HIT: Square Foot of Land Study

[Roz Goodman <bsrlg@aurora.alaska.edu>]

Suggestions for a year long study of a square foot of land..including soil, water,
plant, animal analysis throughout the seasons.  Lesson plans, suggested reading,
activities/projected needed.

1.  There are wonderful projects available some at costs, and some are free. The
Globe project requires training, the Kidsnetwork projects are 8 weeks intensive
but, use the computer as a tool to gather data, create a learning base , purposeful
writing, data collection, science experiments, reading, and use of geography(
earth science as a base for  learning) there are lots teacher resources and a great
software package which can be used all year long that is creatively packaged.
You could get the catalog from the National Geographic at the Middle School
level there is a unit on soil, and water. At the lower levels there are units on
water, acid rain,  I think there is one other environmental one.

NASA has free and Classroom of the FUture has webpage resources which are
something teachers can use to create their own templates.
Bottle Biology-http://fastplants.cals.wisc.edu/bb.html
Science Education Gate-Way
http://www.cea.berkeley.edu/Education/SII/SEGway/
Welcome to AskERIC - http://ericir.sunsite.syr.edu/
The Learning Technologies Project from NASA has a number of projects, as well
as the Passports to Knowledge  , NASA.
BioBLAST Main Homepage http://www.cotf.edu/BioBLAST/
Living in Water http://www.vims.edu/adv/mamea/vchase.htm
The Biology Place http://www.biology.com/
NASA LTP Education Resources- http://learn.ivv.nasa.gov/education/
Digital Desert Library-http://horizon.nmsu.edu/ddl/
The Science Information Infrastructure Project
http://www.exploratorium.edu/learning_studio/auroras/
Exploring the Environment- http://www.cotf.edu/ETE/
Lots of good lesson plan resources at:
http://www.wcsu.k12.vt.us/~wardsboro/mpe.htm#Lesson

2. Check the journals of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA),
incluidng Science Teacher and Biology Teacher.  I believe that these are
comprehensive journals which cover all grades, but if not, then there
should be a journal geared toward middle school.

3. Lots of good lesson plan resources at:
http://www.wcsu.k12.vt.us/~wardsboro/mpe.htm#Lesson

4. There is a good fiction book called The 79 Squares by Malcolm Bosse
about a young teen who gets in trouble with a neighbor.  As a
punishment, the older man "punishes" him by making him watch a square
of earth in the backyard, making him keep a journal and discussing
what he sees.  Good book.
--
Roz Goodman, Media Specialist
Southwest Region Schools
PO Box 90
Dillingham, AK 99576
907-842-5287 (work) 842-5428 (FAX)
bsrlg@aurora.alaska.edu

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send email to
 listserv@listserv.syr.edu         In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
 3) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv
 For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=