one ever caught was 32.5 inches and weighed 22.25 pounds. Anglers most often fish for largemouth bass using artificial lures and worms. Live bait such as frogs, minnows, crawfish and night crawlers can also be successful baits to use. largemouth bass
The red snapper is a reef fish found in the salt waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The red snapper commonly is found in waters from 30 to 200 feet. These fish will form large schools, consisting of a variety of different sizes of fish, around oil rigs, shipwrecks and reefs. They can be caught on live bait, as well as cut bait, and will also take artificial lures but not with as much aggression. Their vibrant red color comes from the pigment found in the high number of shrimp in their diet. red snapper
The long-ear sunfish is a freshwater species fish and is part of the sunfish family. Its maximum recorded length is 9.5 inches and maximum recorded weight is 1.7 pounds. This fish prefers heavily vegetated shallow waters in lakes, ponds and sluggish streams. Many anglers enjoy catching these fish, although they are too small to be used as food and generally are released. This is one reason their conservation status is secure. Trade of this fish is restricted in Germany due to the potential environmental damage. long-ear sunfish
282 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The redfish is a saltwater fish found off the coast of Louisiana. It is sought by anglers and enjoyed by many. The meat is cooked in many different ways, but lots of people choose to grill it. The fish is most easily identified by the black spot on its tail. The redfish also is known as the red drum. Anglers use a variety of baits, live and artificial, to lure the redfish to a catch. Most people enjoy smaller redfish over the larger ones, saying the meat is more enjoyable. redfish
The red-ear sunfish is a freshwater fish sometimes called the shellcracker, bream or the sun perch. It is a native fish of the southeastern United States, but since it is so popular among anglers it has been introduced all over North America. The favorite food of this bottom-feeding fish is snails. The fish has thick pharyngeal teeth and hard, moveable plates in its throat, which allow it to crunch exoskeletons. The red-ear sometimes hybridizes with other species of sunfish. Fossils of this fish date back as far as 16.3 million years ago. red-ear sunfish
The sheepshead is a saltwater fish that is normally 5 to 8 inches, but it has been found up to 30 inches in length. Its diet consists of oysters, fiddler crabs, barnacles and other crustaceans. Anglers have success using shrimp, mussels, clams and sand fleas for bait. These fish are most easily caught near rock jetties, bridge pilings and piers. The sheepshead has a knack for stealing bait, so it is imperative to use a small hook when fishing for them. sheepshead
283 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The spotted bass is a freshwater species of the sunfish family. It is native to the Mississippi River basin and the Gulf states. Also one of the black basses, it is often mistaken for the more common largemouth bass. This fish prefers cool and warm mountain streams and rocky bottom reservoirs. The spotted bass gets its name from the irregularly shaped dark spots on its upper body. Its mouth is smaller than that of the largemouth bass, though they are very similar in color. spotted bass
The Spanish mackerel is a saltwater migratory fish that swims to the northern Gulf of Mexico in the spring, returns to the eastern Gulf near Florida and then goes back to Mexico in the western Gulf in the fall. Its sharp teeth look very similar to the teeth of the bluefish. Spanish mackerel are voracious, opportunistic carnivores. This fish is popular among devotees of sushi, who prize it for its flavor. Its meat is primarily marketed as fresh or frozen filets. Spanish mackerel
The striped bass is a freshwater/saltwater fish and is the state fish for Maryland, Rhode Island and South Carolina, as well as the state saltwater fish for New York and New Hampshire. Striped bass spawn in fresh water, and though they have been successfully adapted to freshwater habitat, they naturally spend their adult life in salt water. This tendency is known as being anadromous. They have been hybridized with white bass, the white perch and the yellow bass. Striped bass frequently are fished for by anglers. striped bass
284 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The spotted sea trout is a saltwater fish also known as the speckled trout. They are found from the surf outside islands to far up coastal rivers, where they often come for shelter during cold weather. The fish gets its name from the similarities to the brown trout, but it is actually part of the drum family. The population of this fish is maintained by size and possession limits but is also kept safe because it enjoys the longest spawning season to help these fish reproduce with speed and frequency. spotted sea trout
The white crappie has 6 spines on its dorsal fin. With a lifespan of around 10 years, the white crappie usually outlives the black crappie. White crappie feed on smaller species, including the young of their own predators. Because of their diverse diets, crappie may be caught in many different ways including jigs, minnows, artificial lures, spinner baits or bobbers. They are popular with ice fishermen because they are very active in the winter. This very prolific fish can overpopulate bodies of water smaller than white crappie 100 acres.
The striped mullet is a coastal species that often enters estuaries and rivers. It usually schools over sand or mud bottoms and feeds on zooplankton. This species is euryline, which means it can acclimate to different levels of salinity in the water. The striped mullet inhabits fresh, brackish or marine water at depths from 0 to 300 feet and temperatures from 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The meat of these fish does not keep well after it is caught. If kept on ice, it may remain OK for 72 hours – after which time it becomes nearly inedible. striped mullet
285 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
Tarpon are large coastal fish growing up to 8 feet in length. They have extremely large scales. Tarpon are prized by anglers for their leaping, head-shaking fight. Although they are enjoyed by many as a good catch, most of them are released unharmed since they have little or no food value. There are only two species of tarpon – one native to the Atlantic and the other to the Indo-Pacific oceans. Its name is derived from the Greek adjective meaning large and the Greek noun meaning eye. Tarpon larvae float along surface waters before taking on the adult tarpon form.
The great barracuda is an offshore species of fish with an elongated body, powerful jaws and sharp fang-like teeth. They are voracious predators and they hunt using a classic example of lie-in-wait or ambush. Large barracuda have even been known to herd prey fish into shallow water and guard over them until they are ready for another meal. They rely on their element of surprise and short bursts of speed, up to 27 mph, to overrun their prey. Barracudas are more or less solitary in their habits. great barracuda
The almaco jack is an offshore game fish that feeds both night and day on smaller baitfish and even small squid. These fish are farmed in Hawaii and were featured in a 2007 episode of Food Network’s Iron Chef cooking show. They are known for their stamina, making them prime targets for fishermen. The fish remove skin parasites by rubbing up against the rough skin of passing sharks, and they have been known to brush against scuba divers, mistaking them for sharks. almaco jack
286 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The great amberjack is an offshore fish also known as the yellowtail amberjack. It is a large fish found in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Mackerel, crab, sardines, anchovies and squid are well known as part of the great amberjack’s diet. The great amberjack is aggressive to other fish. It is often regarded by anglers as pound for pound the hardest-fighting fish in the ocean. They often are called kingfish. This fish can be prepared in many ways, with a favorite being barbequed kingfish steaks. great amberjack
The blue marlin is an offshore fish that feeds on a wide variety of organisms near the surface. This fish uses its bill to stun, injure or kill while knifing through a school of prey and then returns at leisure to eat. Females can grow up to four times the weight of males, reaching 1,200 to 4,000 pounds. Humans are one of the only predators of blue marlin. Great white sharks and short-fin makos also are known to eat marlin. This fish prefers to stay in blue water.
blue marlin
Sailfish live in warmer sections of oceans all over the world. The sailfish is related to the blue marlin. They hunt schooling fish such as sardines, anchovies and mackerel, although they also feed on some crustaceans. The sailfish is a metallic blue fish with a large sail-like dorsal fin, hence its name. It is darker on the upper parts and lighter on the sides. Tests in the 1920s estimated that they were capable of short sprints of up to 69 mph, but a more conservative estimate is 23-34 mph. sailfish
287 Youth Wetlands Program Gone Fishin’ provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet (continued)
The bluefin tuna is one of the world’s largest, fastest, most beautifully colored fish. Their torpedo-shaped, streamlined bodies are built for speed and endurance. They are camouflaged from above and below by their coloring of metallic blue on top and silver shimmering white on the bottom. Their average size is 6.5 feet and 550 pounds. Bluefin meat is delicious to eat and is sought after by anglers worldwide. This has caused its numbers to fall dangerously low. They also are prized among sport fishers for the fight bluefin tuna and speed.
The wahoo is a dark blue fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters. It is a prized game fish because of its speed and high-quality meat. The flesh of the wahoo is white and delicate. It is sometimes regarded as a pest, particularly when it interferes with big game fishing such as fishing for blue marlin. These fish tend to be solitary or to occur in small- knit groups of two or three rather than a school. Most wahoo taken by anglers have a trematode parasite living in their stomachs. It appears to do no harm to the fish. The wahoo eats other fish and squid. wahoo
The yellowfin tuna is a species of tuna found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. This fish is sometimes referred to as albacore. The yellowfin is one of the largest tuna species – with specimens reaching weights over 300 pounds. They feed on a wide variety of other fish, crustaceans and squid. Modern commercial fishermen catch yellowfin tuna using large encircling nets and industrial longlines. Yellowfin tuna are prized sport fish because of their speed and strength yellowfin tuna when on a rod and reel.
288 Gone Fishin’ in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What The Students Do What are some different types Solicit answers and write List different types of fish of fish you have seen or heard some of these on the board. they have seen or heard about about? and where they have seen any Where might you have seen of them. some of these fish – in lakes, aquariums, pet stores?
What are some fish you have Solicit answers and write List different types of fish seen in Louisiana waters? some of these on the board. that they have seen in Louisiana waters.
Today we are going to learn Lead a class discussion using Talk about what they know the anatomy of a fish. Can the background information about anatomy and fish anyone define anatomy? and procedural step No. 3. anatomy.
Fish move around the same Listen. way we do – using their body parts.
On this worksheet, label the Pass out student activity Take worksheet and try to parts of the fish using the sheet. label the fish body parts. word bank. Take the best guess about these parts, and be sure to use all of the words on the sheet. Now that everyone has Solicit answers and have the Fill in the blanks as a class. attempted to label the fish students who answer parts, let’s go through fish correctly come up to the anatomy together. board and fill in the blanks on the large diagram.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
289
Now, we are going to learn Pass out a fish ID cardand Take card and ribbon (string) more about the different types piece of ribbon (string)to and make necklace. of fish found in Louisiana each student. and all over the world. Each of you will be getting a fish ID card, with two holes punched in the top, corners and a piece of ribbon (or string). Placethe piece of ribbon (or string) through the holes to make a necklace. Imagine that our room Designate three areas of the Observe where the different contains the different areas of classroom as fish habitat. habitats are located. fish habitat. This area is a freshwater system, this area is a saltwater system and this area is offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond to other oceans. You will have about five Read fish ID card and select minutes to review where they should live. information about your fish and to try to determine what body of water you should live in.
Now, each of you should Observe fish swimming to Swim to correct areas of swim to your correct area – their correct areas. habitat. fresh water, salt water or the offshore ocean area.
The freshwater fish should swim using an overhand stroke, the saltwater fish should swim using the backstroke, and the offshore fish should swim using the butterfly stroke.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
290 Let’s start with the freshwater Go around the room to each Go around the room and take area. Everyone take a turn habitat and have the students turns telling about their fish. and tell the class a couple of tell about their type of fish. facts about your fish.
So what did you learn about Lead class discussion about Talk about what they learned the different types of fish? habitats based on salinity from this activity. Why is it important for the levels and why this may be fish to be in the correct harmful to fish. habitat?
Everyone can return to your Use background information Talk about what they know desks with your fish to lead a class discussion on about habitat loss and the necklaces. Using what you habitat loss, edge effect and effects on fish populations. learned about the different fish populations. habitats, how do you think a loss of habitat might affect these fish populations? Let’s all go outside to get a Lead class outside to concrete Follow teacher outside. closer look at what edge area. effect does to the fish populations in Louisiana.
This 25-square grid Draw a 25-square gird (five Observe the 25-acre marsh. represents 25 acres of marsh columns across and five rows in a Louisiana wetland. The down) with each square being edges or sides of the area about 1 foot by 1 foot. represent feeding opportunities for fish.
All of you are fish today, and All students move to you’re living in this wetland positions and stand around area. Everyone should move the edges of the 25-acre and stand around the edge of marsh. the marsh to act as feeding fish.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
291 Now, lift your fins (or arms) Lift their arms and see if they and see if you touch fins with touch fins with each other. the fish next you. If you touch fins, you will see that even though everyone fits around the edges of the marsh, you don’t have much room to feed. A canal has been dug through Use sidewalk chalk to shade Observe new canal. the center of the marsh to aid the center row of squares in oil and gas exploration. down the grid. (Use teacher instructions to determine where to shade).
Now, count the number of Have students spread out Spread out around edges of squares (acres) that remain in around new edges of marsh. marsh. this marsh after this canal was dug. Everyone should move around to the new edges of the marsh.
You will notice that because of this new canal you have more edge habitat and more areas to feed. Now, a shrimper has come Use sidewalk chalk to shade Observe the new canal. through in his boat and cut a row of squares down the another canal through the grid. (Use teacher marsh. instructions to determine where to shade).
Now, count the number of Have students spread out Spread out around edges of squares (acres) that remain in around new edges of marsh. marsh. this marsh after this canal was dug. Everyone should move around to the new edges of the marsh.
You will notice that because of this new canal, you have more edge habitat and more areas to feed.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
292 The canals will start to erode Repeat steps until there are Observe wetland loss and over time and cause the only four squares of marsh move to new edges. wetlands to deteriorate remaining. Have the students continue to move around new edges of marsh.
What is happening with this Use background information Talk about what is going on wetland loss? Are you and procedural steps 30-35 to in the wetlands and how running out of habitat to lead class discussion on habitat loss leads to fisheries feed? What causes wetland wetland loss and the effects loss. loss? on fisheries.
Relate entire activity to how wetlands loss equals fisheries loss.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
293 Backdoor Biomagnification Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview Grade Levels This lesson teaches students about toxins in the environment and how Upper Elementary plants and animals biologically accumulate these substances. It also Middle School teaches about the biomagnification that occurs as these toxins work their High School way up the food chain. In addition, students will simulate the effects biomagnification has on a wetland ecosystem. Duration One to two 50-55 Learning Objectives minute class periods The students will: . Learn how toxic substances can accumulate within animals in Setting Louisiana. Outdoors . Simulate the effects of biomagnification on a wetland ecosystem. . Use graphing and percentages to visualize the effects of toxins on Vocabulary wetland organisms. Food chain Bioaccumulation GLEs Biomagnification Science Bioconcentration 4th – (SI-E-A1, A2, A3, A5, B2), (LS-E-B2, C1, C3) 5th – (SI-M-A4), (LS-M-C2, C4), (SE-M-A4) 6th – (SE-M-A6, A8) 7th – (LS-M-A4, C2, C4, D2) 8th – (ESS-M-A8), (SE-M-A4) High School – (SE-H-A7, A10, A11, C1) English Language Arts 4th – (ELA-1-E2, E5, E6), (ELA-4-E2, E5) 5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M4, M6) 6th – (ELA-1-M1, M3), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M3, M4, M6), (ELA-7-M1) 7th – (ELA-1-M1, M3), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M6), (ELA-7-M1, M4) 8th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M6), (ELA-7-M1, M4) High School – (ELA-1-H1) Social Studies 4th – (G-1C-E5) 5th – (SI-M-A4), (LS-M-C2, C4), (SE-M-A4) 8th – (G-1B-M3), (G-1D-M1, M2, M3) High School – (G-1C-H1) Math 4th – (D-2-E) 5th – (D-1-M) 6th – (D-2-M) 7th – (D-3-M) 8th – (D-1-M) High School – (A-3-H)
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
294 Materials List . Rope to mark area (teacher provides) . Ribbon . Stopwatch (teacher provides) . Construction paper (Five different colors, 1 pack provided) . Hole Punch . Index Cards, one for each student (1 pack of 100 provided) . Permanent marker (1 pack of 4 provided)
Background Information: See General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more information on Louisiana’s wetlands and wetland conservation.
Food chains are the simplest arrangements of what eats what. The roles organisms play within a food chain are well defined. Producers (mainly plants) make their own food through photosynthesis. Consumers (mainly animals) eat producers or other consumers and may be divided into four major categories: herbivores, which eat producers; carnivores (meat-eaters), which eat herbivores or other carnivores; detritivores, which recycle the energy from dead organisms to make nutrients available for producers; and omnivores, which eat producers and consumers. (See the Wetland Webs lesson in the Habitats Section for more information on a wetland food chain.)
Bioaccumulation (biological accumulation) is the uptake and increase of toxic substances within a living organism by way of air, water or food. Toxic substances include chemicals that cannot be excreted at the same rate at which they are taken in. Plants and animals are exposed to toxins in the environment, either naturally or from human disturbances (e.g., oil spills, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers). Over time, toxins can build up in the organism through the process known as bioaccumulation.
Biomagnification is a process whereby the toxic substances move up the food chain, work their way into water bodies and are eaten by aquatic animals, which are then eaten by other animals or humans. For example, although mercury is only present in small quantities in seawater, algae absorb the chemical. Zooplankton consume the algae, accumulating the chemicals within their tissues. Nekton then consume the zooplankton, magnifying the amount of mercury ingested and stored in their tissues. Small fish and then larger fish eat the nekton, ingesting larger amounts of mercury. Any animal (including humans) that consumes the fish also is consuming the even larger amount of mercury. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that herring (a small fish) generally contain mercury levels of 0.01 parts per thousand (ppt), whereas sharks that feed on the herring have mercury levels of 1 ppt.
Bioconcentration is the uptake of toxic chemicals into an organism from water alone. During rainfall events, water carries silt and other soil particles off agricultural fields, construction sites and urban areas into local water bodies, which eventually make their way to rivers, estuaries and the ocean. Nutrients and other toxic substances may be attached to these sediment particles and contribute to the pollution of these bodies of water.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
295 An example of bioconcentration that resulted in biomagnification occurred in the United States prior to 1972. The spraying of a pesticide known as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was done to help control mosquitoes and other insects. Rainwater carried the DDT into creeks and it eventually found its way into rivers, estuaries, lakes and oceans. The toxic pesticide biologically accumulated within each organism and then was biomagnified into the food web of predatory birds (such as the bald eagle and brown pelicans). The DDT toxicity resulted in the eggshells of the birds’ offspring becoming very thin and breaking. The population of these birds declined, and DDT was banned in the United States in 1972. Due to this chemical ban, the bird populations have since rebounded.
Organisms living in Louisiana wetlands are particularly vulnerable to bioaccumulation and biomagnification because not only are the wetlands part of the drainage basins for most of the state’s watersheds but also because the Mississippi River drains 41 percent of the 48 contiguous states. Surface runoff associated with agricultural fields and urban areas often contains potentially harmful chemicals such as fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
Wetlands are important because they provide habitat to numerous organisms including brown pelicans, nutria, fish species, crabs, shrimp, oysters, crawfish and more. If harmful levels of toxic substances were to build up in Louisiana’s wetland ecosystems, it would have negative effects on these organisms that already are suffering from habitat loss. Biomagnification would not only create problems in this already fragile food chain but would mean humans could no longer enjoy the popular seafood products that come from our state. This has been especially concerning in Louisiana’s oyster populations and has even resulted in the postponement of oyster harvesting.
Definitions:
Food chain – a series of organisms interrelated in their feeding habits, the smallest being fed upon by a larger one, which, in turn, is fed upon by a still larger one, etc.
Bioaccumulation – the buildup of a chemical in a living organism over time. Two reasons bioaccumulation occurs are because the chemical is taken up faster than it can be used or the chemical cannot be broken down and used by the organism.
Biomagnification – when chemicals bioaccumulate in one animal and are passed to other animals, moving up the food chain.
Bioconcentration – the uptake of chemicals into an organism fro m water alone.
Advance Preparation 1. Make one copy of Student Activity Sheet for each student. 2. Rope off a fairly large (50 foot by 50 foot) area outside that you will use for this activity. 3. Using the attached list, write a different wetland organism on each index card. Have one card for each student. There should be evenly divided groups of plants, fish, birds and other animals.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
296 4. Cut the different colored construction paper into small squares. There should be 10 squares per chemical. The color of the card determines the type of chemical it represents. (You may change the color based on what materials you have.) Pollution Chemical Chart: Mercury – Red Copper – Yellow DDT – Green Lead – Blue Nickel – Orange (Based on this example, there should be 10 red squares, 10 yellow squares, 10 green squares, 10 blue squares and 10 orange squares.) 5. Write different percentages on the small squares – with the percentages on each colored set of 10 squares adding up to 100. (For example, 2 percent, 3 percent, 4 percent, 5 percent, 7 percent, 9 percent, 10 percent, 15 percent, 20 percent and 25 percent would give you 10 cards adding up to 100 percent.) 6. Then scatter the small construction paper squares in the roped off area.
Procedure 1. Ask students what they had for dinner last night, and list some of these answers on the board. 2. Review the basic concepts of a food chain with the students. Take one example of the food they ate for dinner last night and trace the energy backward on the board. a. For example: A steak comes from a cow that grazes on grass that gets its energy to grow from the sun. (Almost all food can be traced back to energy received by the sun.) 3. Tell the students that today’s discussion will be about bioaccumulation, biomagnification and the effects they have on the food chain of wetland animals. Use the background information to lead a class discussion on bioaccumulation and biomagnification. 4. Ask the students to list some of the different plants, fish and animals that they know live in Louisiana wetlands. 5. Pass out one index card and a piece of yarn to each student. 6. Have the students punch two holes in the top of the card and string the yarn through the holes to make a necklace. 7. Tell the students everyone will be going outside to continue the lesson, but before going outside, have students list each color you are using so that they can write the percentages they collect outside. Students will need a notebook and something to write with. They will be writing something down while outside to transfer to worksheet “Your Organism’s Toxin Levels Worksheet.” 8. Then lead them to the roped off area. 9. Have the students put on their necklaces and break up into the different groups of wetland organisms. There will be four groups: plants, birds, fish and the carnivores. 10. Tell the students to observe the roped off area with the scraps of paper in it. They should imagine that this is a Louisiana wetland area where they live as their assigned wetland organisms. (**Do not tell the students what each color or numbers on the pieces of paper represent.**)
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
297 11. Starting with the plants, tell the group that when you say GO, they must walk around the wetland area and collect as many small squares as possible. a. Give this group 20 seconds to collect their squares; then yell STOP. 12. Once the plants have collected their squares, they should write down the color of the paper and the percentages for each color. Tell the plants they must stay in the wetland area (roped off area) but they cannot pick up anymore cards. 13. Now the “fish” have 20 seconds to go out and consume (tag) the plants to steal their squares and collect some of their own squares off the ground. All groups must walk around the wetland area; no running. 14. After 20 seconds, yell STOP. All plants must leave the wetland area. The fish must stay in the wetland area but cannot pick up any more squares. 15. The fish should then write down the color of the paper and percentages for each. 16. Next, give the birds 20 seconds to “fly” around the wetland area. The fish may slowly walk around the wetland area to avoid being tagged (consumed). 17. After 20 seconds, yell STOP. All fish must leave the wetland area, and birds must stay in the wetland area but cannot pick up any more squares. 18. The birds should then write down the color of the paper and percentages for each. 19. Next, give the “carnivores” 20 seconds to consume and steal squares from the plants, fish and birds. They may also collect their own small squares off the ground (if any are left). The birds may slowly walk around the wetland area to avoid being consumed. 20. After 20 seconds, yell STOP. All organisms must leave the wetland area and return to the classroom. 21. Tell the carnivores to hold onto their squares, and lead the entire class back into the classroom to finish the activity. 22. Ask the class what they think the colors may mean. Then inform them of what the colors represent. If you used the colors from our earlier example, those are (or if you used different colors of paper to represent these materials, use your own example): a. Mercury – Red b. Copper – Yellow c. DDT – Green d. Lead – Blue e. Nickel – Orange 23. Pass out the “Your Organism’s Toxin Level” worksheet and have students fill out the colors and percentages of the pieces of paper they obtained (either from picking the paper up off the ground or from taking it from another person/organism). 24. In the meantime, make a graph that is similar to the one seen on the “Food Chain Toxin Levels” worksheet with enough room to ask at least three students from each of the four groups (plants, fish, birds and carnivores) for their numbers. 25. Pass out one “Food Chain Toxin Levels” student activity sheet to each student. 26. Call on three to four students from each organism group to give their TOTAL percentages for each toxin. 27. Either calculate the average percentages as a class or have students calculate those averages on their own, depending on the age group. 28. Have the students copy down the percentages on the “Food Chain Toxin Level” worksheet and graph the averages.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
298 29. Tell students that if an organism has more than 50 percent of one of the toxic substances that it would have died due to the high concentration in its system. Ask them to raise their hands if they consumed a toxin at a percentage greater than 50 percent. 30. Have the students create a bar graph based on data collected. a. The students can select what they would like to graph or follow teacher instructions. For example, the graph could have all organisms on the x-axis with percentage concentrations of substances on the y-axis – or students could choose one organism to graph. 31. How do the students think these toxic substances might get into a wetland area? Where do these substances come from? a. Rainwater can carry toxins from agricultural lands, parking lots and streets to river and streams and eventually through wetlands out to the Gulf of Mexico. b. Industrial businesses may illegally dump large quantities of toxins into rivers. c. People sometimes dump household chemicals into nearby streams, storm drains or water wells. 32. After every student has completed the worksheet, end the lesson with a discussion on the possible solutions to biomagnification of toxic chemicals.
Blackline Masters 1. Your Organism’s Toxin Level 2. Food Chain Toxin Levels
Resources Adapted from Project WILD (How Many Bears Live in a Forest)
Polar Trec: http://www.polartrec.com/files/resources/lesson/Bioaccumulation_Toxins_FINAL.pdf
Summer Research Program for Science Teachers: http://www.scienceteacherprogram.org/envsci/Kelly02.html
My Science Box: http://www.mysciencebox.org/foodchain/background
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
299 Backdoor Biomagnification Name Student Activity Sheet Your Organism’s Toxin Level
1. What organism were you during the activity? ______
2. Circle where you fall in this wetland food web: Plant Fish Bird Larger carnivore
3. Below, list the color of the paper associated with each toxin that you picked up (teacher tells you). Next, list each percentage found on the pieces of paper. Add up the percentages to show a total percentage of each toxin you consumed.
Toxin Color List Percentages Total Percentage
Mercury
Copper
DDT
Lead
Nickel
Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 300 Backdoor Biomagnification Name Student Activity Sheet Food Chain Toxin Levels
Directions: Record the AVERAGE percentage of each toxin from the four levels of the food chain (plant, fish, bird, carnivore). If a group has more than 50 percent of one of the toxic substances, it would likely not survive due to the high concentration in its system. Graph your findings in the space provided below.
Organism Group % Mercury % Copper % DDT % Lead % Nickel
Plants
Fish
Birds
Carnivores
Y-Axis
X-Axis Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter 301
Wetland Organisms Teacher Answer Key
Examples of Louisiana Wetland Plants: 1) Smooth cordgrass 2) Salt marshhay 3) California bulrush 4) Bull tongue 5) Giant cutgrass 6) Cattail 7) Water lily 8) Widgeon grass 9) Alligator weed 10) Water celery
Examples of Louisiana Wetland Fish: 1) Alligator gar 2) Largemouth bass 3) Black drum 4) Redfish 5) Catfish 6) Speckled trout 7) Sac-a-lait 8) Red snapper
Examples of Louisiana Wetland Birds: 1) Great blue heron 2) Brown pelican 3) Bald eagle 4) American white pelican 5) Snowy egret 6) Great egret 7) Roseate spoonbill
Examples of Louisiana Carnivores: 1) American alligator 2) Cottonmouth snake 3) River otter 4) Bobcat
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
302 Backdoor Biomagnification in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What The Students Do What did everyone have for Solicit answers, and write List some of the things they dinner last night? some of these on the board. ate for dinner the night before.
Can anyone tell me what a Trace one item backward Tell what they know about a food chain is? through the food chain. For food chain, and try to trace Using some of the examples example: a steak comes from their meals from last night you just gave, let’s trace your a cow that eats grass that gets backward through a food food back through the food its energy from the sun. chain. chain. (Most foods can be traced back to energy from the sun). Today we are going to learn Use background information Talk about what they know about biomagnification. Can to lead a class discussion on about bioaccumulation and anyone define bioaccumulation and biomagnification. biomagnification? biomagnifications and the possible effects they have on the food chain of wetland animals. Who would like to tell me Solicit answers and write List organisms they know some of the different plants, these on the board. that live in Louisiana birds, fish and larger animals wetlands. that are found in Louisiana wetlands?
I am going to pass out an Pass out cards and string, and Take index cards and make index card with different pass hole puncher around necklaces using hole puncher wetland organisms listed on class. Assist students in and string. them and some string to each making necklaces. of you. When you get your card, punch two holes in the top of the card using a hole puncher. Then place the piece of string through the holes to make a necklace.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
303 Everyone should put on their List the available colors on Write down colors. necklaces and get ready to go the board and have students outside to play the write those down. Take notebooks and biomagnification game. something to write with. Have students take notebooks Before we go outside, each of with them to take notes while Put on necklaces and follow you should list the colors of outside (the colors of cards teacher outside to roped off the paper. You will write they pick up and the area. down numbers next to each percentages listed on those color later. cards ).
Lead students outside to roped off area. On each of your cards, you Get into groups based on will find the name of a wetland organisms. wetland plant, fish, bird or carnivore. Get in four groups depending on what type of organism is listed on your card. Looking at the roped off area Do not tell the students what Imagine a wetland area. in front of us, imagine that the scraps of paper represent. this is a Louisiana wetland area where you all live.
Each group will have a chance to walk around the wetland and collect the pieces of paper you see on the ground. The plants will go first. Then the fish go because they eat plants. After that, the birds will have a turn because they eat fish. And, finally, the carnivores will have a turn. When I say GO, the plant Say GO and give the plants The plant group will walk group will walk out into the 20 seconds to collect squares around the “wetland area” “wetland area” and collect as before you say STOP. and collect squares. many squares as you can until I say STOP. You must WALK around the wetland – no running.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
304 Now, write down the Write down percentages of percentages you see on each each color in notebook. card next to the colors of paper you have. You may have multiple percentages for each color.
All plants must now stay in Plants should stay in wetland the wetland area but cannot area but not collect any more collect any more squares. squares.
Now it is the fish group’s Say GO, and give the fish 20 The fish group will walk turn to go out into the seconds to eat plants and around wetland area and wetland area. You can “eat” collect squares before you collect squares from plants or the plants out there by say STOP. off the ground. tagging them and stealing all The plants can try to get of their squares. You also can away from the fish by collect your own squares off walking around the wetland, the ground. but no running is allowed.
Plants, you may SLOWLY walk around the wetland to escape being consumed. Now, write down the Write down percentages of percentages you see on each each color in notebook. card next to the colors of paper you have. You may have multiple percentages for each color.
All plants must leave the Fish should stay in wetland wetland area, and the fish area but not collect any more must now stay in the wetland squares. area but cannot collect any more squares.
Now it is the birds’ turn to fly Repeat steps for birds. The bird group will walk out into the wetland area. around wetland area and collect squares from fish and Fish, you may SLOWLY off the ground. The fish may walk around the wetland to slowly try to get away from escape being consumed. the birds, but no running is allowed.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
305 Birds, now you should write Write down percentages of down the percentages you see each color in notebook. on each card next to the colors of paper you have. You may have multiple percentages for each color.
Now it is the carnivores' turn Repeat steps for birds. The carnivore group will to go out into the wetland walk around wetland area and area. collect squares from birds and off the ground. Birds, you may SLOWLY The birds can try to get away walk around the wetland to from the animals by walking escape being consumed. around the wetland, but no running is allowed. We will now go back into the Lead class back to classroom. Follow teacher back to classroom to finish the classroom. biomagnification activity.
Who can guess what the Show class what the different Observe colors. squares represent? colored squares represent.
All squares represent toxic substances that have been brought into a Louisiana wetland ecosystem. This is what each color represents: . Red – Mercury . Yellow – Copper . Green – DDT . Blue – Lead . Orange – Nickel Each of you will calculate the Pass out the first worksheet Take worksheet. Use a total percentage of each toxin “Your Organism’s Toxin calculator or pen and paper to you consumed. Use the Levels” to each student. calculate a total of each of the worksheet to help you do percentages they collected of this. each toxin color.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
306 We will now calculate an Pass out the second Volunteer to give total average from each group and worksheet “Food Chain percentages consumed. graph the average toxin Toxin Levels” to each levels. student. Copy down or calculate (your choice) the average toxin Ask the percentages of each percentage for each group of toxin from at least three organisms. students from each group. You can either calculate the average as a class or have students do so individually. How do you think these Solicit answers. Talk about what they know substances might get into a about these toxic substances. wetland area? Where do you think these substances come from?
Now, if an organism in the Solicit answers. Use their data to determine wild has more than 50 what groups of organisms percent of one of these would have lived and died. toxins, it is not likely to survive. They can also determine if individual organisms/students Are there any groups of reached more than 50 percent organisms that have more toxin levels. than 50 percent of one of the substances? Now, everyone should graph Tell students what you would Graph data. the data that was collected like on their graphs. from the biomagnification game.
What do you think some Lead class discussion. Talk about possible solutions possible solutions to to bioaccumulation and biomagnification are? Reduce pollution (household biomagnification and what chemicals, vehicle they learned today. discharges).
Plant trees to take up nutrients.
Don’t pour chemicals down storm drains or water wells.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
307
Wigeons and Coots Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview Grade Levels This lesson will provide the opportunity for students to learn about animal Upper Elementary adaptations, specifically with regard to bird beaks, and to learn how various Middle School adaptations can work to an animal’s advantage. Duration Learning Objectives 50-55 minutes The students will: . Discover what types of beaks are best suited for eating various types Setting of bird food Outdoors . Observe the different ways birds camouflage and protect their nests . Discuss adaptations of other wetland animals Vocabulary Adaptation GLEs Habitat Science Kleptoparasitic 4th – (SI-E-A1), (LS-E-A3, C1) Wetland 5th – (SI-M-A1), (LS-M-D1) th 7 – (SE-M-A2) English Language Arts 4th – (ELA-1-E5, E6) 6th – (ELA-1-M1, M4), (ELA-4-M1, M6) 7th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)
Materials List . Container to hold bird food (teacher provides) o Examples of this would be a pie pan, a plastic bowl (with a lid if doing activity more than once), etc. . Samples of dry beans, macaroni noodles and dry peas (A 16-ounce bag of each will be provided; teacher should provide any additional materials needed.) o Any additional small bean, ball, noodle or object can be used (This can be based on your personal preference.) . Plastic cups, one cup per player (teacher provides) . Different tools that can be used as “beaks” (one tool per player, but there may be more than one player with the same type of tool) o Plastic spoons o Large binder clips o Clothes pins o Toothpicks o Tweezers ( teacher provides) o Tongs (teacher provides) o Pliers (teacher provides) o Scissors (three pairs provided)
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
308 Background Information
See General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more information on Louisiana’s wetlands and wetland conservation.
A habitat is where animals live. Habitats provide food, water and shelter animals need to survive, but there is more to survival than just what is found in the habitat. Animals also depend on their physical features to help them obtain food, be safe, build homes, withstand weather and attract mates. These features are called physical adaptations, and some examples are:
. The color of the fur. . The thickness or thinness of the fur. . The shape of the nose or ears. . Horns or antlers that can be used to fight off predators. . Chemicals that are sprayed from various body parts to deter predators. . Animals may even be poisonous or unpleasant-tasting so that predators soon leave them alone.
Many animals have developed remarkable defenses to keep from being killed and eaten by predators. For example, grazing animals often feed in herds for protection. When a predator attacks, the animals scatter and run in different directions to confuse the predator and allow time for the animals to escape. These characteristics are called behavioral adaptations, and other examples are: . Animals never venture too far from their home in underground dens or thick vegetation; therefore, they can quickly hide when danger approaches. . Many animals rely on camouflage or the ability to blend in with their surroundings to hide from predators. . Animals use their keen senses of sight, smell and hearing to detect danger and escape. . Animals are active only at night when it is harder for predators to find them. . Animals rely on trickery and copy the defenses of other animals to protect themselves.
Wetland Animals
Wetlands are unique habitats characterized by the presence of water and saturated soils. That means plants and animals living in these habitats must adapt to survive there. Wetland plants must be suited for survival in soils that remain wet for most of the year. Animals that live in wetlands must have special biological and behavioral characteristics to live there. They must be able to use nutrients found in water, protect themselves from their enemies in a wet environment and survive during times of saturation or drought. These animals would not be able to survive in a wetland area unless they adapted or developed the skills necessary to migrate when conditions became undesirable.
Here are some examples of animals that live in Louisiana wetlands and the adaptations that help them survive in such surroundings:
Alligator . Webbed back feet for steering . Bulging eyes on top of its head, which allow it to see but make it look like a log when it’s right under water’s surface . Protective, armor-plated skin
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
309 Nutria . Webbed hind feet . Eyes, ears and nostrils are set high on its head for swimming . Teats of the female are located high on the sides, which allow the young to suckle while in the water
Crawfish . Breathe through gills . Eyes are on movable stalks to allow sight in different directions . Emit chemical cues to identify one another
Louisiana black bear . Ability to not eat, drink, urinate or defecate during the winter . Claws reach up to 9-12 inches long to catch and maintain its diet of fish, berries and nuts . Possesses a very acute sense of smell
Brown pelican . Large bill with a flexible lower pouch that functions both as a fishing net and a temperature regulation surface . Special air sacs under the skin on the front of its body protect the pelican from the impact of the dozens of dives it makes each day
Common Bird Beak Adaptations
“A bird's beak basically is a lightweight, bony elongation of its skull. The beak is covered with skin that produces keratin, the same material found in human fingernails and hair. On most birds, the keratin condenses and dries, forming the beak's hard, glossy, outer covering. The tip and cutting edges of the beak are constantly renewed as they wear away, just as human nails are.
Bird beaks are multifunctional tools. Birds use them to weave nests, defend their territory, attack competitors, groom feathers, communicate and, most significantly, gather or capture food.
Over the years, a wide assortment of bird beaks has evolved. Though many birds have straight beaks that are adapted to general feeding, some birds' beaks are examples of unique adaptations.” (USGS 1998)
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
310 Unusual Bird Beaks and Their Uses:
. Eagles, hawks and other raptors have strong, sturdy beaks for tearing fish. . Herons have dagger-like bills for spearing and grasping fish and frogs. . Pelicans have pouched beaks that are used as nets for scooping up fish. . Hummingbirds' beaks protect their long tubular tongues with which the birds extract nectar from flowers. . Swallows and whippoorwills use their wide, gaping, beaked mouths to catch flying insects in midair. . Cardinals and grosbeaks have short, cone-shaped beaks for cracking open seeds. . Snipes have long beaks for probing in mud and water to find worms and other small animals. . Woodpeckers have chisel-like beaks for searching under tree bark to find insects. . Yellow-bellied sapsuckers have drill-like beaks for boring into trees to feed on sap and the insects attracted to it.
“All animals are adapted to their environment in unique ways. A very important adaptation for food gathering in birds is the size and shape of the beak.” (USGS 1998)
Two birds found in Louisiana are the American wigeon and the American coot. These birds are specifically adapted to thrive in shallow, freshwater, wetland areas, including ponds and marshes. Both birds have specialized beaks for living and foraging for food in these wet habitats.
The American coot is a common water bird that lives year-round in Louisiana’s wetlands. Often mistaken for a duck, coots swim and dive in freshwater areas, marshes and swamps. Coots have a completely black body, red eyes and a white, triangular, chicken-like beak (not flat like most ducks’ beaks). Coots feed on plant materials, aquatic inrvertebrates, amphibians, snails and worms. Coots have lobed (not webbed) feet that are used to forage in wet areas by tipping, diving from the surface or simply walking along shorelines.
Fun fact! The American coot is nicknamed the “marsh hen” because of the way its head bobs up and down (just like a chicken) when it is walking or swimming.
The American wigeon is a common type of waterfowl that breeds in northwestern North America and migrates through Louisiana’s wetlands during winter months. Its small, short bill exerts more force at the bill tip than any other dabbling duck. This trait makes the wigeon skilled at plucking its food off the surface of the water or stealing food from coots and diving ducks – which also is known as being kleptoparasitic. Wigeons feed during the day and night, making it challenging for other birds to defend their food.
Fun fact! The American wigeon once was called the “Baldpate" because the white stripe along a male’s head during full plumage resembles a bald man's head!
Definitions:
Adaptation – The ability of a species to survive in a particular habitat or niche; any physical changes in an organism that allows it to survive a particular habitat, defend itself from prey or more easily reproduce.
Habitat – The natural environment of an organism; place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
311 Kleptoparasitic – A form of feeding in which one animal takes food from another that has caught, collected or otherwise prepared the food, including stored food.
Wetland – A low-lying area that is wet year-round or during portions of the year. It usually is able to support types of vegetation typically adapted for saturated soil conditions.
Advance Preparation 1. Pour dry beans/macaroni/peas into a bowl or other container. A container with a lid is ideal so you can save the materials.
Procedure 1. Review the background material with the class. 2. After a discussion on wetlands, adaptations, bird beaks and wigeons and coots, take the class outside to a large area. 3. Tell the students they will be playing a game where they will act as two common wetland birds found in a Louisiana wetland – the American wigeon and the American coot. 4. Ask the class if they know about the foraging habits of American wigeons? a. Specifically: American wigeons, while able to catch their own food, often will steal food from other birds, such as coots. 5. Ask one student volunteer to be “IT.” This student will then become the class’s American wigeon. 6. Tell the class the rest of them are going to be coots. 7. Both birds are trying to survive and feed in a Louisiana wetland habitat. 8. When the game begins, the coots are going to collect food from the wetland food supply and bring it back to their nests. 9. Pass out one paper cup to every student, including the wigeon. 10. Tell the class these cups will be their “nests.” 11. Have the wigeon stand next to you and close his or her eyes. (You may to choose to blindfold the wigeon to eliminate peeking.) 12. Give the coots a few minutes to hide their nests within a given area on school grounds and then return to you and the wigeon. The wigeon must keep his or her eyes closed until all the nests are hidden. 13. After all of the coots have returned, pass out one tool to every student (It is OK if more than one student has the same type of tool.) 14. Explain that these tools represent different types of bird beaks. 15. Place the container full of dry beans/macaroni/peas on the ground next to where you are standing and tell the coots this is their food supply from the Louisiana wetland. 16. Tell the coots and the wigeon the rules of the game: a. As of this moment, they are all birds! b. Each of the coots will be responsible for collecting one bean/macaroni/pea at a time from the food supply and then bringing it to his or her hidden nest. c. Because they are birds, the students can only pick up food with their beaks – the tool you have just given them. No using their hands! d. When the game starts, the coots must WALK, not run, to deliver the food to their nests. e. Once a coot drops the food into his or her hidden nest, the coot will return to the wetland food supply to collect another piece of food and bring it to the nest. f. But the wigeon is hungry, too! As we know, however, wigeons are better at stealing food than getting it from the wetland food supply. g. This means that while the coots are trying to eat and feed their families in their nests, the wigeon will be trying to locate the coots’ nests and steal the coots’ food. LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
312 h. When the game starts, the wigeon will WALK to find the coots’ nests while holding on to his or her own cup (“nest”). i. Tell the wigeon that when he or she locates a nest, he or she will take one piece of food from a coot’s nest at a time. j. Once the wigeon has taken a piece of food from a nest, he or she must move on to another nest. The wigeon may not stay at one nest and remove all the food from that first nest! After visiting three different nests, however, the wigeon may return to a nest he or she already has visited. k. All students are on the honor system and should play fairly. l. The coots may stay to protect their nests, but we don’t want to hurt each other in the process. So everyone should play nicely. 17. When the class is ready, say GO to start the game! You should supervise the game to make sure there is no running, that birds are taking only one piece at time and only using their beaks and that everyone is playing fairly. 18. Allow the first round to go for 10 minutes. 19. Give the students a 1- minute warning before ending the round. 20. Have the wigeon and all the coots bring their nests in to count how much food they have. 21. Lead a discussion using the following questions: a. If students just have a little bit of food, why is that? b. Did the wigeon steal their food? c. Where did they hide their nests? d. Did the coots defend their nests? e. Did the coots have a hard time collecting food in the first place? Why? f. Not all bird beaks are similar. Why? (They are designed for eating different types of food.) g. What types of beaks were able to collect food the easiest? h. What types of Louisiana birds do they think have those beaks? i. Go around having everyone hold up their beaks. Talk about whether it easy or hard for each of them to collect food. j. What type of food is their beak cut out for? k. What type of food found in Louisiana wetlands may be eaten by that beak? 22. You may play multiple rounds, giving other students the opportunity to be the wigeon. (Make sure you leave time for a class discussion!)
Resources YMCA Camp Seymour. Ornithology. 2009. Gig Harbor, Wash.
USGS. Bird Beak Buffet. Retrieved on September 15, 2010. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1998/of98- 805/lessons/chpt2/act5.htm.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All About Birds. Retrieved on September 15, 2010. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Coot/id and http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Wigeon/id.
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313
Wigeons and Coots in the T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What The Students Do Today, we are going to learn Review the background about wetlands and the material with the class and adaptations plants and have a discussion on animals must have to live in wetlands, adaptations, bird these habitats. beaks and wigeons.
In a few minutes, we’re going Take the class outside to to be playing a game. We’re large area. going to be acting as two common wetland birds found in Louisiana – the American wigeon and the American coot. I need one student to volunteer to be “it.”
The person who is “it” is Pick a volunteer. One student will volunteer to going to be our American be “it.” wigeon.
What do we know about American wigeons? American wigeons are able to catch their own food but often will steal food from other birds such as coots. All of the other students are Make sure the other students going to be coots. know they are coots.
Both birds are trying to survive and feed in a Louisiana wetland habitat.
When the game begins, the Pass out one paper cup to Take cups to use as their coots are going to collect each student, including the nests. food from the wetland food wigeon. supply and bring it back to their nests.
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314 These cups will be your “nests.”
All the coots have a few Have the wigeon stand next The coots hide their nests and minutes to hide their nests to you and close his or her then return to you. nearby. eyes. (Or you may choose to use a blindfold.) The wigeon should keep his The wigeon has to close or her eyes closed until all his/her eyes – and no Give the coots a few minutes nests are hidden. peeking! to hide their nests. Now that the nests are Pass out a tool to every hidden, I will hand out a beak student. to each coot. Each of these tools represents a different type of bird beak.
This container serves as your Place the container full of dry food supply in a Louisiana beans/macaroni/peas on the wetland. ground next to where you are standing and tell the coots this is their food supply from the Louisiana wetland.
Now, everyone listen while I Use Procedural Step No. 16 Listen to rules. review the rules of the game. to review the rules of the game.
Now that everyone knows the Say GO to start the game! Coots begin taking food to rules, we are ready. Supervise the game to make their hidden nests, and the sure there is no running, birds wigeon steals the food from GO! are only taking one piece at the nests. time and only using their beaks and that everyone is playing fairly.
Allow the first round to go for 10 minutes.
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315 You have 1 minute to finish Give the students a 1-minute collecting food! warning before ending the round.
STOP!
Everyone bring their nests in Bring nests to common area to count how much food you and start counting the pieces have collected. of food each of them collected. Let’s hear which coot collected the most food? Coots report food first; then the wigeon reports. Now that all the coots have told us their food amounts, how much food did the parasitic wigeon collect? Let’s all sit and talk about Use Procedural Step No. 21 Listen and answer questions; what we think happened to lead a class discussion. discuss what happened during this game. during the game.
You may play multiple rounds, giving other students the opportunity to be the wigeon. (Make sure you leave time for a class discussion!)
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316 Birds of a Feather Flock Together Teacher Instructions
Focus/Overview Grade Levels In this lesson students will learn about bird migration and how numerous Upper Elementary migratory birds travel to or through Louisiana’s wetlands. Students will Middle School conduct a simulated migration in which they will encounter resources and High School challenges migrating birds face both from humans and natural occurrences. Duration Learning Objectives 50-55 minutes The students will: . Understand why birds migrate and the challenges birds face as they Setting migrate to or through the wetlands of Louisiana Large open area . Determine ways humans can affect the migration of birds (gym or outdoors) . Narrate their journey and share with the rest of the class Vocabulary GLEs Carrying Capacity Science Habitat 4th – (SI-E-A1), (LS-E-A3), (SE-E-A2) Migration 5th – (LS-M-C3), (SE-M-A2) 6th – (SE-M-A8) 7th – (LS-M-D2), (SE-M-A4, A8) 8th – (SE-M-A4) High School – (LS-H-D4, F4), (SE-H-A7) English Language Arts 4th – (ELA-4-E2, E5), (ELA-5-E6) 5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA4-M1, M2, M4), (ELA-7-M1) 6th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2), (ELA-5-M6) 7th – (ELA-4-M1, M2), (ELA-5-M6) 8th – (ELA-4-M1, M2), (ELA-5-M6) High School – (ELA-4-H1, H2), (ELA-5-H6)
Materials List . Weights or dumbbells (teacher provides) . Ribbon . Scissors (three pairs provided) . Blanket (teacher provides) . Umbrella or representative “shelter” (teacher provides) . Station dice (see Blackline Masters) . Migration cards (see Blackline Masters)
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317 Background Information See General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more information on Louisiana’s wetlands and wetland conservation. What is migration? Migration is a seasonal movement from one area to another, usually between a breeding and a nonbreeding area. Birds migrate to stay alive. As seasons change, temperatures may become too extreme (hot or cold) for these animals to withstand. They must migrate to meet their basic needs for survival, including food, water, shelter, space and a safe nesting or breeding site. Many birds travel the same routes each year. Some scientists believe migrating birds navigate by the position of the sun and stars, as well as by landmarks such as mountains, rivers and coasts. A mysterious sixth sense in birds gives them the instinctive urge to take flight due to decreasing food ability, changing winds, falling temperatures or even dwindling daylight hours that occur during the change of seasons. Not all birds migrate, but some need several different habitats to complete their life cycle. They may breed in one habitat, spend winter somewhere else and then migrate along another during spring and fall. Some years bring more migrating birds to Louisiana than others. For example, in the past three years, warm weather and abundant food up north have kept many birds far away from our state, but a severe cold front in the North could easily push these birds into our wetland ecosystems. Migrating birds may not stay long in one place. Environmental or human induced stress, such as insufficient food, water or cover might force birds to fly elsewhere. In the case of ducks, their strong wings allow them to easily rest in one place and feed 100 miles away from the rest site. Then they may fly 300 miles the next day. Are birds the only animals that migrate? No! Numerous species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates migrate. Some examples are whales, caribou, and salmon. Do wetland birds migrate? Millions of shorebirds, waterfowl and other birds fly into the Gulf region, specifically Louisiana, as fall migration gets under way. Some make short stops before heading off on longer flights across the Gulf of Mexico and some spend the entire winter in our state. Shorebirds, such as sandpipers, dunlins, plovers, dowitchers, greater/lesser yellowlegs and red knots, are those that stop over in Louisiana wetlands to replenish critical fat reserves by feeding on sand dunes and in wetlands. Many waterfowl species, specifically ducks and geese, spend part or all of the winter in Louisiana – dabbling for food near the surface of the water or diving beneath to retrieve food. These species, including redheads, blue-winged teal, gadwalls, northern pintails and snow geese, make Louisiana the most important wintering area for waterfowl in North America. These long-distance journeys demand a lot of energy (in the case of birds, up to 12 times more than the amount usually required), and before leaving the migrants have to store up body fat that will be used as fuel for the trip. Wetlands provide abundant sources of food along a bird’s migration route. A variety of migrating birds, including ducks, geese, herons, gulls, terns and shorebirds, require the presence of
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318 wetlands at some point in their life cycles. Some use these ecosystems as their breeding habitat, while others simply use wetlands as their wintering grounds. Do wetland birds face any threats here in Louisiana? Although birds migrate to survive, they must go through numerous obstacles during their journey. The primary threat to the survival of migratory birds using Louisiana’s wetlands is the disappearance and degradation of these ecosystems. All wetlands, including ponds, lakes and marshes, are important for successful bird migration. Without wetlands, dozens of species of ducks, geese, shorebirds and other water birds face loss of the necessary habitat for survival. Many federal, state and private groups recognize the importance of wetlands to wildlife and play an active role in protecting these ecosystems. Millions of acres of wetlands and associated uplands have been protected in North America to actively conserve and restore habitat for the vast flocks of migratory birds. Along with natural occurrences that destroy wetlands, such as saltwater intrusion and erosion, human induced issues also affect these habitats. Economic development and urbanization are reducing the availability of wetlands. Pollution, both point-source and nonpoint-source, reduces the health and safety of wetlands for both humans and wildlife. In addition, natural challenges, such as predators, weather, disease and fire, also influence both the animals and their habitat. What’s being done to help protect migratory birds? Bird Banding Bird banding is a useful tool in monitoring migratory bird populations. Researchers capture birds in nets and place a metal band around each bird’s leg. These bands have numbers and contact information to report if a bird is killed. Often during banding, researchers take measurements of wing and bill size, weight, sex and age estimates. Banding allows us to collect data important to populations, such as migration, behavior, survival rate and reproductive success. This information can be used to access population status and formulate ways to help migratory birds.
Hunting and Policy Many federal programs benefit migratory birds such as the Federal Duck Stamp Program, which requires those who hunt migratory birds to purchase a Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp every year. Proceeds from the stamps funds habitat restoration and creation of national wildlife refuges. In addition, the Wallop-Breaux Act places a tax on hunting and fishing equipment to create funds for habitat restoration projects in Louisiana. While hunting may decrease bird populations, it helps to ensure population levels remain below carrying capacity while providing funding for habitat restoration.
Habitat Restoration Louisiana has lost 1,900 square miles of wetlands since the1930s. Today, there are several organizations and programs, such as the Youth Wetlands Program, dedicated to helping restore wetlands. We work hard to increase wetland knowledge throughout the state, as well as to plant wetland vegetation to help slow erosion. Other ways people can help include donating money to help wetland groups, being aware of what they wash down storm drains, picking up trash and avoiding development of wetlands for other uses. There are many
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319 projects that take place in communities nationwide, such as storm drain painting, bird house construction, pond building and tree planting. Find one near you, help your local wetlands and provide migrating birds with a nice place to stay!
Background on a blue-winged teal (Anas discors) Blue-winged teal are small, dabbling ducks that are brown with a pale blue shoulder patch that is revealed in flight. In full plumage, a male is easy to identify with its distinctive white crescent in front of the eyes and metallic green feathers that are found on the rear of the wings. The female is a mottled brown color with no crescent but a dark line through the eye. Blue-winged teal breed primarily in central North America, particularly in the prairies and parklands found in the northern United States and Canada. Nesting habitat includes wetland areas. Female teal lay nine to 12 dull white eggs in a down-lined hollow nest that is concealed near water. Females change breeding sites from year to year in response to changing wetland conditions, such as the drainage and development of these areas. Blue-winged teal are known to inhabit shallow ponds and seasonal and permanent wetlands, plucking food items from the surface or partially dipping their heads just beneath the surface. These birds feed on aquatic plants and seeds and aquatic invertebrates found in wet areas. Blue-winged teal are highly migratory and tend to fly for long distances to reach their wintering spots. They are the first to migrate to the South in the winter and the last to leave in the spring. These birds often are seen in a small, compact flock, flying fast and erratically as a single unit. Blue-winged teal suffer large mortality rates during migration because they fly for very long distances over water. Common predators of this species include snakes, snapping turtles, raccoons and spotted skunks. The main cause of the population’s decline is the loss of habitat.
For a chart that shows all of the birds that migrate to OR through Louisiana, visit this website: http://www.birdcentral.net/wetlands.html.
Definitions:
Carrying Capacity – The maximum number of organisms an ecosystem can support.
Habitat – What an animal needs to survive, meaning food, water, shelter and space.
Migration – A seasonal movement from one area to another, usually a breeding and a nonbreeding area.
Advance Preparation 1. Photocopy Migration Cue Cards and three paper dice (see Blackline Masters). 2. Cut, fold and glue dice.
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320 3. Cut out the Migration Cue Cards (see Blackline Masters) and arrange cue cards in a large circle. The cards should have at least 5 feet between them; if the cards are at risk of blowing away, weight each card down with rocks, push-pins, etc. 4. Place materials at appropriate stations: a. Place correct die at Stations 1, 8 and 13 b. Place dumbbells at Station 3 c. Place ribbon and scissors at Station 4 d. Place blanket at Station 6 e. Place umbrella at Station 10
Procedure 1. Have students name some birds they see around their home or school. (Possible names may include robin, blue jay, mockingbird, woodpecker, egret, hawk, duck, goose, etc.) 2. Ask the students if the birds they named are seen throughout the entire year or if they only see those birds at certain times of the year. (This is to get students to think about the idea that some birds are not year-round inhabitants of Louisiana.) 3. If the response is that the birds are NOT here all of the time, ask the students if they know why the birds are not here or where the birds go. (Answers will vary: For example, some birds may leave when their choice of food is scarce or when the weather gets colder.) 4. Review the background information with the class to introduce them to the idea of migration. 5. Ask students why birds migrate. (Answers will vary but could include: To obtain food, escape predators, breed and avoid extreme seasons of low light and food.) 6. Tell the students to imagine that migration is like them going to grocery store one day only to discover it has disappeared! a. What would they do? b. Go to another store? c. What would happen if the next store they tried was also gone? d. Where would they get their food? e. How would this affect their behavior? 7. Ask the students why they think birds migrate to Louisiana during the winter months. (Answers will vary: It is warmer here, so there would be more vegetation growing, more insects are not killed off by hard freezes, pond and other water bodies are not frozen, etc.) 8. Tell the students that the most important habitats in Louisiana that are available to migrating birds are our wetlands! Louisiana’s wetlands are vital to birds because wetlands are places where birds can find food that will help them as they travel. When these wetland areas disappear, it causes problems for birds, just like it would for humans if all the grocery stories were no longer around. 9. Tell the students that today they will be simulating the migration of a blue-winged teal. (Use the background information to provide some details to the class.) 10. Bring the class outside to a large area (or into the gym).
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321 11. Tell the students the cards on the ground (or the floor) represent different challenges they may face during their migration. a. The students need to understand that many factors will limit their survival. Some challenges will be changes in their wintering and nesting habitats. Also, there will be times of abundant food, water, shelter and space suitably arranged to meet the habitat requirements of the birds. There will be other times when the habitat is stressed, with many factors limiting the potential for survival. Sometimes the area of available habitat is reduced. 12. Tell the students that they will experience a different migration route of a blue- winged teal. 13. All students should line up at Station 1. 14. The game will be played like a board game. Each student will roll the die at Station 1 and move to their first assigned station (it will be one of the following stations: 2, 3, 4 or 5) before continuing the game. 15. After every student is at his or her first assigned station, the game can continue. 16. Students should read and follow the directions on the cards until they reach a card that reads “Migration ends” or finish their migration at Station 17. 17. Not every student will necessarily complete his or her migration. Only those who reach Station 17 have successfully completed their migration! 18. When everyone is finished, teams should narrate what their journey was like to the rest of the class. 19. Lead a discussion using the following questions: a. Why did some birds die earlier than others? b. How did the birds die? c. What is significant about their experiences? (Refer to background information.) d. How does this game represent migration? e. What happens to the birds when habitat loss occurred? f. How do migrating birds depend on wetlands during migration? g. Why is it important to save wetlands in Louisiana?
Blackline Masters 1. Migration Cue Cards 2. Station Dice (3)
Resources Birdcentral.net. Louisiana Birds – Water Birds and Wetlands. Retrieved 16 September 2010, from http://www.birdcentral.net/wetlands.html
Bowser, Betty Ann. 30 August 2010. In Louisiana, Wetlands Erosion is a Slow-Moving Crisis. Retrieved 14 September 2010, from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/08/in- louisiana-wetlands-erosion-is-slow-moving-crisis.html
Consortium for Oceanographic Activities for Students and Teachers. 11 June 1999. Marine & Aquatic Habitats. Activities – Estuaries Are for the Birds! Retrieved 13 September 2010, from http://www.coast-nopp.org/resource_guide/elem_mid_school /ma_habitats_acts/birds.html#background
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Ducks Unlimited. Teacher’s Guide to Wetland Activities. Retrieved 10 September 2010, from http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/implementation/Curricula/DU-Wetland- Teacher-Guide.PDF
Felsher, John N. North Louisiana Early Ducks. Retrieved 7 September 2010, from http://www.lagameandfish.com/hunting/ducks-geese- hunting/la_aa112404a/
Hinterland Who’s Who. Make Way for Wild Migrants. Retrieved 2 September 2010, from http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=136
Hinterland Who’s Who. Migratory Species Need Migratory Spaces. Retrieved 2 September 2010, from http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?pid=0&cid=5&id=126
Louisiana Travel. Birding. Retrieved 7 September 2010, from http://www.louisianatravel.com/birding
National Wildlife Federation. Migration Begins! Retrieved 2 September 2010, from http://blogs.nwf.org/arctic_promise/2009/08/migration-begins.html
Tangley, Laura. 7 September 2010. Oil Spill Threatens Migratory Birds. Retrieved 13 September 2010, from http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National- Wildlife/Birds/Archives/2010/Oil-Fall-Migration.aspx
The Why Files. 4 October 2007. The Miracle of Winged Migration. Retrieved 8 September 2010, from http://whyfiles.org/006migration/index.php?g=2.txt
United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Hunting and Migratory Birds- How Hunters Benefit Many Migratory Bird Species. Retrieved 9 October 2012, from http://www.fws.gov/birds/hunting.pdf
United States Geological Survey. About Banding. Retrieved 9 October 2012, from http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/homepage/aboutbanding.cfm
United States Geological Survey Nation Wetlands Research Center. Caring for Costal Wetlands. Retrieved 9 October 2012, from http://lacoast.gov/new/Pubs/Report_data/Caring.aspx
Utah Education Network. 15 July 2004. TRB 4:5 - Investigation 4 – Wetland Adaptation. Retrieved 8 September 2010, from http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?LPid=9982
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323 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards Station 1 You are a flock of blue-winged teal starting winter migration to Louisiana. You have spent your summer fueling up for your 3,000 mile journey south.
Roll the die to see how far ahead you will move. Move to the station on the die.
Station 2 A storm’s strong wind slows your flight. Fighting the wind is tiring.
Flap your arms while moving to Station 3.
324 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards (continued) Station 3 You find a pond with your favorite seeds, grasses and insects. After eating as much as you can, you feel strong and continue your migration.
Lift the dumbbells five times and then move to Station 5.
Station 4 You are caught in a net while migrating. Scientists put a band on your leg and release you. You are stressed but unharmed.
Tie a ribbon around your ankle and move to Station 5.
325 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards (continued) Station 5 You see a large pond that is full of ducks, boats and other birds. You try to land, but a wind forces you down into the street and you barely escape from getting hit by a car!
Quack loudly while moving to Station 6. Station 6 You have been flying for days and decide to land in a marshy area with other ducks and shorebirds. You fill your belly with seeds and hide in the marsh plants for the rest of the day.
Sit on the picnic blanket for 10 seconds to digest your food and then move to Station 7.
326 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards (continued) Station 7 You are tired and stop to rest in a backyard tree. A cat attacks you and injures your leg, but you escape.
Hop on one leg to Station 8.
Station 8 While stopping to rest in a lake, you find another flock of blue-winged teal. You decide to travel with them.
Roll the die to see how far you move ahead. Move to the station indicated on the die.
327 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards (continued) Station 9 While migrating over a busy city, you fly into a large glass building! You are killed instantly.
Your migration ends here! Wait here until the end of the game.
Station 10 You find a national wildlife refuge with plenty of food and shelter. You rest there for a few days before continuing your migration.
Hold the umbrella over your head and snore five times. Move ahead to Station 12.
328 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards (continued) Station 11 You are hungry, but the forest you usually stop in has been developed into a neighborhood. You don’t have the energy to fly or find food, so you starve.
Your migration ends here! Wait here until the end of the game. Station 12 You have been flying for days and stop at a lake to rest. Kids see you and throw rocks at you, injuring your wing. You escape into the nearby woods until you are strong enough to fly again.
Hold one arm behind your back while moving to Station 13.
329 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards (continued) Station 13 The winds are shifting to the south, making your flight faster and easier.
Roll the die to see how far you move ahead. Stick your arms out and soar to the station indicated by the die.
Station 14 You stop in a marsh to rest and find food. Something scares you and you try to fly away, but a hunter shoots you before you can escape.
Your migration ends here! Wait here until the end of the game.
330 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards (continued) Station 15 You land in the Gulf of Mexico to find a good wetland to hide in. There is an oil spill, and you are covered in oil. Unable to fly, the toxins from the oil eventually kill you.
Your migration ends here! Wait here until the end of the game. Station 16 You and your flock get caught in a storm. The winds spin you around, and you are blown off course.
Spin around five times before continuing to the next station. Move to Station 17.
331 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together provided by LSU AgCenter Student Activity Sheet Migration Cue Cards (continued) Station 17 Congratulations! You’ve completed your migration to Louisiana’s wetlands. You will spend your winter here and then return north during the spring. Wetlands will provide you with food and shelter from the cold.
Wait here, and celebrate your successful migration to Louisiana’s wetlands!
Migration Cue Card Citations
1. http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/pg_grp_sfwmd_sfer/portlet_sfer/ tab23990530/2010sfer_photos/bluewingedtealflock.html 2. http://blog.coresecurity.com/2009/09/09/cloud-computing-the-gathering-storm/ 3. http://tamron.myphotoexhibits.com/exhibits/1803-winged-wonders 4. http://www.ducks.org/hunting/banding/banding-ducks-in-the-dakotas 5. http://www.daylol.com/ducks-crossing-the-street#.UOr6cazhfKg 6. http://forums.steves-digicams.com/wildlife-photos/39381-ducks-marsh.html 7. http://www.cattamboo.com/interactive-cat-toy/cat-love-toys/ 8. http://www.fws.gov/refuges/RefugeUpdate/MarApr_2012/waterbirdinitiative.html 9. http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/can-an-all-glass-office- building-really-be-considered-green.html 10. http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4e7ae/c1bde/ 11. http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/earth/environment/2582386/ deforestation/ 12. http://squibix.net/blog/?entry=2184 13. http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Dabblers.html 14. http://teambrodiecharters.com/?p=239 15. http://www.stuffintheair.com/bird-pollution.html 16. http://science.nationalgeographic.com/wallpaper/science/photos/climate/dakota- prairie-tornado/
332 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together Student Activity Sheet Station Dice
Go to Station 2
Roll Go to Again Station 3
Go to Station 4
Go to Roll Station Again 5 provided by LSU AgCenter
333 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together Student Activity Sheet (cont’d)
Go to Station 9
Roll Go to Again Station 10
Go to Station 11
Go to Roll Station Again 12 provided by LSU AgCenter
334 Birds of a Feather Youth Wetlands Program Flock Together Student Activity Sheet (cont’d)
Go to Station 14
Roll Go to Again Station 15
Go to Station 16
Go to Roll Station Again 17 provided by LSU AgCenter
335 Birds of a Feather Flock Together in T-3 Format
What You Say What You Do What The Students Do Have students name some birds they If the response is that the see around their home or school. birds are NOT here all of (Possible names may include robin, the time, ask the students if blue jay, mockingbird, woodpecker, they know why birds are egret, hawk, duck, geese, etc.). not here all the time or where birds go when they Ask the students if the birds they are not here. (Answers will named are seen throughout the vary: Some birds may leave entire year or if they only see these when their choice of food is birds at certain times of the year? scarce or the weather gets (This is to get students to think colder.) about the idea that some birds are not year-round inhabitants of Louisiana.)
Review the background Ask students why birds migrate? information with the (Answers will vary: To obtain food, class to introduce them escape predators, breed and avoid to idea of migration. extreme seasons of low light and
food, etc.)
Tell the students to imagine that migration is like them going to grocery store one day only to discover that it has disappeared! a. What would they do? b. Go to another store? c. What would happen if the next store they tried had also gone? d. Where would they get their food? e. How would this affect their behavior?
Ask the students why they think birds migrate to Louisiana during the winter months. (Answers will vary: It is warmer here, so there would be more vegetation growing; more insects that are not killed off by hard freezes; pond and other water bodies are not frozen, etc).
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Tell the students that today they will Bring the class outside to be simulating the migration of a a large area (or into the blue-winged teal. (Use the gym). background information to provide some details to the class). Tell the students that the cards on Each student potentially the ground represent different will experience a different challenges they may face during migration route of a blue- their migration. winged teal.
The students need to understand that Students line up at Station many factors will limit their 1. survival. Some challenges will be changes in their wintering and nesting habitats. There will be times of abundant food, water, shelter and space suitably arranged to meet the habitat requirements of the birds. There will be other times when the habitat is stressed, with many factors limiting the potential for survival. Sometimes the area of available habitat is reduced.
Have each student read the card and Each student will roll the roll the die. Tell the students to go to die and go to the station on the station on the die and wait there the die. Students will wait to begin the game. at this station until the game begins.
After everyone reaches the first Students will read the cards assigned station, begin the game. and follow the directions. Tell students to read and follow the directions on each station they are directed to. Tell students that if they reach a “migration ends” card, they are to wait there until the end of the game.
Students who reached When everyone is finished, Station 17 have students should narrate successfully completed what their journey was like their migration! to the rest of the class.
LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013
337 Now, we’re going to have a Students will discuss their discussion about some of our experiences and why they observations: are important. a) Why did some birds die earlier than others? b) How did the birds die? c) What is significant about their experiences? (Refer to background info.) d) How does this game represent migration? e) What happened to the birds when habitat loss occurred? f) How do migrating birds depend on wetlands during migration? g) Why is it important to save wetlands in Louisiana?
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