At Waters Edge
Program Length: 1-1/2 Hours
Location: Oak Hill Trailhead, Peninsula
‘At Waters Edge’ is designed to stand alone or be combined with ‘Among the Trees’ as part of
the ‘Naturally Diverse Field Trip Package’. Students will gain a better understanding of how a
pond is a community of interacting members. Students will also learn how various members as
well as the community itself changes over time. Finally, we hope to help students develop a
heightened sense of appreciation and respect for the pond community and its members.
Learner Outcomes
Students will:
1. List at least five members of the pond community.
2. Give at least two examples of how pond community members interrelate.
3. Describe the water cycle.
4. Define "community."
5. Describe the adaptations of at least two pond animals for life in the pond.
6. Define "metamorphosis" and give an example of an animal which undergoes it.
7. Describe how the pond might appear in the future.
Program Description
The program begins with a large group welcome to the national park and an introduction to the
program. Students then participate in a hike with a group leader (10-15 students per group).
The instructor will introduce the hike by reviewing or introducing the concept of a pond
community. The students will then take a short hike to the pond. When the group reaches the
pond, they will review the water cycle and may discuss concepts such as groundwater seepage,
run-off, evaporation, succession.
The students will learn how to use equipment to pond dip and discover animals in the water.
Students will then have about twenty minutes for pond-dipping in small groups. Any animals that
the students find will be put in boxes and jars, and they will use field guides and charts to
identify the animals. Students will share with each other what they have found at the end of the
activity. Before the return hike everything extracted will be returned to the pond.
The program is concluded with an exercise designed to help students understand how all
members of the pond community are connected to one another.
The following Ohio Academic Content Standards will be addressed during
3675 Oak Hill Road, Peninsula, OH 44264
Phone: 330-657-2796 or 800-642-3297
Email: [email protected]
At Water’s Edge
Grade 2
Life Sciences – Interactions with Habitats
This topic focuses on how ecosystems work by observations of simple interactions between the
biotic/living and abiotic/nonliving parts of an ecosystem. Just as living things impact the
environment in which they live, the environment impacts living things.
Living things cause changes on Earth.
Some kinds of individuals that once lived on Earth have completely disappeared,
although they were something like others that are alive today.
Grade 3
Life Sciences – Behavior, Growth and Change
This topic explores life cycles of organisms and the relationship between the natural
environment and an organism’s (physical and behavioral) traits, which affect its ability to survive
and reproduce.
Offspring resemble their parents and each other.
Individuals of the same kind differ in their traits and sometimes the differences give
individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing.
Plants and animals have life cycles that are part of their adaptations for survival in their
natural environments.
Grade 4
Life Sciences – Earth’s Living History
This topic focuses on using fossil evidence and living organisms to observe that suitable
habitats depend upon a combination of biotic and abiotic factors.
Changes in an organism’s environment are sometimes beneficial to its survival and
sometimes harmful.
Grade 5
Life Sciences – Interactions within Ecosystems
This topic focuses on foundational knowledge of the structures and functions of ecosystems.
Organisms perform a variety of roles in an ecosystem.
All of the processes that take place within organisms require energy.
Grade 6
Life Sciences-Cellular to Multicellular
This topic focuses on the study of the basics of Modern Cell Theory. All organisms are
composed of cells, which are the fundamental unit of life. Cells carry on the many processes
that sustain life. All cells come from pre-existing cells.
Living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of
structure and function.
3675 Oak Hill Road, Peninsula, OH 44264
Phone: 330-657-2796 or 800-642-3297
Email: [email protected]
Grade 7
Life Sciences-Cycles of Matter and Flow of Energy
This topic focuses on the impact of matter and energy transfer within the biotic component of
ecosystems.
Matter is transferred continuously between one organism to another and between
organisms and their physical environments.
In any particular biome, the number, growth and survival of organisms and
populations depend on biotic and abiotic factors.
3675 Oak Hill Road, Peninsula, OH 44264
Phone: 330-657-2796 or 800-642-3297
Email: [email protected]