Nueces Delta Preserve Teacher Workbook · • Ecoregions of Texas ... ECOREGION – an area with...

Nueces Delta Preserve Teacher Workbook

Created By:Lari Jo Wallace-Johnston

August 2009

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Table of Contents

• NuecesRiverDelta• Vocabulary• GeneralizedTEKSObjectives• VisitingtheDelta• Beforeyoucome• FieldStudies101 1.waterqualitytesting 2.watercycleandweather 3.soil,sieve,andcoresampling 4.formsofenergy 5.affectsofpollution 6.geo-cachingfor2ndgradeandup 7.fieldinvestigations 8.chemicalandphysicalweathering 9.ecologicalpopulationdensity&riparianzones 10.speciesidentificationandcataloguing 11.speciesadaptations 12.nativevs.exoticspecies 13.animaltracks 14.guidedtrailtours• EcoregionsofTexas• InsectVSSpider• RecognitionOfCommonOrdersOfInsects• ListofFlora&FaunafoundattheNDP

CAREFULL PLANNING AND PREPARATION CAN ASSURE THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELDTRIP

IS A SUCCESSFUL ONE!


Nueces River DeltaTheNuecesRiverDeltaisanestuary.Itoffersavarietyofhabitatstomanydifferentspecies.Estuariescanincludecoastalmarshes,naturalreefs,openbays,tidalflats,seagrassmeadows,gulfbeachesandbarrierislands.Eachprovidesauniqueecologicalareafororganismsthathaveadaptedtoconditionsfoundinthesesystems.

AttheNuecesRiverDelta,waterfromfourrivers,theEastandWestNueces,Frio,andAtascosa,aswellassprings,streams,andgroundwatercontributetotheinflowoffreshwatertoNuecesBay.TheNuecesBaywatershedincludesanareaofdrainsencompassing16,800squaremilesandcarriesanannualrunoffofsome620,000acre-feet.

Theopenoceanhasanaveragesalinityof35ppt.TheGulfofMexicohasanaveragesalinityof32ppt.Duetoevaporation,baysystemscanhaveawiderangeofsalinities(0-100ppt).Highsalinitiesoccurbecausesaltdoesnotevaporatewithwater.Lowsalinitiesoccurwhenfreshwaterflowsintothesystem.Thiscanoccurviariver,creek,streamorrainfall.

Theinfluxoffreshwaterfromtheriversspursproductivityinthebay,bringingfreshwaterandnutrientstothesystem.Here,asinotherestuaries,thedifferenceinthedensitiesbetweenfreshandsaltwatercausetheheaviersaltwatertoflowupstreamandthelighterfreshwatertoflowdownstreamproducingalayeredeffect.Someofthesaltwatermixeswiththefreshwateratapointcalledtheinterface.

Therivercarriesnotonlywater,butalsosedimentsandnutrientstothedelta.Asthesoiltravelsdownstream,itistumbledanderodedfromlargeparticlesintosmallerones.Asthewaterapproachesthemouthoftheriver,thesedimentsaredepositedtocreatenewlandmasses.Thisnewlandisundercontinualchangeduetoseasonalfloodingthatcauseserosionandre-deposition.Thisphysicalweatheringproducesnutrient-richhabitatsfordifferentspeciesoforganismstofindaniche.

Estuaries,suchastheNuecesRiverDelta,areuniqueecosystemsbecausetheyprovidevarietyinphysicalandchemicalconditions.Duetothevaryingdegreesofsalinity,estuariesprovideseveraldiversehabitatsforavarietyoforganismsthathaveadaptedtotheseuniquefactorsintheecosystem.


Vocabulary for Delta Trip

ACCRETION–soilandsedimentbeingre-depositedaftererosion

ADAPTATION–anythingthathelpsanorganismtosurviveinitsenvironment(atool)

BRACKISH WATER–anareawherefreshandsaltwatermixtogether

COASTAL MARSHES–areasthatfrequentlyholdwater

DEPOSITION–thedumpingofaloadofsoilandsedimentbyariver

ECOLOGY–thestudyofplantsandanimalsinrelationtotheirenvironment

ECOREGION–anareawithspecificplantsandanimalsuniquetothearea(oursisCoastalPrairiesandMarshes)

ECOTONE–aplacewhere2ormoreecoregionsoverlap

ENVIRONMENT–theareawhereanorganismlives(ahome)

EROSION–thechemicalandphysicalweatheringawayofsoilandsediment

ESTUARY–acoastalwaterbodywherefreshwaterfromriversandrunoffmixeswithsaltwaterfromtheocean

EXOTIC SPECIES-speciesthatarenotnativetotheNuecesDelta

FRESH WATER–waterwithlessthan0.5partsperthousanddissolvedsalts

GROUND WATER-waterfoundinthespacesbetweensoilparticlesandcracksinrocksunderground

HABITAT-areawhereanorganismlivesthatprovidesforallofitsneeds-space,water,shelter&food(aneighborhood)

HYDROMETER–instrumentusedtomeasuresalinity

INVASIVE SPECIES–anopportunisticnativespeciesthatoutcompetesothersinthearea

LOMA–Dunesmadeofloamdepositedbyaccretionontheoppositesideoftheprevailingwind


NATIVE SPECIES–Aspeciesnaturallyoccurringinagivenarea

NICHE–theecologicalroleofanorganisminacommunity(aprofession)

PRARIES–grasslands

RIPARIAN–relatingtoorlivingonthebankofanaturalcourseofwater

SAVANNAH–areadominatedbygrasseswithscatteredareasoftrees

SURFACE WATER–waterabovethesurfaceoftheland,includinglakes,rivers,streams,ponds,andrunoff

TIDAL FLATS-abroadandflatlandcausedbytherisingtideandexposedatitsebb

TAMAULIPAN–thebioticprovinceforthisarea

TREE–hasasingletrunkandisatleast50’tallatmaturity


Generalized TEKS Objectives to be aligned:

Elementary• fieldinvestigations• scientificinquiry• tools,models,methods• systemsandcycles• typesofchange(observe,measure,analyze,record,predict)• livingorganismsvs.non-livingobjects• speciesadaptations• naturalworld,properties,uses• past&present,futureevents–howthey’reconnected• formsofenergy

MiddleSchool• understandingofnature&science• field&laboratoryinvestigations• systemsandcycles• environmentalchanges• speciesadaptation• structures&propertiesofmatter• motion,forces,andenergy

HighSchool• understandingofnature&science• field&laboratoryinvestigations• organizationoflivingsystems• interdependenceoforganisms&theenvironment• structures&propertiesofmatter• motion,forces,andenergy

*Not all TEKS have to be used – any that tie in to environmental science or can be inter-disciplinary


Visiting the Nueces Delta Preserve

Considerations for Planning your Trip

1. Whatisyourobjectiveandwhatisthepurposeofthetrip?Howwillyoualignwhatyouhavetaughtintheclassroomtothefieldtripandmatchtheneedsofthelesson?

2. MeetwiththeCBBEPEducatorandprepareanagenda.Togetherwewillworktoprovidelessonsforcomplimentaryinstructionatthedelta.Beforeyourclasstravelstothedelta,theteacherandanEnvironmentalEducatorwillmeettogethertoplanthetrip,withideasabouttopicstobecoveredinmind.Notonlywillyoubeleadingactivities,butCBBEPeducator(s)willhaveactivitiesforthestudentsaswell.Asstudentsrotatethroughtheday,wewillworktogethertoprovideactivitiesthatcorrelatebacktoTEKS.Ifneeded,CBBEPhasprovidedalistofideastohelpyoubrainstormforcreatingyourlesson.

3. CBBEPhaslimitedsuppliestoassistteacherswiththeactivitieslisted.Ifyouwouldliketodoadditionalactivities,youmustbringyourownsupplies.

4. Breakyourstudentsintogroupsandhaveanadultassignedtoeachone.Pleasewearnametagsorprovidegrouplistsuponarrival.Groupingthestudentsshouldbedonebeforebringingyourstudentssotheywillalreadyknowexactlywhatgrouptheyareinandwhotheyaresupposedtobewith.Thestudentsgetveryexcitedandgroupingprovidesnecessarystructureanddirectionfortheday.

5. Makesureallteachersarecomfortablewiththeactivitiestheywillbeteaching.Rememberitismoreaboutstudentdiscoveryinthefieldthanteacherlecture.Allowyourstudentstodiscovernewthingsduringyouractivities.

6. MakesurebusdriverunderstandstheyaretohaveasacklunchandstayattheDeltaasweusethebusesfortransportationontheproperty.

7. Evaluatetheexperience.Howdoyouplantoevaluatewhatthestudentshavelearned?Quantitativemeasuresarenotnecessarilygoingtoweighthevalueofthetrip,andteachersknowstudentsproduceamazingproductsinaqualitativemannertoshowwhattheytrulylearned.CBBEPwouldlovetoseewhatthestudentscomeupwithsopleasefeelfreetosharetheirwork!Also, please take the time to fill out the evaluation form of your fieldtrip to the Delta and return it to CBBEP.


Recommendations for visiting NDP

1. Please address safety issues beforehand,astheNuecesDeltaPreserveisjustthat–anaturalpreserve.Therearesnakes,spiders,javelinas,stingingbugs,cactus,etc.Youshouldbringapreparedfolderwithemergencyphonenumbers,thesignedpermissionslips,andanyspecialmedicalneeds.

2. Attire:Visitorsshoulddressappropriatelyforthefield.Itiswisetowearlongpantsandbringalongsleeveshirt.Quickdrying,lightclothesareadvisablesinceitdoesbecomequitewarmwhileoutsideattheDelta.Closed-toelaceuptennisshoesorhikingbootsshouldbewornforwalkingthroughthepropertywhichmaybemuddyattimes.Besuretobringahat,andwater.Askparentstoapplybugsprayandsunscreenathomebeforeschoolonfieldtripday.

3. Supplies:EachstudentshouldbringaFieldJournal,Pencil,SackLunch,&atleast2Drinks

4. Facilities:Arestroom(Port-o-Potty)isavailableforuse,andapavilionprovidesshade.Picnictablesarelocatedunderthepavilionforstudenttowork&eattheirlunch.

Please pack lunches with as little trash as possible

Please make sure you only throw away empty drink containers

Please recycle if possible

Make sure the bus drivers know they must stay the whole time


IN THE CLASSROOM

1. IntroduceDeltaTermsandVocabularytoyourstudents.2. IntroducesomeofthenativeFloraandFaunaofthearea.3. DiscussAdaptations,Niche,andHabitatsostudentshaveaworkingknowledge

ofthe3terms.4. CreateFieldJournalsforthetrip.5. Discussdisciplineandrespectwithstudentsandhaveplaninplaceifbehavior

becomesaproblem.6. RemindStudentstowearpantsandclosetoedshoes.7. DiscusspackinglunchesinawaytoREDUCE,REUSE,AndRECYCLE.It

iswindyandtheywillbeeatingoutside.Pleasepackthingsthatwon’tflyeverywhere.

TIPS - TEACHER TO TEACHER

• Usepawprintstickersinthefieldjournaleachtimetheyfindatrackfortrackidentification–TGAllen1stGrade

• UseHEBgreenbagsforeachchildtocarryforfieldjournals,water,collection,etc.–KostoryzKindergarten

• Bringscissorstocutleavesfromtheshrubs–Kostoryz2ndGrade• Taketimetotrainallteachers.Matchtheactivitytotheteacherskills.–TGAllen

1stGrade• Haveyourstudentsdrawwhattheyseeinthejournals–Kostoryz2ndGrade• Makesuretheplantoswitchgroupsissmoothandnottimeconsuming–

Sanders5thGrade• Haveyourgroupsalreadyassignedbeforeyougettothedeltamakesurethe

studentsknowrotationaswellastheteachers–Schanen5thGrade• Haveteachersrunthestationsanduseparentsasgroupleaderstohelprotate

thestudents–SanPedro1stGrade• Packyourwaterseparatelyfromlunchessostudentsdon’thavetodigfordrinks

–Flourbluff5thGrade


Field Studies 101Water Quality Testing •Studentsaretocollectandobserve •Thewaterisnotcleanedortreatedinanyway YouwilltakepH,Temperature,Salinity,Alkalinity,NitrateandNitritereadings.Itisbestthat studentsknowwhateachofthesemeasuresbeforetheycometothedelta. •Atthepavilionthewaterisgroundwater Originallytheareawasaworkinggravelpit.Groundwaterwasaccidentallyhitandthis beautifulwaterfeaturebecameapartofthearea.Weknowithassailfinmolly,perch,sunfish, bass,andalligatorgarinit. •AtRinconthewaterisabayou ThisareaistheoldchannelfortheNuecesRiver.Itisnowapartofthefloodplain.

Water Cycle and Weather •Discusswatercycle •PrepareCloudChartsinclassandusethemattheDeltatodescribecloudcover •Taketemperaturereadings •Checkthebarometerintheschoolhouse •DiscussweatherstationatRincon •Recorddataondatasheet

Soil, Sieve, and Core Sampling •Useshovelsandsieveareasofthedeltatodetermineparticlesizeofsoil •Usea7inchcoretosample“layers”inthesoil •Findoutifthesoilhasaclaybasetoit

Forms of Energy •Wind–PrepareapinwheelinclassandobserveattheDelta •Water–Discusswaterpowerandshowwaterwheelobservation •Solar–Useweatherstationtodiscusssolarpower

Affects of Pollution •Findpointsourcepollution •Findnonpointsourcepollution •Discusshowallthetrashendsupinthefloodplain(Rincon)

Geo-Caching for 2nd Grade and Up •UseGarmineTrexGPSforactivities •BasicGPSisagamecalledNailbiterGPSwhereteamsuseGPStomarkwaypointsandthen tradeGPSunitsandtrytofindwaypoints •Earthcacheisanewformofgeo-cachingwhereyouusetheGPStofindgeologicalfeatures. Waypointsaremarkedonourpropertyforweathering&erosion


Field Investigations •Walktransectsandchecktrapsforsmallmammalsthenkeyoutspecimenanditshabitat •Usegridsforpercentcoverageofaspecies •Catalogandkeyspeciesusingdichotomouskeys

Chemical and Physical Weathering •LookforsignsoferosionatRincon •LookforsignsofaccretionatRincon •PerformtheMudpileMountainactivitytoproduce“erosion” •UseEarthcachingtofindSignsofWeatheringontheproperty

Ecological Population Density & Riparian Zones •Transectsfortree&shrubcoverage •Riparianzoneidentificationofflora&fauna •SmallMammaltransectcounts •Insectdensitybyorder

Species Identification and Cataloguing •Transects •TrailTours •DichotomousKeys •Flora&Fauna

Species Adaptations •Discussionofbones •MountedSpecimen •FieldObservations

Native vs. Exotic Species •Transects •TrailTours •Discussion

Animal TracksUsetheParksandWildlifehandoutfortrackidentificationLookfortracksonguidedtrailtoursandatRinconBayouDiscusswhyanimalsuseourtrailsDiscusswhytracksaremoreeasilyobservedatRinconBayouDiscusswhyalargeconcentrationoftracksarefoundatRinconBayouDiscussdifferencesinsizeandshapeforidentificationoftracks

Guided Trail ToursLookforandidentifytracksLookforandidentifyanimals(primarilybirds)LookforandidentifyplantsDiscussnaturalhistoryofthearea


Gulf Coast Prairies and MarshesTheGulfCoastPrairiesandMarshesoccupyapproximately9,500,000acres.Thisecoregionisanearlylevel,slowlydrainedplainlessthan150feetinelevation,dissectedbystreamsandriversflowingintothebays.Theregionincludesthebarrierislandsliningthecoastwhichprotecttheshorelinefromerosion.Rainfallvariesfrom20to50inchesperyeardistributedfairlyuniformlythroughouttheyear.

Surficialandwindblownsandsanddunescharacterizethisregion’ssoils.SoilsontheGulfCoastPrairiesandMarshesaresandyloams,andclays.Sandyloamspredominate,withclaysoccurringinriverbottoms.

Vegetationisprimarilygrasslandwithsomemottes,saltmarshesandareasofthornscrub.TheclimaxvegetationoftheGulfCoastPrairiewasoncemostlytall&midgrasses,withsomesavanna.IntheCoastalBendtheimportantmidgrassesareSeacoastBluestem,GulfCordgrass,&severalbrisslegrassspecies.Onthesavannahyouwouldfindoaks,legumes,&PricklyPear,aswellasvarioustypesofforbes&grasses.

Tamaulipan Biotic ProvinceSouthTexasispartoftheTamaulipanbioticprovince.ItextendsNorthfromRioSotolaMarinainTamaulipas(whereitgotit’sname),includestheMonterreyregionofeasternNuevoLeonandallofSouthTexasfromthemouthoftheGuadalupeRivertotheBalconesEscarpment.Thisareawashistoricallydominatedbygrasslands,prairies,&thornscrub.Coastalareasinthisprovincewereoncedominatedbycoastalmarshes,uplandgrasslands,andfloodplainforest.


INSECT VS SPIDERS

Insects

•Usuallyhave6legs

•3MainBodyParts Head Thorax Abdomen

•Foundinwaterandonland

•Haveantennae

•Eatavarietyofthingsfromplants toanimalstodecayedmaterial

•Mostdon’tspinsilk,andthosethat dousuallyspinitfromglandsin theirmouth

•Usuallyhave2compoundeyes andseveralsimpleeyes

•Usuallyhave2pairsofwings

Spiders

•Have8legs

•Have2mainbodyparts Cephalothorax–theheadand thoraxfused Abdomen

•Usuallyliveonland

•Havenoantennae

•Usuallyarecarnivorousand paralyzetheirpreywithpoison

•Mostspinsilkfromspinnerets ontheirabdomens

•Usuallyhave8simpleeyesand nocompoundeyes

•Havenowings


RECOGNITION OF COMMON ORDERS OF INSECTS

Odonata - dragonflies and damselflies• longslendermembranouswingswithmany

cross-veins• hindwingssimilartoforewings• chewingmouthparts• long,slenderabdomen• larvaeareaquatic

Orthoptera - grasshoppers, kaydids, and crickets • forewingsleatheryandnarrow• chewingmouthparts• manyhavehindlegsmodifiedforjumping

Blattaria - cockroaches• forewingselongate,oftenthickened(leathery)• chewingmouthparts• runninglegs• cerci• longantennae

Phasmida - walkingsticks • chewingmouthparts• lookslikeastick

Mantodea - praying mantids• forewingselongate,oftenthickened(leathery)• chewingmouthparts• enlargeforelegsforgraspingprey• distinctiveneck


Hemiptera - true bugs • forewingsthickenedatbase• hindwingsmembranous• piercing-suckingmouthparts

Neuroptera - lacewings, ant lions• foreandbackwingsmembranouswithmanyveins• chewingmouthparts• antennaelongandmanysegmented

Coleoptera - beetles • hardenedforewing(elytra)• hindwingsmembranous• chewingmouthparts• elytrameetinstraightlinedownback

Lepidoptera - butterflies and moths• foreandhindwingswithscales• antennaelongandmanysegmented• adults-siphoningmouthparts• larvae-chewingmouthparts

Diptera - flies and mosquitoes• forewingsmembranous• hindwingsabsent,replacedwith

balancingorganscalledhalteres• differenttypesofmouthparts

Hymenoptera - bees, wasps, and ants• foreandhindwingsmembranous• antennaeusuallythreadlike• chewingmouthpartswithmodificationforsucking

Nueces Delta Preserve Teacher Workbook · • Ecoregions of Texas ... ECOREGION – an area with...

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