476

Old Mill Road - Faireld, CT 06824 - 203.259.1847

www.river-lab.org

River-Lab Online Guide Training

Grade 5

Welcome to Online Training!

Read through each secJon and answer
the review quesJons that follow.


Training may be completed in secJons
and at your own pace.

SecJon 1
What is River-Lab?

What is River-Lab?
River-Lab is a science-based Environmental Studies curriculum.
River-Lab is taught in Faireld schools (public and parochial) to
students in Grades 3 through 6.
River-Lab focuses on the river-basin structure of the Earth to
teach:

geography
geology
the water cycle and groundwater system
habitats
organism adaptaDons
And very importantly,
responsible management of the earths resources

Program Facts

The River-Lab Program makes up one-third of the science

curriculum at Grades 3-6, and is regularly revised and updated to
meet CT State Standards
Each unit covers a dierent aspect of river basin dynamics and
builds on the previous level.
By the end of the 6th grade unit, students have had the opportunity
to learn how to become scienDsts, to gain a basic knowledge of
river basin dynamics, to explore the eects of land use decisions by
humans, and to develop a
sense of the importance of
stewardship of our Earth.

 River-Lab provides comprehensive, mulJ-

lesson units to classroom teachers, supported
by ongoing teacher training.

Classroom lessons are reinforced by

study-trips
to the Mill River and town estuaries.

Approximately 3500 students parDcipate in River-Lab

study-trips every year.

 Each study-trip is led by

trained volunteer guides.

River-Lab trains
over 600 guides annually.

The Role of the MRWC

Study-trips are
organized and run by
the Mill River
Wetland Study Group,
which is an arm of the
Mill River Wetland
CommiTee (MRWC),
a non-prot 501 (c)(3)
corporaDon.

Mill River Wetland Study Group

Co-Directors of the Study Group make sure that the Study-
Trip porDon of the River-Lab Program is running smoothly.
They are available to answer any quesDons you might have.

Co-directors are helped in their jobs by:

Captainsliaise between River-Lab and the guides and
between River-Lab and teachers
Gear Managertransports gear to River-Lab Area and
makes sure all gear is in good working order for training and
study-trips

Mill River Wetland Study Group

Outdoor Guide Trainerslead training sessions at the River-Lab
Area to provide informaDon and techniques to help the volunteer
guides conduct study-trips
River-Lab Oce Managerprovides support to sta and guides
Roberta Clark203-259-1847; river-lab@juno.com

If you are unsure which person to contact with your quesDon or
concern, call or email Roberta at the River-Lab Oce and she will
answer your quesDon if she can and if not she will tell you who to
contact.
See Roster on website for names and numbers not provided here.

 MRWC was founded in 1966 by Joy Shaw, a Faireld resident

whose home in the former Perrys Mill on the Mill River
inspired her interest in river basin and environmental
management. She launched the Mill River Outdoor Lab
Program with her sons schoolMill Hillin 1967. By 1968,
the program was in all Faireld Public Schools.

Jocelyn Shaw

 Joys extensive
research became the
basis for the science
units that make up the
current River-Lab
program, which has
supplied curriculum
materials to Faireld
students since 1969.

MRWC: EducaJon and ConservaJon

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, MRWC
promoted the purchase of Open Space along
the Mill River in Faireld, ConnecDcut, and
took a leading role in the defense of
endangered wetlands.

 Today, MRWC remains a non-prot

educaJonal organizaJon funded primarily
through fundraising events and through
individual member donaDons.

End of SecJon 1



Please answer QuesDons 1-5 of the review quiz
below.

River-Lab Grade 5
ProducJvity of a River
Basin System in Spring

SecJon 2
Curriculum Unit Overview

ProducJvity of a River Basin System in Spring

The 5th grade unit of study builds on River Basin

System concepts taught in 3rd and 4th grade, and
Examines the eect of seasonal change on
producJvity (life) in a River Basin System.

In 3rd and 4th grades, the students explored the Mill
River in Fall.
What is going on at the river and its oodplain in
Spring?

There is a lot to see in Spring

New plant life is emerging.
Baby animals and birds are born.
River ow increases with snowmelt
and rain.
Rich, muddy soil is everywhere.

The presence of new life is evidence of

producJvity in the River Basin System.

ProducDve upland and oodplain plants and animals
nourish the river and waters edge habitats.
The rivers nutrients in turn enrich the oodplain and
upland areas.
AND
A healthy, producDve river brings producDvity to the

estuary and coast.

Its all connected!

 In the Classroom
Power-point slides, a student reference book,
and inquiry-based lessons are used to teach
What makes a river basin system producDve
The contribuDons of specic organisms to river basin
producDvity
The river as a link to the sea
The importance of plankton
How to use a microscope

On the Study-Trip
Trained guides lead students through 7 trail points.
Trail points are designed to
complement the classroom
curriculum.
Students develop their
science skills as they
observe and record
informaDon at the trail points.

 Students idenJfy specic plants

and animals in the river basin.

Animals

Plants

Students examine how

each organism
contributes
to the

stability and
producJvity
of the River Basin
System.

 Students also observe signs of

non-producDvity and consider
how humans have an impact on
the River Basin System.

Students collect water samples from

two very dierent river areas to
observe plankton under the
microscope in the Class Lab.

Students study the role of plankton as

the base of the food web and its
contribuJon to producJvity.

Students evaluate plankton habitats in

the River Basin System.

SecDon 3

What is Guide Training?

Why do Guides Need Training?

Study-trips are essenDal to the River-Lab
curriculum units. They support and reinforce
classroom learning.

Study-trips are led by volunteers.

The success of the program depends on you

the volunteerand your commitment.

Thank you!

Components of Training
Guide training prepares you to lead study-trips
eecDvely and condently.
Guide training includes two main parts:
Online Training and Outdoor Training.



A Follow-Trip is an addiDonal highly recommended
opDon.

Online Training covers:

The format and procedures of the study-trips.
Basic background informaDon and key
concepts covered in the unit.
For more in-depth informaDon see the Guide
Background Material secDon online.

Outdoor Training takes place on the trail.

At Outdoor Training you

will do an instrucDonal
walk-through of the study-
trip.

You will learn the trail

routes.
You will see the gear and
how it is used.

Follow-Trips
A follow-trip is available by contacDng the
scheduler for a convenient Dme.
Follow-trips allow new guides to shadow
another guide on an actual study-trip with
students.
Follow-trips let you see how study-trips come
alive AND how other guides use the script and
manage students. Helpful Jps!!

End of SecDon 3

Please answer QuesDons 10-12 of the review
quiz below.

SecJon 4

What to Expect on a Study-Trip

There are TWO PARTS to the Study-Trip:

THE TRAIL and THE CLASS LAB

1.The Trail porDon takes place at the River-Lab
area.

2. The Class Lab porDon takes place at the students
school immediately aherward. (Guiding
conDnues in classroom.)
Each part is 1 hour and 15 minutes long.

Guides must alend

both
parts of the Study-Trip!

 The Students
Students arrive at the River-Lab area by bus.
They will already be assigned to small groups (study-teams).
You will be matched with your childs group.
2 or 3 study-teams will be dropped o at the main River-Lab Area
near the Bronson Road/Sturges Road fork.
2 study-teams will be dropped o at the Stone Bridge Area near
the intersecDon of Sturges Road and Old Mill Road.
Each student will be given a clipboard and pencil to use to complete
a Student Observa3on Sheet at the Trail Points.

Guides
Please arrive at the River-Lab area at

least 30 minutes before the start of the

study-trip.

Each guide will be assigned to work with one study-

team for both parts of the study-triptrail and
classroom.

You will be told in advance the locaDon to which you
are assigned: River-Lab area (RLA) or Stone Bridge
area (SB).

Map of Study-Trip Areas

River-Lab Area is marked by a red arrow.

Stone Bridge Area is at the intersecDon of Old
Mill Rd. and Sturges Rd., marked by a purple
arrow.
It is a short walk between these sites.

Routes, Scripts, and Gear

You will be assigned in advance a ROUTE to
travel with your study-team.
You will have a SCRIPT to follow as you guide
students through your route.
There is a set of GEAR to be used on the
study-trip.

ROUTES
You will guide your study-team along a route.
Note: There is no whole class acDvity to start the trip. You will
begin with your rst trail point on your route.
The outdoor porDon of the study-trip is one hour and 15 minutes.

Each route visits 7 TRAIL POINTS.
At each trail point, you will lead students in a brief discussion
and guide them in their tasks and observaDons.
Each student is given an observaDon sheet and is responsible
for recording informaDon at each trail point.

 Each route is dierent in specic

content, yet they all cover the same
concepts.
Dierent organisms at the
trail points illustrate key concepts.

How will I nd my way?

The routes are color-coded and the trail is
marked with matching colored ags at each
trail point.
Outdoor Training will cover the routes and
trail points in detail.
You will be well-prepared to nd your
trail points and lead students!

Trail Points Overview

(Organisms vary by route)

Trail PointLarge Plant

Examine one of the following: swamp maple, alder, silky dogwood.

Trail PointSmall Plant

Examine one of the following: decodon, skunk cabbage, spring beauty, trout lily.

Trail PointAnimal
Examine one of the following: alewife, eel, black-crowned night heron, red-winged blackbird,
king=isher.

Trail PointInvasive Plant

Examine one of the following: Japanese knotweed, multi-=lora rose, phragmites, bittersweet.

Trail PointHuman Impact

Observe and assess productivity in an eroded area.

Trail PointRate of Flow and Water Sampling (two sites)

Collect water to bring back to Class Labone sample from fast-moving water and one from
slow-moving water.

SCRIPT
You will be given a detailed script to use so you will know
what to do and say along the trail.
Scripts and locaDons are dierent for Trail Points covering
Large Plants, Small Plants, Animals and Invasives. You will
cover organisms specic to your route.
Scripts for Trail Points Human Impact and Rate of Flow and
Water Sampling are common for all routes but locaDons are
dierent.
You will get a completed ObservaDon Sheet that goes with
your Route. That is your cheat sheet!

Thank goodness for my script!

Read and study your script before your trip to
help you prepare. Bring it with you it has
everything you need to say!

My script seems so long!


Remember that the script is very comprehensive;
you may not get to say everything in your script.
Thats OK!

GEAR
Gear will be at the River-Lab Area (RLA). All
guides need to meet there rst to pick up a
set of gear from the storage locker. The locker
combinaDon will be sent out prior to your trip.
Collect and organize a set of gear for your
group before the students arrive. Take it with
you to your area.

Gear includes:

Student clipboards, pencils and

observaDon sheets
A backpack with organism photo/note
cards, a rst aid kit
Water sampling gear: pan, measuring
sDcks and plankton net

You should bring your script with your
notes/highlights.

Gear: Organism Note Cards

Sets of organism note-cards with photos will be

provided in the backpacks for each trail route.
Sometimes birds are hard to spot or plants are still
growing Students will use the cards to present
photos and key facts to their study-team.

Your Role on the Trail

Follow your route.
Use the River-Lab script photo cards to help lead your
study-team through trail point acDviDes.
Help students ll out their ObservaJon Sheets at each
trail point.
Encourage all students to parDcipate.
Let students take the lead as much as possible in
making observaDons and explaining concepts.
Allow students to share what they know! Students
may have researched an organism in class.
Enjoy the chance to be outside eld study is FUN!

End of SecDon 4
Please answer quesDons 13-16 of the review
quiz below.

SecDon 5
ScienJc Inquiry

ScienJc Inquiry
Tell me and I will forget; show me and I will
remember; involve me and I will
understand.
Chinese proverb
ScienDc Inquiry is an acDve approach to teaching
and learning science.
First step in inquiry is to WONDER.
River-Lab units are designed to channel students
natural curiosity and wonder about the world and
allow them to pracDce skills needed for scienDc
study.

Inquiry-based Science InstrucJon

Engages students in the process of doing
invesJgaJons.





Encourages students to ask quesJons and use their
observaJons to construct and communicate
reasonable explanaJons for the quesDons posed.

Basic Skills of ScienJc Inquiry:

Observing (using senses)

Classifying and sequencing
CommunicaDng
Measuring
PredicDng
Hypothesizing
Inferring
InterpreDng, analyzing, and evaluaDng data

Uses of ScienJc Inquiry Skills

To make connecDons with world situaDons

To encourage an acDve, problem-solving approach to thinking
and learning

To apply math skills
To review what is already known in light of experimental
evidence

To propose answers, explanaDons, and predicDons

To use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data

Inquiry Language on the Trail

It is important to speak with (and not to) students in a
way that helps them increase their scienDc reasoning
and criDcal thinking skills.
Try not to ask quesDons that have a yes or no answer.
Ask open-ended quesDons such as:
What did you observe instead of Did you see the
___________?
When responding to students, say:
What makes you think that? instead of Yes, but



Inquiry Language Toolbox:

Samples of quesDons to ask students

Why do you think so?
What is your evidence?
How are they alike? Dierent?
How could you nd out?
I wonder if
What do you think will happen if


Inquiry Language Toolbox

Samples of responses
to students

You must have thought about that.

Thats interesSng.
Thank you.
I see.
Thats a possibility.

Repeat their statement.

Nod or smile.

End of SecDon 5

Please answer QuesDon 17-20 of the review quiz
below.

SecDon 6

Concept 1:
Its all connected!

The Big Picture

All Land on Earth is part of a River Basin system.

The River Basin System is a balanced system,
with all parts working together.
Organisms and the River Basin System are inter-
related and inter-dependent.

Each organism has value and impacts the River
Basin System.

Its all connected

The land and the water nourish each other.
The river Blows to the estuary and ocean. Productivity (or
non-productivity) travels!
Plankton, plants, and animals form the food web. They rely on
the river basin system to get what they need to survive.

But they also make contributions to that system.
Humans develop the land in the river basin system and
introduce invasive plants.

Experience the concept on the trail:

What you need to do:

1. Use the VOCABULARY terms in your script, and

encourage students to use those terms

correctly. (productivity, contributions,
riverbank, :loodplain, marsh)


2. Point out the CONNECTIONS between the
organisms on your route and the parts of
the river basin system. (predator/prey;
habitat/organism; development/
erosion; :loodplain/estuary/coast)

End of SecDon 6
Please answer quesDon 21 of review quiz below.

SecDon 7
Concept 2:
ProducJvity

What exactly IS produc3vity in a river

basin system anyway?




ProducJvity: the ability of a river basin system
to support large numbers and varieDes of
organisms.
If there is a lot of life, there is producDvity!

ProducJvity maTers because:

All parts of the basin (even the developed land)
contribute to the rivers nutrient load. This is called
enrichment.
Plant and animal decay and waste enrich the
land and water. Produc3vity begets more
produc3vity!
ProducDve river and shoreline areas nourish the
oodplain, upland, estuary and coastal areas.
Produc3vity travels and spreads!

Experience the concept on the Trail:

At Trail Points Large Plant, Small Plant, Animal and Human
Impact students will be looking for evidence of producJvity.

EVIDENCE may include:

live plants
brown leaves
mulch

ower parts buds seeds

green leaves
branches twigs
live animal eggs
insects nests
dead animals

End of SecDon 7
Please answer quesDons 22-23 of the review
quiz below.

SecDon 8
Concept #3: ContribuJons

CONTRIBUTIONS
All organisms contribute to the producDvity of
the river basin system
They do something or give something of value
to their habitats and other organisms living
there.

The Big ContribuJons:

CONTRIBUTIONS make the basin producJve!

All organisms
decay and
enrich the soil
and/or water.

All organisms
are food for
some other
organism .

All plants produce

oxygen and hold soil.

Plant contribuJons:
food source for animals

nutrient storage and release

mulch trapping
slowing runo and oodwater
(allowing inltraDon)
soil holding
(prevenDng erosion)
soil enriching
habitat for animals
providing shade (water cooling)

An example from the trail

Skunk Cabbage (a small plant) grows on the
oodplain and in the marsh.
The plant grows in clusters. Mulch and detritus
gather around the plants and is trapped within the
clusters.

Skunk cabbage contribuDons

Trapped mulch helps slow runo and rainwater.
The roots hold soil so it wont be washed away.

Skunk Cabbage prevents erosion and allows

water to inltrate into the groundwater system.

More plantslarge and smallfound

and observed along the Mill River
and its oodplain.
(Specic informaDon about features and contribuDons found in trail guide.)

Spring Beauty

A Small Plant found growing on the

oodplain of the Mill River.

Swamp Maple Tree

A Large Plant found growing in the

oodplain of the Mill River.

Alder

Another Large Plant found growing in the

oodplain of the Mill River.

Silky Dogwood (Large Plant)

Decodon (Small Plant)

Trout Lily

(Small Plant)

Animal contribuJons:

habitat creaDon
algae control
insect control
pollinaDon
populaDon balance
preservaDon of oxygen supply in water
food in all stages of life cycle
enrichment of soil and water
predator-prey improvement

Heres an example from the trail

The Belted Kingsher is a medium-sized bird

that eats small-medium sh, mice, and
insects.

 By eaDng small sh, the kingsher helps

reduce compeDDon among the sh that
survive. They have more food and grow larger,
providing a food source for larger birds.

 The Belted Kingsher diet contributes to the

insect control, populaJon balance and
predator-prey improvement of the river basin
system.
photo by Teddy Llovet , Flickr, 7/2010

Animals found in and around the

Mill River
Alewife

Eel

Night Heron

Red-Winged Blackbird

Male Female

Look at the diagram: What organism contribuDons can

you idenDfy?

Ways Organisms Contribute

Did you see?

Bird eggs are food for other animals.

Squirrels plant trees by burying nuts.
Birds eat plant materials and spread seeds via their waste.
Animals, sh, and eggs add nutrients to soil or water when
they die and decay.
Woodpeckers control insect populaJons and make caviDes
in trees, thus providing habitats for other birds.
Ducks eat algae, thus preserving oxygen in the water.
Shade from trees cools water, also preserving oxygen.
Plants provide nest material.

The list could go on and on

Guide kids to record contribuJons on the

Student ObservaJon Sheet
Organisms can make MANY contribuDons to the
river basin system.
Read over your script to learn the details about
the organisms on your Route.
Tell the story of your organisms to make the
concept of contribuDons come alive for your
study-team! Focus on the one or two
contribuDons that are most interesDng!
Simply state and check o the rest on the sheet.

Students using the ObservaJon Sheets

Invasive Plants
At the Invasive Trail Point you will invesDgate
an invasive plant.
What is an invasive plant??
-A plant that is NOT naDve to our area.

Many were brought unintenSonally on ships from
overseas.
Others are ornamental and were planted in gardens
nearby and have spread.

Invasives: Do they contribute?

Like ALL plants, invasives are food sources, oxygen-producing,
soil-holding and soil-enriching.

BUT They are aggressive and hardy.

Invasives can out-compete native species.

often have no natural predators

taller species (Japanese knotweed) shade out lower growing natives
some produce millions of seeds (Japanese stiltgrass)
attractive food to birds and animals, causing seeds to spread widely
seeds germinate easily in all conditions
can survive in all conditions
change the soil make-up, affecting native species
dense growth prevents other plants from growing (multi-Blora rose)
strangle other plants (Oriental Bittersweet)
photosynthesize more efBiciently than natives
can hybridize to spread stems

INVASIVES can create a monoculture!

SO

Invasive plants detract from overall productivity
by reducing species diversity!

Invasives

Species found at the Mill River

Japanese Knotweed

MulJ-ora Rose

Invasives
BiTersweet

Phragmites

End of SecDon 8
Please answer quesDons 24-26 of the review
quiz below.

SecDon 9

Concept #4: Human Impact

All human acJvity impacts

the River Basin System.

We build buildings, lawns
and paJos.
We pave roads and
driveways.
We put in guTers, storm
drains, and we
re-route rivers.

All this development causes runo.

The impact of RUNOFF

What you need to know:

Non-absorbent features built by humans roofs, pavement, lawns,
drainpipes, buildings, etc. may cause runo.

Runo increases river ow and may cause ooding and/or excessive erosion
(water picking up and carrying away soil).

Runo also means that less water is seeping into the groundwater system.

Experience the concept on the trail:

Observe areas of excessive erosion at
the Human Impact Trail Point.

Do you see lots of mulch and plants?
That would be evidence of producDvity.

Or more exposed roots and bare soil?
That would be evidence of erosion.

Discuss how runo and ooding

could have occurred:

Look for non-absorbent features, such as trails, roads, lawns or

buildings nearbyhow might they have contributed to the erosion?

Interpret how these condiDons aect

producDvity in the oodplain, downstream,
at the estuary and coast

Produc3vity is reduced!

Make predicJons, and discuss posiJve choices

for human development of the river basin
system.

What can a kid do?

Plant a garden,
leave an area of yard to grow naturally,
remove invasives
teach friends and family about being good
stewards of the river basin system!

End of SecDon 9
Please answer quesDons 27-28 of the review
quiz below.

SecJon 10

Rate of Flow and Water Sampling

Trail Points

At these trail point students will measure the rate of water ow in two

separate locaDons at the river, one fast-moving and one slow-moving.

Students will then collect water samples at each, in order to examine
plankton in the Class Lab porDon of the Study-Trip.

How do we measure and collect

the water?
Specic instrucDons for
measuring and
collecDng water will be
given at OUTDOOR
TRAINING.

A simple OVERVIEW of the techniques

Students will toss a twig and record the

Dme it takes to travel between two marker
poles in the water.

THEN

Students will use nets to catch plankton

and swish it into shallow pans of river
water.

Why Study Plankton?

Plankton is found in all types of water.

Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) produce the majority
of oxygen for our planet!

Plankton is the base of the Food Web.

The productivity of the River Basin System and beyond
depends on plankton!!

Sowe must protect plankton habitats!

A sneak peek at what the students will discover

1. Plankton is more plenJful is SLOW-MOVING water areas,

because its not washed away by the current.

2. An increase in daylight in springDme means an increase in
plankton producDon.

3. Phytoplankton (plant-like plankton) is at the base of the
food web and is needed as new life arrives in spring!

Zooplankton (animal-like plankton) eat phytoplankton.
Baby sh eat both zoo- and phyto-plankton.
Larger sh eat smaller sh.
Birds eat smaller sh.

End of SecDon 10
Please answer quesDons 29-30 of the review
quiz below.

 SecDon 11
The Class Lab:
Part 2 of the Study-Trip

Remember, once you nish your Trail Point acJviJes and

see your group back onto the bus, the
StudyTrip conJnues back in the classroom!!

There will be a River-Lab trained Lab Leader to

lead the acDviDes in the Class Lab.

Your role in the classroom lab will be

to assist your study-team as they:

1. Capture plankton in a dropper.

2. Drop water onto the slide.

3. Use the microscope.

4. IdenDfy various types of plankton,

using a set of plankton cards.

5. Share their ndings with the class using

smartboard technology.

GUIDE TIPS DURING LAB SESSIONS

On arrival:
Stay with your team work to get them seated and focused for lab leaders direcDon.
Ensure everyone has a microscope, slide and dropper in the bin at the table. Do not pass out
yet.
Wait for lab leaders direcDon to begin.
During lab:
Pour a small amount of fast sample water into at white pan on lab leader signal. It helps to
swish/remix water before pouring.
Demonstrate how to obtain organism with dropper and make an appropriate sized drop on
slide.
Help students get anything to iniDally focus microscope.
Ensure every child can focus by checking their microscopes/samples.
When fast water completed, pour fast water samples into large collecDon bucket.
Pour slow water sample into at white pan on lab leader signal.
Help idenDfy (use aids provided) and verify specimens with team members--encourage them
to look for small dots, not larger things.
Encourage students to ask lab leader if he/she needs their organism to project later.
Remind students to place color-coded sDcker(s) on the map at the area from where
specimens were drawn.
Demonstrate how to rinse slides back into sample, lessen the water on slide, dry slide for
reuse.

Guide Lab Tips, conDnued

During projecJon of organisms:

Collect all slides, droppers in trays and take to sink (may be outside of room).
Pour each groups buckets into single large one (lab leader will take it back to the river.)
Wash and dry droppers, slides, pans and buckets during projecDon. You may leave the bulb
o of the droppers to allow it to dry.
Collect and put away microscopes, guide books, paper towels.
Help wash lab leader materials.
Help lab leader pack up if necessary.

The Lab Leader will give specic instrucDons

to the students on
the proper technique for
capturing plankton.



Please follow along so you can assist!!

Class Lab: Tips for Capturing Plankton

Hold dropper with tip pointing downward.
Squeeze bulb before placing tip in water (or air will push organism
away).
Look for something green or moving (small dot).
Place tip near specimen and release bulb SLOWLY, drawing up only
organism and small amount of water.
DO NOT TIP DROPPER UPSIDE DOWN or organisms will get stuck
in bulb. Keep tip pointing down.
Allow organism to swim to tip and SLOWLY squeeze bulb to expel
small drop with organism onto slide.
If drop is too big, use dropper or paper towel to absorb extra water.
Focus microscope and identify specimen with help from ID cards.
Dont forget to have students label classroom maps with color-coded
stickers for each specimen found!
Save identified organisms for lab leader presentation or have
students to shake drops back into sample basin and start again.

As students use the microscope

to examine their two water samples

-- fast-moving and slow-moving --

from the study-trip,

they will start to observe plankton!

They will need help, but will soon get the hang of

capturing,

viewing, and

idenDfying

plankton in their water samples.

As students nd specimens, they share their slides with

the classusing smartboard technology.

Kid (and guides!) get very excited to nd plankton and see it
on the big screen!

Common types of plankton we

see in Class Lab:

SPIROGYRA: a type of phytoplankton (plant-like) that is green

Diatoms

(Phytoplankton)

COPEPOD: a type zooplankton (animal)

--swims in a jerky fast moDon
--eggs sac(s) are outside of body

Another copepod.
There are many different types.

WATER FLEA: type of zooplankton

--legs kick to move organism through water in a spinning motion
--eggs inside body and usually seen under low magnification

WATER MITE: a type of zooplankton

--often red in color
--spider-like

RoDfer

Worm

Remember:

You are a SUPPORTING PLAYER in

the classroom lab.

Support the Lab Leader by listening along with the students. You will learn
a lot!

Support the students by keeping them on task, assisDng them with
equipment and helping them use the Plankton ID cards. Its exciDng!!

Support the classroom teacher by helping to clean up aver lab. Teachers
really appreciate having their classroom back in order aver the lab is done!

End of SecDon 11
Please answer remaining quesDons of the
review quiz below.

 Big Concepts to Remember

All organisms contribute to the River Basin System.

Spring is a unique time to observe the productivity of the
River Basin System.

Plankton is the base of the food web and critical to
productivity.

Invasive plants are non-native and detract from
the diversity of the system.

Humans impact the River Basin System.

Most importantly.HAVE FUN!