Curriculum Outline

Theme: Complexity

 

Course Concept: WATER CYCLE  There is a cycle of water movement through the atmosphere to the land and the oceans, back to the atmosphere.		Standards:  The student will identify the parts of the water cycle.
Course Concept: STREAM MORPHOLOGY  Water acts as a transporting agent, changing topographical characteristics through erosion.		Standards:  The student will describe the effects the movement of sediment in a stream has on the shape of the stream.
Course Concept: BIODIVERSITY  Ecosystems containing a greater variety of species are less susceptible to change.		Standards:  The student will safely collect, examine, and identify a variety of aquatic animals.  The student will use a microscope to examine and identify microscopic aquatic life. The student will explain the life cycle of local anadromous fish and describe the factors that inhibit or enhance that life cycle.

 

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Theme: Ecosystems

 

Course Concept: WATERSHED  A watershed is an area of land from which water drains to a common point, supplying lakes, streams, and gravitational water.		Standards:  The student will delineate a watershed on a map or model.  The student will assess how human interactions affect watersheds.
Course Concept: HABITAT  Water is a habitat for both plant and animal life.		Standards:  The student will explain the flow of energy and cycling of nutrients through the trophic levels of a habitat.  The student will identify the location, behavior and niche of aquatic animals and plants.  The student will identify the location, behavior and niche of microscopic aquatic animals and plants.  The student will use water quality to determine the suitability of a given habitat for plants and animals.
Course Concept: LIMITING FACTOR  The amount of water in an ecosystem limits the growth of an ecosystem.​		Standards:  The student will discuss reasons for measuring stream flow.

 

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Theme: Importance

 

Course Concept: NATURAL RESOURCES  Water has many uses other than sustaining life.		Standards:  The student will list and describe three different ways that humans use water.
Course Concept: ENERGY  Falling water has energy that can be used to produce electricity.​		Standards:  The student will explain the production of hydroelectric power.
Course Concept: HUMAN DEPENDENCE  Humans are dependent on the quality and quantity of usable water.		Standards:  The student will recognize their relationship with and dependence upon water and identify three ways they can conserve water.
Course Concept: WATER QUALITY  Many factors affect the purity and condition of a body of water.		Standards:  The student will identify at least three factors that affect water quality.  The student will identify aquatic animals and plants and use them as an indicator of water quality.  The student will identify microscopic aquatic animals and plants and use them as an indicator of water quality.
Course Concept: CAREERS  The study of water offers a wide range of career opportunities.		Standards:  The student will perform tasks that fisheries biologists, stream ecologists, and hydrologists perform.

 

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Water Field Study Activities

The following activities are typical of a day on Water Field Study at Outdoor School. Actual activities will vary by site and season. 

Dissolved Oxygen / Temperature: Students test the temperature and dissolved oxygen level of a body of water, make predictions about the presence of aquatic life, and discuss the relationship between human impact, environmental factors, dissolved oxygen, and aquatic life. 

Carbon Dioxide: Students test the CO2 level of an aquatic habitat and discuss the role of CO2 in water quality. 

Water pH: Students test the pH of an aquatic habitat and draw connections between human activity, environmental factors, water quality and aquatic life. 

Anadromous Fish: Students study the life cycle of anadromous fish such and discuss the challenges facing migrating salmon. 

Riparian Habitat Survey: Students examine the characteristics of a riparian zone and discuss the relationship between riparian habitat and aquatic life. 

Aquatic Life Survey (Critter Catch) / Fish Count: Students collect, count and identify aquatic life specimens and discuss adaptations and niche of the animals. 

Turbidity: Students test the turbidity of a stream or pond and discuss the relationship between sediment, water quality, and aquatic life. 

Watershed: Students build a model of a watershed, identify components of a watershed, and examine the relationship between watershed conditions, human activity and water quality. 

Stream Flow: Students calculate the volume of discharge of a stream and discuss issues surrounding water use and conservation. 

Microscope study / Aquatic Food Pyramid: Students collect and examine microscopic aquatic life and discuss the model of an aquatic food pyramid. 

Stream Morphology: Students build a model of a stream and examine the effect of erosion on stream shape. 

Water cycle: Students define and/or act out the water cycle and point out observable stages in the water cycle. Then students characterize water as either a renewable or non-renewable resource. 

Water Power: Students examine how energy is harnessed from moving water and discuss the impact of hydroelectric power generation on ecosystems and communities. 

Waste Water Treatment: Students simulate the process of municipal waste water treatment and discuss how human activities directly affect stream health. 

Water Conservation: Students examine typical human water use and discuss strategies for conservation of potable water. 

​Water Physics: Students conduct a variety of experiments to demonstrate unique physical qualities of water such as surface tension, capillary action and hydrogen bonding and discuss implications of these qualities for natural and human systems.

Theme: Complexity

 

Course Concept: ADAPTATION  Animals have characteristics that best suit them for a specific environment.		Standards:  The student will identify the specific adaptations of animals.
Course Concept: CHARACTERISTICS  All animals have specific features that make them unique.		Standards:  The student will be able to identify animals and their characteristics using reference materials. The student will locate and identify animals, signs and behaviors using reference materials.
Course Concept: NICHE  Animals perform specific ecological roles within their ecosystem.		Standards:  The student will describe an animal’s niche and compare niches of different species.

 

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Theme: Ecosystems

 

Course Concept: FLOW  Animals, water, soil and air produce flows within a corridor.		Standards:  The student will be able to explain an environmental flow. The student will be able to give examples of animals that create environmental flows within a corridor.
Course Concept: INTERACTIONS  An ecosystem is composed of complex interactions between animals, plants, water and soil.		Standards:  The student will identify interactions within an ecosystem.
Course Concept: COMMUNITY  Animals and plants occupy specific areas and function through interrelated trophic systems.		Standards:  The student will explain the role that specific animals play in the natural processes of an area.  The student will develop observations as to why certain animal communities exist on site.
Course Concept: HABITAT  Animals require components of a natural environment including food, water, shelter and space. Humans are animals influenced by the same environmental factors that affect other living things.		Standards:  The student will list the elements of an animals habitat.  The student will identify transitional zones as “edges” in an area.  ​The student will explain how edges affect animal populations.

 

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Theme: Importance

 

Course Concept: HUMAN DEPENDENCE  Individual and collective human behavior has profound and direct consequences on animal communities.​		Standards:  The student will discuss how human behavior affects animal populations.
Course Concept: BIODIVERSITY  An ecosystem requires a variety of species to remain stable.		Standards:  The student will identify causes of threatened, endangered and sensitive animal populations.  The student will explain why biodiversity is important.
Course Concept: ENERGY FLOW  The flow of energy from the sun through plants to successively less numerous organisms.		Standards:  The student will describe the role animals play as consumers in nutrient cycling and energy flow.  The student will describe ways animals impact plants, soil and water quality in an environment.  The student will explain the flow of energy through the trophic levels of a terrestrial habitat (food pyramid).
Course Concept: RESILIENCE  Animals are able to survive a variety of environmental pressures.		Standards:  The student will give examples of introduced species and discuss their ability to survive in various environments.  The student will identify causes of threatened, endangered and sensitive animal populations.
Course Concept: CAREER  The study of animals offers a wide range of career opportunities.​		Standards:  The student will complete tasks that wildlife biologists and population ecologists perform.

 

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Animals Field Study Activities

The following activities are typical of a day on Animals Field Study at Outdoor School. Actual activities will vary by site and season.

Nutrient Cycle / Decomposition: Students examine decomposition and study the means by which nutrients are cycled through an ecosystem.

Adaptations Activities: Students identify adaptations of animals and describe how those adaptations help animals survive in their habitats. They use measurement and observations to identify animals using reference materials such as field guides.
The most common activities:

• Pelts
• Skulls
• Horns, Antlers and Hooves
• Birds
• Live Animal Stations

Arthropod study: Students find and examine arthropods and discuss the role arthropods play in local ecosystems.

Food Web: Students demonstrate interrelationships among structures in an ecosystem.

Animal Signs Hike and Survey / Casting Animal Tracks: Students identify a wildlife-related question for inquiry and then survey the site for signs of wildlife and draw conclusions about presence and populations of animals.

Bear Game: Students use role-playing and simulation to explore concepts of carrying capacity and competition for food, water, shelter and space.

Oh Deer!: Students role play deer population cycles to discuss carrying capacity and wildlife population cycles.

Bird Observations: Students perform a bird population survey by counting and cataloging bird songs and observed birds.

Food Pyramid: Students study the numerical relations in a terrestrial food pyramid.

​Deadly Links: Students actively simulate the process of bioaccumulation of toxins in a wildlife population. Debrief discussion explores how human choices affect animal populations.

Theme: Complexity

 

Course Concept: SOIL HORIZONS  Soil composition changes with depth.​		Standards:  The student will identify, describe and compare soil horizons in a profile.
Course Concept: SOIL FORMATION PROCESS  Major factors affecting soil include climate, topography, plant and animal life, rock type and rock cycle, time.		Standards:  The student will discuss factors affecting the formation of soil.  The student will describe how soil characteristics determine the interactions between soil, plants and animals.
Course Concept: SOIL CHARACTERISTICS  Soil is characterized by the varying amounts of inorganic sand, silt clay and organic material present.​		Standards:  The student will describe key characteristics of soil quality and the factors affecting those characteristics.
Course Concept: SOIL NUTRIENT CYCLE  Soil nutrients are composed of chemicals produced by decomposition of living things and are generally protected by undisturbed plant growth.		Standards:  The student will describe the role soil plays in nutrient cycling.

 

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Theme: Ecosystems

 

Course Concept: LANDSCAPE A landscape is a complex network of interacting patches, structures and corridors.​		Standards:  The student will identify interaction between patches in a landscape.
Course Concept: HUMAN INFLUENCE  Humans have both a positive and negative affect on soil stability.		Standards:  The student will indicate the types of erosion on a model or an actual area, and explain the impact of erosion on habitat.  The student will identify and describe different types of disturbance and their effects.
Course Concept: LIMITING FACTORS  Composition of soil affects water holding capacity, plant growth and animal life.​		Standards:  The student will identify those soil factors that limit specific plant growth.
Course Concept: SOIL NUTRIENTS  In conjunction with climate, the amount and type of soil nutrients present directly affects the type of ecosystem present.		Standards:  The student will identify different patches where soil nutrients affect the type of plant life present.
Course Concept: INTERACTIONS  An ecosystem is composed of complex interactions between plants, animals soil and water. ​		Standards:  The student will identify the relative rate of change in an ecosystem.

 

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Theme: Importance

 

Course Concept: HUMAN DEPENDENCE  Humans depend on soil in many different ways.		Standards:  The student will describe the different ways humans depend on soil.
Course Concept: SUBSTRATE OF PLANET  Topography and geologic forces affect humans in many ways.		Standards:  The student will identify major geologic processes, and how those processes can affect them.  The student will use an aerial photograph to identify outstanding land features and list their effects on the landscape.
Course Concept: CAREER  The study of soils offers a wide range of career opportunities.		Standards:  The student will give examples of introduced species and discuss their ability to survive in various environments.  The student will identify causes of threatened, endangered and sensitive animal populations.

 

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Soil Field Study Activities

The following activities are typical of a day on Soil Field Study at Outdoor School. Actual activities will vary from site to site and season to season. 

pH: Students test pH of soil and discuss the relationships among pH, plant growth and human activity. 

Soil Profile: Students collect and describe local soil horizons and discuss soil formation. 

Soil Life Survey: Students collect and examine soil organisms and discuss the role of organisms in soil health. 

Absorption / Compaction / Permeability: Students test a variety of locations for absorption rate and discuss the relationships among human activity, permeability and plant and animal habitat. 

Soil Recipe: Students attempt to "make" soil, examine the importance of time in the natural formation of topsoil, and characterize soil as either a renewable or non-renewable resource. 

Particle Size: Students categorize inorganic matter by size and characterize loam as a combination of sand, silt and clay. 

Erosion: Students identify types of erosion and discuss human activity and the impact of erosion on soil and ecosystem health.

Soil Texture and Structure: Students characterize soil particles by texture and structure. 

Geology: Students analyze geologic profiles on site and discuss the geologic history of the local area. The rock cycle is discussed and rocks are categorized as igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary. 

Slope and Aspect: Students measure slope and aspect of the land and discuss the implications of slope and aspect on land management decisions. 

Weathering: Students examine evidence of chemical and physical weathering and experiment with both types. 

Topography: Students observe the local landscape and use topographic maps to explore the factors that create the shape of the land. 

Mud City: Students take on the role of farmers to try to reduce erosion on a plot of land. 

Apple Earth: Students examine and discuss the concept of soil as a limited resource. 

Compost / Worm Bin: Students observe a worm bin and explore the role organic decomposition plays in soil formation as well as the role composting plays in waste reduction.

Theme: Complexity

 

Course Concept: ADAPTATION  Plants have characteristics that best suit them for a specific environment. Conditions of sunlight, soil, and moisture aid in determining the species growing in an area.		Standards:  The student will recognize the adaptations of plants to the environment.  The student will describe the influence of soil, water, animals, sunlight, and disturbance on the types of plants growing in an area.  The student will identify the heartwood, xylem, cambium, phloem, and outer bark of a tree and explain the function of each.
Course Concept: DISPERSAL MECHANISM  Plants have different dispersal mechanisms that are essential for their distribution.		Standards:  The student will describe the process by which seeds and spores are dispersed OR dissect a flower and point out the role that each part plays in plant reproduction (site and season dependent).
Course Concept: NUTRIENT CYCLE  Green plants have the role of producers, while fungi are decomposers that recycle nutrients and make them available for plant growth.		Standards:  The student will describe nutrient cycling and energy flows in a forest habitat.
Course Concept: CLASSIFICATION  Plants can be identified and classified by similarities and differences.​		Standards:  The student will use a key and reference materials to identify plant species.

 

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Theme: Ecosystems

 

Course Concept: ENERGY FLOW  The sun’s energy is transferred to the animal world through photosynthesis.		Standards:  The student will describe the process of photosynthesis.
Course Concept: SUCCESSION  Free from outside interference, plant communities and their environment slowly change over time.​		Standards:  The student will define succession, describe factors affecting succession and categorize an area based on successional stage.
Course Concept: COMMUNITY  Plants and animals occupy specific areas and function through interrelated trophic systems.		Standards:  The student will explain the role that specific plants play in the natural processes of an area.  The student will identify interdependence between microclimate, soil characteristics, and animal and plant species present in a given successional stage.  The student will develop observations as to why certain plant communities exist on site.

 

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Theme: Importance

 

Course Concept: HUMAN INFLUENCE  Individual and collective human behavior has profound and direct consequences for plant communities.		Standards:  The student will discuss how human behavior affects forests and other plant communities.
Course Concept: NATURAL RESOURCES  Plants and plant communities are of high value to humans economically and otherwise. Oregon’s economy has historically relied upon harvest of plants.		Standards:  The student will list ways humans have historically and presently currently utilize plants and plant communities.
Course Concept: PRODUCERS  Plants have unique and important ecological roles which affect all living organisms and the environment: food and oxygen production; soil formation and stabilization; climatic regulation; water purification.		Standards:  The student will describe the role plants play as producers in nutrient cycling and energy flow.  The student will describe ways plants impact wildlife, soil and water quality in an environment.
Course Concept: CAREERS  The study of plants offers a wide range of career opportunities.		Standards:  The student will complete tasks that botanists and forest ecologists perform.

 

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Plants Field Study Activities

The following activities are typical of a day on Plants Field Study at Outdoor School. Actual activities will vary by site and season. 

Coniferous Trees: Students learn to identify and categorize coniferous trees and discuss their place in forest succession and in the local economy. 

Plant Adaptations: Students examine a variety of plants, their adaptations, and their niche in the forest community. 

Plant Identification Hike: Students examine a variety of plants and use field guides and other resources to identify and categorize plants and fungi. 

Dichotomous Key / Leaf Detectives: Students create a dichotomous key and use a key to identify plants. 

Primitive Plants: Students identify fungi, lichens, ferns and moss and examine their adaptations and role in the forest ecosystem. 

Flower parts: Students examine and dissect flowers and discuss the structure and function of flower parts. 

Tree Parts: Students act out the internal parts of a tree and the function of each (outer bark, xylem, phloem, cambium, heartwood). 

Succession and Disturbance: Students explore the process of forest succession, outline human and natural disturbances, and collect data to characterize a variety of sites as to their stage in succession. 

Seed and Spore Dispersal: Students collect and identify seeds and spores and describe their dispersal techniques. Dispersal is linked to forest succession. 

Tree Age: Students use a variety of techniques to determine tree age and estimate the age a forest stand. 

Tree Height / Board Foot Volume: Students use geometric triangulation and forestry tools to calculate the height of a tree and then calculate the volume of lumber contained in a tree. Students discuss human use of wood products and how activities such as paper recycling can reduce the amount of trees harvested. 

Forest Layers: Students examine and identify the various layers found in a forest ecosystem and discuss layers as a diversity of habitat for wildlife. 

Logging Tools: Students learn how to use crosscut saws and other historic logging tools and look for historical signs of the use of such tools at the site. 

Fire Ecology: Students identify signs of forest fire and discuss the impact of fire on a forest ecosystem. 

Plant associations: Students characterize forest plots in terms of plants that are usually found together and analyze reasons for particular plant associations. 

Ethnobotany: Students examine a variety of items made from plants and discuss the history of human use of plants in the Pacific Northwest. 

Photosynthesis: Students explore the process of photosynthesis and relate the process to activities they do on field study. 

Nurse Logs: Students examine decomposing logs and stumps and observe and analyze their role in a forest ecosystem.