llevy@belchertown.org
Our textbook is Oxford Press' Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity, edited by Eric Chivian of Harvard University's Center for Health and the Global Environment
For information http://chge.med.harvard.edu/index.html and go to Classroom Education
In the classroom, we also use Readers Digest Guide to North American Wildlife, and
New England Wildlife: Habitat, Natural History, and Distribution
Buds, Leaves and Global Warming Schoolyard Ecology project through Harvard Forest
http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/schoolyard-lter-program
Medicinal Plant Project ... resources
Alternative Nature Online Herbal http://www.altnature.com/gallery/
Encyclopedia of Life http://eol.org
Missouri Botanical Garden http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/
eLibrary Science, Science Resource Center links through the
BHS library site
find other great sites with valid info on multiple plants = extra credit
Essential Questions
1-Ethnobotany-History
What culture was the first to
recognize its medicinal qualities? How long ago?
What, if any, rituals or myths are
connected to it?
If the plant is
threatened/endangered: is there any controversy or concern about the plant, its
habitat or the people who know it best?
2-Environment-Ecology
What biome does it live in?(*illus)
Where in the world can it be found? (*Map)
What are its plant
neighbors/partners? (ie. typical plants in association with it)
How does it interact with its
primary herbivores? Repel, attract, or both?
What is its status in the
wild? Abundant, or invasive, or common
but only in specific habitats,
or of concern, or
threatened, or endangered or nearly extinct?
3-Growing requirements-Harvesting
What animals and/or fungi and/or
protistans does it depend on to thrive?
(pollinators, seed
dispersers, symbionts)
What are the specific conditions it
needs to grow? (light, water amount & frequency and/or type,
Soil type and pH, temperature,
heat/cold tolerance, altitude, wind, disturbance)
Does it demand microhabitat conditions?
or access to specific nutrients in the soil?
4-Medicinal-Pharmaceutical
Does it have an active chemical?(*illus)
If yes, what? If no, is the plant considered a “tonic”?
What are its effects on the human
body? Has scientific testing confirmed its
effectiveness? Defend.
What are
the side effects? Contraindications:
when does it do more harm than good?
How is it prepared for use? (ie.
Steeping for tea, poultice, direct, purified in a powder/pill, etc.)
What company(ies) are currently
producing or researching the production
of the plant or
its active chemical?
Leaf collection Native trees to look for…
Apple Ash Aspen Birch Cherry Chestnut
Dogwood Elm (Gingko) Hickory Locust Maple
Oak Sassafras Willow …lots more.
Leaf Collection resources .,.,. see below for more
Go Botany from the New England Wildflower Society a simple key
http://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/
EEK Environmental Education for Kids dichotomous tree key
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/veg/treekey/index.htm
LEAF Learning, Experiences, and Activities in Forestry Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education Program Dichotomous Tree Identification Key
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/leaf/Pages/TreeKey/treeToIdentify.aspx?feature=Main
*LeafSnap app has a likelihood of getting you a correct id 50% of the time, but usually has suggestions, one of which is likely to be the right one
http://www.oplin.org/tree/leaf/byleaf.html
National Arbor Day - Tree Identification
https://www.arborday.org/trees/index-identification.cfm
Once you know the Latin genus and species, use this site for details
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/biglist_frame.cfm
Missouri Department of Conservation (caution: southern-adapted trees, might not be the ones growing in western MA!)
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/search?f[0]=field_fg_types:5591
Tree id key - Michigan State University (more likely to also be growing in WMa)
http://uptreeid.com/KeyB/B1.htm
http://forestry.about.com/od/treeidentification/tp/tree_key_id_start.htm
http://www.leaf-id.com/
Some Tree locations around town
· BHS around the school – Red/Norway Maple, Boxelder, Pear, Flowering Dogwood, Black/Ornamental Cherry, White/Burr/Red/Scarlet Oak, Bigtooth/Quaking Aspen, Pignut Hickory, Black Locust, Smooth Sumac, Staghorn Sumac, White/Yellow/River(Grey) Birch, Japanese Zelkova
- BHS end of Senior/Faculty parking lots, into the "low-meadow" and across from the loading dock - Bigtooth Aspen, Black Locust, Paperbark Maple, Smooth/Staghorn Sumac, Birch, more
- BHS end of Senior/Faculty parking lots, into the "low-meadow" and across from the loading dock - Bigtooth Aspen, Black Locust, Paperbark Maple, Smooth/Staghorn Sumac, Birch, more
· BHS by base/softball fields & into BEF –Red & Black & Red/Black Hybrid Oak & Bigtooth Aspen &Hickory, Yellow Birch, Witchhazel,
· BHS under the Library overhang - Redbud
· BHS pond – Willow & Hickory & sumac & hawthorn & white & yellow birch
· Jabish Middle School – Tuliptree, also around the back of the Senior Center
· Along the fence by the SRE playground-pavilion – Chestnut & Quaking Aspen & Black Cherry
· SRE driveway across from DD drive-through – Freeman Maple (Red x Silver hybrid)
· Swift River Elementary & Stop n Shop – Honey Locust
· In front of B’town Day School/CHCS Tennis courts – Weeping Birch
· Across from Checkers – purple-leaf something?… ornamental cherry or maple
· Bank on the town green – gingko, with a Catalpa right next to it
· Firefighters Museum – Willow, Honey Locust and Little-leaf Linden
· In front of the Police Station – Hawthorn
· In front of the Tadgell building – Kousa Dogwood, behind are Apple trees
· Lake Wallace – Witchhazel & Beech & Chestnut & Black Birch & BlueBeech (American Hornbeam) & White Ash, Swamp White Oak directly behind the left base-line bench, near the edge of the lake
- In the lot by Roadhouse: Smooth Sumac, American Elm
- West of the Beef-Way auction house on Rte 9: Sycamore
- In the lot by Roadhouse: Smooth Sumac, American Elm
- West of the Beef-Way auction house on Rte 9: Sycamore
· In front of anybody’s house, dark green-to-purple maple – Norway Maple, Little Leaf Linden (they have a distinct pyramid shape), TeaRose/Rose of Sharon
· Along the Swift River – Sycamore, and probably Basswood
· Bridge across Fort River just past Rolling Green in Amherst – Silver Maple & Sycamore
Leaf Collection 2015
due date, Tuesday, October 25, 2016
(turn it in on Friday the 21st for 5 points extra credit)
Note for each leaf (must be included on the page with the tree leaf)
-Common and Latin names, put a * next to the native species
-Date collected
-Alternate or opposite branching of the leaves on the tree
-Simple or compound leaf
-Bark color and texture
-Shape of bud(s) at base of leaf
-Growing alone, inside a stand of trees or at edge of a stand
of trees
-Location by crossroads,
address or GPS coordinates (can you create a geotagged map with your phone?)
Naturalist Journal in a bound notebook:
1- Set-up: set aside the first full page
(both sides) as your Table of Contents. Write “Table of Contents” at the top,
“page” on the left, and “Title of Activity” in the center.
2- Number the pages beyond the table of
contents.
3- Label page 1 “Close Observation -
_____”, choose a flower or a leaf (the blank), do some homework and make sure
it’s not Poison Ivy, and draw it in the center of the page 4-5” tall/wide. Around the center drawing, do a series of 1-2”
details of the edges, vein patterns, underside and stem. For each drawing, write 2-3 descriptive
terms. Record the title and page number in your table of contents. ~10-15min
4- Page 2 and 3: “Long-term Study - ___
- Early Summer” Choose a location that
you will be able to return to throughout the summer and school year. Give the location a name to include in the
title (the blank). Be sure the location
includes at least one tree and gives you a clear view of the top of the tree(s)
and its surroundings. Label the 2-page
spread with the date, temperature, the condition of the sky and the level of
wind, plus the location. Spend 10
minutes drawing the area across the entire width of the 2 pages. Do not worry about your artistic ability,
focus on the proportions - heights, widths, spans – to produce a scaled drawing
(think city skyline). Fill in details
and color. Write in a few descriptive
details. Fill in enough detail so that
you can easily recognize the area for the next observation, especially where
you’re sitting. Record the title and
page number in your table of contents. ~20-30min
5- Over the summer, go back to the
location 2 more times, reserving the next 2 2-page spreads for these
observations. Title the page, recording
the conditions (date, temp, sky, wind). Do 5 minute drawings (in color or not),
writing 3-4 sentence caption capturing the details of the place and/or changes or
15 minute drawings with a shorter caption. Record the title and page number in
your table of contents. ~20-30min each
6- “Close Observation – ____” A bug
(insect, spider, pillbug, etc). Locate a
very cooperative bug, a dead bug, or put the bug inside a clear bag/container. Draw, describe. Record the title and page number in your
table of contents. ~15min
7- “Study site – mid-distance
observation” Choose a 2-3’ wide/tall
area to draw and label in detail. Record
date, temp, sky, wind and the title and page number in your table of contents.
~10-15min
8- Do 2 more Close Observations of
items/organisms, with a variety of animals, plants, fungi, or their parts with
a 4-5” drawing surrounded by 1-2” details.
~10min each
9- Go to a new location (aren’t you
going on vacation sometime this summer?!) pick something to draw and describe
or write a poem or lyrical prose. Record
date, temp, sky, wind and the title and page number in your table of contents.
Honors Option for Woodland Ecology
1st set of instructions … more to come
let me know by Wednesday, September 11th
Each quarter there will be …
• Term Assignment: you can skip or be excused from 2 homework assignments in order to be sure you have enough time to complete the Term Assignment
• Honors questions for Reading Guide or more in-depth article for Reading
• An Honors section for each unit exam/test
• Leadership: you act as a leader in your class, modeling positive, engaged participation in group and class activities, making yourself useful in managing our BLG data and setting up/breaking down activities that involve materials
Term 1 Term Assignment: Habitat
Prepare a 10 minute presentation with visuals, either electronic or poster-board, to
teach the class about a Belchertown habitat
Term 2 Term Assignment: Individual projects
Propose a project that has the potential to be shared with or involves community participation… BHS, the elementary schools, or beyond. Select one project from those offered on the Honors cards, or come up with your own idea. Submit the proposal by the 2nd week of the term … must be approved before you begin.
1st set of instructions … more to come
let me know by Wednesday, September 11th
Each quarter there will be …
• Term Assignment: you can skip or be excused from 2 homework assignments in order to be sure you have enough time to complete the Term Assignment
• Honors questions for Reading Guide or more in-depth article for Reading
• An Honors section for each unit exam/test
• Leadership: you act as a leader in your class, modeling positive, engaged participation in group and class activities, making yourself useful in managing our BLG data and setting up/breaking down activities that involve materials
Term 1 Term Assignment: Habitat
Prepare a 10 minute presentation with visuals, either electronic or poster-board, to
teach the class about a Belchertown habitat
Term 2 Term Assignment: Individual projects
Propose a project that has the potential to be shared with or involves community participation… BHS, the elementary schools, or beyond. Select one project from those offered on the Honors cards, or come up with your own idea. Submit the proposal by the 2nd week of the term … must be approved before you begin.
