nature journal - university of puget sound

Nature Journal

Nature in the Classroom

developed by the

Slater Museum of Natural History

University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

Name: ____________________________________________________________________

School: ______________________________________________ Grade: _________

Start date: ___________________________ End date: ________________________

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Table of Contents Page 3 Lesson 1: Nature Journals―Naturalist-in-Training Page 8 Lesson 2: Urban Bird Diversity―Birdiversity! Page 12 Lesson 3: Tooth Sleuth―Tacoma Mammal Puzzler Page 17 Personal Nature Journal Pages The Slater Museum of Natural History’s goals are to preserve and provide a collection of specimens to be used for research and education. We have one of the best regional collections of Pacific Northwest bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian and plant specimens.

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Lesson 1:

Nature Journals―Naturalists-in-Training

Goal Students will hone their powers of observation and develop their naturalist skills using their senses and the tools provided.

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Lesson 1: Naturalists-in-Training Wild Thing Worksheet Describe your object in detail. What color is it? What does it smell like? Does it make any sound?

Close your eyes and touch it—describe what you feel. Look at it closely from all angles—does its

shape remind you of any other object? Have you seen anything like it before? How does its shape

serve the animal/plant? (Some examples: feathers are shaped to help birds fly, a snail shell protects

the soft animal within, seed pods hold and protect seeds.) Use short phrases and descriptive words:

Feels light as a pencil, smooth like the top of my desk, purple like a grape Popsicle. Useful sentence

starters: I noticed…, I wonder about…

Descriptive notes:

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Lesson 1: Naturalists-in-Training Draw your object in the first box. In the second box, show how it looks under magnification or from a different angle. Take your time. Try to fill up the whole box with your drawing. Label any parts that you can.

Wild Thing object

Wild Thing object magnified or from a different angle

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Lesson 1: Naturalists-in-Training Wild Thing Prediction (Hypothesis) Worksheet A prediction (also known as a hypothesis) is a suggested explanation for an observation or scientific problem that can be tested by further investigation. Write a prediction (hypothesis) about your object.

What is it and where do you think it could be found in Tacoma? Give a reason. How did it get there? Give a reason. What was it used for? Give a reason Was it part of an animal or plant—if so, what kind, and how did it “lose” this part of itself? Give a reason.

My prediction (hypothesis):

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After the instructor asks you to find other students with objects like yours, use the Venn

diagram on the next page to compare and contrast your objects. A Venn can help you

understand relationships between objects. Each circle represents one of the objects, with any

shared characteristics noted in the shared (overlapping) parts of the circles.

Write in the object numbers on the lines provided.

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Less

on

1:

Nat

ure

Jo

urn

als

– N

atu

ralis

ts in

Tra

inin

g

Ven

n D

iagr

am –

Co

mp

are

and

Co

ntr

ast

Th

ree

Wild

Th

ings

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Lesson 2:

Urban Bird Diversity―Birdiversity!

Goal Students will compare beaks and feet of bird specimens to understand how adaptations allow birds to get different foods and live in a variety of habitats.

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Length of Beak

Lesson 2: Urban Bird Diversity—Birdiversity! Bird Measuring Guide

Length of Beak

Foot Measurement: Length of Middle Toe

Length of Body

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Lesson 2: Urban Bird Diversity—Birdiversity! Bird Specimen Information Worksheet 1 Specimen # (fill in number shown on bird specimen tag)

Measurements and Tool Types (from Beak and Feet Backgound Sheet)

Note: If your bird does not fit one of the tool types, write in a tool the beak/feet remind you of.

Beak length: ______________ centimeters Beak type: ______________

Body length: ______________ centimeters

Foot length: ______________ centimeters Foot type: ______________

Sketches

Beak

Foot

How does the beak help the bird eat? How do the bird’s feet help it capture or eat its prey? What kind of food do you think the bird eats? Where does it live? My prediction (hypothesis): ______________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 2: Urban Bird Diversity—Birdiversity! Bird Specimen Information Worksheet 2 After using the bird field guide card and field guide to learn more about your bird, check to see if your prediction (hypothesis) on Worksheet 1 was correct and fill in the sections below: My bird is a:___________________________________________________

Three facts about my bird: ______________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 3:

Tooth Sleuth―Tacoma Mammal Puzzler

Goal Students will use a dichotomous key to identify a mammal skull, and learn that teeth provide information about whether the animal is a carnivore or herbivore. Observing the different types of teeth and their different uses, students will notice how structure relates to function.

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Lesson 3: Tooth Sleuth—Tacoma Mammal Puzzler Tooth Type Diagram

Molars (and Premolars)

Incisors

Canines

Molars (and Premolars)

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Lesson 3: Tooth Sleuth Mystery Skull Worksheet By observing the teeth and skull characteristics, what kind of animal do you think your skull belongs to? What sort of food do you think this animal eats? Our prediction (hypothesis):

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Sketches of teeth and skull: Sketch and label the different kinds of teeth you observe. Your animal may not have all of the types of teeth. Sketch the skull.

Incisor Canine Molar

Skull

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Note: Some animals are omnivores—they eat both meat and plants. It’s not easy to find this out by observing only teeth, so in this lesson we will focus on whether the animal is mainly carnivorous or herbivorous. The teeth of omnivores look similar to those of carnivores. Skull # After using the dichotomous key, what animal did you determine the skull to be from? ______________________________________________________________________________ Is the animal mainly an herbivore or a carnivore? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________

Skull # After using the dichotomous key, what animal did you determine the skull to be from? ______________________________________________________________________________ Is the animal mainly an herbivore or a carnivore? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________

Skull # After using the dichotomous key, what animal did you determine the skull to be from? ______________________________________________________________________________ Is the animal mainly an herbivore or a carnivore? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________

Skull # After using the dichotomous key, what animal did you determine the skull to be from? ______________________________________________________________________________ Is the animal mainly an herbivore or a carnivore? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________ Skull # After using the dichotomous key, what animal did you determine the skull to be from? ______________________________________________________________________________ Is the animal mainly an herbivore or a carnivore? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________ Skull # After using the dichotomous key, what animal did you determine the skull to be from? ______________________________________________________________________________ Is the animal mainly an herbivore or a carnivore? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________ Skull # After using the dichotomous key, what animal did you determine the skull to be from? ______________________________________________________________________________ Is the animal mainly an herbivore or a carnivore? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 3: Tooth Sleuth Skull Comparison Worksheet With your group, list what is the same (similarities) in the top box. Use the T-chart below it to compare and contrast two skulls. Note differences using the characteristics listed on the left, then add you own in the space provided. Be very specific and include details.

Differences

Skull #_____ Skull #_____

Teeth: - Incisors - Canines - Molars Size (small/large as a…) Weight (heavy as a…) General shape Eye socket placement/size/shape

Similarities

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On the remaining pages you can practice your naturalist skills. For each journal entry, begin by writing down the date and time, location and weather. Sketch, write, doodle and explore! Date and Time: _________________________________________________________________ Location: ______________________________________________________________________ Weather: ______________________________________________________________________

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Date and Time: _________________________________________________________________ Location: ______________________________________________________________________ Weather: ______________________________________________________________________

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