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Wetlands and Their Inhabitants
Teacher's Guide
Written by Sarah Bodor
Edited by Jerome Bird and Pat Robeson
Objectives:
At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Describe a wetland environment.
- Describe the basic value and functions of wetlands.
- Identify the plants and animals that rely on wetlands to live.
Maryland Learning Outcomes:
Social Studies Skills
Students will demonstrate an understanding of historical and current events using chronological and spatial thinking, develop historical interpretations, and frame questions that include collecting and evaluating information from primary and secondary sources.
- Find, interpret, and organize primary and secondary sources of information including pictures, graphics, maps, atlases, artifacts, timelines, political cartoons, videotapes, journals, and government documents.
Student Worksheets:
Teacher Background Information:
Chesapeake Bay wetlands - indeed, all wetlands - are valuable for many
reasons. They provide clean water, sources of food, habitat for
wildlife, flood control, and recreational opportunities. The importance
of wetlands to our lives makes them a meaningful topic of study.
Introduction and Motivation:
Introduce a simple definition of a wetland to your students, i.e.
"marshy land that is at the edge of a body of water, such as a river,
creek, lake, or bay." This should help students to realize that at some
point, each of them has probably seen a wetland, if only on television
or in a book. Introduce students to some historical and literary
references to swamp and marsh lands. Examples include:
"I enter the swamp as a sacred place--a sanctum sanctorum. There is
the strength, the marrow of Nature."
"What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet."
Your students might also enjoy discussing the ways in which wetland
terminology has become part of our modern speech. Phrases like "bogged
down," "swamped," or "get stuck in the mire" all reflect characteristics
associated with marshes. Ask your students what they think a wetland is
like - what does it look like, how does it smell, etc.?
Lesson Development
This lesson does not require students to leave the Exploring Maryland
web site. It is designed for the students to complete independently, or
with a moderate amount of teacher assistance.
At the start of this lesson, your students are asked to imagine the
types of places that the crew aboard Pride II see as they travel around
Chesapeake Bay. You might use this as an opportunity to lead a
brainstorming session listing all of the possible land uses around the
Bay. They may come up with cities and towns, farms, fields, forests,
and marshes.
Next, students are asked to imagine the sorts of plants and animals that
the crew might see. Again, you can do this part as a group, allowing
students to brainstorm a list, or students can complete this activity
independently, or with a partner. Ask them where they think most of
these animals live or find food. This is a good introduction, as most of
the wildlife associated with water in Maryland rely on wetlands for food
or protection at some stage in their lives.
To truly understand the value of wetlands to the entire Bay watershed,
students will need to know not only about wetlands as habitat, but also
about the role they play in flood control and filtering water.
Throughout this lesson, wetlands can be compared to everyday objects in
an attempt to clarify the important things that wetlands can do.
Wetlands are sometimes like sponges, absorbing and holding water. They
are also a nursery for baby fish and other critters. They filter water
like a coffee filter and act as a strainer for larger particles. These
ideas will be reviewed when students complete the
Marsh Metaphors Worksheet at the end of this lesson.
This lesson focuses particularly on the interactions between wetland
inhabitants. The salt marsh ecosystems of Chesapeake Bay are among the
most productive ecosystems in the world. Tiny bits of decaying plant
matter called detritus form the base of the salt marsh food web. The
bacteria that eat these plants are consumed by fiddler crabs, snails,
insects, and even some fish. Larger birds and mammals eat these smaller
critters. Students will complete a simple food chain using the Wetland Web Worksheet.
It's important to remember that humans are an important part of this
chain. In fact, almost every type of Bay seafood that we enjoy depends
upon wetlands for survival at some point in its lifecycle! Consider
discussing the importance of seafood in Maryland with your students.
Allow them to think about who might be affected if wetlands continue to
be lost throughout our watershed.
Thoughtful Application:
The Marsh Metaphors Worksheet can be used to assess your students'
understanding of the functions of a wetland. If students can describe
the similarities between wetlands and a sponge, a coffee filter, a
house, and other appropriate objects, then they have clearly grasped the
ideas illustrated in this lesson.
After the students have completed the Marsh Metaphors Worksheet, they
are asked to think again about the crew aboard Pride II as they travel
around Chesapeake Bay. Students are asked to draw a picture of a wetland
scene. They are then directed to write a short description of an
encounter with a wetland creature. You will need to supply paper for
this final activity.
Scoring Tool:
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Students will receive
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| 2 Points |
- If the drawing includes characteristic wetland water, plants, and
grasses, and several wetland creatures.
- The description correctly describes an encounter between a human and a
wetland creature.
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| 1 Point |
- If the drawing includes characteristic wetland water, plants, and
grasses, and at least one wetland creature.
- The description minimally describes an encounter between a human and a
wetland creature.
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| 0 Points |
- If the drawing does not includes characteristic wetland water, plants,
and grasses, and contains no wetland creatures.
- The description incorrectly describes an encounter between a human and
a wetland creature.
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Lesson Extensions:
- To more fully assess your students' understanding of the complexity
of life in a wetland, ask your students to create a 3-dimensional food
web that includes at least 5 living things and shows the relationship
between them.
- Make a marsh mural! Allow students to create a wetland scene that
includes plants and wildlife that one might really expect to find in a
Bay wetland. Show interactions between various organisms. Display the
mural in a well-traveled hallway for the whole school to enjoy.
- "Visit" a freshwater marsh on the
Jug Bay Wildlife Sanctuary's web site.
If possible, follow-up by taking a real tour of the sanctuary with one
of the staff naturalists. They offer excellent opportunities for
students to participate in data collecting "hunts" for specific
plants, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
- Create a schoolyard wetland! Including students in the planning and
planting of a wetland study area on the school grounds provides the
opportunity for long-term hands-on observation of life in this
exciting ecosystem. The National Wildlife Federation, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife, and Environmental Concern all have materials that can help
you get started.
- Visit the NOAA photograph and image collection web site
to find more pictures of Chesapeake Bay wetlands and inhabitants.
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