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Habitat Comparison Walk

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Habitat Comparison Walk HABITAT COMPARISON WALK Overview: In this activitystudents will observeplant s and animals in three differenthabitats while hiking from the back deck of the Environmental Education Center (EEC) to thesalt pond levee. Next Generation Science Standards: 3-LS3-2 (LS3.B); 3-LS4-4 (LS4.D); 4-LS1-1 (LS1.A) TIME FRAME FOR CONDUCTING THIS ACTIVITY Grades:3-4 Recommended Time: (30 minutes) minutes) Key Concept: A habitat is a Introduction (8 living communityfor an animal or plant. A habitat provides the • discuss the definition of a habitat; name habitats seen on the walk animalor plantw ith suitable • identify plants in the display to look for on the hike food,water, shelter, and space. • distribute Read Aloud Cards to teams of 3 students Each habitat supportsplants Habitat Hike (15 minutes - note add 5 minutes if activity is 35 min) and animalsthat have adapted • hike the trail fromth e building to the salt pond to livingthere. • stop at the numbered stops on themap ; use the Read Aloud Cards Objectives: to discuss the characteristics of the habitat; identifyplants and Studentswill be able to: animals dependent on that habitat • identifyand compare three Wrap-Up (2 minutes) differenthabitats on the • discuss the importance of preservinghabitat for wildlife and people refuge. Travel Time (5 minutes) • identifyone plantor animal • Studentstravel to their next station, leader returns to the back deck. found ineach habitat. • nameone valueof each habitat. HOW THIS ACTIVITY RELATES TO THE REFUGE'S RESOURCES Materials: What are the Refuge's resources? Provided by the Refuge: • wildlife habitat • I birdidentification chart • endangered species • I plant identificationbook • migratorybird s • 1 poster of tidal slough What makes it necessary to manage the resources? habitat (high / low tide) • Bayland habitats are being developed at analarming r ate leaving • 1 plant display less room forwildlife. • 4 Read Aloud Cards • Salt marsh habitat is being converted into freshwaterhabitat. • Photo of salt marsh • Invasive, non-native plant species out-compete and displace native harvest mouse plant species, reducing the foodsupply formany native animals (esp. • 12 pairbinoculars insects such as butterflies). What can students do to help? • Refugestaff work with water pollution control plants to lessen the amount of freshwaterbeing released into tidal sloughs, but we need your help. • Conserve your use of water and ask your family to do the same. • Protect habitat for wildlife by keeping your cat indoors (cats catch migratorybirds). • Teach others about the importanceof planting native California plants SUPPORTING INFORMATION FOR THIS AUIYITY • Historically, all salt marshes around San Francisco Bay were tidal wetlands, servingas a transition • A habitat is a community(made up of living and zone between the bay or sloughs and the upland non-living things) for a plant or animal, providing habitat. food, water, shelter, and space suitable to its • At the Environmental Education Center New inhabitants' needs. Chicago Marsh is a nontidal, manageds�lt marsh. • Each habitat has its own unique characteristics The slough channels feedingNew Chicago Marsh (e.g., a lake is veryd ifferentfrom an ocean). were connected to the bay prior to the 1960s. The • A description of each habitat you will be exploring construction of levees (to create salt ponds) on the Habitat Comparison Walk (upland,salt disconnected the sloughs in New Chicago Marsh marsh, and tidal slough) is foundbelow. For more fromthe Bay. information, see the Overviewof Refuge • To maintain this important habitat, refugestaff Ecosystems starting on p. 22 in the Salt Marsh installed a water gate that can be opened to allow Manual. Bay water to flow from the higher elevation of the Upland • The upland can be described as the land that is Bay into the marsh. higher and drier than the salt marsh. There are a • The plants in the salt marsh are low-growing and varietyo f native and nonnative (introducedby have adapted to living in saltys oils. Pickleweed, the people) plants in the upland. In the upland, the predominant plant, is very salt tolerant. Other plants plants may grow taller and have broader leaves than in the salt marsh include salt grass, alkali heath and Australians altbush. plants living in the marsh. • An old landfillc overed with dirt, upon which the • Animals use the salt marsh for food and shelter. building is built, comprises most of the upland at the The endangered salt marsh harvest mouse EEC. ("Salty")lives in New Chicago Marsh. Other small • Levees are also upland habitat. mammals include rabbits,voles and shrews. • Plants that may be identifiedon the Habitat • Many birds depend on the marsh forfeeding and/ Comparison Walk include: black sage(native), or nesting, including ducks, geese, plovers, egrets, herons, and northernh arriers (marsh hawks). bunch grass (native), Californiab uckwheat (native), Californiasage brush (native), ceanothus (fresh water) (native), coyote brush (native), lemonade berry Tidal Slough • Tidal sloughs are natural waterways that carry (native), live oak (native), Mexican tobacco tree water from the ocean or bay into the salt marshes (non-native), soap root plant (native), and toyon as the tide comes in and returnthe water as the (native). tide goes out. At low tide, when the slough water is • Many animal species live in the upland - students carried out to the bay, the mudflats beneath the may see: water are revealed. • If the palm of one's hand is used to represent San A variety of butterflies, westernfence and Francisco Bay, a tidal slough may be thought of as alligator lizards, cotton-tailand jack rabbits, a "fingerof the Bay." Californiaground squirrels, gopher and garter • The tidal slough at the Environmental Education snakes Center is called ArtesianSlough. Because it receives the effluent from the San Jose/Santa Salt Marsh Clara Water Pollution ControlPlant, up to • Approximately 80% of the salt marsh surrounding 100 million gallons each day, it is a freshwater San Francisco Bay has been destroyed, primarily habitat. Cattails and freshwater tule grow along by the constructionof landfills,salt ponds, roads the banks. and building. • Many birds depend on the slough and mudflatsfor feeding and/or nesting, including ducks, geese, shorebirds, egrets, herons, and northernharriers (marsh hawk). HOW TO LEAD THIS ACTIVITY USING THE Read "Here are some of the plants we need to find along "DO, READ, ASK" TEACHING fORMAT the way. Listen closely while I show you each plant Introduction (8 minutes) and tell you its name." Do Begin the activity with an introduction on the back Do deck. [HOLD UP THE BOTTLE WITH EACH PLANT WHILE YOU READ THE NAME] Read California sagebrush, black sage, coyote brush, toyon, "Welcome to the Habitat Comparison Walk. In this lemonade berry, pickleweed, and tule. activity you will observe plants and animals in three different habitats while hiking from here to the salt Read pond levee." [POINT] • "We will be using binoculars on our hike. As I pass them out, I want you to place the strap Ask around your neck. ? We will be spending a lot of time talking about habitats. Can anyone tell me what a habitat is? • "Take a minute to get used to using the [A community (place to live) for an binoculars. animal or plant.] ? What does a habitat provide for an animal or • "While we are hiking, we will be observing each of plant to live? (Suitable food, water, shelter, and the habitats, looking for plants, animals, and space.) evidence of animals. ? Are all habitats the same? (No.) ? This building is built on the upland. What animals • "We will have designated binocular stops. Please live in the upland? Gopher and garter snakes, rabbits, wait until we get to a binocular stop to use the ground squirrels, lizards, and a variety of birds, such as binoculars." sparrows and swallows) ? Can you see the second habitat, called the salt • "As we walk on the trail we will find many of the marsh, from here? (Yes.) plants. we just observed in the plant display. ? Where is it? (The low, flat wetland just below the upland.) • "You will work in teams of ttwo to three to be the plant experts. Each team will be responsible for Read sharing information about five of the plants on "The third habitat we will be talking about is way over trail using the Read Aloud cards. there [POINT]. We cannot see it from here. It is called the tidal slough." • Let's get started on our hike!" UPLAND Do Hold up the poster of the tidal slough. Habitat Hike ( 15 minutes) Do Read • "We will have a chance to take a closer look at the real Start by walking down the steps, turn right at the slough later during our hike. While we are hiking we bottom, and walk down the trail about 15 feet. will be looking for plants and animals." • You will be in front of the California sagebrush (the leaves are silvery green, very soft and Do Show the students the plant display. aromatic) that grow along the edge of the trail. Stop #1 Stop #3 California Sage Coyote Brush Do Do Ask the team that has Read Aloud Card #3 to stand Ask the team that has Read Aloud Card #1 to by the plant and take turns reading the stand by the plant and take turns reading the information on the card. Have the students show information on the card. Have the students the group the picture on the card. show the group the picture on the card. Ask Ask ? What does evergreen mean? (Leaves stay ? Describe what the plant smells like to you? green and remain on the plant year-round.) (Take all answers) ? The team stated that this is a native plant, Read what does native mean? (The plants grew in 'Insects., such as butterflies, wasps, bees, and California before it was settled by Europeans) beetles, are attracted to the flowers that bloom in the late summer.
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