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Wetland Habitats

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LSU AgCenter • 4-H Youth Wetlands Program • 2013

Grade Level

Upper Elementary

Duration

50-55 minutes

Setting

The classroom

Vocabulary

Habitat

Wetland

Salinity

Wetlands Taste Test Teacher Instructions

Focus/Overview

This lesson is designed to educate students about the different wetland

ecosystems found in Louisiana. The students will compare and contrast

these different habitats using their sense of taste.

Learning Objectives

The students will:

Learn the definitions of a wetland and an ecosystem

Learn how various salinity levels define wetland habitats

Taste water samples with various salinity levels and determine

what wetland habitat the water would likely have “come from”

GLEs Science

4th – (SI-E-A1, A2, A3, B4)

5th – (SI-M-A1), (LS-M-C3)

6th – (SI-M-A1, A2, A3, A7, B5)

English Language Arts

4th – (ELA-1-E5, E6)

5th – (ELA -4-M2)

6th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-7-M1), (ELA-4-M2)

Materials List

Four 2-liter bottles (teachers or students should bring from home

Small disposable cups or Dixie cups (teacher provides)

Salt (teacher provides)

Water (teacher provides)

Background Information

We are able to taste things, because we have “taste buds” on our tongues. Taste buds are on the

front, sides and back of the tongue. Taste buds allow us to determine if the food we eat is sweet,

sour, bitter or salty. The front taste buds taste the salty/sweet foods, the back taste buds taste the

bitter foods and the side taste buds taste the sour foods. The human tongue has almost 10,000

taste buds, and girls have more taste buds than boys. There are taste buds even on the roofs of

our mouths!

A habitat is defined as a location where plants and animals live. A wetland is a habitat type that

is defined as an area of land where soil is wet either permanently or seasonally, or a transitional

area between dry land and deep water (in essence, a “wet land”). There are different types of

wetland habitats found in Louisiana. Short descriptions of Louisiana’s wetlands are found below.

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For more information on Louisiana’s wetland habitats, as well as information on why

Louisiana’s wetlands are degrading, please see the General Wetland Information located at the

front of the curriculum binder.

Most of Louisiana’s wetland ecosystems are defined by the salinity of the water – the amount of

salt dissolved in the water. Salinity is measured in parts per thousand (or ppt). The average

salinity of the ocean is 32 parts of salt to 1,000 parts of water (or 32 ppt).

Louisiana Wetland Habitats

Swamp (salinity = 0 ppt) – any place holding water and having woody vegetation. In Louisiana,

cypress and tupelo gum are the most common trees found in a swamp. Swamps mostly contain

fresh water, but in Louisiana salt water is slowly creeping in.

Freshwater Marsh (salinity = 0-2 ppt) – areas that have no woody vegetation and are typically

holding fresh water. A freshwater marsh includes animals such as alligators, snakes, turtles,

minks, raccoons, otters, nutria, egrets, herons, ducks, bass, bluegills and grass shrimp, as well as

many insects.

Intermediate Marsh (salinity = 2-10 ppt) – a transitional zone between a freshwater and a

brackish marsh. Intermediate marshes have several types of plants that are found in both

freshwater marshes and the saltier marshes found near the Gulf of Mexico. The most common

plants are bull tongue, roseau cane and wiregrass. This is a great habitat to view a variety of

ducks and other water birds, snakes, alligators, some turtles, muskrats, raccoons, nutria and other

fur-bearing mammals.

Brackish Marsh (salinity = 10-20 ppt) – a marsh that mostly contains wire grass (Spartina

patents). It is a favorite habitat for waterfowl, and many salt-loving creatures begin to appear in

this marsh. This is one of the best habitats for blue crabs, redfish, speckled trout and fiddler

crabs.

Salt Marsh (salinity > 20 ppt) – a marsh that is flooded daily with saltwater tides. Specialized

plants have adapted to live in this habitat because of the high amount of salt in the water. The

plant most seen in this marsh is oyster grass (Spartina alternaflora). One tree that can take the

high amount of salt water is black mangrove. Fiddler crabs and oysters are common animals that

live in a salt marsh.

Definitions:

Wetland – an area of land where soil is really wet either permanently or seasonally. It often is a

transitional area between dry land and deep water.

Habitat – the type of environment in which an organism or group or organisms normally live or

occur.

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Salinity – the amount of salt in water measured in parts per thousand (ppt). Many of the

wetlands in Louisiana are primarily defined by the salinity levels found in the water.

Advance Preparation 1. Print out a copy of the student worksheet for every student in class.

2. Collect 4 jugs/jars that will hold at least 2 liters of water. Mark the jars with numbers 1,

2, 3 and 4.

3. Take the 2-liter bottle, fill it with drinking water (from faucet or fountain) and pour it

into a jug/jar. Assign the sample a number and record (for yourself) what number you

assigned this sample, which will not contain any added salt and thus will represent fresh

water. (Do not let the students know the salinity of the samples, because they will be

guessing which type of habitat it is from).

4. Fill the 2-liter bottle again and pour it into a second jug/jar. To this jar, stir in 1⅓

teaspoons of salt. Mix up the solution and label it with another number (1-4) that you

didn’t use for the first sample. Record this one as the “intermediate” sample.

5. Fill the 2-liter bottle for a third time and pour the water into a third jug/jar. Stir in 2

teaspoons of salt. Label this bottle with a number (1-4) you haven’t used and record it as

“brackish.”

6. Fill the 2-liter bottle a fourth time and pour the water into a fourth jug/jar. Stir in 4

teaspoons of salt. Label this bottle with the final number you haven’t used and record it

as “salt.”

(Below is a chart to explain the salinities of each solution.)

Solution Volume of Salt Volume of Water

Fresh water 0 ppt 2-liter

Intermediate 1⅓ teaspoons=6 ppt 2-liter

Brackish 2 teaspoons=12 ppt 2-liter

Salt 4 teaspoons=30 ppt 2-liter

Procedure

1. Using the information provided in the Background Material and the General Wetlands

Information found in the front of the curriculum binder, talk to the students about the

four different types of wetland ecosystems.

2. Explain that these ecosystems are different because of the different salinity levels found

in water.

3. Tell the students they will be taste testing the different levels of salinity found in

Louisiana marshes.

4. Tell the students that you have prepared the different levels of salinity in the four

jars/bottles, and they will taste each one and determine what type of marsh they think it

is.

5. Give the student’s time to sample all four water types and write down what they think

the salinity level is and what type of marsh the water came from.

6. Review the answers the students wrote on their worksheets and provide them with the

correct answers.

7. Now, have a small discussion with the students about the salinity levels and what

wetlands they belong in.

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Extension for Activity

If you would like to take your class through a more advanced lesson on salinity levels, see the

lesson “Density Dynamics” found in the Water section of the curriculum binder. That lesson

teaches students how to build their own hydrometers (devices that measures salinity) from

common household items.

Blackline Master

1. Wetlands Taste Test Data Sheet

Resources

Marsh Classroom Adventure. By Joy Levy Smith. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine and

Resources Department. South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.

http://nsgd.gso.uri.edu/scsgc/scsgce94001.pdf

Salinity table – www.csiro.au/resources/pfgr.html.

www.geography4kids.com/files/land_ecosystem.html

www.thinkquest.org/3750/taste/taste.html

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http://nsgd.gso.uri.edu/scsgc/scsgce94001.pdf

http://www.csiro.au/resources/pfgr.html

http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_ecosystem.html

http://www.thinkquest.org/3750/taste/taste.html

Youth Wetlands Program provided by LSU AgCenter

Wetlands Taste TestStudent Activity SheetName

Wetlands Taste Test Data Sheet:Taste the different samples of “wetland water” provided by your teacher. In the space below, write what you think the salinity is and what type of wetland the water came from. You can use the following choices:

• 0ppt=FreshwaterMarsh/Swamp• 6ppt=IntermediateMarsh• 12ppt=BrackishMarsh• 30ppt=SaltMarsh

Sample No. Salinity (ppt) Wetland Type Observations1

2

3

4

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Wetlands Taste Test in the T-3 Format

What You Say What You Do What The Students Do

Read over procedure in the

teacher section (blue pages)

and prepare the water

samples before beginning the

lesson.

There are wetlands all across

the state. Along our coastline,

there is a specific type of

wetland called a “marsh.”

A marsh is a type of wetland

that is described by the

grasses that grow in it.

Review the wetlands habitat

types in the background

portion of this lesson and in

the General Wetlands

Information at the front of

the binder.

Students will talk about what

they know about wetlands

and, more specifically,

marshes.

There are four main marsh

habitat types that we will

discuss today. They are

defined primarily by their

salinity. Do you know what

salinity means?

Students will answer the

salinity question.

Salinity means the amount of

salt dissolved in the water.

Salinity is measured in parts

per thousand (or ppt). The

average salinity of the ocean

is 32 parts of salt to 1,000

parts of water (or 32 ppt).

There are four major marsh

habitat types that are defined

by their salinity – fresh,

intermediate, brackish and

salt.

Review the marsh habitats

found in the beginning of this

section and explain those

types to the students.

Especially focus on the

salinities of each marsh

habitat.

In front of me I have four

water samples. They are

mixed to represent water

from four different wetland

types. Today, you will taste

the habitat types and

Hand out a small cup and the

student worksheet to each

student.

Students will collect the

items and prepare to do the

experiment.

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determine what the salinity is

and what wetland type the

water came from.

Give the students time to

sample all four water types

and write down what they

think the salinity level is and

what type of wetland the

water would have come from.

Students will sample the

water and determine what

they think the salinity is and

what habitat type the water

would be from.

Review the answers the

students wrote on their

worksheets and provide them

with the correct answers.

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Grade Level

Upper Elementary

Duration

50-55 minutes

Setting

Gym or

Outdoors

Vocabulary

Erosion

Saltwater Intrusion

Wetland Red Rover Teacher Instructions

Focus/Overview

This lesson will teach students about one of the primary

reasons Louisiana’s coasts are eroding – saltwater intrusion.

They will learn this by planning a game similar to “Red

Rover.”

Learning Objectives

The students will:

Understand and discuss saltwater intrusion as a primary

cause of wetland loss in Louisiana.

Learn about wetland loss by playing a game that

promotes physical fitness.

GLEs Science

4th – (SI-E-A1, B6), (ESS-E-A1, A4)

5th – (LS-M-C3), (ESS-M-A7), (SE-M-A4)

6th – (SI-M-A1)

7th – (LS-M-D2), (SE-M-A4, A8)

8th – (ESS-M-A8), (SE-M-A3, A4, A10)


4th – (ELA-7-E4), (ELA-4-E1, E5)

5th – (ELA-4-M2, M4)

6th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)

7th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)

8th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)

Physical Education

4th – (1-E-1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1)

7th – (1-M-1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2)


Current estimates show Louisiana loses wetlands the size of a football field every 38

minutes. There are a variety of reasons why Louisiana’s coastline is eroding. Those

include Mississippi River levees, subsidence, sea level rise and saltwater intrusion from

channels and canals.

This lesson focuses on one cause of wetland loss – saltwater intrusion, or the movement

of salt water into a freshwater environment. This can cause irreparable ecological damage

because the salt water kills the plants living in the freshwater environment. Without those

plants (or specifically their important root structures) there is nothing to hold the

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sediment in place, and the land begins to erode. Saltwater intrusion can happen through

natural processes, like when storm surge or hurricanes dump a large quantity of salt water

onto freshwater environments. It also can result from human interactions, such as oil field

canals and shipping channels.

In this lesson, students will be divided into two teams. One group will be the “salt water,”

and one group will be Louisiana’s coastline. They will play a game of “Red Rover” to see

which side will win – the land or the salt water.

See the General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more

explanation about saltwater intrusion and other causes of wetland loss in Louisiana.

Definitions:

Erosion – Natural processes, including weathering, dissolution, abrasion, corrosion and

transportation, by which soil and sediment is worn away from the Earth's surface.

Saltwater Intrusion – The movement of salt water into another environment, such as a

freshwater marsh. This can be caused by natural disturbances, such as hurricanes, or from

human alteration of the environment from shipping channels and oil field canals.

Advance Preparation

1. Locate a space where the game can be played – either the schoolyard or the gym.

Procedure

1. Divide the students into two separate-but-equal groups. One will be the coast of

Louisiana, and the other will be the Gulf of Mexico.

2. Tell the students that the Gulf of Mexico group will represent salt water that is

trying to cut into Louisiana’s coast and erode away the wetlands. The salt water

can come in from hurricanes, oil field canals or shipping channels.

3. Tell the students that the Louisiana coast group will represent the land that is

being lost along the coast of Louisiana and that it is their job to defend the coast

and try to increase the amount of land. This will keep our homes safe from

hurricanes and will help keep the fisheries and the environment of the state

healthy.

4. Have the two teams line up facing each other and hold hands. Leave about 20 feet

between the two lines.

5. Explain to the students that everyone needs to be careful when playing this game.

It is very easy to get hurt.

6. The Gulf of Mexico side will go first by calling out to the Louisiana coast team:

“Wetland coast, wetland coast, let [student’s name] come over.”

7. The student who is called will run toward the Gulf of Mexico side.

o If that student is successful in breaking the hands of two students on the

Gulf of Mexico line, the student can bring one person back to the coast of

Louisiana line. Explain to the students that the state of Louisiana just scored

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a victory and has built more land which will protect our homes, jobs and

environment.

o If the student who ran toward the Gulf of Mexico line does not break the

hands of the students on that side, the student who ran will have to stay on

the Gulf of Mexico line (indicating a portion of the coast was eroded away).

8. The Louisiana coast team will go next by calling out to a student from the Gulf of

Mexico line saying: “Salt water, salt water, let [student’s name] come over.”

9. The student who is called will run toward the Louisiana coast team.

o If the student is successful in breaking the hands of the two students on the

Louisiana coast team, the student can bring one person back to the Gulf of

Mexico line. Explain to the students that the Gulf of Mexico just eroded

away a portion of the coast from saltwater intrusion.

o If the student who ran toward the Louisiana coast team does not break the

hands of the students, the student who ran will have to stay on the Louisiana

coast team’s side (indicating a portion of the coast was restored).

10. The game will continue until one side has collected all the students, or until time

runs out.

11. Upon returning to the classroom, have the students reflect on what they learned by

playing Wetland Red Rover.

Extension for Activity

In addition to the regular ways a student is released to run at the other group, another

option is to have the groups be able to call more than one student over at a time.

Gulf of Mexico Line can call over more students for the following reasons

Open up levees (allowing more sediment in) – 3 students

Planting marsh grass – 2 students

Dredging (pumping) sediment on the coast – 2 students

Build gates to keep out salt water – 1 student

Coast of Louisiana side can call over more students for the following reasons:

Hurricanes – 3 students

Tropical storm – 2 students

Shipping channel – 2 students

Oil field canal – 1 student

Resources

CWPtionary – Saltwater Intrusion - http://www.lacoast.gov/WATERMARKS/1996b-

fall/6cwptionary/

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http://www.lacoast.gov/WATERMARKS/1996b-fall/6cwptionary/

http://www.lacoast.gov/WATERMARKS/1996b-fall/6cwptionary/


Wetland Red Rover in the T-3 Format

What You Say What You Do What the Students Do

Today we will be going

outside to play a game that

will teach us about one of the

primary causes of wetland

loss in coastal Louisiana –

saltwater intrusion.

Does anyone know what

saltwater intrusion is?

Talk about what they know

about saltwater intrusion and

land loss in coastal

Louisiana.

Use the information at the

beginning of the lesson and

the General Wetlands

Information at the front of

the curriculum binder to fully

explain wetland loss in

Louisiana and, more

specifically, coastal erosion.

Now that we understand

saltwater intrusion and why it

is hurting our wetlands, let’s

head outside and play

“Wetland Red Rover.”

Lead the students out to an

open area or to a gym to play

Wetlands Red Rover.

Students will head out of the

classroom to play Wetland

Red Rover.

I am going to divide you into

two groups. Once you are in

your groups, form a line

facing the other group.

Divide the students into two

teams. One team will be the

Gulf of Mexico, and the other

team will be the Louisiana

coast.

Form two groups.

The Gulf of Mexico group

will represent salt water that

is trying to cut into

Louisiana’s coast and erode

the wetlands. The salt water

can come in from hurricanes,

oil field canals or shipping

channels.

The Louisiana coast group

will represent the land that is

Students will form two lines

and face each other.

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being lost along the coast of

Louisiana. It is your job to

defend the coast and try to

increase the amount of land.

This will keep our homes safe

from hurricanes and will help

keep the fisheries and the

environment of the state

healthy.

The Gulf of Mexico team will

go first by calling out:

“Wetland coast, wetland

coast, let [student’s name]

come over.”

The student whose name is

called will run toward the

Gulf of Mexico team.

If that student is successful in

breaking the hands of two

students on the Gulf of

Mexico line, the student can

bring one person back to the

coast of Louisiana line.

The state of Louisiana just

scored a victory and has built

more land, which will protect

our homes, jobs and

environment.

If the student who ran toward

the Gulf of Mexico line does

not break the hands of the

students, the student who ran

will have to stay on the Gulf

of Mexico line

A portion of the coast just

eroded away.

Now it is the Louisiana coast

team’s turn. They will go

next by calling out to a

student from the Gulf of

Mexico line saying:

“Salt water, salt water, let

[student’s name] come

over.”

The student who is called

will run toward the Louisiana

coast team.

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If the student is successful in

breaking the hands of two

students on the Louisiana

coast team, the student can

bring one person back to the

Gulf of Mexico line.

The Gulf of Mexico just

eroded away a portion of the

coast from saltwater

intrusion.

If the student who ran toward

the Louisiana coast team does

not break the hands of the

students, the student who ran

will have to stay on the

Louisiana coast team’s side.

A portion of the coast was

restored!

The game will continue until

one side has collected all the

students – demonstrating

either that Louisiana’s coast

was restored or the Gulf of

Mexico eroded it away.

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Grade Level

Upper Elementary

Middle School

Duration

50-55 minutes

Setting

The classroom

Vocabulary

Metaphor

Wetland Function

Wetland Value

Biodiversity

Primary Productivity

Wetland Metaphors Teacher Instructions

Focus/Overview

This lesson introduces the students to the many functions and

values of wetlands. This activity can actually be completed

twice. Use the activity as a teaser to see what students know

about wetlands before completing the comprehensive curriculum

activities. You can then do this exercise at the end of the year or

when all wetland lessons have been taught to see what

knowledge the students have gained!

Learning Objectives

The students will:

Describe the characteristics of a wetland

Identify the ecological functions of a wetland

Appreciate the values of wetlands to humans and wildlife

GLEs Science

4th – (S1-E-A1, A3, B6),

5th – (LS-M-C3)

6th – (SI-M-A1)

7th – (SI-M-A7), (LS-M-D2), (SE-M-A1)

8th – SE-M-A4)


4th – (ELA-1-E5, E6), (ELA-4-E5), (ELA-7-E4)

5th – (ELA-4-M2, M4)

6th – (ELA-4-M1, M2)

7th – (ELA-4-M1, M2), (ELA-7-M4)

8th – (ELA-4-M2)

Materials List Sponge

Small pillow (teacher provides)

Whisk

Baby’s bottle

Strainer

Coffee filter (100 pack provided)

Antacid medicine

Bar of soap

Pillowcase (teacher provides)

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See the General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more

information on wetland habitats and why Louisiana’s wetlands are important.

From a purely biological viewpoint, wetlands are production machines, out-producing

most other ecosystems several times over. Plant material (termed primary productivity) is

produced in huge quantities, and it supports a complex food web made up of all kinds of

consumers: worms, insects, spiders, fish, reptiles and amphibians, crustaceans, birds and

mammals. Detritus, or dead and dying plant and animal material, actually makes up the

food source for most of the primary consumers in the food web. This productivity results

in a huge variety of animal life.

Migrating ducks and geese depend on wetlands for resting and feeding during their long

annual treks. Loss of wetlands means loss of waterfowl populations. The coastal wetlands

of Louisiana are also a crucial stopover point for neotropical (from tropical South

America) birds as they make their migrations in the spring and fall. They stop to feed and

rest along coastal cheniers and ridges, giving birders an opportunity to see unusual and

colorful species.

A number of endangered and threatened species also depend on wetlands for their

survival. Nationwide, 79 wetland plant and animal species are listed as threatened or

endangered. The bald eagle and the brown pelican are the best known of the recovering

species that reside in the wetlands of Louisiana, but there are others, including several

species of sea turtles and fish.

The marshes provide nutrition and shelter for numerous marine species that complete part

of their life cycle in the coastal wetlands and the remainder in the open water of the Gulf

of Mexico. Some species are economically, as well as biologically, important. All of this

adds up to an incredible diversity of plant and animal species supported by our coastal

wetlands and represents high levels of biodiversity.

The Major Wetland Habitats of Louisiana

Bottomland hardwood and natural ridge habitats represent the higher wet habitats of the

estuary. The land is higher and the soils are better drained. Trees, such as hackberry,

palmetto, and live oak, thrive. Animals that prefer dry land, including rabbits, deer,

armadillos, squirrels, raccoons, box turtles and king snakes, occupy these habitats.

Humans have also occupied these habitats more than any of the others, converting the

forest to farmland and urban areas.

Swamp habitat may be defined as forested wetland, flooded for a large part of the year.

The dominant vegetation includes bald cypress, swamp tupelo gum and red maple, three

species adapted to living in flooded conditions. The animals found in the swamp are also

adapted to wetter conditions. They include alligators and turtles, herons and egrets, nutria

and swamp rabbits.

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Freshwater marsh habitat is characterized by its wide variety of herbaceous plant

species, including bulltongue, giant cut grass, water lilies and pickerelweed. Many

species of birds, frogs, fish, snakes and other reptiles inhabit the freshwater marshes.

Intermediate marsh habitat is a transition zone between freshwater and brackish marsh

habitats. Though it has the largest number of furbearers, it has fewer species than the

freshwater habitat but more than the brackish habitat.

Brackish marsh habitat is characterized by having far fewer species of herbaceous

plants than the freshwater marsh. Plants living in brackish marsh must be able to tolerate

changing salinity levels as salt water and fresh water mix. The dominant species of plant

is wire grass. Common animal species include otter, mink, ibis, white pelicans, blue crabs

and shrimp.

A saltwater marsh is a more specialized habitat where fewer species are adapted to

living in the harsh conditions. The dominant vegetation is oyster grass, also called

smooth cordgrass or scientifically, Spartina alterniflora. Other plants include black rush

and black mangrove. The salt marsh snail lives on the stems of the oyster grass, and

oysters, shrimp, crabs and numerous species of fish abound beneath the water. The

saltwater marsh is the nursery ground for many Gulf species. Brown pelicans also are

seen feeding with gulls and terns.

Bays and lakes can lie on the edge of a salt marsh. Most of the life here is found beneath

the water, as any fisherman knows. Redfish, shrimp, blue crabs, flounder and oysters are

some of the many species living in these habitats.

Finally, barrier islands represent another important wetland habitat in Louisiana. The

barrier island habitat is harsh; the species there are adapted to an unstable, salty

environment. On one side, a barrier island is made up of a beach and low sand dunes

inhabited by grasses and shrubs including groundsel and iva. The other side of barrier

islands is dominated by salt marsh habitats. Barrier islands are subject to rapid erosion

rates and frequent storms, but they are very important, specialized habitats for many

species, particularly seabirds.

Definitions:

Metaphor – A figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that

it does not literally denote, in order to suggest a similarity.

Wetland Function – Properties that a wetland naturally provides.

Wetland Value – Properties of a wetland that are valuable to humans.

Biodiversity – The number of different species of organisms in a particular environment.

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One way to explain the importance of biodiversity is to ask the students to imagine the

ecosystem as a city bustling with “people” all taking care of the multitudes of jobs that

need to be done every day. Plants are converting sunlight to energy; insects are

converting plant matter to energy; decomposers, detritivores and scavengers are tearing

down dead, decaying material to make nutrients available for new plants and animals.

Biodiversity means there are enough kinds of organisms to do all of the jobs in an

ecosystem (city). If biodiversity is diminished, some jobs go undone and the ecosystem is

altered. It might be compared to when an essential group of workers goes on strike and

life becomes difficult for everyone. Biodiversity is also important to humans because of

the contribution to medicine and genetics-related research.

Primary Productivity – The production of new plant material; a measurement of plant

production, which is the start/bottom of the food chain.

Advance Preparation

1. Tape a piece of butcher paper to the board, or write on a transparency so you can

keep the students’ answer for a later date.

2. Make sure all materials are in the box for the activity.

3. Divide the students into groups of four or five.

Procedure

1. Tell the students that today we will discuss the values and functions of wetlands.

2. Ask students to give some of the values of the wetlands; as they do this write their

answers on the paper.

3. Now ask the students to list important functions of the wetlands. Write these on

the paper as well.

4. Discuss the fact that sometimes the values and functions are hard to separate

because they are so interrelated.

5. Pass out the mystery objects from the wetland metaphor box.

6. Do students know what a metaphor is? If not, please explain.

7. Give the students 10 minutes to discuss the metaphor objects in their groups.

8. Ask each group to tell the class the object they have and how it is a metaphor to

the wetlands.

9. Allow the class to discuss and give additional metaphors for objects outside of

their group.

10. Can students imagine life without the wetlands and without the functions and

values they provide? What would change? Would life be worse or better or not so

different?

Resources

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. Wetland Metaphors.

http://www.btnep.org

Kesselheim, A.S., Slattery, B.E. (1995). WOW! The wonders of wetlands. St Michaels,

MD: Environmental Concern Inc. (Lesson adapted from WOW! The wonders of wetlands)

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Wetland Metaphors in the T-3 Format


Louisiana has an abundance of

wetlands. In fact, coastal

Louisiana has 40% of the

coastal wetlands in the United

States, excluding Alaska. When

something is abundant, we

sometimes take it for granted

and may not appreciate it as

much as we should. Although

we have more wetlands than

any other state, we are also

losing our wetlands at a faster

rate than anywhere else. We

experience 80% of the

country’s coastal wetland loss.

Let’s list the values of our

wetlands to humans and

wildlife.

Write the list of values on

the board, easel or

overhead transparency.

Students list values of

wetlands of which they

are aware.

Wetlands also perform

important functions in the

environment that we may not

think are valuable to us but

help to keep ecological balance.

Can you list some of these

functions?

Some functions also appear on

the values list. It’s hard to

separate functions and values

because they’re interrelated.

Write the list of functions

on the board, easel or

overhead transparency.

Students list ecological

functions about which

they are aware.

Now we’re going to increase

our list of wetland functions

and value by the use of

metaphors.

Does anyone know what a

metaphor is?

Use common objects in the

classroom to help the

students come up with their

own metaphors.

Students define

metaphor if they can.

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A metaphor is a term

connecting one thing or idea

with another. You can use

metaphors to help explain the

meaning of something.

Sometimes you have to be

creative to see the relationship

in a metaphor. A metaphor for

a cactus might be a pincushion.

A beaver might be an engineer.

Can you think of other

metaphors?

I’m going to bring an object to

each pair or group. Your job is

to use your knowledge of the

values and functions of

wetlands to come up with the

function or value that your

object represents. After you

have decided, each group will

share its idea with the class.

Allow enough time for

discussion of metaphors before

stopping the group and asking

the students to share.

Divide the students into

groups of two or three (up

to 12 groups) and pass out

the objects from your

“mystery” metaphor bag or

box.

Write the functions and

values represented by the

objects on the board, easel

pad, etc.

Students share their ideas

with the rest of the class.

Students discuss the

metaphorical connection

between the object and a

function or value of

wetlands.

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Grade Levels

Upper Elementary

Middle School

Duration

50-55 minutes

Setting

The classroom

Vocabulary

Bioindicator

Macroinvertebrates

Nonpoint-source

pollution

Point-source pollution

Pollutant

Pollution

Surface runoff

Turbidity

Watershed basin

Bioindicator Bugs Teacher Instructions

Focus/Overview

Students will learn how to indirectly determine the pollution level

of a freshwater body by investigating the type of aquatic animals

living in it. Aquatic macroinvertebrates can be used as

bioindicators to initially assess a system’s health. Students will

also discuss ways they can help improve the health of local water

bodies.

Learning Objectives

The students will:

Become familiar with the local watershed.

Learn about different types of pollution and how those

enter our waterways.

Discover how to use macroinvertebrates as an indicator of

pollution based on tolerance levels to pollution.

Calculate a pollution index based on number and type of

animals found.

Discuss ways to reduce the amount of pollution getting into

local waterways.

GLEs Science

4th – (SI-E-A1, A2), (LS-E-C2)

5th – (SI-M-A1, A2, A3, A4), (LS-M-D1), (SE-M-A2)


4th – (ELA-1-E6), (ELA-3-E1, E2, E3), (ELA-4-E2), (ELA-5-E6), (ELA-7-E2)

5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2)

6th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-3-M2, M3, M4), (ELA-4-M2), (ELA-7-M4)

7th – (ELA-3-M2), (ELA-4-M2), (ELA-7-M2, M4)

8th – (ELA-1-M4), (ELA-3-M2), (ELA-4-M2), (ELA7-M2)

Materials List

Internet (optional)


See General Wetlands Information at the front of the curriculum binder for more information

on Louisiana’s wetlands and wetland conservation.

The Clean Water Act of 1972 was enacted to regulate water pollution in the United States. In the

beginning, the focus of permitting and regulation was on point-source pollution, including

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industrial facilities, large businesses and large agricultural farms. In the 1980s, however, the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that nonpoint-source pollution also was

contributing greatly to the impairment of water bodies. Nonpoint-source pollution is not the

result of one particular business or one particular person. Instead, it is the pollution that

accumulates in parking lots, roadways, ditches and your own backyard. The EPA relies on

communities and individuals, like you, to help reduce the amount of nonpoint-source pollutants

that come from various types of land uses. Examples of projects include planting wetland

vegetation, picking up trash, awareness programs for proper disposal of vehicle and household

chemicals, storm drain stenciling and proper backyard management.

Water pollution leads to the degradation of critical aquatic habitats such as our lakes, rivers,

wetlands and oceans. Nonpoint-source pollutants such as those from surface runoff (e.g.,

rainfall events or overwatering of lawns and gardens) travel over and through the ground,

entering nearby ponds, streams and lakes and eventually making their way to rivers and finally to

the ocean. The first inch of rainfall runoff carries 90 percent of the pollutants and causes at least

half of all water quality problems. Some of these pollutants include trash, fertilizers, pesticides,

vehicle chemicals (oil, brake fluid, antifreeze), sediment (soil) and animal feces (fecal

coliforms).

The first step in determining if your local water bodies are polluted is to determine what types of

aquatic animals live in them. All plants and animals need certain things to survive. Some animals

may prefer to eat worms, while other animals prefer to eat flies. Similarly, some animals may be

able to tolerate conditions that others cannot. For example, the penguin prefers to swim in the icy

cold waters of the Antarctic, while alligators prefer the warm coastal waters of Louisiana.

Macroinvertebrates are no exception! Some of these animals can tolerate polluted waters, but

others cannot. Because only certain types of animals can survive in polluted waters, these

animals are sampled by scientists and used a bioindicators.

Definitions:

Bioindicator – a species used to monitor the health of an environment.

Macroinvertebrates – an invertebrate that is large enough to see without a microscope.

Nonpoint-source pollution – water pollution from a variety of diffuse and indistinguishable

sources.

Point-source pollution – pollution from a single, identifiable, distinct source.

Pollutant – a waste material that pollutes air, soil or water.

Pollution – introduction of contaminants into an environment that cause reduced health of an

ecosystem.

Surface runoff (runoff) – water flow that occurs when soils are infiltrated to full capacity and

excess water from rain, snowmelt or other sources flows over the land.

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Turbidity – cloudiness of a fluid caused by individual particles.

Watershed basin – an area of land where water from rain or snowmelt flows downhill into a

body of water.

Advance Preparation

1. Print out pictures of Louisiana watersheds and the watershed drawing to show to

students. (Both can be drawn on the board or projected for better viewing.)

2. Make copies of student worksheets.

Procedure

1. Review the Background Information with the students and lead a class discussion on

pollutants, especially those found in our water bodies.

2. Ask students to define pollution aloud and list as many forms (pollutants) as they can.

Examples given should include nonpoint-source and point-source pollution.

a. Write these pollutants on the board for the entire class.

Below are some major pollutants and their effects on waterways:

Pollutant Sources Negative Effects

Sediment (dirt, soil, clay, sand) Construction sites,

agricultural lands

Clouds water (increased

turbidity), resulting in reduced

sunlight penetration and oxygen

in water

Fertilizer (excess nutrients) Farms, backyards Algal blooms (low dissolved

oxygen)

Pathogens (pesticides, oil, other

car fluids, chemicals)

Parking lots, driveways,

chemical plants

Reduced plant and animal

health

Trash/debris Roadways Clogged drainage ways, reduced

animal health or death

Fecal coliforms Farms, sewage Algal blooms (low dissolved

oxygen), human health risks

3. Tell students that Louisiana is divided into 12 main watersheds or drainage basins.

4. Show students the map of Louisiana river basins (on board or projected) and have them

determine which main watershed their school or city is located in.

a. Optional: You can have the students use the Internet to research your local watershed

further. Also, see the lessons “Watersheds” and “Create Your Own Watershed” for

more information.

5. Tell students that within their local watershed, all water from rainfall, snowmelt, ponds,

streams and rivers ends up in the same large river or may flow directly into the Gulf of

Mexico (for those in the South). This means ANY pollutant, whether it be backyard

waste, manure from farms, or trash, can eventually end up in our rivers and the Gulf of

Mexico.

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6. Show students (on board or projected) the diagram of how water travels within a

watershed. The overall message from this diagram is that when rainfall events occur, the

pond water may overflow into nearby streams and rivers.

7. Explain to students that they can determine the health of a waterway based on the

macroinvertebrates they find living in it.

a. Note: This is an indirect measurement and does not tell you the type of pollution or

the amount. Other water quality techniques would be used to give more quantitative

results.

8. Tell students that different macroinvertebrates can tolerate different levels of pollution.

Some cannot survive in polluted waters, while some can survive in slightly polluted

waters and others can survive in extremely polluted waters. By collecting samples of the

macroinvertebrates living in the water, we can begin to determine the health of the

waterway.

9. Read this to students: “A local biologist has been monitoring the water quality of the

local streams and rivers. Last week, she noticed a spike in the pollution level of one of the

streams. She knows there is not a chemical plant or other facility nearby to dump waste

into the waterway, so she figures the pollution must be the result of a nonpoint source.

Adjacent to the stream are three neighborhoods, each of which has its own pond that the

residents use for fishing and boating. When it rains, the water travels from these ponds to

the local stream that was found to have high pollution levels. It is your job to determine

which of these ponds is most polluted and therefore could be the one contributing to this

nonpoint-source pollution. You will do this based on the types of macroinvertebrates you

find in each pond.”

10. Pass out the Pond Assessment worksheets. Students can work individually or in groups of

two.

11. Tell students to use the Pollution Tolerance Levels of Macroinvertebrates Key to

determine which pollution tolerance group each animal belongs to in each pond.

12. Have students mark a 1, 2 or 3 next to each animal on the Pond Assessment worksheet,

indicating which tolerance group the animal belongs to.

13. Explain how the health of the pond is determined:

a. The basic concept is that the lowest pollution tolerance group present indicates the

health.

b. If animals from the lowest tolerance group (Group 1) were present, the pond is in

GOOD HEALTH.

c. If no animals from Group 1 were present, but animals from the semi-tolerant group

(Group 2) were present, the pond is in FAIR HEALTH.

d. If only animals from the tolerant group (Group 3) were present, the pond is in POOR

HEALTH.

14. Based on the numbers they assigned each animal, have students determine the health of

each of the three ponds.

a. Answer: Lakeview is FAIR; Willow is POOR; and Bluefield if GOOD.

15. After they determine the health of all three ponds, students should complete the Pond

Health Report worksheet regarding what they would report to the local biologist. (Make

sure they aren’t trying to determine the type of pollution or amount; this cannot be done

using macroinvertebrates.)

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16. Discuss their worksheet answers as a class and decide together what the next step would

be.

a. Other analyses could be conducted to determine the source of the pollution, including

visual surveys, water quality tests (pH, nutrient amounts, dissolved oxygen) and

collecting water samples to send off to a scientific lab (to determine pollutant type).

17. Have an open discussion with students concerning how they would be able to help

improve the waterway’s health after knowing what the pollutant was.

a. Consider having students organize an activity to improve the health of a local water

body.

See table for possible pollutants and ways to improve health:

Pollutant Remedy

Trash/debris Organize a trash bash.

Vehicle fluids: oil, brake fluid, antifreeze Plant wetland vegetation around perimeter

of pond to act as a filter.

Excessive nitrogen and phosphorous Education and outreach to residents about

fertilizer use in the backyard.

Bacterial overload Educate residents about picking up their

dog’s feces. Also, investigate whether there

is a nearby farm and talk with the farmer

about management practices.

Too much soil in water column (turbidity) Plant grasses and wetland vegetation to

keep soil from eroding into pond.

Blackline Masters

1. Louisiana River Basins

2. Diagram of a Watershed

3. Pond Assessment Worksheet

4. Pollution Tolerance Levels of Macroinvertebrates

Resources

Environmental Protection Agency

http://www.epa.gov/bioindicators/html/benthosclean.html

http://www.epa.gov/owow_keep/NPS/index.html

http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/lcwa.html

http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/index.cfm

http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/watewaterpollution.html

http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=6

The Global Water Sampling Project

http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/waterproj/macros.shtml

The Groundwater Foundation

http://www.groundwater.org/kc/kc.html

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Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education – Online

PowerPoint on using Macroinvertebrates as Bioindicators

http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/education/stream/Macroinvertebrate.pdf

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Bioindicator Bugs Student Activity Sheet

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Bioindicator Bugs Student Activity Sheet

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Bioindicator Bugs Student Activity SheetName

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Pond Assessment Worksheet Directions: Complete the following questions to provide a pond health report to your local biologist.

1.What are the pond names and what did you determine to be the health of each?

Pond name Health____________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ _______________________________

2.How did you determine this? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.What types of pollutants might you find in the ponds? (Remember: These ponds are found in neighborhoods.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.What steps would you take next to determine exactly which pollutants are in the polluted pond(s)? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.What could you do to improve the health of the pond(s) that are not in good health?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(continued)

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Bioindicator Bugs in the T-3 Format


Today we will be learning about

pollution and how we can use

aquatic animals to determine if a

water body is polluted.

Can anyone tell me what

pollution is?

What are some examples of

pollution?

Use background

information to lead students

in this discussion.

Write examples on board.

Students define pollution

and give examples.

There are two types of pollution:

point-source and nonpoint-source.

Point-source pollution comes

from a known location or output,

whereas nonpoint-source

pollution comes from discrete

locations, such as backyards,

roadways, ditches and parking

lots. Nonpoint-source pollution

makes its way to our waterways

via rainwater. As rainwater travels

over land, it picks up nonpoint-

source pollutants (e.g., vehicle

discharges, fertilizer, soil,

herbicides, etc.).

Use the background

information to define these

two types for students.

Probe students for

examples.

Separate examples into

point-source or nonpoint-

source.

Listen and give examples

of nonpoint-source

pollutants that may be on

the streets, in their

backyards or from

agricultural farms.

Have students copy down

the examples and whether

they are point-source or

nonpoint-source.

Can anyone tell me what a

watershed is?

Can you give an example or do

you know which watershed you

live in?

A watershed includes an area in

which all of the water (including

that from rainfall, ponds, lakes,

rivers and streams) flows and

ends up in the same water body.

Many times it is a larger river, or

it may be the Gulf of Mexico.

Use the information and

pictures to guide students to

understand what a

watershed is.

Show the picture of

Louisiana watersheds to

students or pull it up on

your projector (Louisiana

Department of

Environmental Quality

website).

Listen and observe.

Determine which

watershed they reside in.

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Let’s draw an example of a

watershed to determine how the

water may travel.

Draw the watershed

diagram on the board and

show how water travels

downhill from smaller water

bodies to larger ones and

eventually the sea.

Show how rainfall would

occur, flowing over the land

and into ponds and then into

nearby rivers or streams.

Copy down the watershed

diagram.

Because rainfall brings pollution

to our local waterways and our

waterways end up flowing into

the Gulf of Mexico, it is

important that we monitor how

healthy our local waterways are.

One way to do this is to sample

the types of aquatic animals that

are living in our ponds, rivers and

streams. The animals are called

macroinvertebrates and are bugs

that live partly or fully in water.

Different macroinvertebrates can

tolerate different levels of

pollution. Some cannot survive in

polluted waters, but some can. By

sampling for these animals, we

can begin to determine if the

water body is healthy or not

Use the background

information to enhance what

you tell students.

Also read the blurb from

procedure No. 7 to

introduce the idea of

sampling.

Listen.

Imagine that we went out to these

three neighborhood ponds and

scooped up macroinvertebrates to

identify. The first worksheet

shows you which animals we

found in each pond.

The second worksheet, titled

Pollution Tolerance Levels of

Macroinvertebrates, shows you

which group – Group 1, Group 2

or Group 3 – the animal belongs

to.

Pass out worksheets.

Students can work in groups

of two or individually.

Listen and ask questions

about how to complete the

worksheets.

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Macroinvertebrates in Group 1

cannot tolerate pollution. In

Group 2, the animals can tolerate

a little pollution, and in Group 3,

they can tolerate a lot of

pollution.

Use the Pollution Tolerance

Levels of Macroinvertebrates Key

to determine which group each

critter belongs to.

Next to each macroinvertebrate

on your Pond Assessment

Worksheet, write a 1, 2 or 3.

Make sure students

understand to mark on the

Pond Assessment

worksheet.

Mark group number next

to macroinvertebrate on

Pond Assessment

worksheet.

Now, based on the critters we

found and the group they are in,

let’s determine the health of each

neighborhood pond.

(The basic concept is that the

lowest pollution tolerance group

present indicates the health. )

First, next to each pond, write

which groups are represented by

the animals.

If animals from the lowest

tolerance group (Group 1)

were present, the pond is

in GOOD HEALTH.

If no animals from Group

1 were present but animals

from the semi-tolerant

group (Group 2) were

present, the pond is in

FAIR HEALTH.

If only animals from the

tolerant group (Group 3)

were present, the pond is

in POOR HEALTH.

Work slowly through the

descriptions.

Read through the bullet

points describing how to

determine health and have

them answer aloud what

they think about the health

of each pond.

Answer: Lakeview is FAIR;

Willow is POOR; and

Bluefield if GOOD.

Students look over each

pond and write which

groups of

macroinvertebrates are

present.

Determine the health of

the ponds.

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We need to now answer some

questions that the local biologist

sent over about the health of these

ponds.

Answer Questions 1, 2 and 3.

Pass out the Pond Health

Report to Local Biologist.

Students can work

independently, in groups of

two or as a whole class.

Students should answer

questions 1, 2 and 3 on the

worksheet.

OK, we now know the health of

the ponds, but there is so much

more about the polluted ponds

that we don’t know.

We don’t know what types of

pollutants are in the ponds. We

only know that one of the ponds

is unhealthy. What other tests

could we run to find out more

information about the ponds?

Probe students to think

about other water tests that

can be used to get a better

idea of the pond’s health.

Other analyses could be

conducted to determine the

source of the pollution,

including visual surveys,

water quality tests (pH,

nutrient amounts, dissolved

oxygen) and collecting

water samples to send off to

a scientific lab (to

determine pollutant types)

Students will listen and

answer aloud as you probe

them.

Answer question 4 on the

worksheet.

There is so much that you and I

can do to improve the health of

our local ponds and rivers. Can

you think of some things?

Allow students to answer

aloud and probe for more

solutions based on the table

at the end of the procedure.

Consider doing a service-

learning project with your

students. Call one of the

LSU AgCenter Youth

Wetlands Program agents;

they can provide materials

and guidance.

Discuss ideas for reducing

pollutants and improving

local water body health.

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Grade Level

Upper Elementary

Middle School

High School

Duration

50-55 minutes

Setting

The classroom

Vocabulary

Carnivore

Secondary Consumer

Tertiary Consumer

Omnivores

Scavengers

Detritivores

Producers

Herbivores

Wetland Webs Teacher Instructions

Focus/Overview

This lesson introduces the students to the food chain of the

wetlands. Students play a specific role in the food chain and

eliminate themselves to see how all wetland organisms are

related and rely on one another.

Learning Objectives

The students will:

Create a physical representation of a wetland food

web and identify the importance of each component

in the web.

GLEs Science

4th – (SI-E-A1), (LS-E-A3, C1), (SE-E-A2)

5th – (LS-M-C2M, C3, C4, D1), (SE-M-A2)

6th – (SI-M-A1)

7th – (LS-M-C2, C3, C4, D1, D2), (SE-M-A2, A4, A5)

8th – (SE-M-A4)

High School – (SE-H-A7, A10), (LS-H-D2)


4th – (ELA-1-E5), (ELA-4-E1, E5), (ELA-7-E4)

5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2, M4)

6th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-4-M1, M2)

7th – (ELA-4-M1, M2), (ELA-7-M4_

8th – (ELA-3-M2), (ELA-4-M1, M2)

High School – (ELA-4-H1, H4), (ELA-7-H2, H4)

Materials List Large index cards (1 pack of 100 provided)

Hole punch

Markers (1 pack provided)

Books or magazines of wetland wildlife (teacher provides)

Ball of yarn


See the General Wetlands Information section at the front of the curriculum binder for

more information on the different wetland habitats found in Louisiana and the types of

animals that inhabits those areas.

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All living things need food to be active and healthy and to grow and reproduce. Almost

all plants make their own food. Animals must eat other living things to get the food they

need. Animals can be herbivores, carnivores or omnivores based on what they eat.

Plants and animals make up links in different food chains. A food chain is made up of

plants and animals that are connected because they either eat or get eaten by each other.

Every plant and animal belongs to at least one food chain.

Definitions:

Carnivores - Animals that eat other animals.

Secondary consumer - An organism that feeds on primary consumers; a carnivore.

Tertiary consumer - A high-level consumer, which is usually the top predator in an

ecosystem and/or food chain.

Omnivores - Feed on both plants and animals.

Scavengers - Animals that feed on dead or decaying organic matter.

Detritivores - Feed on detritus, the little-altered remains of living organisms.

Producers - Plants that perform photosynthesis and provide food for consumers.

Herbivores - Animals that eat only plants.

Advance Preparation

1. Complete “Wetland Metaphors” before beginning this activity.

2. Divide the class into 6 groups.

Procedure

1. Discuss with students that the wetlands are one of the most productive habitats on

earth in terms of the variety and amount of organisms they can support. Only the

rain forest is more productive than a marsh!

2. Wetlands provide habitat for wildlife. Is this a value or a function? (Answer =

both) Does it benefit people? Is it something the wetlands do to keep the

ecological balance of earth?

3. Give the students the list of wetland wildlife.

4. The first group makes up the producers. What do the producers have in common?

How do the producers get their food?

5. Ask the same questions for herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, scavengers and

detritivores.

6. Divide the groups into primary and secondary producers. (See T-3 format for

additional information.)

7. Now we will make a food chain from our list of organisms.

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8. Have the students divide into 6 groups. Each person in the group will choose an

animal from one of the groups. All groups of organisms should be represented.

9. The students will decorate an index card with a picture of their organism, its name

and what it eats. Punch two holes in the top of the card and string it around their

necks, as if it were a necklace.

10. Now the student is his or her organism.

11. The students will now create a food web. The producers should come to the first

row, the herbivores behind them, carnivores behind the herbivores, scavengers

behind carnivores and detritivores behind all.

12. The teacher will represent the sun. The instructor will pass a ball of yarn to each

of the producers. Each producer must then choose an herbivore or omnivore who

would feed on it and pass the ball of yarn to them (hold loosely onto the thread).

This represents passing the energy along the food chain.

13. Now each herbivore and omnivore must find a carnivore. Pass the ball of yarn,

holding on to the thread.

14. The result should be a series of food chains that may cross over to create a web. If

some of the organisms cannot find an “eater” to eat them, they can hand the ball

of yarn to the scavengers or the detritivores.

15. Ask the questions: Can some organisms eat more than one kind of organism in

the web? Can some organisms be eaten by more than one organism in the web?

16. The scavengers and detritivores can actually feed at any level, but for the sake of

simplicity they can come last in the food chains. Discuss with the students how

the producers can directly feed the detritivores. Also, you can choose to bring in

the decomposers which have the job of breaking down the dead plant material and

making it more accessible to the detritivores.

17. Now ask the questions: What would happen to the food web if there were fewer

plants? What would happen if there were no scavengers?

18. Finally, discuss the following with the students: How would people be affected

by these last two events? What would happen if we doubled the number of

secondary consumers? If this wetland were drained, which organisms would

disappear from the food web? Could this affect people? What might happen if

there was an oil or chemical spill? What does this activity tell us about the value

of wetland food webs to people?

Blackline Masters

1. Pictures of wetland wildlife

2. Wetland Web Organism List

Resources

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. Wetland Webs.

http://www.btnep.org

Ducks Unlimited Greenwings. Accessed October 15, 2008.

http://www.greenwing.org/teachersguide/fall_98_folder/omnivores/More_About/more_about.html

140

http://www.btnep.org/

Wetland WebsStudent Activity Sheet

Pictures of Wetland WildlifeInstructions: Students can cut out pictures from this page to add to their index card, or they may draw their own wetland wildlife pictures.

ProducerCarnivore

Herbivore

DetritivoreOmnivore

Scavenger

Youth Wetlands Program

provided by LSU AgCenter141


Wetland WebsStudent Activity SheetName

Wetland Webs Organism ListPRODUCERS

Smooth cordgrass

Wire grass

Bulltongue

Giant cutgrass Cattail

Three-cornered grass

Phytoplankton

Alligator weed Duckweed

HERBIVORES

Lubber grasshoppers

Nutria

Deer

Rabbit

OMNIVORES

Opossum

Raccoon

Human

Coot (poule d’eau)

CARNIVORES

Golden silk spider

Alligator

Redfish

Leopard frog

Cottonmouth

Great egret

Ibis

DETRITIVORES

Amphipods

Fungi

Shrimp

Crawfish

SCAVENGERS

Turkey vulture

Crawfish

Shrimp

Blue crab

Housefly

142


Wetland Webs in the T-3 Format


One of the values of

wetlands we listed in

Activity 1 (Wetland

Metaphors) was providing a

rich habitat for wildlife.

Wetlands are one of the

most productive habitats on

earth in terms of the variety

and amount of organisms

they can support. Only the

rain forest is more

productive than a marsh!

Would this be a value or a

function of wetlands? Does

it benefit people? Is it

something wetlands do to

keep the ecological balance

of the earth?

The students may reply

“both” to this question. If

they are uncertain, let this

activity help them decide.

Here is a list of organisms

that live in the wetlands.

The list is divided into six

groups. Let’s look at the

first group, the producers.

What do they all have in

common?

How do plants get their

food?

Hand out student activity

sheets with pictures of

wetland wildlife and

organism list.

The students observe that

they are all plants.

Students reply that plants

make their own food using

sunlight, water and carbon

dioxide through the process

of photosynthesis.

What about the next group,

the herbivore or primary

consumers. Do they have

anything in common?

Now the carnivore group.

We also can call them

secondary and tertiary

consumers. What do they

all have in common?

Students reply they are all

animals that eat plants.

They all eat animals.

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What do omnivores eat?

What do scavengers eat?

What do detritivores eat?

They eat plants and animals.

They eat dead animals.

They eat decaying plant

matter.

Detritivores often get

overlooked, but in the

marsh and swamp

ecosystem they are very

important. They live on

dead and decaying plant

material that we call

detritus. In the marsh, dead

and decaying marsh grass

makes up a large part of the

food supply at the

beginning of the food chain.

A lot of energy is locked up

in the dead material, and the

detritivores’ job is to break

down the materials by

converting the energy to a

form that can be used

further along the food

chain.

Let’s make a food chain

from our list.

We are going to make cards

with the organisms from the

list. We will divide the class

into six groups. Each group

will take a type of organism

from the list: producers,

herbivores, carnivores,

detritivores, omnivores,

scavengers. Each person in

your group should choose a

favorite organism and make

at least one organism card.

Write the name of your

organism on the card. If you

don’t know what your

organism eats, look in one

of the books in the

Help the students construct

a food chain using the list.

You can add to the list if

necessary.

Students construct food

chains using the organisms

in the list.

Each student chooses an

organism and makes a card

representing that organism,

researching information on

the diet of the organism and

drawing or finding a photo

of their organism to

illustrate the card.

144


classroom to find out. Write

this information on the

card. You can either draw a

picture of your animal or

plant on the card or find a

picture of it and stick it on

the card.

When you have finished

your card, punch two holes

in the top edge and thread a

piece of yarn through it so

you can hang it round your

neck. You then “become”

that organism.

Now we are going to create

a food web.

All the producers come to

the front of the classroom

and make a row.

All the herbivores line up in

a row further back.

All the carnivores make the

next row (both secondary

and tertiary consumers).

The students make the cards

into labels and attach string

to hang the labels around

their necks.

The students organize into

groups of different levels of

the food chain.

Now make a row of

scavengers.

And finally, in the back of

the classroom, make a row

of detritivores.

I represent the sun, the

source of all energy on

Earth.

I will pass a ball of yarn to

each of the producers. Each

producer must then choose

an herbivore or omnivore

who would feed on the ball

(holding loosely onto the

thread). This represents

passing the energy along

The end result should be a

series of food chains which

may cross over to create a

web. If some of the

organisms cannot find an

“eater” to eat them, they

can hand the ball of yarn to

the scavengers or the

The producers pass the yarn

to the herbivores and

omnivores, the herbivores to

the carnivores, etc.

145


the food chain.

Now each herbivore and

omnivore must find a

carnivore. Pass them the

ball of yarn, holding onto

the thread.

detritivores.

Now, what about the

scavengers?

What about the

detritivores?

Can some organisms eat

more than one kind of

organism in the web?

Can some organisms be

eaten by more than one

organism in the web?

The scavengers and

detritivores actually can

feed at any level, but for the

sake of simplicity, they can

come last in the food chain.

Discuss with the students

how the producers can

directly feed the

detritivores. Also, you can

choose to bring in the

decomposers, which have

the job of breaking down

the dead plant material and

making it more accessible

to the detritivores.

The students consider how

the scavengers and

detritivores fit in to the food

web.

Students recognize that

some organisms eat or are

eaten by more than one

other type of organism in

the web.

What would happen to the

food web if there were

fewer plants?

What would happen if there

were no scavengers?

The students answer the

questions, considering how

imbalances can affect the

food web, how the

imbalances can affect

people and how people can

cause the imbalances.

How would people be

affected by these last two

events?

What would happen if we

doubled the number of

secondary consumers?

If this wetland were

drained, which organisms

would disappear from the

food web? Could this affect

people?

The students should see that

people are part of the

wetland food web and that

healthy wetlands mean a

healthy economy for the

human inhabitants.

146


What might happen if there

was an oil or chemical

spill?

What does this activity tell

us about the value of

wetland food webs to

people?

147


Grade Level

Upper Elementary

Middle School

High School

Duration

Two 50-55 minute

class periods

Setting

The classroom

Vocabulary

Wetland

Article Wetland Teacher Instructions

Focus/Overview

In this lesson, students will learn how to write a newspaper article,

as well learn about wetlands and the animals that live there.

Learning Objectives

The students will:

Learn how to write a newspaper/magazine article

Lean about the importance of Louisiana’s wetlands

GLEs Science

4th – (SI-E-A1, A5, B1, B6)

5th – (SI-M-A1, B1, B7, C3)

6th – (SI-M-A1,M A7, B1)

7th – (LS-M-D2), (SE-M-A1, A4, A8)

8th – (SE-M-A4)

High School – (LS-H-D4), (SE-A7)


4th – (ELA-2-E1, E3, E4), (ELA-3-E1, E2, E3)

5th – (ELA-1-M1), (ELA-2-M1, M2, M3, M4), (ELA-3-M2, M3, M4, M5),

(ELA-4-M3), (ELA-5-M2), (ELA-7-M4)

6th – (ELA-1-M1, M4), (ELA-2-M1, M2, M3), (ELA-3-M2, M5), (ELA-4-M1, M4), (ELA-5-M1,

M2, M4, M5), (ELA-6-M3), (ELA-7-M4)

7th – (ELA-1-M4), (ELA-2-M1, M2, M3, M6), (ELA-3-M2, M3, M5), (ELA-4-M1, M3),

(ELA-5-M1, M2, M3), (ELA-6-M3), (ELA-7-M4)

8th – (ELA-1-M4), (ELA-2-M1, M2, M3, M4), (ELA-3-M2, M3, M5), (ELA-4-M1, M3),

(ELA-5-M1, M2, M3, M5), (ELA-7-M1, M4)

High School – (ELA-1-H3, H4), (ELA-2-H1, H2, H3, H4, H5), (ELA-3-H2, H3), (ELA-4-H1,

H2, H3, H4, H5), (ELA-5-H1, H2), (ELA-7-H1, H2, H3, H4)

Social Studies

8th – (G-1D-M1)

High School – (G-1D-H5)

Materials List Pencils (one pack provided)

Colored pencils (one pack provided)

Copy of a recent newspaper (optional – teacher provides)

148



See the General Wetlands Information section at the front of the curriculum binder for more

information on the various types of habitats found in Louisiana’s wetlands.

The following are major wetland habitats found in Louisiana:

Swamp habitat may be defined as a forested wetland that is flooded for a large part of the year.

The dominant vegetation includes baldcypress, swamp tupelo gum and red maple – three species

adapted to living in flooded conditions. The animals found in the swamp are also adapted to

wetter conditions. They include alligators and turtles, herons and egrets, nutria and swamp

rabbits. The swamps are also found in the upper part of the estuary.

Freshwater marsh habitat is characterized by its wide variety of herbaceous plant species

including bulltongue, giant cutgrass, water lilies and pickerelweed. Many species of birds, frogs,

fish, snakes and other reptiles inhabit the freshwater marshes. The freshwater marshes are found

adjacent to swamps, south of forested wetlands.

Intermediate marsh habitat is a transition zone between freshwater and brackish marsh

habitats. Though it has the largest number of furbearers, it has fewer species than the freshwater

habitat, but more than the brackish habitat.

Brackish marsh habitat is characterized by having far fewer species of herbaceous plants than

the freshwater marsh. Plants living in brackish marsh must be able to tolerate changing salinity

levels as salt water and fresh water mix. The dominant species of plant is wire grass. Common

animal species include otter, mink, ibis, white pelicans, blue crabs and shrimp.

Traveling toward the Gulf of Mexico, the next habitat is the saltwater marsh. This is a more

specialized habitat; fewer species are adapted to living in the harsh conditions of the salt marsh.

The dominant vegetation is oyster grass, also called smooth cordgrass or scientifically Spartina

alterniflora. Other plants include black rush and black mangrove. The salt marsh snail lives on

the stems of the oyster grass. Oysters, shrimp, crabs and numerous species of fish abound

beneath the water. The saltwater marsh is the nursery ground for many Gulf species. Brown

pelicans also are seen feeding with gulls and terns.

At the edge of the estuary lie many bays and lakes as the salt marsh gives way to the Gulf of

Mexico. Most of the life is found beneath the water, as any fisherman knows. Redfish, shrimp,

blue crabs, flounder and oysters are some of the many species living in these habitats. Almost

half of Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary is made up of shallow open water, which includes the

saltwater bays as well as the freshwater lakes further inland.

Finally, the barrier islands represent the last terrestrial habitat before the open waters of the

Gulf. The barrier island habitat is harsh; the species there are adapted to an unstable, salty

environment. On the Gulf side, a barrier island is made up of a beach and low sand dunes

inhabited by grasses and shrubs including groundsel and iva. The bay side of barrier islands is

dominated by salt marsh habitats. Barrier islands are subject to rapid erosion rates and frequent

storms, but they are very important, specialized habitats for many species, particularly seabirds.

149


Louisiana Wetland Facts

Land Loss in Coastal Louisiana

Louisiana has lost 1,900 square miles of land since the 1930s. Currently, Louisiana has

30 percent of the total coastal marsh and accounts for 90 percent of the coastal marsh loss

in the lower 48 states.

Between 1990 and 2000, wetland loss was approximately 24 square miles per year – that

is the equivalent of approximately one football field lost every 38 minutes. The projected

loss over the next 50 years, with current restoration efforts taken into account, is

estimated to be approximately 500 square miles.

According to land loss estimates, hurricanes Katrina and Rita transformed 217 square

miles of marsh to open water in coastal Louisiana.

Population Living in the Coastal Parishes

In 2000, more than 2 million residents, which is more than 50 percent of the state’s

population according to U.S. Census estimates, lived in Louisiana’s coastal parishes.

Shoreline and Flood Protection

Louisiana’s coastal marshes protect the shoreline from erosion by acting as a buffer

against wave actions and storm surge. For every mile of wetland, storm surge is reduced

by 1 foot. Wetlands near the coast and near rivers will slow surging floodwater, thus

reducing flood damage.

Wetlands as a Water Filter Scientists and engineers around the world recognize the ability of wetlands to filter

pollutants and absorb nutrients can be put to work to help purify wastewater. In

Louisiana, the abundance of natural wetlands makes the use of wetlands for water

purification an option. Wetlands act like the kidneys of the ecosystem because they are

capable of filtering pollutants such as sewage, fertilizer runoff (nitrogen and phosphorus)

and heavy metals from industrial waste. In Amelia and Thibodaux, studies focus on using

distressed wetlands to purify water that has been partially treated in a sewage treatment

plant. The wetlands can replace much costlier artificial methods without negative

environmental health consequences. In fact, studies have shown that the nutrient-rich

water from the sewage plant can help restore a wetland area suffering from the effects of

subsidence and insufficient freshwater and nutrient inflows.

Waterborne Commerce

Louisiana coastal wetlands provide storm protection for ports that carry 487 million tons

of waterborne commerce annually. That accounts for 19 percent of all waterborne

commerce in the United States each year. Five of the top 15 largest ports in the United

States are located in Louisiana.

Fishing, Hunting and Harvesting in the Wetlands

In 2005, Louisiana commercial landings exceeded 847 million pounds with a dockside

value of $253 million; that accounts for approximately 25 percent of the total catch by

weight in the lower 48 States. Annual expenditures related to noncommercial fishing in

Louisiana can amount to between $703 million and $1.2 billion.

150


In 2001, hunting-related expenditures in Louisiana amounted to $446 million.

Trapping and fur harvesting in Louisiana coastal wetlands generates approximately $1.78

million annually. The Louisiana alligator harvest is valued at approximately $30 million

annually.

Louisiana Wetland Animals

Migrating ducks and geese depend on wetlands for resting and feeding during their long

annual treks. Loss of wetlands means loss of waterfowl populations. The coastal wetlands

of Louisiana are also important stopover points for neotropical (from tropical South

America) birds as they make their migrations in the spring and fall.

A number of endangered and threatened species also depend on wetlands for their

survival and thrive in Louisiana’s wetlands. Up to 43 percent of endangered species use

wetlands for habitat for all or part of their lives. The bald eagle and the brown pelican are

the best known recovering species that live in the wetlands, but there are others, including

several species of sea turtles and fish.

The wetlands provide nutrition and shelter for numerous marine species that complete

part of their life cycle in the coastal wetlands and the remainder in the open water of the

Gulf of Mexico.

Other animals that use Louisiana’s wetlands to make their home include deer, rabbit,

nutria, raccoon, humans, fungi, shrimp, crawfish, redfish, alligator, blue crab,

grasshoppers, duckweed, coot and opossum.

Definitions:

Wetland – An environment that is transitional between dry land and water. Water is the

dominant factor controlling the nature of the soil and, therefore, the types of plants and animals

living in and on the soil.

Advance Preparation

1. Make a copy of the Planning a Wetland Newspaper Article activity sheet for every

student in your class.

2. Make two copies of the Article Wetland activity sheet. One will be distributed on the first

day so the students can write a rough draft, and the second one will be distributed on the

second day to make a final draft.

Procedure

1. Ask students if they can describe or define a wetland. Discuss with the class the different

types of wetlands and why Louisiana wetlands are important.

2. Pass around a current newspaper for students to review.

3. Hand out the Planning a Wetland Newspaper Article activity sheet to the students and

help them fill it out.

4. Tell students to use what they wrote on the Planning a Wetland Newspaper Article to

write a newspaper article on what takes place on a day-to-day life in a Louisiana wetland.

Make sure students use some facts in their article.

5. Let the students know that this is only a rough draft and tomorrow they will rewrite it and

present it to the class.

151


6. On the second day, give the students a chance to rewrite their article and decorate it.

Once students are done, let them present it in front of the class and let the class vote on

who has the best article with decoration.

Blackline Masters

1. Planning a Wetland Newspaper Article

2. Article Wetland

Resources

Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources: Coastal Fact Sheet.

http://dnr.louisiana.gov/crm/coastalfacts.asp

Mitsch, W. and J. Gosselink. 1993. Wetlands. New York, NY.

152

http://dnr.louisiana.gov/crm/coastalfacts.asp


Article WetlandStudent Activity SheetName

Planning a Wetland Newspaper ArticleFollow this step-by-step guide to plan your wetland article:

1. What will your article be about? What is the main message/thesis? _________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

2. What is your opening sentence? (Grab the reader’s attention by using an opening sentence that is a

question or something unexpected!) _________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________

3. How will your wetland article answer these questions?

•Who?_______________________________________________

•What?_______________________________________________

•Where?______________________________________________

•When?_______________________________________________

•Why?_______________________________________________

4. What will your supporting paragraphs be about? Give the details. Write in the third person (he, she, it or

they). Be objective. Use active verbs so the reader feels things are really happening! _____________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Last paragraph: Round off your article. Try ending with a quote or a catchy phrase!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

6. What is the title/headline of your article? A headline is like a short poem. It communicates a lot of information

in a small space.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Byline: Underneath the article title, state who wrote the article; “By ....”

___________________________________________________________________

153


Article WetlandStudent Activity SheetName

YOUTH WETLANDS OBSERVER

By: _____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

154


Article Wetland in the T-3 Format

What You Say What You Do What The Students Do

Today you will be learning

about wetlands and why they

are important to Louisiana.

Do you know what a wetland

is?

Wait for student’s response. The students will give you

their definition of a wetland.

A wetland is an environment

in that is transitional between

dry land and water. Water is

the dominant factor

controlling the nature of the

soil and, therefore, the types

of plants and animals living

in and on the soil. Examples

of wetlands in Louisiana

include marshes (salt,

brackish and fresh), swamps,

bogs and even barrier islands.

Go over in detail (from the

background information)

what makes the different

types of wetland habitats

unique.

Does anyone know why

wetlands are important to

Louisiana?

Wait for students’ responses. Students will discuss why

they feel wetlands are

important to Louisiana.

Louisiana’s wetlands are

important for a lot of

different reasons.

Go over the details of

Louisiana’s wetland loss and

other Louisiana wetland facts

from the background

information.

What are some ways we can

let people in our communities

know about Louisiana’s

wetlands?

Listen to the students’ ideas

about letting people know

about wetlands.

Students will give ideas about

how they can let other people

know about Louisiana’s

wetlands.

155


One way we can let other

people know about

Louisiana’s wetlands is by

writing articles for our local

and school newspapers.

Pass around examples of a

current newspaper.

The students will look over

and discuss the newspaper

articles.

You will write a newspaper

article based upon the daily

life in the wetlands. To help

you out, we will first outline

our article using this activity

sheet.

Distribute the “Planning a

Wetland Newspaper Article”

activity sheet to the students.

Students will fill out the

“Planning a Wetland

Newspaper Article” activity

sheet.

Now you need to use the

outline to write a rough draft

of your wetland article.

Make sure you use some facts

about wetlands that we

discussed earlier.

Distribute the “Youth

Wetlands Week” Observer

handout for the students.

The students will write a

rough draft of their wetland

article.

Tomorrow you will rewrite

your article, decorate it and

present it in front of the class.

So be creative!!!!

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