Life in a Wetland 

 

 

 

Students will visit and make observations at the Winters Creek Wildlife Refuge or other wetland area. They will work in small groups to learn about the different components of wildlife habitat in a wetland and identify litter that could endanger wildlife. 

 

 

Students will:

 

  

B1, B3, B4, C6, C10, C11, C16, C17, E1 

 

 

Metaphor items:

 

 

Wetlands provide an opportunity for young students to celebrate the vast array of functions that wetlands serve. Western Nebraska wetlands are an important part of the Panhandle, providing the environment necessary for a variety of plants and animals to live.  

The environment where an animal lives is called the habitat. The habitat consists of food, water, shelter and adequate space. The wetlands provide nesting, breeding, and resting habitat for migratory birds such as ducks, geese, swans, and shorebirds. Many insects, reptiles, amphibians and crustaceans make their homes in wetlands. The mule and white-tailed deer, muskrats and beavers as well as other mammals use the wetland areas. 

Commercial or private parties often use wetlands to produce a variety of fish, including bass, walleye, perch, and northern pike. Some wetlands are recreational areas where families enjoy camping, fishing, boating, water skiing and swimming.

When people use wetland areas, unfortunately, environmental pollution can occur. Fishing line, plastic pop rings, half-open cans, glass bottles, cigarette butts, cellophane wrappers, Styrofoam plates or cups and other litter can result in harmful affects or even death to wildlife, if left as litter.

 

 

  1. Ask students, "What is a wetland?" Write what the students know about a wetland on the board or chart paper. Using as much of the students’ information about a wetland as possible, explain the definition of a wetland. Tell the students that we should celebrate the fact that Western Nebraska has numerous wetlands, because there are many benefits for animals, plants and humans at wetlands. Ask the students to name different benefits of wetlands and list them (i.e. seeing wildlife in their natural environment, recreation, hunting, etc.) on the board or chart paper under the caption ‘Celebrate Wetlands’.
  2. Ask students what certain things they need in order to live (food, water, shelter, adequate space). Have students brainstorm what wildlife would need to live in the wilderness. After students have listed the elements of food, water, shelter and adequate space, introduce the term "habitat." Have the class write a definition of habitat that they can refer to when studying about wildlife habitat at the wetland.
  3. Have the students help build a model of the wetlands. (The original concept of using carpet and cake pan was printed by the National Wildlife Federation’s Nature Scope.Wading Into Wetlands, as "Wetlands Model". This book will be available in the future from McGraw Hill Publishers. 1-800-262-4729.)
  1. Mound a small hill of dirt at one end of each of the sheet cake pans.
  2. Shape the hill so that it gradually slopes down to the body of water.
  3. Cut a piece of indoor/outdoor carpeting to fill ½ of the space left between the dirt hill and the other edge of the cake pan. Do this for one pan only. Do not put carpet in the second pan. The carpeting represents the wetland buffer between dry land and open water.
  4. Demonstrate some of the functions of a wetland using the model. Scientists already know that wetlands perform some very important functions, such as filtering pollutants, reducing flood damage, and preventing soil erosion. Scientists also know that some wetlands, at time, help to recharge underground water supplies. Explain to the students that this model will show them how a wetlands works to aid in flood control and water purification.
  1. Discuss with students the trip to a wetland area (Winters Creek or nearby wetland). Remind students to wear old shoes for the trip. Stress the importance of using quiet voices so wildlife will not be disturbed and leaving the wetland just like it was found, so it remains a suitable habitat for wildlife. Review the definition of a wetland and what animals the students can try to identify.
  2. Show the class a variety of litter (fishing line, plastic pop rings, glass bottle, Styrofoam cup, etc.) and ask them to name the items. Discuss why we might use each one and acknowledge that each item can be useful. Then talk about how each item can turn into something harmful to wildlife and/or humans, if it is left as litter.
  3. Contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to have a qualified resource person as a guide for your field trip. He/she will be a vital part to your activity as a trainer. Four students, parent helpers and/or upper-grade buddies can become experts in the areas of food (different varieties of plants), water, shelter (trees, plants, bushes, grass) and animals (birds, deer, squirrels, frogs) that live in the wetland.
  4. When you first arrive at the wetland, the resource person will take the four students and their helpers with him around the wetland to "train" each of them as mini-experts in a specific area. They will remain at that area while the other students stay with the teacher for a short activity on wetland water

Wetland Metaphors Activity:

  1. Take the box containing the metaphor items to the wetlands to use while the "experts" are being trained.
  2. Explain to the students the connection between each of the items and the wetlands.

(Adapted with permission from Project Aquatic, originally called "Wetlands Metaphors.")

  1. When the resource person returns from training the mini-experts, the class will be divided into groups. They are given instructions on what to do as they walk from area to area. Allow enough time for the students to learn and explore each area.
  2. Bring students together, after everyone has gone through the stations. Discuss what they observed.
  1. Have students draw pictures of the wetland, including plants, animals and water.
  2. Before leaving the wetland, remind students that you never take anything from the area, unless you have the permission U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  3. Back in the classroom continue the study of wetlands by making further observations and comparisons with the materials you collected with permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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