Category: Educational

Blog Post, Educational , ,

Amphibian Activity

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 6, 2023

Fort Stewart Army Base is home to the only remaining documented colony of frosted flatwoods salamanders in Georgia; The only other two groupings of the black-bodied amphibians with mottled bands of silvery white anywhere else on Earth are in Florida, although they once inhabited thousands of wetlands along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. (gpb.org, March 6, 2021)

Listen to the story

Research everything you can find on the frosted flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum). What does it look like? Use specific adjectives to describe it so that you can identify it if you’re lucky enough to see it in the wild.

What kind of habitat does it need? Does it live near you? What does it eat? What are its life stages? 

Vocabulary: Define these terms while doing your research:

  • Amphibian
  • Reptile
  • Cutaneous Respiration
  • Ectothermic
  • Endangered Status
  • Threatened Status
  • Deforestation

Once you have enough information, go into your backyard or neighborhood and see if the conditions are right for the frosted flatwoods salamander.

This species is unique in Georgia to the Ogeechee River basin and listed as federally threatened conservation status. Why is it threatened? What can we do to protect it?

Submit your ideas and ORK will share with the biologists at Fort Stewart.

Activity is open to all ages and meets the needs or can be combined with other activities for the following Georgia Standards of Excellence: Science

  • S3L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the similarities and differences between plants, animals, and habitats found within geographic regions (Blue Ridge Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau) of Georgia.
  • S3L2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the effects of pollution (air, land, and water) and humans on the environment.
  • S4L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem.
  • S4E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to demonstrate the water cycle.
  • S5L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to group organisms using scientific classification procedures.
  • S6E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes.
  • S7L4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to examine the interdependence of organisms with one another and their environments.
Blog Post, Educational , , , ,

Winter in the Georgia Woods

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper January 9, 2023

Watch the video clip of Mel taking a tour through the woods:

Supplies:

  • Guidebook (any plant or animal kind based on where you live) and/or smart phone with one of the apps listed
  • Weather appropriate clothing
  • Boots/hiking shoes
  • Small net if you are near a creek
  • Bottle of water

Using a guidebook or a citizen science app (Seek, iNaturalist, eBird, etc.), walk through a patch of woods, in your backyard or a nearby park, and survey the area. Feel free to also bring a notebook and jot down things you notice or sketch a cool plant or bug! Really take in all the smells, sights and sounds of the woods in the winter season. Because many plants are dormant in the winter, it can be easier to see through the woods and make observations. If you’re near a creek or small waterway, you can use a sampling net to scoop leaf litter and look for macroinvertebrates or fallen seeds from nearby trees.

Safety: Never trespass and always be aware of your surroundings. If you are at a wildlife management area or public lands where hunting is allowed, make sure to wear orange until hunting season is over. Follow a path and do not go deep enough into the woods. You can use a compass, trail map and drop a pin on your smartphone if you are in an unfamiliar area. *This activity can be done in a small wooded area where getting lost is not a concern*. After your walk, check for ticks as they look for warmth in the winter months.

Submit your photos to info@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org or tag us on social media.

Activity is open to all ages and can be combined with other activities to meet Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science and Language Arts. Standards of Excellence will depend on the grade level of participants.

Blog Post, Educational , ,

Water Filtration Activity

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper December 5, 2022
via USDA Forest Service

This activity will show you how to use the scientific method to filter water.
*DO NOT drink any of the water in this experiment.*

Before you start this activity, come up with a statement of purpose and hypothesis.

  • Why is water filtration important?
  • What materials do you think will filter water the best? 

Supplies needed: Different size funnels, coffee filters or cheese cloth, sand, clean rocks, empty bottles, water with a little mud or dirt added.

  1. Set up your station with 3 cups/empty containers.
  2. Put a coffee filter inside of a funnel (try out which size works best) over each cup/empty container.
  3. Add sand to one, clean rocks to another and leave the last one empty.
  4. Try to filter the dirty water through each and discuss your findings.

Which one works the best? Did it match your hypothesis? Do you think plants would help filter it even more? What is the water cycle and which part of it is filtration related to?

Vocabulary: 

Riparian Buffer – an area next to a waterway that has natural plant growth.
Hypothesis – an educated guess followed by a scientific experiment to test it out.
Water Cycle – describes how the water on Earth is always changing forms (solid, liquid, gas) and moving between Earth’s layers.

McAuliffe-Shepard Blog

Send us your photos at info@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.

Activity is open to all ages and meets the needs or can be combined with other activities for the following Georgia Standards of Excellence: Science. Activity can also be used in conjunction with Georgia Project WET activities.

  • S3L2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the effects of pollution (air, land, and water) and humans on the environment.
  • S4E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to demonstrate the water cycle.
  • S6E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes.

 

Blog Post, Educational , ,

Monarchs and Milkweed

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper September 2, 2022

In this activity, you will try out your detective skills by being a Biology Detective! Document your process with notes and photos. 

Visit your local library and look up monarch butterflies and milkweed plants. Get familiar with what they both look like, as well as the different species of milkweed. Monarchs have just recently been listed as an Endangered Species. Read about the journey of a Monarch butterfly during its lifetime. Some great resources to start with can be found on Monarchs Across Georgia (MAG).

Next, look up native milkweed species for Georgia. Once you know which species you’re looking for, contact local nurseries or botanical gardens in your area to see if they sell those species of milkweed. If you need help with this step, refer to the MAG Field Guide.

Egg-laying Monarch butterflies are in their second laying period of the year (April-May & August-September) so if you can buy native milkweed, plant some around your yard. You can then continue your detective skills by watching their eating habits, egg-laying, and look for a chrysalis.

Photo by Steven Smith

Keep their chrysalis safe by checking on it and making sure nothing is damaging it but do not move it once it has formed! Continue to watch until it hatches. If there is no available milkweed at nurseries near you, check your local botanical garden during their next plant sale -or- order seeds online from reputable sources and plan ahead for next year.

Fun Fact: Did you know that a cocoon is specific to a moth, while a chrysalis is specific to a butterfly?! Pupa and chrysalis have the same meaning: the transformation stage between the larva and the adult. Pupa can refer to a moth or butterfly.

Activity is open to all ages and meets the needs or can be combined with other activities for the following Georgia Standards of Excellence: 4-6th Grade Science. Activity can be adapted for older ages and still meet certain standards.

  • S4L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem.
  • S5L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to group organisms using scientific classification procedures.
  • S5L3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to compare and contrast the parts of plant and animal cells.
  • S6E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes.
  • S6E4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how the sun, land, and water affect climate and weather.

Additional Resources: Sign up for the Monarchs Across Georgia (MAG) Newsletter here: https://www.eealliance.org/the-chrysalis.html#!form/Chrysalis

Blog Post, Educational , , ,

Pollinators vs. Pollen-Haters

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper June 2, 2022

Do you have seasonal allergies? Does the cloud of yellow seem to follow you wherever you go during the spring and early summer? You’re not alone. Seasonal allergies are a pain for humans but we also need that pollen to survive — we all eat plants and animals that rely on pollinators.

In this activity, we will keep our pollinators in mind by practicing being a landscape designer using native plant species and pollinator-friendly elements! Use whatever art medium (drawing, painting, collage, etc.) you prefer to create your backyard or school garden design. You can come up with a design for any space regardless of where you live–urban gardening to backyard gardens to shaded woods and more!

And remember — lots of creatures can pollinators. We all know about bees and butterflies, but birds and bats are too! Anything that can brush up against plant pollen and spread it to another plant is a pollinator.

A bee enjoys Echinacea and Coreopsis / UGA College of AG & Env Sciences

Follow these steps to create your design:

  • Look at the shady/sunny areas where you live and make note if it’s in full sun, partial sun or shade throughout the day. If you decide to implement your design, check planting timelines for your region.
  • Look at the soil or ground. You may need pots or raised beds for your design if you’re in an urban area or if you have very rocky soil. If you plan to use the ground for your design, check the soil-is it sandy/clay/soft dirt?
  • Look up pollinator friendly plants based on your region.

So go eat some local honey to help with allergies and make those pollinators of all kinds happy and healthy!

Additional Resources: Upcoming event in ORK watershed!

Educator Workshop: Enhancing Your School Pollinator Garden
June 27-28, 2022, 8 am – 3 pm
$30/includes 1 year EEA Membership -or- Free for EEA Members

Activity is open to all ages and meets the needs or can be combined with other activities for the following Georgia Standards of Excellence: 4-6th Grade Science, Visual Arts. Activity can be adapted for older ages and still meet certain standards.

  • VA4.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.
  • VA4.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two- dimensional art.
  • VA4.CR.5 Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and appropriate use of materials, tools, and equipment for a variety of artistic processes.
  • VA4.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.
  • VA5.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.
  • VA5.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two- dimensional art.
  • VA5.CR.5 Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and appropriate use of materials, tools, and equipment for a variety of artistic processes.
  • VA5.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.
  • VA5.CN.3 Develop life skills through the study and production of art (e.g. collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication).
  • VA6.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.
  • VA6.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.
  • VA6.CN.2 Develop life skills through the study and production of art.
  • VA6.CN.3 Utilize a variety of resources to understand how artistic learning extends beyond the walls of the classroom.
  • S4E2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to model the effects of the position and motion of the Earth and the moon in relation to the sun as observed from the Earth.
  • S4E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to demonstrate the water cycle.
  • S4E4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to predict weather events and infer weather patterns using weather charts/maps and collected weather data.
  • S4L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem.
  • S5L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to group organisms using scientific classification procedures.
  • S5L3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to compare and contrast the parts of plant and animal cells.
  • S6E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about current scientific views of the universe and how those views evolved.
  • S6E2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the effects of the relative positions of the sun, Earth, and moon.
  • S6E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes.
  • S6E4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how the sun, land, and water affect climate and weather.