TWO TYPES OF JOURNALING BEFORE POND STUDY

This is a two part journaling activity prior to an existing week long biology field lab. During the lab, students investigate the interaction of living and nonliving environmental factors affecting a run off pond near the school. They collect water, macroinvertebrates and other organisms to take back to the lab. Using tools and resources, students make observations, do drawings, and identify the aquatic organisms. They also count and graph the organisms to determine the quality of the pond water.

The journaling activities described here have been added to the beginning of the Pond Study Lab to enhance student learning of observation and quality journaling skills.

DAY ONE - 50 minute class period
Materials needed by each student: journal, pencil, colored pencils(optional), blindfold(bandana)

1.) In the classroom

A. Conduct quick KWH brainstorming session on 'run off 'ponds.

B. Read aloud the book Near One Cattail by Anthony D. Fredericks or parts of the book Salamander Rain – A Lake and Pond Journal by Kristin Pratt- Serafani, or similar book to get the students to start visualizing the systems interacting in and around a pond.C. Establish the 'rules' of going our to do our Sensory Journey: (suggestions)

Pick own spot, at least 3 m from any other student and from the pond.

Must be in sight of teacher at all times.

No talking to other students once we arrive until the signal is given to gather to return.

D. Explain the Sensory Journey requirements:

Some drawings and some notations are required; you will be assessed on the quality of effort put into your journaling, not your artwork, spelling, etc (Leave this pretty open for their own comfort level.)

Use your 4 senses (not taste).

Sound Map: A signal will be given. Blindfold yourself for about 5 minutes and concentrate on creating a 'sound map' of what you hear.

Put yourself as an X in the middle of the page, and draw or write what you hear in the whole 'circle' around you.

A signal will be given to remove the blindfold, and you may add to, fix, or complete your sound map for a couple minutes.

Other Senses: The next 5-8 min. will be spent journaling for sight, smell, touch (only what you can touch within reach of where you sit).

Organize in any way that works for you; you may use the Sound Map and add your other observations on it, or do them on a new page.

2.) Go outside to the pond area and conduct the Sensory Journey journaling.

DAY TWO – one 50 minute class period
Materials needed: Pond water collection equipment (poles with small containers on the end), rubber boots or waders (at least a couple pair to share), clear plastic cups, spoons, buckets to carry pond water, bags for bringing back any litter
Needed by each student: journal, pencil, colored pencils (optional)

1.) In the classroom

A. Establish the requirements of the journaling: For 10 -12 minutes you will draw the outline of the pond, then add in drawings and labels for all of the living and non living factors in and surrounding the pond, within 5 m of the edge. Make notes in a corner or on another page of any other factors you think are affecting the pond that are more than 5 m from the edge.

Since the students were out there yesterday, they will already have some ideas of what they will be journaling.

Let students know they will be assessed on the accuracy and completeness of their information.

B. Establish the rules for the pond water collection. (included in the existing Pond Study curriculum)

2.) Go outside to pond and do structured journaling, then pond water collection.