Winter Schlyard Sil and Air Temperature Grade Levels: 5 th Length f Lessn Sequence: 1 hur Brief Descriptin: The causes and cnsequenses f sil temperature in the winter is an imprtant cncept t understand. Human management activities in agriculture and cnservatin can have large impacts n sil temperature. In return, sil temperature has imprtant impacts n the eclgy f differnt ecsystem. The causes f sil temperature changes in the winter can easily be studied in the schlyard. Students will explre the sil and air temperature in different habitats arund the schlyard that may be affected by different ecsystem prperties, such as plant, litter r snw cver and human built structures. The patterns in sil temperature are then related t the cnsequences fr the ecsystem arund the schl and extensins are made t cnsequences fr fields and frests. Cntent Statements/Standards Cvered: I.1.MS.2 (C 8) - Design and cnduct simple investigatins. III.5.MS.6 (LEC 11) - Describe ways in which humans alter the envirnment. I.1.MS.4 (C 10) - Use measurement devices t prvide cnsistency in an investigatin. II.1.MS.5 (new) - Develp an awareness f and sensitivity t the natural wrld. Objectives f Lessn: At the cnclusin f the lessn, students will be able t: Take measurements f sil and air temperature Distinguish between temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit Make keen bservatins f areas in the schlyard that have warm and cld sil temperature as well as warm and cld air temperature Cnnect sil temperature with the habitat/snw cver/plant cver Identify ways in which humans have manipulated sil and air temperatures Frm hyptheses regarding hw sil temperatures impact plant and animal life Make cnnectins between sil and air temperature Materials and Resurces 8 Digital Sil Thermmeters (mechanical sil thermmeters will wrk t) 1 Schlyard 8 Clipbards 8 Writing Utensils Strategy Inductive r field inquiry: techniques-bservatins-patterns-explanatins (TOPE)
Intrductin/Anticipatry Set As a class, give the students the fllwing five questin quiz. Each student vtes fr an answer by raising their hand. Tally the number f answers n the bard beside the questin. 1. Will the sil temperature under snw be clder r warmer than in areas withut snw cver? 2. Will the sil temperature under grwing plants be warmer r clder than areas withut plants? 3. Will the air temperature and the sil temperature be the same? 4. Will the sil temperature be warmer n the nrth, west, east r suth side f the schl? 5. If yu were a farmer, wuld yu want the sil in yur field t be warm r cld in the winter? G ver the activities with the sessin with the students. Make sure t let them knw hw t prperly insert the sil thermmeters and t be very careful with them. They must nt try t jam the thermmeters int frzen sil. When inserting them, make sure t use the metal prtin f the thermmeter t push dwn rather than the tp prtin, at least until the thermmeter is almst entirely in the grund. Activities f the Sessin Have the students cunt ff int grups, starting with ne and ending at eight, in rder t frm eight grups f tw-three students. Students shuld take turns being temperature measurers, data recrders and habitat bservers Prvide each student with a clipbard, datasheet and sil thermmeter. Identify the bundaries where the students are allwed t take measurements. Tell them t try and find sme different areas t use f their data cllectin. Each grup will g ut int the schlyard and identify six different lcatins where they will measure the sil and air temperature, and bserve the habitat where they are measuring. 1. At each lcatin, hld the thermmeter ut in frnt f yu fr ne minute t measure the air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. Recrd n the data sheet. 2. Gently insert the thermmeter int the sil using the metal end first. Only hld n t the metal part f the thermmeter as yu start t push it int the sil t prevent breaking the thermmeter. Once yu have the thermmeter smewhat int the sil, gently push the thermmeter in the rest f the way frm the tp until the entire metal prtin is in the grund. After ne minute, recrd the temperature and remve the thermmeter frm the grund gently. 3. Make bservatins f the habitat where yu measured the temperatures. Is there snw, plant r litter cver? Are there buildings, statues r fences within 10 feet (fur steps) f yu? Which directin is the structure frm yu? Hw many steps away is it? Repeat steps 1-3 abve fr five mre lcatins in the schlyard. Cnclusin In the same grups f three, the students will answer the last questins n the wrksheet. Where the air and sil temperatures the same in each lcatin yu measured? Where was the sil temperature the warmest? What was cvering the grund at that lcatin? Where there any buildings r structures nearby and which directin were they? Where was the sil temperature the cldest? What was cvering the grund at that lcatin? Where there any buildings r structures nearby and which directin were they?
Did the air temperature change between different lcatins? Where was the air temperature the warmest? Where was the air temperature the cldest? If the sil temperature is 0 C, what is the temperature in Fahrenheit? 32 F If smething is keeping the sil warm in the winter, will it als keep the sil warm in the summer? N, usually cver keeps the sil cler in the summer, effectively buffering the sil frm extreme cld and extreme warm temperatures. Hpefully, the exercise will stimulate ther questins that the students have abut the causes and cnsequences f sil temperature in the winter Shuld we have used a ruler r tape measure t measure the distance t the structures when we were cllecting data? Yes, accuracy in science is imprtant What impacts des the winter sil temperature have n plant and animal life? Warm sils in the winter may speed up decmpsitin, but als stimulate plant grwth in the winter Cld sils may cause winter injury t plants What are the tw majr ways in which humans may directly r indirectly regulate sil temperature? Changing the plant, mulch r snw cver n the sil. Sils with cver are buffered frm extreme cld and extreme warm temperatures and d nt fluctuate as much in either directin. High levels f sil misture als buffer the temperature f sil, keeping it warm in the winter and cl in the summer. If yu were a farmer, wuld yu want the sil temperature in yur field t be warm r cld? If yu are grwing perennial plants, yu wuld want the temperature t remain fairly warm s that the plants survive the winter If yu are nt grwing any plants ver the winter, yu wuld want the sil t be as cld as pssible t prevent decmpsitin If yu are planting in the spring, mulch r plant cvers ver the winter prevent the sil temperature frm rising quickly in the spring, ften making sils t cl in the spring t plant. Thus, yu may have t delay planting until later when the sil has mre time t warm. What wuld happen t the sil temperature in a frest if all f the trees were cut dwn? It wuld likely be much warmer in the summer and much cler in the winter. Assessment Students shuld be graded in tw ways n this prject 1. Willing participatin in the activity 2. Cmpletin f the wrksheet. Answers need nt be cmpletely crrect, but must be given sme thught. Extensins (Optinal) As an additinal small grup r individual activity, students may find it interesting t test the sil temperature fr different farmers in the area in their fields and then prvide a reprt fr the farmers n what they fund.
References Brady, N.C and Weil, R.R. 2002. The Nature and Prperties f Sils: Thirteenth Editin. Prentice Hall, New Jersey: pg. 310-313. Pst-lessn Cmments and Reflectin When we perfrmed this lessn with the fifth grade, I did nt plan enugh time. T take all f the measurements and effectively g thrugh the questins, 1.5 2 hurs wuld be apprpriate. On the day f the data cllectin, there was snw n the grund. Certain areas where there was nt snw were frzen and culd nt be measured because the thermmeters culd nt be pushed int the sil. Students fund the warmest temperatures near the buildings and the cldest temperatures n the nrth side f structures where there was n snw. Overall, it went quite well. I plan t repeat the activity in the summer when the sil temperature may really be affected by plant grwth and litter
Names Date Winter Schlyard Sil and Air Temperature Wrksheet 1. Chse eight different lcatins t measure the sil and air temperature in yur schlyard. The bundaries f the study area will be explained by the teachers prir t the experiment. Recrd the data in the spaces belw. Lcatin 1 Is there a building, fence r statue within fur steps f yu (Yes r N and Building, If yu face the structure, what directin are yu lking? Hw many steps away is the structure? Lcatin 2 If yu face the structure, what directin are yu lking? Hw many steps away is the structure? Lcatin 3 If yu face the structure, what directin are yu lking? Hw many steps away is the structure? Lcatin 4 If yu face the structure, what directin are yu lking? Hw many steps away is the structure?
Lcatin 5 If yu face the structure, what directin are yu lking? Hw many steps away is the structure? Lcatin 6 If yu face the structure, what directin are yu lking? Hw many steps away is the structure? 2. After cmpleting the data measurements, bring the data sheets back t the classrm t answer the fllwing questins as a grup. Where the air and sil temperatures the same in each lcatin yu measured? Where was the sil temperature the warmest? What was cvering the grund at that lcatin? Where there any buildings r structures nearby and which directin were they? Where was the sil temperature the cldest? What was cvering the grund at that lcatin? Where there any buildings r structures nearby and which directin were they? Did the air temperature change between different lcatins? Where was the air temperature the warmest? Where was the air temperature the cldest? If the sil temperature is 0 Celsius, what is the temperature in Fahrenheit? If smething is keeping the sil warm in the winter, will it als keep the sil warm in the summer? Why r why nt? Name ne new science questin yu have after cmpleting tday s activity?