Lesson Plan: Great Plains (K-­‐3) Introduction: The Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame is proud to present the exhibit, Great Plains: America’s Lingering Wild, Photographs by Michael Forsberg. Forsberg captures the Great Plains in stunning photographs and uses them as a powerful tool: a call to action. This lesson will allow students to discover the flora and fauna being threatened by human population and climactic changes. Students are encouraged to explore solutions that we can do to help this endangered land. Background: The Great Plains, a vast grassland area, extends from Canada to New Mexico and crosses 10 states in the United States. The region is known for being flat, dry and subject to extreme climactic change. Historically, high winds have combined with erosion of the land to create dust storms, the worst of which occurred in the 1930’s, the Dust Bowl. The Great Plains once teamed with wildlife but as industry and settlement grew, the wildlife population declined because of loss of habitat, drought and over-­‐hunting. Title: The Great Plains Age/Level: K-­‐3 (Lower Elementary) NGSS: K-­‐LS1-­‐1: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals need to survive K-­‐ESS3-­‐3: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things 2-­‐LS4-­‐1: Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats 2-­‐ESS2-­‐1: Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land 3-­‐LS4-­‐3: Construct an argument that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive less well, and some cannot survive at all 3-­‐LS4-­‐4: Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change CCSS: RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of scientific ideas or concepts, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause /effect SL.3.4: Report information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources W.2.7: participate in shared research and writing projects by recording science observation W.K.2: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative texts they are writing about and supply information about the topic Objective: Students will learn about the American Great Plains: the history, the land, and the problems that are threatening the land Activities: •
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Great Plains Project: Students will create a diorama of the Great Plains § Materials: Construction paper Markers, crayons, color pencils Glue Shoe box § Procedure 1. Each student will create a Great Plains Diorama. Depicting the Great Plains and the animals within it. Use resources you have at home to create the diorama.( For example plastic toys, magazines, drawings, etc… ) 2. Students will present their dioramas to the class. Conservation project/ Water Cycle: Students will learn about where water comes from and why it is important to conserve it § Interactive websites about the water cycle and how it works http://www.discoverwater.org/water-­‐cycle/ http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html § Learn water cycle song http://www.havefunteaching.com/songs/science-­‐songs/water-­‐cycle-­‐song § Create our own water cycle • Materials: Construction paper Cotton balls Glue Marker/crayons/pencils • Procedures: 1. Each student will begin with a piece of construction paper and cotton balls 2. The students will recreate the water cycle on their construction paper. 3. Discuss ways to help save water Classroom water cycle in a bag: Students will be able to see the water cycle at work showing evaporation, condensation, precipitation and run off. Materials: 1. Ziploc bag 2. Water 3. Marker 4. Tape § Procedures: 1. Draw the water cycle on the Ziploc bag with a permanent marker 2. Fill the Ziploc bag with water as shown on the right 3. Zip up the bag and tape to a window Erosion project: Students will see first-­‐hand the effects of the dust bowl of the Great Plains and come up with solutions to solve the problem using a wind break. § Materials: Bins (must be large enough to contain sand/dirt but low enough for fans to reach) Sand/dirt Fans (small hand fan, desk fan, box fan) Water Sticks Paper Cardboard § Procedures: 1. Students will be broken up into groups. Each group will have their own bin of dirt. 2. Students will observe the conditions of the dust bowl by flattening their dirt and placing a fan at the base of the bin and turning it on to see the way the fan (wind) blows the dirt on the top all around. 3. As a class we will talk about is occurring to the dirt (land) we will talk about what a wind break is and why it is important. Remember that a windbreak in nature can be anything like trees or a wall. 4. Students will create their own windbreak using household items (sticks, paper, cardboard, etc...) 5. Once the students are finished creating their windbreak they will place it strategically in their bin and turn the fan back on and see if it helped. If not what can we do to make it work. Maybe dampening the dirt? §
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Assessment: Students will be assessed by their verbal (anecdotal) and written responses Lesson plan available at http://www.nmjc.edu/museum/Education.aspx