Midwest Prairie integrating science

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Midwest Prairie integrating science math
Joanne Cooke Allison Duffer
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Targeted Illinois State Standards

• Science
• Goal 11A Know and apply concepts, principles,
  and processes of scientific inquiry.
• Goal 12B Know and apply concepts that describe
  how living things interact with each other and
  with their environment.
• Math
• Goal 7A Measure and compare quantities using
  appropriate units, instruments, and methods.
• Goal 10A Organize, describe, and make
  predictions from existing data.

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Day One

• Activate prior knowledge using KWL chart.
• Read aloud If Youre not from the Prairie.
• Visit plant website at http//www.cesa10.k12.wi.us
  /Ecosystems/prairies/plants/index/index.htm
• Students will record the characteristics of
  various prairie flowers using the prairie plant
  data collection sheet.
• Share findings through class discussion.

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Day Two

• Review facts about prairie flowers using data
  collection sheets from day one.
• Students use Clarisworks program to graph the
  heights of six flowers.
• Assess students through observation.

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Day Three

• Discuss different types of soil loam, sandy
  soil, and clay soil.
• Students participate in Gummy Worm Activity
  recording results on data collection sheet. View
  data collection sheet

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Day Four

• Students will experience planting and burning
  their very own prairie!!!
• Log on to the Build a Prairie website at
  http//www1.umn.edu/bellmuse/mnideals/prairie/buil
  d/
• This interactive site gives feedback on student
  choices while they design their prairie.
• This activity ends with a neat simulation of a
  prairie burn.

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Day Five

• Students will work in cooperative groups to
  create a wall mural of the prairie.
• The mural should include plants, animals, and
  insects that live in the prairie.
• This authentic assessment tool will confirm
  students acquired knowledge throughout this unit.

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References

• Bouchard, David. If Youre not from the Prairie.
  Simon and Schuester Childrens. 1998.
• Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. From
  Beneath the Ashes. Fermi Lab. 1993.
• 1999. University of Minnesota. Build a Prairie.
  Available at www1.umn.edu/bellmuse/mnideals/prair
  ie/build/ last visited on 7-3-01.
• 1999. Altoona Middle School. Prairie Plants.
  Available at http//www.cesa10.k12.wi.us/Ecosystem
  s/prairies/plants/index/index.htmlast visited on
  7-3-01.