explore with your sensesthe trip. prepare your student with appropriate footwear, long pants,...
TRANSCRIPT
RangeR Led PRogRam: exPLoRe With YouR SenSeS 1 PaRkS aS CLaSSRoomS gReat SmokY mountainS nationaL PaRk
Theme: Five SensesGrade LeveL: KindergartenBesT Time To PLan TriP: Spring or Fall
sTaTe CurriCuLum sTandards = Tennessee (KinderGarTen)
Science Embedded Inquiry •Observetheworldoffamiliarobjectsusingthesensesandtools(GLE0007.Inq.1) •Recognizethatbothnaturalmaterialsandhuman-madetoolshavespecific characteristicstodeterminetheiruse(GLE007.T/E.K-2.1)Interdependence •Knowthatpeopleinteractwiththeirenvironmentthroughtheirsenses (GLE007.2.2)TheEarth •Identifynon-livingmaterialsfoundonthesurfaceoftheearth(GLE0007.7.1)PhysicalScience •Describeanobjectbyitsobservableproperties(GLE0007.9.1)Energy •Identifythesunasthesourceofheatandlight(GLE0007.10.1)
engliSh •Developcriticallisteningskillsessentialforcomprehension,problemsolvingand taskcompletion(GLE0001.2.1) •Developcriticalspeakingskillsessentialforeffectivecommunication(GLE001.2.2)
uniT raTionaLeGreatSmokyMountainsNationalParkisanexcellentbackdropforstudentsastheyexplorethenaturalworldwiththeirsenses.Lessonsinhistoryandanimalcommunitiesaretaughtbyparkrangersasstudentsbecomeactivelyinvolvedintouching,smelling,seeingandlisteningtotheresource.EstablishingacomfortbetweenachildandtheoutdoorenvironmentiscrucialtothefutureoftheNationalParkService.Achildwholearnstosafelyexploretheoutdoorswithadultsmaybecomeintriguedandexcitedtoexploreothernaturalareasintheirowncommunity.Thisloveoftheoutdoorsissometimeslostbythedrawoftoday’sentertainmenttechnologysuchascabletelevision,computersandelectronicgamingsystems.ThepurposeofthistripistocreateanawarenessofthenaturalworldandencouragefuturelearningthroughfamilyactivitiesinGreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark.
exPLore WiTh Your sensesRanger Led
Program
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UnitRationale/StateCurriculumStandards......................... 1TableofContents..................................................................... 2PlanningYourTrip................................................................... 3Safety.......................................................................................... 4MaptoCadesCove.................................................................. 5MaptoSugarlands.................................................................... 6
Pre-SiteActivitiesAnimalsandTheirSenses....................................................... 7-12
On-SiteActivitiesatCadesCoveParkRangerDirectedLessons............................................... 13SensoryRope............................................................................ 13SoundsoftheForest................................................................ 13NatureDetectives..................................................................... 13HugaTree................................................................................. 13
On-SiteActivitiesatSugarlandsParkRangerDirectedLessons............................................... 14SensoryRope............................................................................ 14SoundsoftheForest................................................................ 14NatureDetectives..................................................................... 14HugaTree................................................................................. 14
Post-SiteActivitiesSchoolNatureDetectives........................................................ 15ExploreYourNationalParks.................................................. 16
AppendicesParent/ChaperoneLetter........................................................ 17ResourcesandReferences....................................................... 18
TaBLe of ConTenTs
Activity Page
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PLanninG a suCCessfuL TriPexPLore WiTh Your senses
sCheduLe for a daY of aCTiviTies in GreaT smoKY mounTains naTionaL ParKMorning:
•ArriveatCadesCoveRangerStation.•Usetherestroomsatthestore.•Reloadthebustotraveltothetrailhead•Rangerleadsgroupintroductionwith“PineytheTalkingTree”.•Intwogroups,studentsparticipateinranger-ledactivities•Stayforpicniclunchonlawnorreturntoschool
PlanningaSuccessfulTrip
•TheCadesCovepicnicareaislocatedpriortotheonewayCadesCovedrivingloop.DONOTGETONTHESCENIC11MILELOOP.Instead,turnleftandfollowthesignsforthepicnicarea.Thepicnicareaislocated6mileswestoftheTownsend“Wye”.
•Thereisnocosttousethissiteorfortheprogram.Therangerswillbewaitingonyourbustopullintothepicnicarea.Rangerswillshowyouwheretopark.
•Safetyisoftheutmostimportance,especiallyinaNationalPark.Besuretoreadthesafetyinformationprovidedonthefollowingpage.Youmaywishtotakethepagewithyouonyourtriporsendittoyourchaperonespriortotheon-siteexperience.
aT Cades Cove aT suGarLands
sCheduLe for a daY of aCTiviTies in GreaT smoKY mounTains naTionaL ParKMorning
•ArriveatSugarlandsVisitorCenterforrestrooms•Reloadthebustotraveltothetrailhead•Rangerleadsgroupintroductionwiththe“TalkingChimney”•Intwogroups,studentsparticipateinranger-ledactivities•Stayforpicniclunchonvisitorcenterlawnorreturntoschool
PlanningaSuccessfulTrip
•TheSugarlandsVisitorCenterislocated5minutesfromdowntownGatlinburgonHighway441.IftravelingviatheGatlinburgby-pass,thevisitorcenterisonemileintotheparkaftertheby-passends.
•Thereisnocosttousethissiteorfortheprogram.Therangerswillbewaitingonyourbustopullintothevisitorcenter.Rangerswillshowyouwheretopark.
•Safetyisoftheutmostimportance,especiallyinaNationalPark.Besuretoreadthesafetyinformationprovidedonthefollowingpage.Youmaywishtotakethepagewithyouonyourtriporsendittoyourchaperonespriortotheon-siteexperience.
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safeTY ConsideraTions and oTher imPorTanT informaTion •GreatSmokyMountainsNationalParkisafederallyprotectedpublicusearea.Pleasehelptherangerskeepalloftheplantsandanimalsprotectedintheparkbynotpickingtheplantsortakinganythingfromthepark.
•Pleaseremindyourstudentstowearappropriatefootwearandclothingforthisextendedoutdoorexperience.Flipflops,slip-onshoes,orsandalsarenotappropriatefortheprogram.
•Temperaturesinsomepartsoftheparkcanbe10-15degreescolderthanatyourschool.Longpantsandlayersaresuggestedfortheprogram.Pantsarethebestprecautionagainstcooltemperatures,beestings,ticks,andpoisonivy.
•Withinthepark,cellphonesarenotalwaysreliable.Rangerswillfollowtheon-siteagenda.Ifanunexpectedproblemoccurs,rangersdocarryparkradiostomakecontactwiththeparkdispatchoffice.Fornon-emergencies,calltheParkRangerdispatchat865-436-1230orcontactaparkemployee.
Animals and Plants of Concern in the park
•Allanimalsintheparkarewildandtheirbehaviorsareunpredictable.Treatallanimalswith caution.
•Venomoussnakes-TwospeciesofvenomoussnakesliveintheSmokies,thecopperheadand timberrattlesnake.Studentsshouldbecautiouswheretheyplacetheirhandsandfeet.
•Insects-Yellowjacketwaspsaretheinsectsofgreatestconcern.Theybuildnestsinthe groundalongtrailsandstreamsandareaggressivewhendisturbed.Stingscauselocalswelling andcanleadtosevereallergicreactionsinsensitiveindividuals.Suchpersonsshouldcarry epinephrinekits.
•PoisonIvy-Poisonivyisathree-leavedplantwhichcangrowonthegroundaswellason “hairy”vinesuptrees.Toavoidchancesofanallergicreactionwearlongpants,stayontrails, andavoiddirectcontactwithvegetation.Ifcontactoccursorisaconcern,washaffectedparts incoldsoapywaterimmediately.
•Itisextremelyhelpfultorangersleadingtheprogramforstudentstowearclearlylabelednametagswithfirstnamesonly.
•Petsarenotallowedonmostparktrails.Pleasedonotbringthemonthefieldtrip.
•Formoreinformationaboutthepark(ThingstoKnowBeforeYouCome)pleasevisitthepark’swebsite:http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/things2know.htm
RangeR Led PRogRam: exPLoRe With YouR SenSeS 5 PaRkS aS CLaSSRoomS gReat SmokY mountainS nationaL PaRk
maP To Cades Cove
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maP To suGarLands
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Objectives: Aidstudentsinlearninghowanimalsusetheirsenses.
Materials: •Coloringpages(included)
Background:Allanimalshavesenses.Thoughtheymaynotlooklikeyouorme,abear,afrog,andabirdallhavepartstotheirbodywhichhelpthemlearnabouttheirenvironment.GreatSmokyMountainsNationalParkishometoover17,000knowndifferenttypesofanimalsandplants.Thelivingthingsoftheforestandthestreamsneedtomakeorfindenergyfromthesun,theplantsandsometimesfromotheranimals.Howdoesaraccoonfindfood?Howdoesabirdmakeanest?Howdoesadeerlistenforitsmotherintheforest?Theanswertoallofthequestionsisthesame:animalsusetheirsensestosurvive.
Procedure:UsethefollowingcolorsheetstohelpintroduceanimalsofGreatSmokyMountainsNationalParktothestudentsandtohelpreinforcetheirknowledgeoftheirownsenses.
Pre-siTe aCTiviTYanimaLs and Their senses
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Area:Science
Activity time: 30minutes
Setting: Classroom
Skills: Coloring;Criticalthinking
Vocabulary: hear;see;smell;taste;touch
RangeR Led PRogRam: exPLoRe With YouR SenSeS 8 PaRkS aS CLaSSRoomS gReat SmokY mountainS nationaL PaRk
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RangeR Led PRogRam: exPLoRe With YouR SenSeS 10 PaRkS aS CLaSSRoomS gReat SmokY mountainS nationaL PaRk
RangeR Led PRogRam: exPLoRe With YouR SenSeS 11 PaRkS aS CLaSSRoomS gReat SmokY mountainS nationaL PaRk
RangeR Led PRogRam: exPLoRe With YouR SenSeS 12 PaRkS aS CLaSSRoomS gReat SmokY mountainS nationaL PaRk
RangeR Led PRogRam: exPLoRe With YouR SenSeS 13 PaRkS aS CLaSSRoomS gReat SmokY mountainS nationaL PaRk
on-siTe aCTiviTiesParK ranGer direCTed Lessons aT Cades Cove
Objectives: Teachstudentsthatbyusingtheirsenses,theycanenhancetheiroverallexperienceinthepark.
Materials: Allprovidedbyparkrangers
Background:Thefollowingisabriefdescriptionofyouron-siteactivities.Theseactivitieswillbeledbyparkstaff,butpleasebefamiliarwiththem,astheclassroomteachermaybeaskedtoassiston-site.
PineytheTalkingTree(10minutes)Asstudentsunloadthebus,theparkrangerwillleadtheentiregrouptothestartofthenaturetrail.Atthispointadiscussionofsafetyintheforestwilltakeplace.Studentswillbeaskedtoidentifytheir5senses.Theparkrangerwillthenleadtheentiregroupdownthepavedpathtomeetthe“TalkingTree”.The“TalkingTree”willtellashortstorytothestudentandaskforresponsestoseveralquestions.
Thegroupwillbedividedintotwogroupsandwillfollowtheparkrangerstoparticipateinthefollowingactivities:
SensoryRope(20minutes)Studentswillbeaskedtoclosetheireyesandfeeltheirwayalongasensoryropetotouchandsmellobjectsoftheforest.Afterallhavewalkedalongsidetherope,therangerwillaskforguessesfromthegroupastowhatwasdiscoveredwiththeirsenses.
SoundsoftheForest(20minutes)StudentswillsitandlistentoavarietyofrecordedanimalsoundsfromGreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark.Therangerwillaskstudentswhichanimalismakingtherecordedsound.Therangerwillshowstudentsaphotographofthecorrectanimal.
NatureDetectives(20minutes)Studentswillbeshownthepropertechniquesofusingamagnifyingglass.Studentswillthenreceiveamagnifyingglassandwillbedirectedtosearchtheforestfloorusingonlytheireyestouncoverthemicroscopicworld.Studentwillbeaskedtoreportbacktotherangerwithverbalde-scriptionsoftheirfindings.
HugaTree(20minutes)Thisactivityreinforcesaruleofsafety.Ifapersonbecomeslostinthewoods,rememberto“HugaTree”.Bystayinginoneplace,alostvisitorcanbelocatedeasierbyrescueteams.Therangerwilldemonstratehowto“HugaTree”,thenstudentswillparticipateinagamewherepairedstudentsgettofindatreebyusingtheirsenseoftouch.
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Area:Science
Activity time: 1.5hours
Classsize:Maximumof50
Setting: Outdoorsinthepark
Skills: Communicating,Criticalthinking;Describing;Listening;Observing
Vocabulary: animal;color;community;compare;family;hear;nature;observe;respect;rules;see;senses;shape;size;smell;soil;taste;touch
RangeR Led PRogRam: exPLoRe With YouR SenSeS 14 PaRkS aS CLaSSRoomS gReat SmokY mountainS nationaL PaRk
on-siTe aCTiviTiesParK ranGer direCTed Lessons aT suGarLands
Objectives: Teachstudentsthatbyusingtheirsenses,theycanenhancetheiroverallexperienceinthepark.
Materials:Allprovidedbyparkrangers
Background: Thefollowingisabriefdescriptionofyouron-siteactivities.Theseactivitieswillbeledbyparkstaff,butpleasebefamiliarwiththem,astheclassroomteachermaybeaskedtoassiston-site.
TheTalkingChimney(10minutes)Asstudentsunloadthebus,theparkrangerwillleadtheentiregrouptothestartofthenaturetrail.Atthispointadiscussionofsafetyintheforestwilltakeplace.Studentswillbeaskedtoidentifytheir5senses.Theparkrangerwillthenleadtheentiregroupdownthepavedpathtomeetthe“TalkingChimney”.The“TalkingChimney”willtellashortstorytothestudentandaskforresponsestoseveralquestions.Theparkrangerwillthenleadthegroupbacktothestartofthetrailagaintodividethegroupinto2smallergroups.
Eachsmallgroupwillfollowtheparkrangerstoparticipateinthefollowingactivities:
SensoryRope(20minutes)Studentswillbeaskedtoclosetheireyesandfeeltheirwayalongasensoryropetotouchandsmellobjectsoftheforest.Afterallhavewalkedalongsidetherope,therangerwillaskforguessesfromthegroupastowhatwasdiscoveredwiththeirsenses.
SoundsoftheForest(20minutes)StudentswillsitandlistentoavarietyofrecordedanimalsoundsfromGreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark.Therangerwillaskstudentswhichanimalismakingtherecordedsound.Therangerwillshowstudentsaphotographofthecorrectanimal.
NatureDetectives(20minutes)Studentswillbeshownthepropertechniquesofusingamagnifyingglass.Studentswillthenreceiveamagnifyingglassandwillbedirectedtosearchtheforestfloorusingonlytheireyestouncoverthemicroscopicworld.Studentwillbeaskedtoreportbacktotherangerwithverbalde-scriptionsoftheirfindings.
HugaTree(20minutes)Thisactivityreinforcesaruleofsafety.Ifeverapersonbecomeslostinthewoods,rememberto“HugaTree”.Bystayinginoneplace,alostvisitorcanbelocatedeasierbyrescueteams.Therangerwilldemonstratehowto“HugaTree”,thenstudentswillparticipateinagamewherepairedstudentsgettofindatreebyusingtheirsenseoftouch.
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Area:Science
Activity time: 1.5hours
Classsize:Maximumof50
Setting: Outdoorsinthepark
Skills: Communicating,Criticalthinking;Describing;Listening;Observing
Vocabulary: animal;color;community;compare;family;hear;nature;observe;respect;rules;see;senses;shape;size;smell;soil;taste;touch
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Objectives: Teachstudentsthatthroughcarefulobservation,therearemanythingswaitingtobediscovered.
Materials:•Magnifyingglassesreceivedfromfieldtrip•Inventorylist•Trashbags
Procedure:JustasmanyexcitingdiscoveriesweremadeduringtheclasstriptoGreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark,therearemanyplacestoexplorewithinyourschoolyard.Allowstudentstousetheirmagnifyingglassesbackatschooltomakeaninventorylistjustliketheoneinthenationalpark.
Oncecompleted,askstudentsifthelistlookedlongerorshorter.Wereanyofthesametypesofitemsfound?Whyorwhynot.?Isyourschoolyardbiggerorsmallerthanthenationalpark(theparkis500,000acres).
WhilevisitingGreatSmokyMountainsNationalParkstudentsheardfromparkrangersabouttheimportanceofkeepingtheforestcleanoftrash.Whenpeoplevisitspecialplaceslikenationalparks,theyshouldbesuretopackoutalloftheirtrashandgarbage.
Schoolsarealsospecialplacesthatshouldbekeptclean.Asaservicelearningopportunityarethereplaceswithinyourschoolthatstudentscouldhelptocleanup?Anytrashontheschoolgrounds?Litterinthehalls?Findanopportunityforstewardshipandencouragestudentstokeeptheirschoolclean.
PosT-siTe aCTiviTYsChooL naTure deTeCTives
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Area: Science
Activity time: as times allows
Setting: Outdoorsintheschoolyard
Skills: Communicating,Criticalthinking;Describing;Listening;Observing;
Vocabulary: animal; color; compare; nature; ob-serve; see; shape; size; soil
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PosT-siTe aCTiviTYexPLore Your naTionaL ParKs
Objectives: To teach students about the various aspects of the National Park Service.
Materials: internetaccess
Background:TheGreatSmokyMountainsareworldrenownedfortheirdiversityofplantandanimalspecies.Thisgreatvarietymakestheparkanexemplaryoutdoorlaboratoryforthestudyofrelativelyundisturbednativeflora,fauna,physicalenvirons,andprocessesoftheSouthernAppalachians.TheparkisthelargestfederallypreservedandprotecteduplandareaeastoftheMississippiRiverofferingparkvisitorsarefugefromthestressesofeverydaylife.
Youandyourstudentscanlearnmoreaboutthisspecialplace
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Area:Science
Activity time:30minutes
Setting: Indoors
Skills: Varying skills de-pending on activities se-lected
Vocabulary: Varying vocabulary depending on activities selected
aswellasparticipateinon-lineactivitiestofurtheryourknowledgeService,Smithsonian,NationalScienceFoundation(NSF),andNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration(NASA).Goto:http://www.free.ed.gov/
oftheNationalParkServiceandotherfederallyprotectedlands.Pleasecheckoutthefollowingwebaddresses:
Especially for KidsTolearnhowtobecomeawebrangerfortheNationalParkService,goto:www.nps.gov/webrangersTolearnhowtobecomeaJuniorParkRangeratGreatSmokyMountainsNationalParkorotherparks,goto:www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.htm
Especially for TeachersForacomprehensiveunderstandingofthebackgroundanddevelopmentoftheNationalParkService,thatisperfectforteachersandothersthosewhoneedthemaximumamountofaccurateinformationintheminimumamountoftime,goto:http://www.ParkTraining.orgTheU.S.DepartmentofEducationispleasedtoannouncethenewlyremodeledandupdatedFederalResourcesforEducationExcellence(FREE)website.Itnowprovidesricher,moreexpansiveresourcestoteachersandstudentsalike.Thereareover1,500resourcestotakeadvantageofatFREErangingfromprimaryhistoricaldocuments,lessonplans,sciencevisualizations,mathsimulationsandonlinechallenges,paintings,photos,mappingtools,andmore.ThiseasilyaccessibleinformationisprovidedbyfederalorganizationsandagenciessuchastheLibraryofCongress,NationalArchives,NationalEndowmentfortheHumanities(NEH),NationalGalleryofArt,NationalPark
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ParenT/ChaPerone LeTTer
GreetingsParents/Chaperones:
ParkrangersarepleasedtobepresentinganeducationalprogramtothestudentsinGreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark.Inordertoachievethegoalsforasuccessfulprogram,theparkrangerswillneedyourassistanceinthefollowingways:
(Thesepointswillhelptoensurethatparkrangersandteacherswillbeableeffectivelyconducttheles-sonsandactivitiesthroughoutthetrip.) -Theprogramwillbeconductedoutsideandtherewillbesomehikingthroughout thetrip.Prepareyourstudentwithappropriatefootwear,longpants,layers,and raingear.
-Ifyourchildisbringingalunchfromhome,werecommendthatstudentsbring watertodrinkandalunchwithminimalpackaging.Softdrinksareusuallyleft unfinishedbystudents,andremainingsugarydrinkscannotbepouredoutonthe ground.(Minimallypackagedlunchesleadtolesstrashbeingleftbehindor scatteredbythewind.Additionally,thisreducestheaccumulatedtrashtobe disposed).
Ifyouareachaperoneattendingthefieldtrip:
-Pleasebeanactivepartofthelessons.Keepupwiththegroupandlistentothe informationbeinggiveninthecasethatyoumaybecalledupontoassist(handing outmaterials,sub-dividinggroupsetc.).
-Pleasedonotholdconversationswithotherchaperonesoruseacellularphonewhilethe rangersareteachingthestudents.
-Refrainfromsmokingduringthetrip.Ifyoumustsmoke,pleasealertarangerorteacher andremoveyourselffromthegroup.
-Pleasebeawarethattheprogramwillbeconductedoutsideandthattherewillbesome hikingthroughoutthetrip.Prepareyourselfwithappropriatefootwear,longpants,layers, andraingear.
-Werecommendthatparentsandstudentsbringasmalltowelintheirbackpacksto sitonatlunch(therearenopicnictablesattheprogramsite).
Thankyouforyourneededassistance.Welookforwardtomeetingyouontheprogram!
Sincerely,
TheEducationStaffatGreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark
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resourCes and referenCes
Aloian,Molly,andBobbieKalmon.TheLifeCycleofaFlower..CrabtreePublishingCompany,2004.
Artworkon pages7-11bySharonKim,GreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark.
Condon,Marlene.TheNatureFriendlyGarden.StackpoleBooks,2006.
Mazer,Anne.TheSalamanderRoom.DragonflyPaperbacks,1994.
Press,JudyandBetsyDay.AnimalHabitats.WilliamsonBooks,2005.
VanCleave,Janice.PlayandFindOutAboutNature.Jossey-Bass,1997.