**What are the Pieces, Patterns and Processes\
of a Natural Community?**

**A science unit for grade 7 and 8 by Sandra S. Fary\
Camels Hump Middle School, Richmond, Vermont**

**\
Essential Question:** What are the pieces, patterns and processes of a
natural community?

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------
  Lesson 1                                                                       Observation versus Inference Activity

  Lesson 2                                                                       Writing Detailed Observations

  [Lesson                                                                        Leaf it to the Students!
  3](http://www.nps.gov/archive/mabi/mabi/education/forestclassroom/fary3.htm)   

  Lesson 4                                                                       Breaking Down with Dichotomous Keys

  Lesson 5                                                                       Adopt-A-Tree Project

  [Lesson                                                                        Nature Sketches: Creating a Common Vermont Tree Book
  6](http://www.nps.gov/archive/mabi/mabi/education/forestclassroom/fary6.htm)   

  Lesson 7                                                                       Fieldtrip to Winooski River Floodplain River Natural
                                                                                 Community

  Lesson 8                                                                       Fieldtrip to Mississquoi National Wildlife Refuge Wetland
                                                                                 Natural Community

  Lesson 9                                                                       Fieldtrip to Mount Mansfield

  Lesson 10                                                                      Creating a Dichotomous Key of Snake Mountain Trees

  Lesson 11                                                                      Forest Consequences

  Lesson 12                                                                      Final Essay
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------

**Essential Question: What are the pieces, patterns and processes of a
natural community?**

+--------------+-----------+----------------+------------+-----------+
| *            | **C       | **Learning and | **Products | **Ass     |
| *Standards** | riteria** | Teaching       | and        | essment** |
|              |           | Activities**   | Perf       |           |
|              |           |                | ormances** |           |
+--------------+-----------+----------------+------------+-----------+
| 1.18         | Obs       | =\>            |            |           |
| Students use | ervations | Introduction   |            |           |
| computers,   | versus    | to unit:       |            |           |
| telecom      | i         | Calvin and     |            |           |
| munications, | nferences | Hobbs cartoon, |            |           |
| and other    |           | John Wright    |            |           |
| tools of     | Define a  | poem\          |            |           |
| technology   | natural   | =\> Brainstorm |            |           |
| to research, | community | web: What is a |            |           |
| to gather    |           | natural        |            |           |
| information  | Use of a  | community?\    | Group work |           |
| and ideas,   | di        | =\> Forest     |            |           |
| and to       | chotomous | observation    | O          | Checklist |
| represent    | key       | activities:    | bservation |           |
| information  |           | color paint    | chart      | Journal   |
| and ideas    | U         | chip match,    |            | Writing   |
| accurately   | nderstand | smell-good     | Nature     | Rubric    |
| and          | the       | plants, Andy   | writing    |           |
| ap           | parts,    | Goldsworthy    | journal    | Answer    |
| propriately. | function  | nature         | entry      | Key\      |
|              | and       | patterns\      |            | Task      |
| 1.20         | cycles of | **Lesson #1:   | Plant      | -specific |
| Students use | plants    | Observation    | c          | \'Rubric  |
| graphs,      |           | versus         | ollection\ | Quiz:     |
| charts, and  | Inter     | inference      | Salamander | Parts of  |
| other visual | pretation | activity\      | Worksheet\ | a Plant   |
| p            | of a      | Lesson #2:     | Designing  |           |
| resentations | natural   | Writing        | your own   | Lab       |
| to           | community | Detailed       | key\       | Report    |
| communicate  | landscape | Observations.  | Worksheet\ | Rubric    |
| data         |           | Introduction   | Worksheet  |           |
| accurately   | Interd    | to nature      |            | Answer    |
| and          | ependence | writing with   | Worksheet  | Key       |
| ap           | of        | Annie Dillard\ |            |           |
| propriately. | geology,  | **[**Lesson    | Lab report | Lab       |
|              | parent    | #3: Leaf it to | write-up\  | Report    |
| 2.1 Students | material, | the            | Worksheet  | Rubric\   |
| ask a        | soils,    | St             |            | Answer    |
| variety of   | h         | udents!**](htt | Com        | Key       |
| questions.   | ydrology, | p://www.nps.go | prehensive |           |
|              | to        | v/archive/mabi | journal    | Task      |
| 2.2 Students | pography, | /mabi/educatio | entries\   | -specific |
| use          | plants,   | n/forestclassr | Data       | Rubrics   |
| reasoning    | fungi,    | oom/fary3.htm) | Tables\    |           |
| strategies,  | animals,  | **\            | Research   | Task      |
| knowledge,   | climate,  | Lesson #4:     | report\    | -specific |
| and common   | and       | Breaking Down  | Eight      | Rubric    |
| sense to     | di        | with           | entries in |           |
| solve        | sturbance | dichotomous    | tree book\ | Answer    |
| complex      |           | keys**\        | Answer     | Key       |
| problems     | Organize  | =\> Lecture:   | Questions\ |           |
| related to   | in        | Parts of a     | Write 5    | Checklist |
| all fields   | formation | Plant\         | questions  |           |
| of           | into a    | =\> Find That  | with       | Deco      |
| knowledge.   | written   | Tree!          | answers    | mposition |
|              | report    | Activity\      |            | C         |
| 4.6          |           | =\>            | Fieldtrip: | hecklist\ |
| U            | Convey    | Demonstration: | Fungi      | Ch        |
| nderstanding | in        | Celery Vein    | Analysis   | ecklists/ |
| place.       | formation | Study\         | at Old     | Answer    |
|              | clearly   | =\> Lab: Leaf  | Mill Park, | Keys      |
| 7.1 Students | and       | architecture   | Jericho    |           |
| use          | ef        | and wind       |            |           |
| scientific   | fectively | stress\        | Site Data  |           |
| methods to   |           | =\>            | Sheet &    |           |
| describe,    | Use facts | Read-aloud:    | Forest     |           |
| investigate, | and       | \"Leaf It to   | Mural      |           |
| and explain  | details   | Us\"\          | Inventory  |           |
| phenomena.   | to convey | =\> Lecture:   | Recording  | Lab       |
|              | in        | photosynthesis | Forms      | Report    |
| 7.2 Students | formation | and plant      | Fieldtrips | Rubric/\  |
| design and   |           | movement\      | to:\       | Answer    |
| conduct a    |           | =\> Lab:       | **=\>      | Keys/Che  |
| controlled   |           | Exploring      | Winooski   | cklists/\ |
| experiment   |           | Plant Tropism\ | River      | Task      |
| and field    |           | =\> Movie:     | Flood-     | -specific |
| work.        |           | Bill           | plain      | Rubrics   |
|              |           | N              | Forest     |           |
| 7.11         |           | ye----Forests\ | (Lesson    |           |
| Students     |           | =\> Lecture:   | #7\        |           |
| analyze and  |           | Reproduction   | =\> Deep   |           |
| understand   |           | in seed        | Broadleaf  |           |
| living and   |           | plants\        | Marsh &    |           |
| non-living   |           | **Lesson #5:   | Bulrush    |           |
| systems as   |           | Adopt-A-Tree   | Marsh at   |           |
| collections  |           | Project\       | Sandbar    |           |
| of           |           | **[**Lesson    | State Park |           |
| interrelated |           | #6: Nature     | (Lesson    |           |
| parts and    |           | Sketches:      | #8)**\     | Task      |
| in           |           | Common Vermont | =\>        | -specific |
| terconnected |           | Tree           | Montane    | Rubric    |
| systems.     |           | Book**](http   | Sp         |           |
|              |           | ://www.nps.gov | ruce-birch | Checklist |
| 7.13aa       |           | /archive/mabi/ | forest,    | of        |
| Identify,    |           | mabi/education | high       | concepts\ |
| model and    |           | /forestclassro | elevation  | Writing   |
| explain the  |           | om/fary6.htm)\ | community, | Report    |
| structure    |           | =\> Read \"How | Bolton     | Rubric    |
| and function |           | Do Leaves      | Valley\    |           |
| of           |           | Change         | =\>        |           |
| organisms,   |           | Color?\"\      | Colchester |           |
| both as      |           | =\> Read \"Why | Bog\       |           |
| individual   |           | Leaves Change  | =\> Rich   |           |
| entities and |           | Color.\"\      | Northern   |           |
| as           |           | =\> Review     | Hardwood   |           |
| components   |           | Fungi Fact     | Forest,    |           |
| of larger    |           | Sheet Read     | Richmond\  |           |
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|              |           | poem\          | C          |           |
|              |           | =\> The Fallen | liff-Talus |           |
|              |           | Log Activity\  | community, |           |
|              |           | **Lessons #7,  | Richmond\  |           |
|              |           | 8, and 9       | **=\>      |           |
|              |           | Analyzing the  | Mount      |           |
|              |           | Forest:**\     | Mansfield  |           |
|              |           | • **Plot       | transect   |           |
|              |           | measurement\   | (Lesson    |           |
|              |           | • Tree         | #9)**      |           |
|              |           | species\       |            |           |
|              |           | • Tree size\   | D          |           |
|              |           | •              | ichotomous |           |
|              |           | Regeneration\  | Key of     |           |
|              |           | • Damage and   | Snake      |           |
|              |           | disturbance\   | Mountain   |           |
|              |           | • Shrubs and   | Trees      |           |
|              |           | density\       |            |           |
|              |           | • Herbaceous   | Final      |           |
|              |           | layer and      | Essay:     |           |
|              |           | ground cover\  | **\"What   |           |
|              |           | • Macrofauna\  | are the    |           |
|              |           | • Microfauna\  | pieces,    |           |
|              |           | • Topography\  | patterns,  |           |
|              |           | • Geology\     | and        |           |
|              |           | • Soils\       | processes  |           |
|              |           | • Weather and  | of a       |           |
|              |           | climate**\     | natural    |           |
|              |           | =\> Analysis   | comm       |           |
|              |           | of             | unity?\"** |           |
|              |           | Controversial  |            |           |
|              |           | Forest Issues\ |            |           |
|              |           | =\>            |            |           |
|              |           | Sustainable    |            |           |
|              |           | Forestry,      |            |           |
|              |           | Ecosystem      |            |           |
|              |           | Management,    |            |           |
|              |           | and Land       |            |           |
|              |           | Stewardship\   |            |           |
|              |           | **Culminating  |            |           |
|              |           | Activities**\  |            |           |
|              |           | **Lesson #10:  |            |           |
|              |           | Creating a     |            |           |
|              |           | Dichotomous    |            |           |
|              |           | Key of Snake   |            |           |
|              |           | Mountain       |            |           |
|              |           | Trees\         |            |           |
|              |           | Lesson #12:    |            |           |
|              |           | Final Essay**  |            |           |
|              |           |                |            |           |
|              |           |                |            |           |
+--------------+-----------+----------------+------------+-----------+

**LESSON #3: Leaf it to the Students!**

**Focusing Question:** What are the characteristics of leaves?\
\
**Vermont Standards addressed:**

1.15 a Students assume roles in group communication tasks.

3.10 Students perform effectively on teams that set and achieve goals,
conduct investigations, solve problems and create solutions.

5.30 Students seek, record, and use information from reliable sources,
including scientific knowledge, observation, and experimentation.

7.13 bb Students identify and use anatomical structures to classify
plants.

**Length of Lesson:** 80 minutes

**Resources/Materials:** Botany Treasure Hunt Cards, bag of 25 different
(if possible) plants, large zip-lock baggies, forest, science journal

**Procedure:** 

1\. Gather students in a circle. Have all students close their eyes for
this activity.

2\. Pass out ONE plant leaf to each student. The students will use their
senses of touch and smell to observe all the characteristics of that
plant. Be sure to have students carefully study the margins, veination,
size, shape, thickness, etc.

3\. Collect all the leaves, then have students draw in their journal
what they believe their leaf looks like. Beside the drawing, have
students attribute adjectives to describe their leaf.

4\. One-by-one, remove the collected leaf from the bag and have the
students determine if it\'s his/her leaf.

5\. As a student claims his/her leaf, have them justify why it\'s their
leaf. They must use adjectives and/or specific details to describe (5
lobes, toothed margins, petiole as long as my thumb, sandpapery surface,
7 leaflets, etc.) This will introduce students thinking about the
variation of leaves as well as an introduction to some plant
terminology.

6\. Repeat with 9 more different leaves.

7\. Assign groups of 2-3 persons. Distribute Botany Treasure Hunt Cards.

8\. Remind students to stick close to the trail and not trample the
forest floor.

9\. Demonstrate HOW to pick a leaf (gently snap petiole at base) without
disrupting other leaves.

10\. Using their Botany Treasure Hunt Cards, groups will use the clues
to find a leaf that fits the description. Leaf samples will then be put
in the zip-lock baggy.

11\. Using their Botany Treasure Hunt Cards, groups will use the clues
to find a leaf that fits the description. Leaf samples will then be put
in the zip-lock baggy.

12\. Gather back into a circle. Read leaf description #1 on the treasure
hunt card. Have each group present and describe that leaf. This is a
good time to begin identifying the genus and species or common name of
that plant. Repeat for remaining leaves on the treasure hunt.

**Assessment:**

Students will: Draw and describe their leaf based on their sense of
touch and smell.

Collect leaf samples from a forest habitat.

Practice respect towards others as well as the environment around them.

Teacher will: Verify the samples students collected.

Guide students in the process of identifying the leaves on the treasure
hunt.

**LESSON #6: Nature Sketches: Creating a Common Vermont Tree Book**

**Focusing Question:** What are the physical and ecological
characteristics of deciduous and coniferous trees in various Vermont
natural communities?\
\
**Vermont Standards addressed:**

1.8 c/e Students organize information gathered through readings and
experiments so that the reader can easily understand what is being
conveyed; include appropriate facts and details, excluding extraneous
and inappropriate information.

1.17 Students appropriately represent data and results in multiple ways
(e.g., numbers and statistics, drawings and pictures, sentences, charts,
tables, etc.

3.9 dd Students demonstrate understanding that natural and human
communities are part of larger systems and that the interrelationships
between all systems affect their sustainability.

7.1 bb/cc/dd Students seek, record, and use information from reliable
sources, including scientific knowledge, observation, and
experimentation; collect date through observation and instrumentation,
and analyze data to draw conclusions; use conclusions to clarify
understanding and generate new questions to be explored; and describe,
explain, and model, using evidence that includes scientific principles
and observations.

7.2 bb Students design and conduct field work.

7.13 Students identify, model, and explain the structure and function of
plants, both as individual entities and as components of larger systems.

**Length of Lesson:** Early September through November

**\
Resources/Materials:**Clare Walker Leslie and Charles Roth\'s *Keeping a
Nature Journal*, Common Vermont Trees book, Polaris Plant Guide,
patience and precision.

**Procedure:** 

1\. Provide each student with an American beech leaf.

2\. Demonstrate how to accurately go about drawing a leaf. Example:
Begin by very lightly drawing the overall shape of the leaf
(elliptical). Fill in the single main vein, then the 11 parallel side
veins. Attach the short stem. Draw one side of the leaf margin, making
sure each side vein connects to the serrated margin. Finish the opposite
side. Provide finishing touches (shadows, irregularities, fine hairs on
margins, labels, brief notations, etc.).

3\. Using patience and precision, have students complete their own
American beech leaf drawing. Label the leaf drawing 911 parallel veins,
short, stout stem, elliptical shape, singly serrated, tiny hairs on
margins, length, width, color, texture, etc.)

4\. Instruct students how to draw tree forms, twig and buds, and
fruiting bodies.

5\. Go outside. Have students sketch the remaining parts of the American
beech.

6\. For the next eight weeks, have students sketch and research a
different tree each week. They must include two coniferous and six
deciduous entries in their book.

**Assessment:**

Students will: Sketch a detailed tree, leaf, bud, twig and form one time
per week

Research information about each tree they sketch

Teacher will: Periodically engage in dialogue about the progress of the
study with each individual

> student.
>
> Provide feedback on each weekly entry.
>
> Assess final sketch book using Common Vermont Tree Book Assessment
> Rubric