Contents

• Integrated Projects in Middle School
• Trail Consequences
• Lesson Topics
• Tips for Grant Writing
• Resources

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The enthusiasm generated by the project and associated field trips will go a long way toward eliminating the need for serious discipline. Adult group leaders need to establish authority early on but at the same time allow flexibility when they see learning taking place. We have found some minor disruption that we believe to be an expression of frustration at the task of applying scientific methods. When students are accustomed to the scientific task and the group work very little guidance is required.

• 1st offense: adult supervisor gives you a warning.
• 2nd offense: adult supervisor gives you a discipline check.
• 3rd offense: adult supervisor gives you another discipline check.
• 4th offense: not allowed to participate in next tracking activity.
• Emergency discipline measure: removed immediately from activity. (fighting, swearing, etc.)

I expect my students to trade discipline checks for some kind of detention. (lunch, playground, reward party skip)

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1. Weather unit
Topics include water cycles, clouds, maritime winds, high and low pressure, fronts, global and continental weather. Daily charted temperature and videotaped weather reports.

2. Orientation and mapping unit
Compass and map skills for taking a bearing in the field and following a charted course on a 7 minute sectional map/compass course. Magnetic north, latitude, longitude.

3. Research unit
Research of mammals, habitats, and ecological systems done in conjunction with high school biology students. Establish ownership of land areas that the class would like to survey through the tax equalization office. Iron County records of old hunting licenses. Land ownership and hunting license research done in conjunction with high school English students.

4. Interview unit
Techniques of interviewing done in conjunction with high school English students. Interviews of hunters, trappers, foresters, sportsmen.

5. Internet web site
Project is part of the Forest Park School web page. Description of project, profiles of adult and student participants, interactive activities for habitats, animal research, track scenarios, survival game, and audio/visual presentations.

6. Building project
Students designed and built a portable display unit assisted by high school shop students. (drawing 27k)

7. Art unit
Designed linoleum stamps of miniature mammal prints for use on paper and cloth. High school student designed and made a stamp bearing "Tracks at Your Doorstep" logo. Class plans to produce t-shirts and stationary.

8. Dichotomous guide lesson
Identify prints, tracks, scrapping, scat, and other signs

9. Scientific measurement unit
Measurement of prints, tracks, stride, and straddle using classroom mammal visitors, pets at home, and wild mammals from school and home plots. Measure and compare results using prepared plaster castings from White Water Associates, Inc.

10. Field journal lesson
Proper set-up and complete data included in various sections during field research.

11. Track reading unit
Develop track stories using standard templates for teacher and students produced activities . Create templates for native animals, scat, homes, food, etc.

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• Above all, think of a unique approach to your subject!
• Integrate project across the curriculum.
• Consider involving different grade levels and subjects.
• Choose a project that sounds fun and has pizzazz!
• Use evocative phrases to paint a picture of your proposed study area or project.
• Use some current educational catch-phrases.
• Include a list of community resource people and organizations that will support your project.

Sample opening paragraphs:

Picture a small north woods town with a river running through it. Surrounding lands are farmed or forested, and punctuated with lakes, streams, and wetlands. Town boundaries blend into pine, aspen, or hardwood stands, farm fields or abandoned mine sites. European settlement of the area was driven by logging and iron or mining. Today about 2500 people live here; some are retired, but most make a living in tourism, logging, small industries, and assorted service and labor professions. Our small town, set in a relatively remote area, provides an immediate outdoor classroom for students, literally at their doorstep, yet little is done to take advantage of these opportunities. Students remain largely ignorant of their natural environment and unaware of how science can practically apply to everyday situations in their own hometown.

We propose to develop an interdisciplinary curriculum combining practical skills in field biology, orienteering, mapping, geography, social studies, interviewing, writing, and library and internet research with public presentations and community involvement. Students will learn about and become involved in the ecology of their own hometown, increasing their environmental awareness and building citizenship while they enjoy and apply science. Through this hands on curriculum students will come to appreciate more fully the place in which they live.

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Allden, P. 1987. Peterson First Guide to Mammals. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.

Baker, R.H. 1983. Michigan Mammals. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.

Benyus, J. 1989. Northwoods Wildlife. Northword Press, Inc., Minocqua, WI.

Burt, William H. Mammals of the Great Lakes Region. The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, MI

Charles, M. and Carles Chase. 1969. Field Guide to Tracks: Nasco Nature Study Aids. Nasco, Fort Atkinson, WI.

Forrest, L.R. 1988. Field Guide to Tracking Animals in Snow. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA.

Halfpenny, J. 1986. A Field Guide to Mammal Tracking. Johnson Books, Boulder, CO

Kurta, Allen. 1995. Mammals of the Great Lakes Region. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, MI

Miller, D. 1981. Track Finder. Nature Study Guild, Rochester, NY.

Murie, O.J. 1954. Animal Tracks (Peterson Field Guide). Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.

Rezendes, P. 1992. Tracking & the Art of Seeing. Camden House Publishing, Inc., Charlotte, VT.

Smith, Richard P. 1982. Animal Tracks and Signs of North America. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA.

Stensaas, M. 1993. Canoe Country Wildlife: A Field Guide to the North Woods and Boundary Water. Pfeifer-Hamilton, Duluth, MN.

Stokes, D. 1976. A Guide to Nature in Winter. (Stokes Nature Guides). Little Brown and Company, Boston.

Stokes, D. and L. Stokes. 1986. A Guide to Animal Tracking and Behavior. Little, Brown and Company, Boston.

Whitaker, John O. Jr. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals. Alfred A. Knopf, New York

Base Camp Amazon Web bookstore (Good spot to browse or buy)

White Water Associates, Inc. (ecology, biology, chemistry)

Katz, Lilian G. The Project Approach. ERIC Digest, EDO-PS-94-6

Chard, Sylvia C. The Project Approach. Web Site (good stuff here to help justify your projects to administrators)

Animal Tracking in Landglade County, Wisconsin. Good tracking info and track drawings

Mammal species of the world. Smithsonian technical web collection with links.

Philadelphia Zoo Home Page. Some good animal information here. Watch out for the growl!

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