The Rivers that Connect Us- Stories from the Land
Summary
In this geology based field trip, students will observe and reflect many things that are connected to the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. This trip will take us on a journey through Minnehaha Park and Fort Snelling State Park. Our day will include observing Minnehaha falls through a series of post cards that date all the way back to the early 1900's. We will also focus on making good observations while looking at the rock wall at Minnehaha Park. Next we will hear stories from the land from a native Dakota Indian speaker. We will finish up the day walking out to Pine Island, where the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers converge.
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Learning Goals
1. This activity is designed for students to practice making good observations and testable questions.
2. This activity is designed for students to reflect on the importance of water throughout history and still today.
Concepts:
1. Weathering and erosion shape the landscape.
2. The rock cycle is a complex system.
Vocabulary:
1. Confluence
2. System
3. Weathering
4. Erosion
5. Observation
2. This activity is designed for students to reflect on the importance of water throughout history and still today.
Concepts:
1. Weathering and erosion shape the landscape.
2. The rock cycle is a complex system.
Vocabulary:
1. Confluence
2. System
3. Weathering
4. Erosion
5. Observation
Context for Use
This trip is designed for 8th grade earth science students. The rest of my team will be coming along to chaperone. There will be many connections that can be made for all content areas. There will be 150 students that will be split between 4 different groups. We will be spending the entire day at the parks and will be bringing our own bag lunches. A science notebook is the only thing students will need. Minnehaha falls post cards will also be needed. (I do not have a scanned copy of these, but will post them when I get them.) This trip will take place in the spring of the year. All concepts will already be taught. I hope to use this as a review for the Science MCA. This trip would be very difficult to replicate in another area.
Description and Teaching Materials
Minnehaha Park
Activity #1-Minnehaha Post Cards
Students will be given a series of post cards that relate to all areas of the park. For example some students may have the falls themselves, while others may have multiple pictures of the footbridge. Students will locate their area, and try to put the post cards in chronological order. From there, they will create a story that weaves each of the cards together and predict what will happen to their location in the future. We will close this activity by having each group share their location, story and predictions for the future.
This activity is adapted from Environment and Society taught by Tracy Fredin. The post cards are also his.
Activity #2- Rock Wall Observations
Around Minnehaha Park there is a rock wall made of rounded cobbles cemented together. There is a wide range of rock types present. Through this activity we will focus on the importance of observation. We will try to incorporate as much vocabulary from the beginning of the year as possible. Students will pair up and make observations of one rock of their choosing. They will then compare and combine their observations to complete a thorough set of observations. Once everyone has done this, they will switch journals with multiple other groups to see if the other groups can identify their chosen rocks. As a closure activity we will have a discussion on what makes a good, descriptive observation.
This activity is adapted from The TIMES XIII Project facilitated by Kate Pound.
Fort Snelling State Park
Activity #1 Stories from the Land
This activity will be facilitated by a Dakota Indian. The confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi river is a very sacred area to Dakota people. Our guest speaker will share stories of his experience and the history of the Dakota in this area.
Activity #2 Pine Island (the convergence of the rivers)
After hearing stories from the land, we will walk out to Pine Island to experience this sacred place ourselves. The walk is about a mile or so to the island. Once on the island students will be writing a history story themselves. The stories could range from their own Indian legend, or they could reflect on what it would have been like to be the first explorer to experience this natural spot.
Activity #1-Minnehaha Post Cards
Students will be given a series of post cards that relate to all areas of the park. For example some students may have the falls themselves, while others may have multiple pictures of the footbridge. Students will locate their area, and try to put the post cards in chronological order. From there, they will create a story that weaves each of the cards together and predict what will happen to their location in the future. We will close this activity by having each group share their location, story and predictions for the future.
This activity is adapted from Environment and Society taught by Tracy Fredin. The post cards are also his.
Activity #2- Rock Wall Observations
Around Minnehaha Park there is a rock wall made of rounded cobbles cemented together. There is a wide range of rock types present. Through this activity we will focus on the importance of observation. We will try to incorporate as much vocabulary from the beginning of the year as possible. Students will pair up and make observations of one rock of their choosing. They will then compare and combine their observations to complete a thorough set of observations. Once everyone has done this, they will switch journals with multiple other groups to see if the other groups can identify their chosen rocks. As a closure activity we will have a discussion on what makes a good, descriptive observation.
This activity is adapted from The TIMES XIII Project facilitated by Kate Pound.
Fort Snelling State Park
Activity #1 Stories from the Land
This activity will be facilitated by a Dakota Indian. The confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi river is a very sacred area to Dakota people. Our guest speaker will share stories of his experience and the history of the Dakota in this area.
Activity #2 Pine Island (the convergence of the rivers)
After hearing stories from the land, we will walk out to Pine Island to experience this sacred place ourselves. The walk is about a mile or so to the island. Once on the island students will be writing a history story themselves. The stories could range from their own Indian legend, or they could reflect on what it would have been like to be the first explorer to experience this natural spot.
Teaching Notes and Tips
The areas that are we are going are designed to conserve the natural beauty of this great place, but are also built for tourism. This being said, these places were built for safety. There are a few other guidelines I would express to my students before we left. These would be such things and no throwing rocks, no running, be careful of wet rocks they're slippery etc. As always whenever we leave school grounds we will be representing our school, so students will notified of consequences for inappropriate behavior before we leave the school grounds.
This activity is different from what we have done in the past in every way possible. We spend a lot of time discussing each of these concepts, but we use pictures to do this. This time students will be able to see the wondrous scale and experience these places with all of their sense.
This activity is different from what we have done in the past in every way possible. We spend a lot of time discussing each of these concepts, but we use pictures to do this. This time students will be able to see the wondrous scale and experience these places with all of their sense.
Assessment
The assessment will come in the forms of summative and formative. The science notebooks will be a form of summative assessment. This will be based on participation. Students will not be graded on the quality of the stories and observations they make, but on the effort they put forth. The summative assessment will be the form of a final reflection. Students will reflect on the entire day. This reflection will be related to each of the senses. Students will tie each of their memories to a specific sense.
Standards
- 8.3.1.2.2 Explain the role of weathering, erosion and glacial activity in shaping Minnesota's current landscape.
- 8.3.1.3.1 Interpret successive layers of sedimentary rocks and their fossils to infer the relative ages of rock sequences, past geologic events, changes in environmental conditions, and the appearance and extinction of life forms.
- 8.3.1.3.3 Relate rock composition and texture to physical conditions at the time of formation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock.
- 8.3.2.3.1 Describe the location, composition and use of major water reservoirs on the Earth, and the transfer of water among them.
- 8.3.4.1.2 Recognize that land and water use practices in specific areas affect natural processes and that natural processed interfere and interact with human systems.
- 8.3.1.3.1 Interpret successive layers of sedimentary rocks and their fossils to infer the relative ages of rock sequences, past geologic events, changes in environmental conditions, and the appearance and extinction of life forms.
- 8.3.1.3.3 Relate rock composition and texture to physical conditions at the time of formation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock.
- 8.3.2.3.1 Describe the location, composition and use of major water reservoirs on the Earth, and the transfer of water among them.
- 8.3.4.1.2 Recognize that land and water use practices in specific areas affect natural processes and that natural processed interfere and interact with human systems.