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Natural Resources and ME

Table of Contents

OVERVIEW OF WATERSHED EXPERIENCE 3

BACKGROUND INFORMATION 5

OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES:

INTRODUCTION 7 INVESTIGATION 8 ACTION 9

ACTIVITIES:

MAINE: A NATURAL RESOURCE RICH STATE? 11FINDING BALANCE 15BE A WATERSHED 21MY PADDLE TO THE SEA 26HEADLINE: RESOURCES AND US 31IDEA FISHBOWL 36LOBSTER FARMING? 40PREDATOR VS. PREY 48THROUGH THE EYES (OF A LOBSTERMAN) 54THAT'S WHY 61NATURAL RESOURCES IN YOUR WATERSHED 65RAISING AWARENESS: MAINE'S NATURAL RESOURCES 73

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Natural Resources and ME

Author:Gayle Bodge

Contributing Authors:Katie FlavinMeredyth EufemiaTaylor StroutAndrew Whitaker

Overview of Watershed Experience:

The Natural Resources and ME watershed experience familiarizes 5th and 6th grade students with the natural resources within their community and state, and with the natural resource products they use everyday. Students gain an understanding of renewable and non-renewable resources, how they rely on and can impact a healthy watershed, and how science plays a key role in the management of these resources.

Students perform scientific investigations that explore issues facing Maine’s natural resources.

Option A: For students who have participated or will participate in GMRI’s LabVenture! Complex Systems program, the Maine Lobster Industry Case Study provides them with the opportunity to prepare for or reflect on this program. This case study also provides students and teachers with the experience of conducting a scientific investigation.

Option B: Students are challenged to explore a natural resource issue within their watershed community that is of interest to them. Students and teachers are given guidance in identifying, planning for, and conducting a scientific investigation about a local natural resource issue.

Following their investigations, students design a project that will raise awareness of the natural resource issue they studied within their community. Getting outdoors, doing hands-on activities, being inquisitive, connecting with community, and taking ownership of the learning process are all key components of this watershed experience.

Order of Activities in this Watershed Experience:

1. Maine: A Natural Resource Rich State2. Finding Balance 3. Be a Watershed4. My Paddle to the Sea 5. Headline: Resources and Us6. Idea Fishbowl7. Lobster Farming? 8. Predator vs. Prey 9. Through the Eyes 10. That’s Why11. Natural Resources in Your Watershed

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12. Raising Awareness: Maine’s Natural Resources

Grade

5th and 6th

Inquiry Level

Activities in this watershed experience are written at the 5th-6th grade level using Structured Inquiry methods. Option B of the investigation and the student action activity are written with open inquiry and provide guidance for teachers to implement these activities with students.

Overview of Standards

Science and Technology, Grades 3-5 and 6-8

A1 SystemsA2 ModelsA3 Constancy and ChangeA4 ScaleB1 Skills and Traits of Scientific InquiryC1 Understandings of InquiryC3 Science, Technology, and SocietyE2 Ecosystems

Social Studies

A1 Researching and Developing Positions on Current Social Studies IssuesA3 Taking Action Using Social Studies Knowledge and SkillsD1 Geographic Knowledge, Concepts, Themes, and Patterns

English Language Arts, Grades 3-5 and 6-8

A1 Interconnected ElementsC Research

Health and Physical Education

E2 Advocacy Skills

Mathematics

B Data

Visual and Performing Arts

C1 Application of Creative Process

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Issue Statement:

The Pine Tree State, Blueberry Capital, Vacationland, and the Lobster State; these are all titles by which Maine is known. Our culture and economy are strongly linked to natural resources. Natural resource use through forestry, agriculture, fishing, and recreation can have a direct impact on the health of the surrounding environment and watershed. Scientists work closely with natural resource managers and resource users to inform decisions about natural resource use while maintaining the health of Maine’s environment and watersheds.

Background Information

What is a natural resource?Natural resources (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resource) occur within the environment. Many resources are essential for our survival, while others are used for satisfying our wants. The availability of these resources can be driven by the demand for their consumption.

Inexhaustible Resource: continuously available and its quantity is not affected by human consumption (sunlight, wind, air, etc.)

Renewable Resource: can be replaced by natural process at a rate comparable to or faster than its rate of consumption by humans if appropriate management measures are in place (timber, fish, fresh water, deer, etc.)

Non-Renewable Resource: cannot be produced, grown, generated, or used on a scale that can sustain its consumption rate (e.g. fossil fuels, mined materials, etc.)

Farmed products on land or in the sea are considered man-made resources even though they use natural resources such as water, land, and nutrients. This is because they are purposefully produced, grown, and managed by people. For example, there wouldn’t be acres of naturally occurring potato fields in Maine, or fields filled with dairy cows.

What are some of Maine’s natural resources?Lobsters

You can find Maine Lobster on menus worldwide. In 2010, the Maine Department of Marine Resources (http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/lobster/) reported there were over 5,000 lobster licenses in the state of Maine resulting in more than 85 million pounds of lobsters being caught (valued at more than $300 million). This same year lobster catches accounted for 37% of all marine commercial landings by weight in Maine and 69% of landings by value. The Gulf of Maine provides an ideal habitat for Maine Lobsters and supports a unique resource for our state.

Wildlife

Fish and wildlife play an important role in the lives of Maine people. Healthy land, forest, freshwater, and ocean habitats are rich in biodiversity and provide an aesthetic that defines a way of life for Maine residents while drawing many visitors to the state. However, fish and wildlife provide more than a source of enjoyment and recreation. According to the Maine Bureau of Land and Water Quality (http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docstand/nrpa/birdhabitat/background_wf/importance.htm ), over one billion dollars of annual economic output in Maine can be attributed to hunting and fishing. Maine's quality of life and its economy are strongly influenced by the diversity and abundance of fish and wildlife that inhabit our state.

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http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docstand/nrpa/birdhabitat/background_wf/importance.htm

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/lobster/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resource

Forests

Over 17 million acres, roughly 90% of Maine’s land, is forested. Forests and the forest products industry (paper, timber, toothpicks, etc.) define Maine. They are a significant part of what creates Maine’s character, cultural history, and special quality of place. The Great Maine Forest Initiative (http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/mfs/gmf/index.htm) works to maintain Maine’s forest resources for both environmental and economic reasons.

Water

Maine has 5,500 miles of coastline, an average annual rainfall of 42 inches (imagine if that was snow…35 feet!), 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, 6,000 lakes and ponds, wetlands that cover ¼ of the state, and the highest tides in the United States. (http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/facts.html) Maine’s water resources provide for many uses including habitat for wildlife, water for crops, and gorgeous lakes and coastline for tourism. New Englanders use 0.6 billion gallons of water each day, but have 78.4 billion gallons are available daily for renewable use. http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/misc/consuse-renewable.html

Wind

Wind is one of the few inexhaustible resources that Mainers are able to harvest. Using wind to produce clean, renewable energy decreases demand on non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels. Wind power has no emissions and is readily available in Maine on land and off shore. Although wind power has its obvious advantages, natural resources impacted by wind turbine sites (such as forests, birds, bats, ocean waters, and fish) do need to be considered. The potential for generating wind power both on and off-shore in Maine is great, with many projects in various stages of development. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Maine)

Agriculture

Although agricultural products such as milk, apples, and potatoes are considered to be man-made resources, they rely on the availability and use of healthy natural resources such as soil, plants, and water for production. Creating responsible agricultural practices such as proper nutrient management and composting is of great importance to farmers. Land use also directly impacts natural habitats and natural resource availability.

What role do healthy water resources and a healthy watershed play with regard to Maine’s natural resources?

From the mountains to the Gulf of Maine, each natural resource is a part of the larger Gulf of Maine watershed. Use of natural resources, whether through agriculture, the forest products industry, fishing, or recreation, can have an impact on the quality of watershed health. These impacts are compounded as you near the ocean, having the greatest affect on natural resources in coastal communities. This requires responsible management of natural resource use to ensure minimal to no negative impact on watershed health, ensuring the availability of healthy water resources for all.

What role does science play in the management and use of natural resources?

“Public pressure to resolve complex issues around natural resource use, such as environmental health, energy use, and sustainable products has resulted in policymakers and industry professionals seeking better knowledge on which to base their decisions. As a result, scientists have become more actively

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http://water.usgs.gov/watuse/misc/consuse-renewable.html


http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/facts.html

engaged in the creation and evaluation of policy. Natural resource management can be controversial, and diverse stakeholders often represent polarized perspectives. As policymakers create broad policy and specific programs in keeping with changing and often conflicting societal values and demands, there is a growing recognition that a knowledge base to make informed decisions is required. With the high stakes surrounding resource decisions (locally, regionally, nationally, globally), more stakeholders are calling for scientific scrutiny and involvement in making important resource allocation and management decisions.” Integrating Science and Policy in Natural Resource Management www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr_441.pdf

In Maine, science plays an important role in the management of our natural resources. For example: Scientists work closely with fishermen and policy makers to move toward and maintain sustainable commercial fisheries; Scientists provide farmers with information they need to safely use pesticides for pest management and to grow healthy crops; Scientists work with communities to monitor lakes for invasive species, and when necessary, create and implement plans to re-claim lakes overcome by invasive species; Scientists work closely with natural resource managers and industry users to provide them with the information to make sound resource use and management decisions that maintain the health of Maine’s environment and watershed.

Introduction:

What is a natural resource? What natural resources are in Maine?

Create a working definition of a natural resource in Maine: A Natural Resource Rich State. Through outdoor exploration, individual reflection, and online research, compile a complete list of Maine’s natural resources.

What is the difference between a renewable and a non-renewable resource?

Play Finding Balance to discover the difference between a renewable and non-renewable resource.

How are Maine’s natural resources dependent upon a healthy watershed?

Create a working watershed model in Be a Watershed. Consider the different natural resources throughout the state. How they are used, and how do they rely on Maine’s watershed resources?

Imagine your paddle to the sea in My Paddle to the Sea as you read this classic children’s book and write about your own journey as you explore your watershed and its natural resources using Google Earth.

How do resources interact with each other? What issues are impacting natural resources?

Explore natural resource interactions and some of the issues they face by reading and reflecting on news articles in Headline: Resources and Us. Check out your own local papers to see what natural resource news is featured today!

Investigation:

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http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr_441.pdf

There are 3 different options that you have for scientific investigation within this watershed experience. Here are some things to consider as you decide which investigation option is best for you and your students:

Do you want to give your students an experience investigating a local natural resource before tackling one of their choice? Start with Option A (structured inquiry).

Would you like to provide your students with the opportunity to reflect upon or prepare for their LabVenture! Complex Systems experience? Start with Option A (structured inquiry).

During the introductory activities, did your students show particular interest in any local resources and the issues they face? Start with Option B (open inquiry).

Are you or your students not quite ready to tackle an open inquiry investigation? Start with Option A (structured inquiry). This will provide experience and an investigation model before tackling Option B (open inquiry).

Do you want to do both? Choose Option C, you can choose the order that makes the most sense for you and your students.

Option A: Maine Lobster Industry Case Study

**For students who have participated or will participate in LabVenture! Lobster: Untold Tales, this investigation will give students the opportunity to Dive Deeper into the question scientists are asking about Maine Lobsters, “Why are there so many?” LabVenture! Complex Systems explores some of these reasons, and this investigation will explore some additional reasons. Students may refer to their personal websites (http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx) throughout these activities to inform their investigation.

**For students who have not participated nor will participate in LabVenture! Complex Systems, no worries! This investigation guides them through some of the major ideas scientists have explored to answer the question, “Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?”

Issue: NOAA Scientists have stated: “The Gulf of Maine lobster stock has shown an increase in abundance over the last 10 – 15 years. The response of the fishery has been an equal or greater increase in effort, including expansion into areas with previous low or no exploitation. There continues to be an excess of effort. This high effort is concurrent with high stock abundance, and is not likely to be supportable if abundance returns to median levels”. http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/iv/lobster/#goml

In other words, scientists have determined that there are lots of lobsters in the Gulf of Maine, the population is higher than ever before! But so are the numbers of lobstermen and traps. If the lobster population starts to decline, then there may be a negative impact on the lobster fishery and the many Maine communities that depend on lobstering. Lobstermen, policy makers, and scientists have a vested interest in understanding the following question:

Question: Why are there so many Lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?

Hypothesis: Students form a hypothesis for their investigation in Idea Fishbowl and create an Evidence Wall where they will post evidence they collect throughout their investigation.

Investigation: Scientists have considered many possibilities that may be contributing to the increased lobster population in the Gulf of Maine today (2011). Knowing what has caused this population increase will help lobstermen and policy makers to make decisions that will maintain current lobster populations and to prepare for a decline in population if that occurs. Tackle the scientific investigations below to discover some of the factors influencing lobster populations.

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http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/iv/lobster/#goml

http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx

Even though there is more lobstering going on today than there was a few years ago, the lobster population is still increasing. Explore the potential benefits the lobstering industry may have on the lobster population in Lobster Farming? .

Fishing for one species doesn’t just impact that species; it affects other species that are connected to it through the Gulf of Maine food web as well. Consider the impacts of the cod fishery on lobster populations in Predator vs. Prey.

Maine Lobstermen take pride in their work and have played an important role in developing management strategies that have contributed to making the lobstering industry sustainable. Experience lobstering Through the Eyes of a Maine Lobsterman.

Conclusion: Students piece together the puzzle in That’s Why as they use evidence gathered throughout this investigation to answer why there are so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine.

Option B: What issues are natural resources within your watershed facing? What questions are scientists asking?

Are you curious about how potato farmers deal with pests? Have you ever wondered how invasive species get here in the first place? Want to know how you can reduce water pollution in your schoolyard? Create your own Natural Resource Investigation. Natural Resources in Your Watershed guides you through designing, developing, and doing an investigation and is modeled on Option A.

Option C: Do both! The order in which you approach them is your choice, but note that option A builds off of the LabVenture! experience and uses a structured inquiry approach. Option B uses open inquiry. Students may need the experience of Option A to be more successful with Option B.

Student Action:

How can I raise awareness of this natural resource within my community?

Are you proud of the natural resources in your community, in Maine? Develop a campaign in Raising Awareness: Maine’s Natural Resources that will raise awareness of local natural resources within your community through a public service announcement, brochure, inspiring art, or a project of your choice.

NOAA and Other Resources

NOAA: National Marine Fisheries Servicehttp://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/amer_lobster.htm

Integrating Science and Policy in Natural Resource Managementwww.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr_441.pdf

Maine Department of Marine Resourceshttp://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/lobster/

Maine Bureau of Land and Water Qualityhttp://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docstand/nrpa/birdhabitat/background_wf/importance.htm

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http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docstand/nrpa/birdhabitat/background_wf/importance.htm

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/lobster/

http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr_441.pdf

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/amer_lobster.htm

The Great Maine Forest Initiativehttp://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/mfs/gmf/index.htm

USGShttp://water.usgs.gov/watuse/misc/consuse-renewable.html

Wikipediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resourcehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Maine

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Maine



http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/mfs/gmf/index.htm

Maine: A Natural Resource Rich State?

Author: Meredyth Eufemia and Gayle Bodge (GMRI)

Question(s)

What is a natural resource? What natural resources are in Maine? How do I rely on natural resources?

Overview

Students will work together to create a working definition of “natural resource.” Using their definition, students will look outdoors, online, and at home to identify the natural resources in their area and the entire state of Maine. This activity will create a foundation for the rest of the watershed experience and is referred to in Finding Balance, Be a Watershed, and Natural Resources in your Watershed.

Standards (MLR)

Social Studies

D Geography

D1 Geographic Knowledge, Concepts, Themes, and Patterns

3-5 Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world.

a. Explain that geography includes the study of Earth’s physical features including climate and the distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

6-8 Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world and the geographic influences on life in the past, present, and future.

a. Explain that geography includes the study of physical, environmental, and cultural features of the State, nation, and various regions of the world to identify consequences of geographic influences and make predictions.

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Learning Objectives

Students will be able to explain what a natural resource is. Students will be able to identify the natural resources around them. Students will be able to identify their use of natural resources.

Materials

chalk/white board

flipchart paper

computer

LCD projector

paper and writing utensils

Internet Access

Time Needed

90 min. or 2 classes

Activity Procedure

Defining “Natural Resource”

1. In small groups (3-5), give students a list of five natural resources (ex. lobster, lumber, air, granite, drinking water). Ask students to familiarize themselves with the list as a group. If they are not familiar with a term ask another student who is more familiar with it to explain. Once everyone is comfortable with the list have the group discuss what these resources have in common. Have one student be the note taker and write down key words or ideas the group talks about.

*If a group is struggling, give them another word (a non-natural resource), ask “How is this different from the others?”

2. Ask each group to come up with 3 key words or phrases they think best describe their group of words. Share these with the class.

3. Post/project the dictionary definition of “natural resource”

Natural Resource: industrial materials and capacities (as mineral deposits and waterpower) supplied by nature (http://www.merriam-webster.com)

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Ask: “Does this definition fit your group of words?”4. Ask the students to return to their groups and revisit their definition of natural

resource. Make revisions so that it reflects ideas in the dictionary definition that students may have missed. Have them share their group definition with the class. Write these below the dictionary definition.

5. As an entire class, using the student-generated definitions, simplify the dictionary definition so that everyone understands it and can use it properly. This will remain your working definition for the rest of this WE. Write the final working definition on a flip chart sheet and post in the classroom for future reference.

Natural Resources in your School Yard

6. Bring students out to your schoolyard (see Taking Kids Outside http://vitalventure.gmri.org/in-the-classroom/instructional-methods/taking-students-outside/) and ask them to find a quiet spot within your set boundaries. Working solo or in pairs, give students 5-10 minutes to list in their notebooks all of the natural resources around. You may want to bring the class working definition out with you.

Natural Resources in Maine

7. Back in the classroom, have students return to original groups and share their lists. Ask students to discuss what other natural resources Maine has to offer and add them to the list. To make the list as complete as possible have the students use the Internet and/or books available for further research.

Natural Resources at Home

8. Ask students to make a list of natural resources that they use in their daily lives over the course of the day and night. Encourage them to interview their family members about how they use natural resources. Note that some of these will be on the classroom list and some will not.

Natural Resource List

9. Have students return to the same small groups and share their lists of natural resource they generated at home. Which natural resources do we have in Maine? Which ones do we rely on from other places? Add any new resources that students had on their home lists to the groups existing list (from exploring their schoolyard and research). Each small group will create a single list of Maine’s natural resources.

10. As a class, create a compiled list of Maine’s natural resources. Go around the room and ask each student to add one resource to the list until each group’s list is represented. Post this list in the classroom for reference later.

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http://vitalventure.gmri.org/in-the-classroom/instructional-methods/taking-students-outside/

http://vitalventure.gmri.org/in-the-classroom/instructional-methods/taking-students-outside/

Reflection/Formative Assessment Ideas

An alternative method to define a term with your students is to use the Frayer Model (http://www.justreadnow.com/strategies/frayer.htm). This can also be used to assess understanding of new terms.

Extension Ideas

Resources

Natural Resource Council of Maine- http://www.nrcm.org/

References

http://www.merriam-webster.com

http://www.ehow.com/list_6327311_list-maine_s-natural-resources.html

http://www.justreadnow.com/strategies/frayer.htm

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http://www.ehow.com/list_6327311_list-maine_s-natural-resources.html

http://www.merriam-webster.com/


Finding Balance

Authors: Gayle BodgeKatie FlavinAndrew Whitaker(GMRI)

Questions: What is the difference between a renewable and a non-renewable resource?

Overview:To help students understand that there are different categories of natural resources, they will model different types of resources to discover the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources. They will apply this knowledge by labeling resources identified in Maine: A Natural Resource Rich State as either renewable or non-renewable. This activity can be done inside or outside and modified to model different resources.

Standards:

Science and Technology

A Unifying Themes: Students apply the principles of systems, models, constancy and change, and scale in science and technology.

A2 Models

3-5 Students use models to represent objects, processes, and events from the physical setting, the living environment, and the technological world.

6-8 Students use models to examine a variety of real-world phenomena from the physical setting, the living environment, and the technological world and compare advantages and disadvantages of various models.

A3 Constancy and Change

3-5 Students identify and represent basic patterns of change in the physical setting, the living environment, and the technological world.

6-8 Students describe how patterns of change vary in physical, biological, and technological systems.

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A4 Scale

3-5 Students use mathematics to describe scale for man-made and natural things.

6-8 Students use scale to describe objects, phenomena, or processes related to Earth, space, matter, and mechanical and living systems.

Mathematics

B Data

Measurement and Approximation 5 Students understand and use measures of elapsed time, temperature, capacity, mass and use measures of mass and weight.

Data Analysis5 Students read, construct, and interpret line graphs.

Learning Objectives:• Students will be able to explain the difference between a renewable and non-renewable resource.• Students will be able to categorize a resource as either renewable or non-renewable.

Grade Level: Five/Six

Setting: Activity Type:Classroom; Class Discussion, Small Group Discussion, Exploratory

Materials: Class list of Maine’s natural resources from Maine: a Natural Resource Rich

State Sticky (Post-it) notes Flip-chart paper or white board Markers or other writing utensils Internet or reference books 3 buckets or large bowls One spoon or paper/plastic cup per student A scale or measuring stick

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Materials to represent resources, for example: If you’re outside you could use water, sand, or gravel. If you’re inside, you could use beans, buttons, or beads.

Time Needed:90 minutes

Activity Description/Procedure:

Modeling Resource Use

Set up the play area with a central “resource pool” bucket in the middle and two buckets about 10 yards away, one on either side. One of the side buckets will be “additional resources” and the other will be “used resources”. Fill the “resource pool” bucket with the materials you are using to represent the resource and the “additional resources bucket” to represent resources being added to the resource pool. Leave the “used resources” bucket empty.

Round One:

Set the stage…Wow! You just returned from an exploration of the Great Maine Woods…and you found this really cool “thing” that everyone will want and will make you wicked rich!! This thing is in the “resource pool” bucket and you will make money by getting it to the “used resources” bucket.

Weigh or measure the “resource pool” bucket. If measuring, you can “measure down” from the top of the bucket to the resource.Give each student a spoon or cup and 60 seconds to move as much of the resource from the “resource pool” bucket to the “used resources” bucket.After 60 seconds, weigh and/or measure the two buckets. Record your data.

Reflect: What happened? Did you make any money? How much of the resource is left? Can you make money tomorrow, in a month, in a year? What type of resource does this represent? (non-renewable) What are some examples of non-renewable resources?

Round Two:

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Set the stage…After discovering the next “big thing” in the Great Maine Woods, you send a team of scientists up to learn all about it. They learned that this “thing” has a natural replenishment rate! Yeah…let’s harvest and make some money!!

Weigh or measure the “resource pool” bucket.Give each student a spoon or cup.Divide the class into 2 groups or equal sizes. One group is sent to harvest the resource. They will move the resource from the “resource pool” bucket to the “used resources” bucket. The other group will represent the replenishment of the resource. They will move the resource from the “additional resources” bucket to the “resource pool” bucket.

After 60 seconds, weigh and/or measure the two buckets (resource pool and used resources). Record your data.

Continue for another 60 seconds and then weigh and/or measure the two buckets Record your data.

Continue for another 60 seconds and then weigh and/or measure the two buckets Record your data.

Analyze your data (create a line graph for each bucket). Reflect:

What happened to the amount of resources in the “resource pool” bucket? What happened to the amount of resources in the “used resources” bucket? Can you make money tomorrow, in a month, in a year, in 5 years? What type of resource does this represent? (renewable resource) What are some examples of renewable resources?

Defining Renewable and Non-Renewable

Engage the class in a discussion of the meanings of renewable and non-renewable resources (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resource), focusing on how they are different from each other. Ask students to give an example of both resources.

Non-/Renewable Resource: cannot be produced, grown, generated, or used on a scale that can sustain its consumption rate (fossil fuels, mined minerals, etc.) **Round One

Renewable Resource: replaced by natural processes at a rate comparable to or faster than its rate of consumption by humans (timber, fish, freshwater, deer, etc.) **Round Two

**If needed, edit these definitions so that they make sense to students.

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Have students work in groups of 4 to 5, and give each group two pieces of flip chart or other large piece of paper with some markers. Ask each team to label “renewable” on one paper and “non-renewable” on the second, along with the class definitions for each.

Using sticky notes and the list of Maine’s natural resources the class generated in the previous activity: Maine: A Natural Resource Rich State, ask students to write down one natural resource per sticky note.

Have students place each resource sticky note under the category they belong: renewable or non-renewable.

When teams are finished, hang all the posters around the room and have students walk around to see the results of other teams.

Discuss as a class each resource, and why it belongs in the renewable or non-renewable category. Students may not agree. Make note of these resources. Can they belong in both categories? See Reflection and Extension Ideas.

Give students time to work in their teams and edit their renewable/non-renewable lists.

Reflection/Formative Assessment Ideas:

An alternative method to define a term with your students is to use the Frayer Model (http://www.justreadnow.com/strategies/frayer.htm). This can also be used to assess understanding of new terms.Could a natural resource be considered both renewable and non-renewable? Fresh water, for instance, is plentiful and renewable in Maine. However in many parts of the U.S. and world it is seen as scarce and non-renewable.

Extension Ideas:

Repeat the rounds above in the activity description. Except vary the sizes of the teams (resource users and replenishment team). Try a round with more users than replenishers, and another with more replenishers than users. What happens? Analyze data and reflect. What resources would these models represent?

Some renewable resources are further categorized as inexhaustible. An inexhaustible resource is one that is continuously available and its quantity is not affected by human consumption (sunlight, wind, air, etc.). Look at the renewable resource posters and see if any of theses sticky notes could also be placed in this category.Resources:

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References:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resourcehttp://www.justreadnow.com/strategies/frayer.htm

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Be a Watershed

Author: Gayle Bodge (GMRI)

Overview

Students use this lesson to understand and define the term watershed and focus on the different natural resources that are included in a watershed. A natural resource is defined as: “industrial materials and capacities supplied by nature” (Merriam-Webster Online).

As students explore their watershed through a fun, hands-on activity, ask them to think about the different natural resources that occur within the watershed and how they rely upon and impact watershed health. Students will explore natural resources within their own watershed in My Paddle to the Sea.

Question:

What is a watershed? How does water flow through the watershed?

Maine Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction


A Unifying Themes

A1 Systems

3-5 Students explain interactions between parts that make up whole and man-made and natural things. 6-8 Students describe and apply principles of systems in man-made things, natural things, and processes.

A2 Models



Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to explain and model what a watershed is. Students will be able to explain and model how land shapes water flow, and how water

flow shapes the land.

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http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/habitat

Grade Level: 5/6Setting: Classroom Outdoors in School Yard

Activity Type: Class discussion

Hands-on activity

Exploratory

Materials:

Clear plastic tarp Candy (in wrappers), or, if you’re brave…water (in spray bottles with blue food dye)…

take it outside! Blank paper Colored markers

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Activity:1. Divide the class in half. Have half of the students stand close together in a group (so that they

will all fit under your tarp) and drape the tarp over the group. Ask each person to choose a height (arms up, standing, squatting…). Have the other half of the group standing on chairs surrounding the group under the tarp. Tell students under the tarp that they are now a watershed! Tell students standing on chairs that they are now rain clouds!

2. Ask the rain clouds to “rain” on the watershed. Have them gently toss a couple pieces of candy onto the tarp. Ask: Where did the candy go? Why? What does the candy represent? Who is the tallest point in the watershed (the mountain)? Who is along a river? Who is along the coast/ocean? Who makes up a lake?

3. Change the shape of the watershed. Ask the students underneath to change their positions, become either taller or shorter under the tarp.

4. Repeat step #25. Switch groups, have the watershed students become the rain clouds and the rain cloud

students become the watershed.6. Ask the watershed students to form a specific watershed feature such as:

a lake a river meandering stream a water fall mountain valley

7. Ask the rain clouds to “rain” on the watershed. Did the water flow as you would expect in the watershed feature that was created?

8. Repeat with 3-4 different watershed features.9. Discuss as a class:

What did this activity tell us about the flow of water through a watershed?

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What are some different watershed features? Can you describe a watershed in one sentence? Have students share their sentences

and agree as a class upon a sentence that best describes a watershed. Compare your class sentence/definition to the US EPA’s What is a Watershed? website, and the two definitions of watershed listed there. URL: http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/whatis.html

wa-ter-shed: the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it

goes into the same place. – US Environmental Protection Agency wa-ter-shed: that area of land, a bounded hydrologic system, within which all living

things are inextricably linked by their common water course and where, as humans settled, simple logic demanded that they become part of a community. – John Wesley Powell, Famous Geologist and Explorer of the American West


1. Have the teams compete. Have the watershed students quietly decide on a watershed feature and create that for the other team to see. Have the rain cloud students “rain” on the watershed to help them guess what feature it is. The goal for both teams is to have the watershed feature be guessed correctly. Repeat several times and have the teams switch roles.

2. Have each student create their own watershed model. Crumple up a blank piece of paper into a ball. Now un-crumple the paper. The paper is now your watershed, with the creases representing rivers or low valleys. With marker draw on your watershed the rivers, lakes, ponds, stream, etc. Have students label different water features. Ask them to place different industries/activities on their watershed such as a: White water rafting company Popular fishing hole Hydro-electric damn Boat building company Fishing dock Potato field

Extension

After completing the above activity, use this activity extension to help students understand how Maine’s natural resources are linked to the watershed.

How do they depend upon healthy waters? How does the use of these natural resources (logging, farming, fishing,

aquifers, paper mills, river rafting, whale watching, etc.) impact the watershed?

1. Plastic tarp watershed model Ask the rain cloud students to identify the different natural resources that

occur within the watershed model they are looking at (trees, water, fields, animals, etc.).

“Rain” on the watershed and discuss how these natural resources use/need water.

Switch roles & repeat.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley_Powell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley_Powell

http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/whatis.html

Discuss as a class: What industries use these natural resources? How can natural resource use impact the watershed?

Ask students to “rain” on the watershed again, but this time mix in different types of candy, one to represent healthy water, another to represent polluted water. Have students switch rolls and repeat.

List as a class the different natural resources and their uses/industries they “saw” on their watershed model. Discuss as a class: How do these resources rely on healthy waters? What happens if one industry upstream negatively impacts the watershed? How does this impact the watershed and natural resources downstream? What can industries do to minimize their impact on the watershed?

2. Crumpled paper watershed model Brainstorm with the whole class different natural resources in Maine.

Refer to natural resource list generated in Maine: a Natural Resource Rich State. How do we use these resources? (logging, farming, fishing, paper mills, hydropower dams, aquifers, etc.)

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Have each student (or pairs of students) take a piece of blank paper, crumple it, and then spread it out to make a watershed (the peaks represent mountains and hills, and the creases and folds are rivers, streams, and lakes).

Have students’ draw/write different natural resources on their watershed model. What industries use these natural resources? Draw/write those on too.

Starting at the high point of their watershed model, along the creases and folds, have students color the water resources (blue) until they reach their first natural resource industry. Switch colors and continue coloring water resources until they reach their second natural resource industry. Repeat, changing colors each time until they have reached the low point of their watershed model. (Sample Watershed Model)

Note the different points where there has been an impact to watershed health. (Please Note: not all impacts are negative) In teams, have students share their watershed models and consider:

o How do natural resources rely on healthy waters?o What happens if one industry upstream negatively impacts the

watershed?o What can industries do to have a positive impact and minimize

their negative impact on the watershed?

References:http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/whatis.htmlhttp://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/habitat

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http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/habitat

http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/whatis.html

My Paddle to the SeaAuthors: Gayle Bodge (GMRI)

Questions: How do natural resources depend upon water and watershed resources? How can natural resources impact watershed health? What natural resources are within my watershed?

Overview:

“Please put me back in the water. I am Paddle to the Sea.” Holling Clancy Holling’s story, Paddle-to-the-Sea (1941) tells the tale of the journey a carved 12-inch canoe and Indian figure as it follows the watershed from Nipigon country in Canada through the Great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. This story illustrates how water resources are linked through the watershed and how people relied on these resources. After reading this story, students will take their own virtual “Paddle to the Sea” using Google Earth to explore their personal connection to the watershed and the local natural resources they find along the way. This activity builds upon watershed knowledge gained in Be a Watershed and may peak student interest in their local resources to be investigated in Natural Resources in Your Watershed.

Standards:



A1 Systems

3-5 Students explain interactions between parts that make up whole man-made and natural things.

6-8 Students describe and apply principles of systems in man-made things, natural things, and processes.

English Language Arts

A Reading: Students read to comprehend, interpret, analyze, evaluate, and appreciate literary and expository texts by using a variety of strategies. They connect essential ideas, evaluate arguments, and analyze the various perspectives and ideas presented in a variety of literary and expository texts.

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A1 Interconnected Elements: Comprehension, Vocabulary, Alphabetics, Fluency

5 Students read and draw conclusion from texts, within a grade appropriate span of text complexity, by applying their knowledge and strategies of comprehension, vocabulary, alphabetics, and fluency.

f. Demonstrate deep comprehension that goes beyond the text(s) by stating connections or inferences made and explaining relationships among prior knowledge and the conclusions and connections made.

6 Students read and make generalizations from texts, within a grade appropriate span of text complexity, by applying their knowledge and strategies of comprehension, vocabulary, alphabetics, and fluency.

f. Demonstrate comprehension by summarizing and making generalizations of whole texts, parts of texts, and across texts.

Social StudiesD Geography

D1 Geographic Knowledge, Concepts, Themes, and Patterns3-5 Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world.Explain that geography includes the study of Earth’s physical features including climate and the distribution of plant, animal, and human life.6-8 Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world and the geographic influences on life in the past, present, and future.Explain that geography includes the study of physical, environmental, and cultural features of the State, nation, and various regions of the world to identify consequences of geographic influences and make predictions.

Learning Objectives: Students will read a book and/or watch a movie to extract relevant

information and data. Students will be able to use mapping technology to make observations. Students will be able to create a story or visual about natural resources

within their watershed.


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Setting: Classroom

Activity Type:Class DiscussionComputer-BasedExploratoryResearch Knowledge/BuildingSmall Group Discussion

Materials “Paddle-to-the-Sea” by Holling Clancy Holling Computers LCD Projector Art supplies

Time Needed4 45-minute classes2 read/watch and discuss Paddle to the Sea1 use Google Earth1 create visual/story


Engage your students with “Paddle-to-the-Sea” by Holling Clancy Holling.

Suggestions:Watch the film. Available online at: http://www.nfb.ca/film/paddle_to_the_sea

Borrow the book from the library and read it aloud as a class, have students read it individually, in small groups, and/or read it with younger grades (reading-partners).

As students read or watch “Paddle-to-the-Sea,” have them generate a list of the natural resources that Paddle encounters along his journey to the sea as well as how those natural resources are used, how they rely on the watershed and water resources.

Using Google Earth (http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/), have students explore their own “paddle to the sea”:

Find your town/school/home

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http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/

http://www.nfb.ca/film/paddle_to_the_sea

Determine what watershed you are a part of using the Maine Watershed Map Layer for Google Earth: http://vitalsignsme.org/sites/default/files/ispyasign/watershed_map.kmlLocate the body of water (stream, pond, river, lake, etc.) closest to your town/school/home

Follow this body of water to the Gulf of Maine (If you live along the coast, find the river that empties into the ocean closest to your town. Follow it inland as far as you can.)

What evidence of natural resource use did you find along your “paddle to the sea”? (ex: farms, forestry, working waterfronts, riverside factories, parks, beaches, etc.)

How do these resource industries rely on water and watershed resources?

What impact might using these resources have on the watershed?

Document your paddle to the sea. Some suggestions for individual or team work: Create a Google Earth map or movie using placemarks to document

your paddle to the sea. Note natural resources and landmarks along the way. Check out this tutorial video for recording a Google Earth tour: http://www.google.com/earth/learn/advanced.html#recording-a-tour

Write a story, poem, or comic (http://comiclife.com/education) about your paddle to the sea, what natural resources do you encounter. (You can write this story from the perspective of: you, a drop of water, etc…)

Share your story with your classmates.

Reflection/Formative Assessment Ideas:“Paddle-to-the-Sea” was written in 1941. How we use natural resources and our waterways has changed since then. Look at your watershed. How do you think it was used in 1941?

Extension Ideas:If students create a digital story, or if you can scan any written/drawn documents, share them with others by posting them to the comments section of this activity or emailing them to us at [email protected].

Resources:http://www.nfb.ca/film/paddle_to_the_seahttp://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/

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http://comiclife.com/education

http://www.google.com/earth/learn/advanced.html#recording-a-tour

http://www.google.com/earth/learn/advanced.html#recording-a-tour

http://vitalsignsme.org/sites/default/files/ispyasign/watershed_map.kmlhttp://comiclife.com/education

References:“Paddle-to-the-Sea”, by Holling Clancy Holling

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Headline: Resources and Us

Authors: Katie Flavin and Gayle Bodge (GMRI)

Questions: How do natural resources interact with, depend upon, and influence each other? How are we a part of these interactions? What issues are natural resources facing today?

Overview:Often times, the health and availability of one natural resource relies on the health and availability of another. Natural resources interact with, depend upon, and influence each other. Students will read articles featured in Maine’s local newspapers that highlight natural resources and their interactions with people, the environment, and the issues they face. Students will be given the opportunity to investigate these issues in Natural Resources in Your Watershed.

Standards:


C. The Scientific and Technological Enterprise: Students understand the history and nature of scientific knowledge and technology, the processes of inquiry and technological design, and the impacts science and technology have on society and the environment.

C3 Science, Technology, and Society

3-5 Students identify and describe the influences of science and technology on people and the environment.

6-8 Students identify and describe the role of science and technology in addressing personal and societal challenges.


A Reading: Students read to comprehend, interpret, analyze, evaluate, and appreciate literary and expository texts by using a variety of strategies. They connect essential ideas, evaluate arguments, and analyze the various perspectives and ideas presented in a variety of literary and expository texts.

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A1 Interconnected Elements: Comprehension, Vocabulary, Alphabetics, Fluency

5 Students read and draw conclusion from texts, within a grade appropriate span of text complexity, by applying their knowledge and strategies of comprehension, vocabulary, alphabetics, and fluency.

f. Demonstrate deep comprehension that goes beyond the text(s) by stating connections or inferences made and explaining relationships among prior knowledge and the conclusions and connections made.

6 Students read and make generalizations from texts, within a grade appropriate span of text complexity, by applying their knowledge and strategies of comprehension, vocabulary, alphabetics, and fluency.

f. Demonstrate comprehension by summarizing and making generalizations of whole texts, parts of texts, and across texts.

Social StudiesD Geography

D1 Geographic Knowledge, Concepts, Themes, and Patterns3-5 Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world.Explain that geography includes the study of Earth’s physical features including climate and the distribution of plant, animal, and human life.6-8 Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world and the geographic influences on life in the past, present, and future.Explain that geography includes the study of physical, environmental, and cultural features of the State, nation, and various regions of the world to identify consequences of geographic influences and make predictions.

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to share examples of how natural resources affect each

other. Students will be able to describe ways in which we affect natural resources. Students will be able to read an article, summarize it, and share it with

others. Students will be able to locate relevant articles in current news sources.


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Setting: Classroom

Activity Type: Class Discussion, Small Group Discussion, Research Knowledge-Building

Materials: Internet access Printed articles (see resource list) Paper/Writing utensils Local newspapers


Activity Description/Procedure:1. Divide the class into groups depending on the number of articles being used. Give each group one article to read. Use the articles listed below, or others you may find that relate to resources that are local to your area (see extension idea).

Fish and Hydro Powerhttp://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/01/02/opinion/fish-and-hydro-power/ Bird Migration and Offshore Wind Powerhttp://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/14597/Default.aspx Wetlands Key to Lake Healthhttp://www.kjonline.com/news/wetlands-key-to-great-ponds-health-say-colby-stends_2010-12-09.html Campfire wood and Invasive Beetleshttp://new.bangordailynews.com/2010/09/01/news/nonmaine-firewood-banned-to-stop-pests/ Climate Impacts on Seasonal Changeshttp://www.pressherald.com/news/nature-watchers-sought-to-track-climate-change_2011-03-28.html Healthy Woods and Waters vs. Legislative Billshttp://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/03/25/outdoors/woods-and-water-should-be-priority-for-lepage-lawmakers/

2. Ask students to read the article and summarize it. As a group, discuss these questions: What resource(s) are featured in the article? Did you find any evidence of natural resources interacting with each other?

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http://www.pressherald.com/news/nature-watchers-sought-to-track-climate-change_2011-03-28.html


http://new.bangordailynews.com/2010/09/01/news/nonmaine-firewood-banned-to-stop-pests/


http://www.kjonline.com/news/wetlands-key-to-great-ponds-health-say-colby-stends_2010-12-09.html


http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/14597/Default.aspx


http://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/01/02/opinion/fish-and-hydro-power/

How did the resources interact? Positively? Negatively? Neither? Do people play a part interacting with the resource(s)? How? What role? What issue(s) are these natural resources facing? Whose point of view is expressed?

3. Students share with the class what they learned from their article. This can be a class discussion or student produced news reports.


Using the list of natural resources created by the class in Maine: A Natural Resource Rich State, ask students to think about each resource and how it may rely on another resource to grow, survive, or stay healthy. Students can draw lines between resources they think are linked.

Extension Ideas:Over the next few days, weeks, or months, encourage students to clip news or magazine articles, print web pages, or share video links that they may find in local or national news and bring them in to share with the class. Over time you may be able to track trends and find out which resources are in the spotlight most often.

Resources:

Fish and Hydro Powerhttp://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/01/02/opinion/fish-and-hydro-power/ Bird Migration and Offshore Wind Powerhttp://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/14597/Default.aspx Wetlands Key to Lake Healthhttp://www.kjonline.com/news/wetlands-key-to-great-ponds-health-say-colby-stends_2010-12-09.html Campfire wood and Invasive Beetleshttp://new.bangordailynews.com/2010/09/01/news/nonmaine-firewood-banned-to-stop-pests/ Climate Impacts on Seasonal Changeshttp://www.pressherald.com/news/nature-watchers-sought-to-track-climate-change_2011-03-28.htmlHealthy Woods and Waters vs. Legislative Billshttp://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/03/25/outdoors/woods-and-water-should-be-priority-for-lepage-lawmakers/

References:http://www.nrcm.orghttp://new.bangordailynews.com/

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http://new.bangordailynews.com/

http://www.nrcm.org/









http://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/01/02/opinion/fish-and-hydro-power/

http://www.pressherald.com/http://www.kjonline.com/http://www.mpbn.net/

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http://www.mpbn.net/

http://www.kjonline.com/

http://www.pressherald.com/

Idea Fishbowl

Authors: Gayle Bodge

Questions What is a hypothesis? What makes a good hypothesis?

OverviewStudents will work as a class to define a hypothesis and parameters for forming a “good” hypothesis. Each student will form a hypothesis about the question, “Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?” If students have participated in GMRI’s LabVenture! program, they will use that experience to inform their hypotheses. Students will create an Evidence Wall where they will share evidence they gather from Lobster Farming?, Predator vs. Prey, and Through the Eyes that either supports or fails to support their hypothesis. Students will refer back to their Evidence Wall and hypothesis in That’s Why.

Standards:


B The Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry and Technological Design: Students plan, conduct, analyze data from and communicate results of in-depth scientific investigations; and they use a systematic process, tools, equipment, and a variety of materials to create a technological design and produce a solution or product to meet a specified need.

B1 Skills and Traits of Scientific Inquiry

3-5 Students plan, conduct, analyze data from, and communicate results of investigations, including fair tests.

a. Post investigable questions and seek answers from reliable sources of scientific information and from their own investigations.

6-8 Students plan, conduct, analyze data from, and communicate results of investigations, including simple experiments. a. Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.

Learning Objectives

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Students will be able to form a hypothesis statement. Students will be able to determine the difference between a poorly and well-

formed hypothesis.

Grade Level: 5/6Setting: Classroom

Activity Type:Class discussionSkill building

Materials Access to Computers/Internet Fishbowl/Container Blank Paper

Time Needed45 to 60 minutes


Before starting their investigation it is important to capture students ideas about the question in the form of a hypothesis.

Share the following statements with the class: It will rain tomorrow. I think it will rain tomorrow. I think it will rain tomorrow because my hair is frizzy with all this

humidity.

Which one of these is a hypothesis? Why are the other two not a hypothesis?

Ready Set Science! (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11882&page=5) defines the term “hypothesis” as being used by scientists for an idea that may contribute important explanations to the development of a scientific theory. Scientists use and test hypotheses in the development and refinement of models and scenarios that collectively serve as tools in the development of a theory.

In simpler terms, a hypothesis is a prediction based on observations, prior knowledge, prior experience, research, etc…

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http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11882&page=5


As a class, review the definition of hypothesis and make any necessary changes so that the whole class understands its meaning. If students have participated in GMRI’s LabVenture! program (Complex Systems, Lobster: Untold Tales, or Mystery of the X-Fish) have students log into their personal websites http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx and view their hypothesis videos.Work as a class to create a format for writing a hypothesis. “I think….because…” In the case of this investigation their hypothesis can be: “I think there are so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine because…”

Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?

Ask students to write their hypothesis down on a piece of paper. Do NOT put names on these papers.

If students have participated in GMRI’s LabVenture! Complex Systems or Lobster: Untold Tales programs have students log into their personal websites http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx and reflect upon this experience to inform their hypothesis.

Have students fold up their paper and place it in a container.

Pass the container around the room and have each student draw out a hypothesis and read it to the class.

Have the students vote (thumbs up, thumbs down) as to whether this statement was a hypothesis? If not, work as a class to restructure the statement so that it becomes a hypothesis.

After every hypothesis is read, return them to the container and place your container next to a wall, board, or flip chart in your room. Dedicate this blank space as your “Evidence Wall,” a place to post evidence that is collected throughout the investigation.

Please Note: In each of the following investigation activities, ideas for evidence that students can add to their class “Evidence Wall” will be included in the Reflection/Formative Assessment section of the activity. That’s Why will guide students through examining the evidence they have collected as they form a conclusion to their investigation question.


Resources:

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References:Ready Set Science! (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11882&page=5)

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Lobster Farming?Authors: Gayle Bodge

Questions How do scientists investigate a question? How can the use of one resource impact another?

OverviewThe lobster population in the Gulf of Maine is at an all time high even though the lobstering effort is greater than ever before. Scientists have considered the potential positive impacts that lobstering may have on the lobster population. Students will examine scientific evidence as they consider the question, “Are we farming lobsters?” Evidence that students collect will be added to their Evidence Wall created in Idea Fishbowl. This evidence will be examined later in That’s Why as they draw conclusions about why there are so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine.

Standards:



A1 Systems






E The Living Environment: Students understand that cells are the basic units of life, that all life as we know it has evolved through genetic transfer and natural selection to create a great diversity of organisms, and that these

40

organisms create interdependent webs through which matter and energy flow. Students understand similarities and differences between humans and other organisms and the interconnections of these interdependent webs.

E2 Ecosystems

3-5 Students describe ways organisms depend upon, interact within, and change the living and non-living environment as well as ways the environment affects organisms.

Explain how changes in an organism’s habitat can influence its survival.

6-8 Students examine how the characteristics of the physical, non-living (abiotic) environment, the types and behaviors of living (biotic) organisms, and the flow of matter and energy affect organisms and the ecosystem of which they are a part.

Describe ways in which two types of organisms may interact (including competition, predator/prey, producer/consumer/decomposer, parasitism, and mutualism) and describe the positive and negative consequences of such interactions.

Mathematics


Learning Objectives

Students will be able to gather data from video evidence. Students will be able to graph and interpret graphs to draw conclusions. Students will be able to form a conclusion and support that conclusion with

evidence.

Grade Level: 5/6th grade

Setting: Classroom

Activity Type:Class discussionComputer-Based

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Research/Knowledge BuildingSmall group discussion

Materials

Internet/Computers for teams of students Paper & Art supplies (crayons, markers, etc.) Optional: Lobster Trap

Time Needed120 minutes


Present one of the following statements to your class:

There has been an increase in the Gulf of Maine lobster population in part because increased lobstering effort has made more food available in the form of bait. In other words, lobstermen have been unintentionally “farming lobsters.” OrHumans have been the sole reason for the lobster population growth in the Gulf of Maine due to their use of herring bait and fishing regulations.

It is the students’ job to determine if this statement is true or not.

Questions to discuss as a class:

What does it mean to “farm” something? Ask students to describe or draw a farming practice they are familiar with

(potatoes, cattle, eggs, etc.) Using the same method, ask students to describe or draw how they think

lobsters might be farmed in the Gulf of Maine. Share drawings between students or as a gallery walk (post around the room

and allow 10 minutes for students to check them out)

How does a Lobster trap work?Options: If someone in your class has access to a lobster trap, be it a new, working, or retired model…even one sold to tourists as a coffee table, bring it in!Read this Portland Press Herald article “Hunting Ghost Traps” (Thursday, March 15, 2011) http://www.pressherald.com/news/hunting-_2011-03-15.html?searchterm=hunting+ghost+traps about local Lobstermen retrieving lost traps from the Portland Harbor. Included is a great diagram of how a lobster trap works.

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http://www.pressherald.com/news/hunting-_2011-03-15.html?searchterm=hunting+ghost+traps


Check out this video of a GMRI scientist/lobsterman showing Portland middle school students how a trap works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_324GpYxIDY

Investigation #1: Does every lobster that enters a trap get caught?Divide the class into 3 groups, giving each group one of the below videos to watch. GMRI scientists and lobstermen recorded these videos using a Flip Camera with underwater housing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve-TCSZDghQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coVWAQosA6Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTc7k0h1dtk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvpRTRXDQFw

If students have completed LabVenture! Complex Systems, then you can have them log on to their student pages at http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx

How many lobsters total were in this video?How many lobsters entered…and then exited the trap?How many lobsters stayed in the trap/were in the trap at the end of the video?

Note: Encourage students to watch the video multiple times.Share with the class what happened during your video.

Share University of New Hampshire Lobster Research videos with your class <http://www.lobsters.unh.edu/lobster_tv/lobster_tv.html>:

Give the same groups one of the 3 UNH videos to examine: http://www.lobsters.unh.edu/lobster_tv/observations/observations.htmlUse the same questions as above and ask students to graph their results.

As a class, answer the question: Does every lobster that enters a trap get caught? Support your answer with evidence.

Investigation #2: Is bait (herring) an important food source for lobsters?Using Google Earth (http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/) ask students to locate Georges Island and Monhegan Island off the coast of Maine.

Investigation details: During the spring, Dr. Grabowski worked with lobstermen to catch lobsters in two areas - Georges Island, where there is lots of lobstering in the summertime, and Monghegan Island, where there is NO lobstering in the summertime. He measured the lobsters, inserted an identifying tag, and then released the lobsters. In the fall, after the summer molt/growth period, recaptured

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http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/

http://www.lobsters.unh.edu/lobster_tv/observations/observations.html

http://www.lobsters.unh.edu/lobster_tv/lobster_tv.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTc7k0h1dtk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coVWAQosA6Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_324GpYxIDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_324GpYxIDY

lobsters were identified and measured. Dr. Grabowski calculated the average percentage of growth of lobsters in the two areas. He did this investigation during the summer of 2002 and again in 2004. Check out his results on the bar graph below.

If students have participated in LabVenture! Complex Systems, have them watch Dr Grabowski’s video under “You are what you eat” on their research page. For those without access to this video, the transcript is below:

We know lobsters are eating bait (herring) and either escaping traps (empty bait bags and empty traps being hauled up) or being thrown back in because of their size, v-notch, eggers my question is How important is lobster bait (herring) to the diet of lobsters?

Describing the investigation:We trapped, measured, tagged, and released lobsters in the spring in the waters off of Monhegan (no traps) and Georges (traps)

With the help of lobstermen we re-captured the tagged lobsters in the fall and winter and re-measured them. We did this twice in 2002 and 2004

Here are my findings. Do lobsters grow more in areas where bait (herring) is available to them?

Using Dr. Grabowski’s findings, answer: Do lobsters grow more in areas where lobstering bait (herring) is available to them?

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Answer as a class: Is bait (herring) an important food source for lobsters? Support your answer with evidence.

Conclusion: Are lobstermen farming lobsters?Have a class discussion/debate about this question. Give every student a voice. Students must support their conclusion with evidence. Continue discussion/debate until the entire class agrees on an answer.


Debate as a class: If lobstermen are farming lobsters and this is leading to an increase in lobster population, should we intentionally “farm” lobsters to increase the lobster population more?

YES: Examples of positive implications might include an increase in lobster population and lobster catch rates. Lack of forage fish, notably herring, may lower populations of predators that feed on both lobster and herring, making even more lobster available to be caught.

NO: Examples of negative implications might include excessive demand on herring for bait, driving herring populations, and bait supply, down and raising bait prices. Catching too many lobsters may also lower demand for lobsters and drive lobster prices down. Lack of herring might affect other species linked to herring in the Gulf of Maine food web.

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**If your students have participated in GMRI’ LabVenture! Complex Systems program have them visit their personal websites http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx and view the You Are What You Eat page.

What were their conclusions then and what are their conclusions now about herring bait and lobster growth?

Did their opinions change when they discussed it as a class? Are lobstermen providing lobsters with an additional food source?

For your Evidence Wall:Create a visual that demonstrates whether or not lobstermen are “farming” lobsters. Back this visual up with evidence.

Extension Ideas:What other scientific evidence leads scientists to the conclusion that we are “farming” lobsters? What else could they look at?

Examine the contents of lobster stomach to directly see what they’ve eaten.

Compare lobsters in high and low lobstering areas. Use chemical analysis of lobster shell to indirectly find out what

lobsters have been eating. Different food sources have different chemical signatures. This method is referred to below as “Nitrogen (N) Stable Isotope Ratios.

Check out this summary of Dr. Jonathan Grabowski’s work:

The effects of herring bait on lobster population dynamics and the benthic community.

Several hypotheses have been generated to explain recent surges in lobster landings in the Gulf of Maine. Research on lobster population dynamics has focused primarily on early postlarval life stages, so that our current understanding of the importance of herring bait on sublegal lobsters remains limited. In order to assess the affects of herring bait on lobster population dynamics, we sampled diet composition and growth of lobsters in seasonally closed sites around Monhegan Island vs. fished sites around the Georges Islands in mid-coast Maine during the summer and fall of 2002 through 2004. The primary difference between diets of lobsters from fished vs. seasonally closed sites was that herring bones were more prevalent in the diet of lobsters at open sites. Lobsters at seasonally closed sites experienced a decline in N stable isotope ratios several months after the closure, which suggests a shift from a diet containing herring bait to one dominated by natural prey such as crabs, urchins and bivalves. Recaptured lobsters from the Georges Islands that molted outgrew those from Monhegan by ~15% in both 2002 and 2004. Collectively, these results support the notion that herring bait may be very important for lobster population dynamics in the Gulf of Maine. Therefore, the

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contribution of herring bait to the diet and growth of lobsters should be incorporated into models utilized to manage this species.

http://www.gmri.org/science/research.asp?ID=88

Resources:Google Earth: http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/

Lobster Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coVWAQosA6Q - lobster get’s hauled up, v-notch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTc7k0h1dtk - lobster stays in trap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvpRTRXDQFw - lobster escapes

Portland Press Herald, Hunting Ghost Traps (March 15, 2011)http://www.pressherald.com/news/hunting-_2011-03-15.html?searchterm=hunting+ghost+traps

References:

UNH Lobster TV: http://www.lobsters.unh.edu/lobster_tv/lobster_tv.html

http://gmri.org/science/research.asp?ID=88#60

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http://gmri.org/science/research.asp?ID=88#60

http://www.lobsters.unh.edu/lobster_tv/lobster_tv.html



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTc7k0h1dtk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coVWAQosA6Q

Predator vs. Prey


Questions How do scientists investigate a question? How can the use of one resource impact another?

Overview:A natural influencing factor on lobster populations is the level of predation. Known predators of lobsters are groundfish (bottom dwelling fish, especially one of commercial importance such as cod, haddock, pollack, or flounder. http://www.sciencedictionary.org/), primarily cod. Students will examine NOAA biomass (population estimate) graphs of both cod and lobsters in the Gulf of Maine to determine whether or not trends in cod populations may have an influence on the increasing lobster population. Evidence that students collect will be added to their Evidence Wall created in Idea Fishbowl to later be examined in That’s Why as they draw conclusions about why there are so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine.

Standards:



A1 Systems






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E The Living Environment: Students understand that cells are the basic units of life, that all life as we know it has evolved through genetic transfer and natural selection to create a great diversity of organisms, and that these organisms create interdependent webs through which matter and energy flow. Students understand similarities and differences between humans and other organisms and the interconnections of these interdependent webs.

E2 Ecosystems





Mathematics


Learning Objectives

Students will be able to create a graph to represent data. Students will be able to interpret graphs to form conclusions. Students will be able to form a conclusion and support that conclusion with

evidence.

Grade Level: 5/6

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Setting: ClassroomActivity Type:Class discussionComputer-BasedSkill-BuildingResearch/Knowledge Building

Materials: Computer/Projector – for class Computers for each student Graph paper Straight Edges Pencils Printed copies of NOAA Lobster and Cod Biomass graphs: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/images/lobster_gom_chart_bio.gif http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/images/atl_cod_gom_chart_bio.gif



Present this statement to your class: There has been an increase in the Gulf of Maine lobster population solely because of the decline of one of their major predators, cod.

It is the students’ job to determine if this statement is true or not.

Questions to discuss as a class:

How can we determine if cod eat lobsters? Brainstorm ideas as a class Share some of the work that scientists have done: Cod stomach dissections – lobsters are present in 10% of cod stomachs

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http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/images/atl_cod_gom_chart_bio.gif

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/images/lobster_gom_chart_bio.gif

Investigation: Is the lobster (prey) population influenced by the cod (predator) population?Use Cod and Lobster stock assessments to compare the populations of cod to lobster.

Lobster Biomass: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/images/lobster_gom_chart_bio.gifCod Biomass: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/images/atl_cod_gom_chart_bio.gif

Create a line graph showing trends of lobster and cod populations since 1980.

Reflect on the investigation statement: There has been an increase in the Gulf of Maine lobster population solely because of the decline of one of their major predators, cod. If this is true, what will the line graph look like? If this is false, what will the line graph look like? Make a prediction before creating your graph using the NOAA population data.

Depending upon your students’ skill and comfort level with graphing, you may want to give them more or less guidance.

On paper: provide students with graph paper, straight edges, colored pencils, etc. You may want to provide students with a labeled x/y axis for them to plot their information on.

Online: create a graph using http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx

Ask students to give and get peer feedback by swapping their graph with a classmate. Have students use a sticky note to write one thing that they like about

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http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx



their graph, and one question that they have. Give students a chance to ask questions about the feedback they received. Allow time for revisions.

Conclusion: Has cod population had an impact on lobster population?Using their line graph, have students come up with their individual ideas.Look at your graph:

Do lobster populations increase or decrease over time? Do cod populations increase or decrease over time? Could changes in cod population have contributed to changes in lobster

population? What evidence supports your reasoning? In small groups, ask students to share their ideas and agree on a conclusion. Have each group share their conclusion with the class.


What do you think would happen to lobster populations if the cod populations increased or decreased?

NOTE: GMRI researcher Marissa McMahon has been trying to answer these questions as she conducts research to understand the relationships between cod and lobster. Check out Marissa’s work on GMRI’s blog: http://blog.gmri.org/?p=38

Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine today?Besides predation by cod, what else might affect lobster populations?

For your Evidence Wall:Create a visual that demonstrates whether or not there are fewer predators of lobsters. Back this visual up with evidence.

Extension Ideas:Why has the cod population in the Gulf of Maine decreased? Historic cod populations were very high. In fact, it was the abundance of cod that attracted settlers from Europe to the shores of the Gulf of Maine. Explore the history of the cod-fishery with your students. What factors may have contributed to declines of cod populations? http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/history/stories/groundfish/grndfsh1.html

Another way to gauge the population of marine species is to look at landings data - reports from fishermen on the amount of fish caught. As a class discuss what sources of error there may be in using this approach (i.e. changes in technology, supply and demand, fishing regulations, etc.).

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http://blog.gmri.org/?p=38

Cod landings: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/documents/cod.graph_000.pdf

Lobster landings: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/documents/lobster.graph.pdf

Resources:

Lobster Biomass: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/images/lobster_gom_chart_bio.gif

Cod Biomass: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/images/atl_cod_gom_chart_bio.gif

National Center for Education Statistics: online Create a Graph toolhttp://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx

References:Maine department of marine resources: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/historicaldata.htmhttp://www.sciencedictionary.org/http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/history/stories/groundfish/grndfsh1.html

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http://www.sciencedictionary.org/

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/historicaldata.htm






http://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/documents/lobster.graph.pdf

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/documents/cod.graph_000.pdf

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/documents/cod.graph_000.pdf

Through the Eyes (of a Lobsterman)

Authors: Taylor Strout, Meredyth Eufemia, Katie Flavin and Gayle Bodge (GMRI)

Question(s) What are lobstermen doing to maintain the lobster population for the future? How are resources (i.e. lobsters) managed, regulated, and harvested?

OverviewFor generations, lobstering has been embedded into Maine’s culture and is one of the most valuable fisheries in the United States. Today there are approximately 6,000 commercial harvesters in the state contributing about 75% of all lobsters landed in the US.

The first recorded lobster catch was in 1605, and although lobsters were plentiful in the 1600-1700s, they were considered to be a poor persons food. Demand for lobsters grew and the lobstering industry began in earnest in the late 1700s when custom-made boats, called “smacks” were used to fish and ship live lobsters. The first traps were set in 1850. Since then the lobstering industry has evolved and grown into the industry we are familiar with today. (http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=52) Mainers take pride in the lobster fishery and do all they can to protect and sustain the lobster population to ensure they remain healthy for future generations.

In this activity, students will explore different lobstering regulations to understand the process of lobstering and several ways the resource is managed. They will test their knowledge of regulations to determine which lobsters are keepers (or “keepahs” for us Mainers) and why.

Evidence that students collect will be added to their Evidence Wall created in Idea Fishbowl to later be examined in That’s Why as they draw conclusions about why there are so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine.

Standards (MLR)



A1 Systems

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http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=52



A2 Models



E The Living Environment: Students understand that cells are the basic units of life, that all life as we know it has evolved through genetic transfer and natural selection to create a great diversity of organisms, and that these organisms create interdependent webs through which matter and energy flow. Students understand similarities and differences between humans and other organisms and the interconnections of these interdependent webs.

E2 Ecosystems





Learning Objectives

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Students will be able to identify different features/anatomy of a lobster, such as the differences between males and females.

Students will be able to explain the actions lobstermen take to maintain and protect the lobster population for the future

Students will be able to collect and analyze data. Students will be able to model lobstering with Maine regulations. Students will be able to explain the benefits of responsible harvesting and

why regulations are key for future harvests.

Grade Level: 5/6

Setting: Classroom

Activity Type:Class discussionSmall group discussionComputer basedHands-onExploratoryResearch/Knowledge building

MaterialsStarburst candy (2 large bags) or four different varieties of beansComputers with Internet accessLCD projectorLive lobstersLatex free glovesLobster Anatomy ID sheets (laminate to last longer)Ruler or lobster measuring gaugeTable Coverings (eg. drop cloth, paper)

Time needed: 2 hours, or 3 class periods

Activity Procedure:

Part 1: Through the Eyes of a Lobsterman

As a class, watch this video taken and produced by one of GMRI’s LabVenture! staff, Taylor Strout. He started lobstering when he was 10 years old with his Dad, and still lobsters today. http://blog.gmri.org/2011/06/through-the-eyes-of-a-lobsterman/

In small groups allow students to watch the video a second time. Allow them to pause or rewind as needed. Discuss:

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http://blog.gmri.org/2011/06/through-the-eyes-of-a-lobsterman/

Did Taylor keep every lobster that he caught in his trap? Why/Why not?What did Taylor do before throwing some lobsters back into the ocean?Did Taylor do anything else to help conserve the lobster population?

Share findings with the class.

What other actions do lobstermen take to conserve lobster populations? Divide your class into teams to further investigate regulations around lobsters, traps, and lobstering zones. See the resources section for sites to get you started.Share findings with the class.

Part 2: Let’s go Lobstering!!

Divide the class into small groups of 3 to 4 and have students choose a role:Lobsterman: there can be more than one lobsterman per group.Observer: a scientist working for the state who records information about lobsters.Populator: a game role that adds to the lobster population (via Starburst, beans).

Round one: Place a handful (or two) of Starburst (lobsters) in front of each group.Go Fishing!Lobsterman: With your eyes closed, grab a handful of Starburst to represent hauling up a lobster trap.Observer: Write down how many lobsters were caught and their color (e.g. 2 Red, 3 Orange, 1 Pink, 0 Yellow)

As a group consider whether you want to keep all lobsters caught? Why/Why not?Observer: If you throw back any lobsters, record the color and number.

Populator: For every 2 starburst (lobsters) left on the table, add 2 more starburst. Record the remaining lobster population (if any).

Round two: Go Fishing! (repeat round one)Did you do anything differently?

Introduce what each color starburst represents:Red - adult males and females (larger than 3 ¼ inches, smaller than 5 inches).Orange - females with eggs and/or v-notches in their tailYellow – lobsters larger than 5 inchesPink – lobsters shorter than 3 ¼ inches

Round three: Go Fishing! (repeat round two)What lobsters (color starburst) did you keep? Why?What lobsters (color starburst) did you throw back? Why?

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Round four: Reflect on lobstering regulations that were introduced during Part 1. Go Fishing! (repeat round three)What lobsters (color starburst) did you keep? Why?What lobsters (color starburst) did you throw back? Why?

Round five: Go Fishing! (repeat round four)

Examine your lobster population:Observer: Did the number of lobsters that you were hauling up in your trap increase or decrease with each round?Did the number of lobsters that you threw back increase or decrease with each round?

Populator:Did the lobster population increase or decrease with each round?

Lobsterman:Did you keep any lobsters? Did you make a profit? Did that profit increase or decrease with each round? If you kept a lobster you made money. The more lobsters you kept, the more money you made!

Everyone:How have lobstering regulations impacted the lobster population in your area?

Discuss as a class:What did this activity tell us about harvesting a natural resource?Why do Maine lobstermen throw back some lobsters, and what are the benefits?

Part 3: Am I a Keepah?

Apply what you have learned! Obtain a LIVE lobster(s) from a grocery story, seafood market, or your friendly local lobsterman. Many places may give discounts or donate lobsters if informed they will be used for educational purposes. Note that lobsters will remain alive for 24 hours or more if kept in the brown paper bag given by the seafood market/grocery store and stored in the refrigerator. Ask the cafeteria to donate latex free gloves for your class to use while handling the lobsters. Wearing gloves is a good precaution in case any student has a seafood allergy. Find a suitable place to have student teams investigate the lobster. The floor, with a covering or a table/desk with a tablecloth will work well. Make sure rubber bands are secure around all lobsters’ claws.

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1. Have students brainstorm ways to act and handle a live lobster to guarantee lobsters are held gently and treated with respect. Post this list somewhere in the class so that students can refer to it throughout the activity. 2. Give students some time to examine the lobster on their own. Using a Lobster Anatomy Diagram (http://kodiak.asap.um.maine.edu/lobster/images/lobsterdiagram.jpg), challenge students to identify the different parts of their lobster.

Is their lobster male or female? Is their lobster right handed or left? The location of the Crusher claw

determines this. Are any parts of your lobster missing? Cool fact: After a lobster molts,

missing parts will start to grow back!

3. Have students determine the 4 reasons that this lobster is a keeper (e.g. bigger than 3 ¼ inches, smaller than 5 inches, no eggs, no V-notch). Give them time to figure this out on their own. They will need a ruler and the Lobster Anatomy Diagram. If you have multiple lobsters to examine, have groups switch lobsters.

4. Discuss your findings as a class: How many lobsters were male or female? What were the measurements? Why were there no eggs found on females? Why were no v-notches found? Why are these lobsters keepahs?

Reflection/Assessment Ideas:

Ask each student to draw or write a story about how a lobster goes from sea to stomach, and all the steps that are taken along the way.

Ask the class why they think it is a good idea to put small, large, berried (with eggs), and/or v-notched lobsters back in the ocean.

What other industries does lobstering support? How does lobstering play an important role in coastal Maine economies?

Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?

Are lobstermen using responsible management practices?

For your Evidence Wall:Create a visual(s) that demonstrates responsible lobstering practices.

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http://kodiak.asap.um.maine.edu/lobster/images/lobsterdiagram.jpg

Extension:

Are you wondering what to do with the live lobster(s) left over from this activity? Try eating them! Work with your school’s kitchen staff to cook your lobster and check out this website: http://octopus.gma.org/lobsters/eatingetc.html to make eating your lobster a learning experience! Every (willing) student can have a bite!

If there is a student that has a lobsterman as a parent or relative, invite the family member to participate in the activity. They can help demonstrate how to measure, band, and figure out if the lobsters are male or female. The guest lobsterman/woman is a knowledgeable and very valuable resource who can help answer students’ research questions.

What other lobstering regulations exist in Maine? (e.g. lobster zones, trap limits)What impacts might these regulations have on lobstering efforts and lobster populations?

Lobstering has been a part of Maine culture for generations. Check out this video that compares how lobstering has changed over the years: http://blog.gmri.org/?p=83

Resources:

Lobsters and Lobstering:http://www.gma.org/undersea_landscapes/lobstering/http://www.gma.org/lobsters/index.htmlhttp://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/amer_lobster.htmLobster FAQ: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/Lobster Anatomy Diagram: http://kodiak.asap.um.maine.edu/lobster/images/lobsterdiagram.jpgLobstering Video: http://blog.gmri.org/2011/06/through-the-eyes-of-a-lobsterman/ How to Eat a Lobster: http://octopus.gma.org/lobsters/eatingetc.html

Lobstering in Maine, Lobster Management:http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/lobster/guide/index.htm http://www.nurp.noaa.gov/Spotlight/Lobster.htm

History of Lobstering Video:http://blog.gmri.org/?p=83

References:http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=52

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http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=52

http://blog.gmri.org/?p=83

http://www.nurp.noaa.gov/Spotlight/Lobster.htm

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/lobster/guide/index.htm

http://octopus.gma.org/lobsters/eatingetc.html



http://kodiak.asap.um.maine.edu/lobster/images/lobsterdiagram.jpg

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/amer_lobster.htm

http://www.gma.org/lobsters/index.html

http://www.gma.org/undersea_landscapes/lobstering/

http://octopus.gma.org/lobsters/eatingetc.html

That’s Why


Questions How can I use evidence to make a conclusion? What makes a good conclusion?

OverviewStudents will work as a class to make sure their Evidence Wall (created in Idea Fishbowl) contains all the evidence they have collected throughout their investigations (Lobster Farming?, Predator vs. Prey, and Through the Eyes) to understand why there are so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine. If students have participated in GMRI’s LabVenture! Complex Systems program students are encouraged to reflect on personal websites http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx and include that evidence as well.

As a class, students will define a conclusion and parameters for forming a “good” conclusion. Using the Evidence Wall, each student will form a conclusion about “Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?” As a class, students will debate their ideas using evidence to come up with a class conclusion.

Standards:





d. Use data to construct and support a reasonable explanation.

6-8 Students plan, conduct, analyze data from, and communicate results of investigations, including simple experiments.

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e. Use logic, critical reasoning and evidence to develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models.

C The Scientific and Technological Enterprise: Students understand the history and nature of scientific knowledge and technology, the processes of inquiry and technological design, and the impacts science and technology have on society and the environment.

C1 Understandings of Inquiry

3-5 Students describe how scientific investigations result in explanations that are communicated to other scientists.

6-8 Students describe how scientists use varied and systematic approaches to investigations that may lead to further investigations.

Learning Objectives Students will be able to use evidence to develop a conclusion. Students will be able to form a conclusion that is supported by evidence.

Grade Level: 5/6

Setting: Classroom

Activity Type:Class discussionSkill building

MaterialsAccess to Computers/InternetBlank Paper

Time Needed45 to 60 minutes


After students have completed all investigation activities in their Maine Lobster Industry Case Study examining the question, “Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?”, have students consider all of the evidence they have collected on

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their “Evidence Wall” and use that evidence to form a conclusion. Have them re-evaluate the statements from Lobster Farming? and Predator vs Prey, especially pertaining to the concept of only one cause (are either herring bait or cod populations solely responsible for change?)

**If students have participated in GMRI’s LabVenture! Complex Systems program have students log into their personal websites http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx and examine their student pages for more evidence that may help them to answer the question “Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?”

Here are some things to consider: What adaptations do lobsters have to help them survive in the Gulf of Maine? Lobsters start their lives as planktonic larvae. What helps their chances of

growing into adults? Why are there lots of lobsters in the Gulf of Maine compared to the warm sandy

waters of the Caribbean? Did you find any new evidence? Post this to your Evidence Wall.

Before forming a conclusion it is important to consider the role evidence plays.Share the following statements with the class:

It will rain tomorrow. I think it will rain tomorrow because Joe said so. It will rain tomorrow because the sky is overcast, humidity is increasing, and

there is a low pressure front coming in.

Which one of these is a conclusion? Why are the other two not a conclusion?As a class, define a good conclusion. If students have participated in GMRI’s LabVenture! program (Complex Systems, Lobster: Untold Tales or Mystery of the X-Fish) have students log into their personal websites http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx and view their conclusion videos.

Work as a class to create a format for writing a conclusion. “I know….because…” Based on their hypothesis for this investigation, their conclusion can be: “I know there are so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine because…”

Examine the evidence posted to the Evidence Wall as part of the reflection/assessment of all investigation activities:Give students time in small groups to examine the Evidence Wall.While other groups are examining evidence, have students individually write a draft conclusion at their desks.Each group/student may need several trips to examine the evidence and revise their conclusion.

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Form your conclusion using evidence: Why are there so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine?

Ask students to write their conclusion on a piece of paper. Use the format, “I know there are so many lobsters in the Gulf of Maine because…”

In small groups ask students to share their conclusion with each other. Work in small groups to create a conclusion that each student agrees with. Students must use evidence to back up their conclusion.

Once the small groups agree on one conclusion have them share their conclusion with the class.

Post your class’ conclusion(s) in the middle of your Evidence Wall.


Is there one right answer?

Read your hypothesis(es) from Idea Fishbowl. Have you proven or disproven your hypothesis? What new questions does this raise for you?

Resources:http://mystery.gmri.org/community/login.aspx

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Natural Resources in Your WatershedAuthors:Gayle Bodge (GMRI)

Questions What natural resources are in my watershed? What questions are scientists, natural resource managers, and resource users

asking about natural resources in my watershed? What makes a good research question?

Overview:Now that students have identified natural resources within their watershed in Maine: A Natural Resource Rich State and My Paddle to the Sea, they will have the opportunity to explore those resources and the issues and questions scientists, natural resource managers, and resource users are asking. Students may have shown interest in or have identified issues and questions they want to investigate in Headline: Resources and Us.

With varying degrees of teacher guidance, students will identify natural resource issues and questions that interest them as well as design and do an investigation. This investigation, Natural Resources in Your Watershed, is modeled after Option A: A Maine Lobster Industry Case Study.

Standards:





6-8 Students plan, conduct, analyze data from, and communicate results of investigations, including simple experiments.


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C Research: Students engage in inquiry by developing research questions, accessing and verifying a variety of sources, communicating findings, and applying the conventions of documentation. Students present findings orally, in writing, or using mixed media.C1 Research

3-5 Students create, identify, and answer research questions by gathering information from print and non-print sources and documenting sources and communicating findings.

6-8 Students propose and revise research questions, collect information from a wide variety of primary and/or secondary sources, and follow the conventions of documentation to communicate findings.Social Studies

A Application of Social Studies Processes, Knowledge, and Skills

A1 Researching and Developing Positions on Current Social Studies Issues

3-5 Students identify and answer research questions related to social studies, by locating and selecting information and presenting findings.

6-8 Students research, select, and present a position on a current social studies issue by proposing and revising research questions, and locating and selecting information from multiple and varied sources.

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to identify and research natural resource issues within

their watershed. Students will be able to identify an investigable research question. Students will be able to design and do an investigation.

Grade Level: 5/6

Setting: ClassroomField Site

Activity Type:Class discussionSmall Group discussionHands-onExploratory

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Research/Knowledge-Building

Materials:Computer/Internet AccessMaterials needed depend upon investigation

Time Needed:6 class periods (at minimum)


Please Note: This activity is very personalized to you, your students, and your place. It will take time to set this up properly; to prepare for the level of guidance students will need to be successful; to understand what investigation possibilities there are for your place; and to plan your students investigation. This investigation is designed to use guided or open inquiry (http://vitalventure.gmri.org/in-the-classroom/instructional-methods/inquiry-instruction/), whatever you and your students are most ready for.

Students are encouraged to identify and investigate a question or issue that scientists and/or resource managers are asking about a resource that is local to them. The role you play in this process is up to you. Do you want to create a list of choices that you are comfortable with and give your students choice from that list…or will you leave it up to your students to create their own list? Either way, you and your students will have fun exploring scientific issues facing resources within your local watershed!

We’ve done our best to provide the guidance we think you’ll need to be successful by suggesting an investigation procedure, an investigation model (Option A), lists of resources, and examples. Please do contact us if you have any questions, or would like some more help or guidance along the way. And please do share your successes and stories in the comments section at the bottom of this activity.

For more information on creating meaningful science experiences for your students, please read Chapter 7: Learning from Science Investigations (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11882&page=127), in “Ready, Set, Science!”

Choose an Issue

What natural resources are in my watershed? Work as a class to generate a list.

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Refer to the list generated in Maine: A Natural Resource Rich State. Which ones are local to you?

What natural resources am I interested in? Choose a local natural resource that the class is most interested in investigating.

Using the list students generated, ask students to vote on the natural resource they are most interested in by putting a mark (sticker, x, etc.) on the list.

Or you could provide students with a list of natural resources that you believe may lead to a good investigation and have students vote on these.

What questions/issues are scientists, managers, and natural resource industries asking or expressing concerns about?

Either in small groups or as a class do some research to identify what questions or issues your natural resource is facing. Places to look:

NewspapersRefer to news gathered during Headline: Resources and Us.Websites with information about natural resources in Maine:

University of Maine Cooperative Extension: http://extension.umaine.edu/programs/natural-resources/Natural Resource Council of Maine: http://www.nrcm.org/Maine Department of Agriculture: http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/index.shtmlMaine Department of Conservation: http://www.maine.gov/doc/ Maine Department of Environmental Protection: http://www.maine.gov/dep/ Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: http://www.maine.gov/ifw/ Maine Department of Marine Resources: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.htm

Develop an Investigable Question

What questions can I ask about this natural resource or issue? It’s OK if the questions you ask and investigate are different from the questions scientists are asking.

Asking investigable research questions is hard! You may want to work as a class on this, or have students present their question and investigation proposal to the class and you choose one (or a version of one) to pursue as a class. Need some more help? Check out this resource from NSTA: Posing Investigable Questions (http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/12/12/posing-investigable-questions/) or try out this activity, Investigable Questions Relay! http://vitalsignsme.org/investigable-questions-relay

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http://vitalsignsme.org/investigable-questions-relay

http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/12/12/posing-investigable-questions/

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.htm

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/

http://www.maine.gov/dep/

http://www.maine.gov/doc/

http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/index.shtml

http://www.nrcm.org/

http://extension.umaine.edu/programs/natural-resources/

Create a list of student questions about this natural resource issue.Examine the questions. Which ones can students investigate? Eliminate or re-phrase the un-investigable questions.

Have students vote on the question they are most interested in. Alternatively, you can choose the question you think will lead to a good investigation experience.

Form a Hypothesis

Now that your students have a natural resource issue and question to investigate, have them start off by forming a hypothesis. Check out Idea Fishbowl for ideas on forming a hypothesis and setting the stage for collecting evidence throughout the investigation.

Plan and Do your Investigation

Things to consider as you plan your investigation:

What data do we need to collect in order to answer our question? What tools or resources do we need to collect the data? What skills or knowledge will we need to collect the data? This investigation

provides a great opportunity to learn and apply new knowledge and skills. Do we need to go anywhere to collect data? Is there anyone such as a resource manager or industry worker who can help

us collect data and/or inform our investigation? Is there anyone we would like to interview? What order should we do things in? Are there different roles in the investigation? Examples include lead

scientist(s), field technicians, data recorders, and interviewers. Who will do what?

Analyze your Data

How you analyze your data depends upon the types of data you have collected. Here are some suggestions for analyzing data:

Create a Graph with the NCES online graphing tool: http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspxData Analysis tips from Science Buddies: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair projects/project_data_analysis.shtmlRefer to data analysis activities that students do as part of other Watershed Experiences:Organize to Analyze: http://vitalventure.gmri.org/activities/organize-to-analyze/

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http://vitalventure.gmri.org/activities/organize-to-analyze/

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair%20projects/project_data_analysis.shtml

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair%20projects/project_data_analysis.shtml


Form a Conclusion

Check out That’s Why for some ideas on how to use appropriate data as evidence to form conclusions.

Share your Results

Check out Raising Awareness: Maine’s Natural Resources for ideas on sharing your natural resource investigation findings with your community in a meaningful way.

Here are some examples of current issues and questions about natural resource in Maine that students could investigate:

Agriculture/Potato Issue: The Maine Potato Industry is faced with increasing costs, high demands from consumers for quality, and pest pressures. The Industry is trying to reduce pesticide usage, while maintaining quality and yields. http://www.mainepotatoipm.com/index.cfmQuestion: Are potato pests becoming more of a problem for potato farmers?Investigation: Scout for pests at a local potato farm and interview local potato farmers.

Forestry Issue: Invasive insects and diseases that live in dead and dying wood are threatening Maine’s native trees and forests. In many cases, these pests are being accidentally spread to new locations by homeowners and recreationists moving firewood from one location to another.http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/fhm/pages/firewood.html Question: Are invasive insects present in my local firewood and/or forests?Check out invasive species data collected by Maine’s 7th and 8th graders through GMRI’s Vital Signs program: http://vitalsignsme.org/explore/search Investigation: Survey local firewood supplies and/or tree stands for evidence of invasive insects.

Watershed Issue: Our rivers and streams once provided a seamless connection of life between the Gulf of Maine and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems deep inland. For thousands of years fish freely traveled up and down Maine’s rivers. These tremendous migrations once defined rivers as the Penobscot. Damming these rivers for lumber mills and hydropower blocked the passageway for these sea run fish. Current restoration efforts are in place to remove these dams and monitor the return of many fish species.http://www.penobscotriver.org/ Question: What wildlife depends upon my local river?

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http://www.penobscotriver.org/

http://vitalsignsme.org/explore/search

http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/fhm/pages/firewood.html

http://www.mainepotatoipm.com/index.cfm

Investigation: Investigate and identify different wildlife (fish, birds, mammals, invertebrates, etc.) along a local river habitat and compare to a river habitat that is either obstructed or unobstructed by dams or other uses.

Alternative Energy Issue: Reliance on fossil fuels for generating electricity is not sustainable: Fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource; they release carbon dioxide and other pollutants such as mercury into the atmosphere when burned; and fossil fuel markets fluctuate unpredictably with global economic and political changes. Wind power is helping to make Maine more self-sufficient and helps protect our planet by reducing the need to burn fossil fuels to generate electricity.http://www.windforme.org/ Question: How much wind energy do we need to run our school?Investigation: Examine your school’s electric bill and build a weather or wind station to measure wind speed in the schoolyard.NOAA’s guild to build your own Weather Station: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/for_fun/BuildyourownWeatherStation.pdfWind Turbine Power System Sizing Calculator:http://www.energyefficientchoices.com/resources/wind-power-system-sizing-calculator.html


Reflect on your investigation: what could/would/should you do differently next time?

Extension Ideas:

What impacts do these natural resources or issues have on the watershed?Resources:http://www.mainepotatoipm.com/index.cfmhttp://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/fhm/pages/firewood.html http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doceducation/nps/index.htm http://www.windforme.org/ http://vitalsignsme.org/

References:http://www.nrcm.org/projects.asphttp://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspxhttp://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_data_analysis.shtmlhttp://extension.umaine.edu/programs/natural-resources/http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/index.shtmlhttp://www.maine.gov/doc/ http://www.maine.gov/dep/

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http://www.maine.gov/dep/

http://www.maine.gov/doc/

http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/index.shtml

http://extension.umaine.edu/programs/natural-resources/

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_data_analysis.shtml


http://www.nrcm.org/projects.asp

http://vitalsignsme.org/

http://www.windforme.org/

http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doceducation/nps/index.htm

http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/fhm/pages/firewood.html

http://www.mainepotatoipm.com/index.cfm

http://www.energyefficientchoices.com/resources/wind-power-system-sizing-calculator.html

http://www.energyefficientchoices.com/resources/wind-power-system-sizing-calculator.html

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/for_fun/BuildyourownWeatherStation.pdf

http://www.windforme.org/

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/ http://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.htmhttp://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11882http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/12/12/posing-investigable-questions/

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http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/12/12/posing-investigable-questions/

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11882

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.htm

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/

Raising Awareness: Maine’s Natural Resources

Authors Gayle Bodge and Meredyth Eufemia (GMRI)

Questions What important information about my natural resource or related

issue do I want to share with others? How can I share something in a creative and meaningful way?

Overview: Students have had the opportunity to explore issues and questions scientists are asking about local natural resources in A Maine Lobster Case Study (Option A) and Natural Resources in Your Watershed (Option B). Now they will have the opportunity to share these natural resources with their watershed community. Raising Awareness: Maine’s Natural Resources gives students the freedom to create their own project in which they’ll share Maine’s natural resources with their peers, parents, and community. They will celebrate what they have learned, and have a chance to take pride in their accomplishments. Using the guiding questions and the ideas we’ve shared below as inspiration, students will share their knowledge about the natural resource(s) they studied and/or the issues they face with their watershed community.

Standards:


C. The Scientific and Technological Enterprise: Students understand the history and nature of scientific knowledge and technology, the processes of inquiry and technological design, and the impacts science and technology have on society and the environment.

C3 Science, Technology, and Society

3-5 Students identify and describe the influences of science and technology on people and the environment.

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6-8 Students identify and describe the role of science and technology in addressing personal and societal challenges.

Social Studies

A Application of Social Studies Processes, Knowledge, and Skills

A3 Taking Action Using Social Studies Knowledge and Skills

3-5 Students select, plan, and participate in a civic action or service-learning project based on a classroom, school or local community asset or need, and describe evidence of the project’s effectiveness and civic contribution.

6-8 Students select, plan, and implement a civic action or service-learning project based on a school, community, or State asset or need, and analyze the project’s effectiveness and civic contribution.

Visual and Performing Arts

C Creative Problem-Solving

C1 Application of Creative Process

3-5 Students describe and apply steps of creative problem-solving.

6-8 Students describe and apply creative-thinking skills that are part of the creative problem-solving process.

Health and Physical Education

E2 Advocacy Skills6-8 Students describe ways to influence and support others in making positive health choices.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to decide what aspect of an issue is meaningful to themselves and others.

Students will be able to work as a team to accomplish a project/goal. Students will be able to connect with their community in sharing their

knowledge/message.

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Students will be proud of their accomplishments.

Grade Level: 5/6

Setting: ClassroomAnywhere

Activity Type:Class discussion

MaterialsPaper/Wipe/Chalk Board – somewhere to post ideasDepends upon students action plan

Time Needed3 class periods


Please Note: Student action plans are designed to give students ownership of their project and help them pass important information along to their communities. Allowing them to choose an action plan that is personalized to their experience and tailored to their interests will help encourage and engage students in communicating their knowledge to others.

As a class consider the following questions: What natural resource(s) did we investigate? How do Maine citizens rely on this natural resource? How do Maine citizens impact the health of this natural resource? How does this resource depend upon and/or impact a healthy watershed?

Your task is to raise awareness of the importance of this natural resource, or of an important issue it faces. Things to consider:

Who is your target audience? How and where can you best access your audience?

What aspect of your natural resource do you want to raise awareness about?

Refer back to the activity Renewable or Not to determine if your resource is renewable or non-renewable.

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Do you want to encourage the use or consumption of a local resource-based product?Do you want to increase awareness of an issue that affects your resource?

Do you want to challenge your audience to do something that would benefit your natural resource?

How will you raise awareness of the resource issue or question you have chosen to work on?Brainstorm ideas as a class, or check out our ideas and have your class choose:

Create a poster or pamphlet to display and/or distribute at your local grocery store, farmers market, etc.

Ask the location if they will post it. Decide as a class what should be included on the poster. Such as a description

of the natural resource or product, an explanation of why Maine citizens should support the natural resource, a story from someone in the industry, resource photos, maps, drawings, etc.

Create teams that will work to finish each section. Make sure that there is either a separate editing team or have teams switch products for editing.

When editing have students write what they like best, note what could be better and why, and check for accuracy, spelling, and grammar.

Produce a final project and display it.

Create a public service announcement (PSA) Determine the message that you want to share with your audience. Create a storyboard for your PSA that includes a script and description of the

visual you want to display. Include location, photos, and people. Film it yourself! Or perform it on your local radio/TV station. Edit your PSA. Include music, text overlays, special effects, and credits. Share your PSA. Post it to YouTube and share the link with families, the

school community, the natural resource industry, and/or local radio & TV stations. Promote it with a poster or pamphlet.

Check out the activity, Public Service Announcements (http://vitalventure.gmri.org/activities/public-service-announcements/) for a more detailed process on creating PSAs.

Community ChallengeWhat could Maine citizens in your community do to support this natural resource’s industry? Examples:

Buy local products (lobster, firewood, potatoes, etc.) Reduce negative impacts on the environment or natural resource by using

phosphate free fertilizers, using “green” cleaning products, planting buffer gardens, recycling, etc.

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http://vitalventure.gmri.org/activities/public-service-announcements/

Promote your challenge by hosting an event where your class or whole school carries out the challenge and/or shares your challenge via posters, pamphlets, and/or PSAs.

4. Are you impressed by Maine’s abundance of natural resources? Are you astounded by how many of these resources we use each year? Do you want to share these numbers with others through creating unique visual art?

For inspiration, check out how Chris Jordan (http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/rtn/#light-bulbs) has created visuals for things such as the number of paper bags used in grocery stores every hour, the amount of electricity lost each year due to inefficient residential use, and the number of aluminum cans used in the US every thirty seconds.

What kind of visual art could you create? Share your art with others by hosting an art night, distributing posters, etc.


How did you do? Did your reach your audience? Did you get any feedback from them? Did you work well as a team? Would you do anything differently next time? Did you have fun?!

Extension Ideas:

Resources:

References:http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/rtn/#light-bulbs

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issue statement: - gmri.orgmystery.gmri.org/files/media_manager/gmri_natural... · web view*if a...

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