Many areas of the curriculum can be incorporated while taking a field trip. Each trip has different goals and objectives. On a trip to a nature preserve we can emphasize the areas of history and geography and also include science.

Throughout time a nature preserve and the surrounding areas have been affected by natural forces as well as the impact of different groups of humans. The study of these changes is a study of history.

Geographers also emphasize the study of natural features and the impact of humans on them. Geographers are interested in studying how the environment and changes in it relate to the lives of real people. They study the following major areas:

Political Systems

Human Systems

Environment and Society

Places and Regions

The World in Spatial Terms

The Uses of Geography

Both historians and geographers need knowledge of natural and physical sciences to understand these relationships and changes.

On a trip to Hartman Reserve we can learn about ways to teach geography. Geography becomes meaningful when abstract terms are experienced and when a map is used to find real places.

Here are some geographic concepts and terms a teacher might help students understand.

boundary

bridge

color

compass rose

contour lines

directions

east

environments

highway

hill

hospital

industry

intersection

key

line

north

northeast

northwest

park

path

people

pond

preserve

railroad track

relationships

river

road

school

south

southeast

southwest

swamp

west

We will use maps to locate specific places and features. This type of experience is called orienteering.

Geographers cannot work without understanding science. The plants and animals that live in an area are affected by the natural features.

Plants in need of much sunlight might grow on the south side of a hill that receives good sun whereas those requiring much water might grow in a wetland area. Some plants help other plants grow; others are so aggressive that they keep them from growing. Erosion affects which plants stay and which survive. Steep hillsides may be affected by erosion.

1. How does the terrain affect plants in Hartman Reserve?

2. How do the weather and climate affect plants in Hartman Reserve?

Humans affect what survives in an area. People make paths or roads, divert streams, and introduce or take away plants and animals.

1. What was Cedar Falls like a thousand or a hundred years ago?

2. What people lived here then and now?

3. What were the dwellings of people like then and what are they like now?

4. What roads, paths, or means of transportation did they use then and now?

5. Why did Hartman Reserve survive as a nature preserve?

Animals are impacted by the environment. Those that eat seeds and nuts must live near areas that support plants that produce the seeds or nuts. Birds needing hollow trees in which to nest need areas in which old timber has been allowed to stand and rot so that natural holes have developed or can be easily made.

1. How has the terrain affected the plant and animal life of this area?

2. What have people decided to name plants and animals of the area?

3. Why have they been given those names?

Geographers and other scientists need to know the common and scientific names of plants and animals when they make decisions that affect people. Specific information can help them protect and preserve the environment.

Learning names of plants and animals in the environment is like learning the names of friends. Under each plant name people collect information about color, height, preferred environment, shape of leaves, petals, or stems, or types of seeds. Under animal names they collect information about appearance, preferred homes, food, and habits. Knowing names helps people protect and preserve precious native plants and animals.

Try to learn some of the names and identify characteristics of wildflowers, trees, mammals, birds, or amphibians at Hartman Reserve. Wildflower, tree, bird, mammal, or reptile and amphibian books often tell about preferred geographic environments. Take along such books or a printout of information on the web. Identify them on a walk. Wild Flowers /Trees/Birds

Many birds live in the preserve. The geographic features affect the places they choose to live.

1. Which part of the preserve might be preferred by woodpeckers or owls?

2. In which parts might ducks, geese, or ospreys live?

3. Which parts would be preferred by song birds?

4. Where might you find woodcocks and why?

5. Why might turkey vultures sometimes come to Hartman Reserve?

You might see or hear some of the following:

American Crow

Barred owl

Black-capped chickadee

Blue jay

Canada goose

Cardinal

Downy woodpecker

Hairy woodpecker

Junco

Mallard duck

Mourning dove

Northern flicker

Osprey

Pileated woodpecker

Red-bellied woodpecker

Red-headed woodpecker

Robin

Turkey vulture

Warblers

White-breasted nuthatch

White-throated sparrow

Wood duck

Woodcock

You might see various mammals or signs of their presence.

1. Where in the preserve might you find woodchucks and why?

2. Where would squirrels or chipmunks live and why?

3. What impact have deer had on Hartman Reserve?

Chipmunk

Deer

Fox squirrel

Mouse

Rabbit

Woodchuck

A variety of amphibians live in Hartman Reserve.

1. Where would you find them?

2. How can you identify different frogs even if you can't see them?

Chorus frog (Sounds like finger run over a comb)

Green frog

Leopard frog

Children can learn to read a map to see where a bus or car will drive as they go to a field trip site. They can learn about things they see along the way.

There are many historic buildings in the City of Cedar Falls. The Cedar Falls Historical Society has prepared materials to help people learn about the community. A digital camera has been used to take pictures of some of these buildings. Descriptions provided by the city of Cedar Falls have been added to the pictures. Think about these earlier questions related to history.

1. What was Cedar Falls like a thousand or a hundred years ago?

2. What people lived here then and now?

3. What were the dwellings of people like then and what are they like now?

4. What roads, paths, or means of transportation did they use then and now?

5. Why did Hartman Reserve survive as a nature preserve?

Do the following:

1. Look at this web site. Black Hawk County History

2. Plan which route will be taken to get to Hartman Reserve.

3. Plot the route on a map.

4. Identify which historic sites will be passed along the way?

5. Learn about the places that will be passed.

It is helpful for children to take notes while on a field trip. Carrying a large book can be cumbersome. Instead, it is helpful to make a small booklet that can be carried in a pocket. Create such a field trip booklet for the excursion to Hartman Reserve.

Do the following:

1. Fold five (5) 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheets of paper into four parts.

2. Attach a short pencil to it with a string.

Here are ideas to include in the book.

Cover

My Trip Book

Name:

Table of Contents

My Own Maps or Map Words

Map of Place We Will Visit

Rules for the Trip

Names of People to Remember

My Questions

Answers

Facts I Learned

A Web or Cognitive Map

Sounds

Smells

Sights

Pictures

Touch

Taste

Time Words

Time Lines

A Trip Diary

My Feelings or Opinions Learn about a simile or metaphor

Description

Story

Essay or Editorial

News Item

Letter

Report

How To ...

A Riddle

Limerick

Poetry

Cinquain

Many language arts skills are used in social studies. Children write best when they know their subject. A hands-on experience such as a field trip to Hartman Reserve will provide abundant material for learning about functional and creative writing. An alert teacher will help children learn labels for different types of writing and actually create examples. The creation of a field trip book provides such opportunities.

Relate the cover to the theme of the trip. Writing the student's name on the book helps children keep track of their materials.

Learning how to make or use a table of contents helps students learn important organizational skills.

This type of page alerts children to what they are about to learn in a practical way. A map of Hartman Reserve is on the web. Maps of the route to be taken could be provided by the teacher. Some of the words previously listed could be written on such a page. Definitions could be written as students begin to understand them.

See the map on the web site for Hartman Reserve

Together with the children rules can be made for the following:

1. Riding in vehicles

2. Being on time

3. Respect for people

4. Respect for property

5. Working with others

6. Places to go or not to go

7. Things to touch or eat or not to touch or eat

Make some potential rules for these categories for an age you would like to teach.

(A page for this information is helpful because children need to write thank you notes upon return from the trip. Correct spelling and information will be helpful.)

Name Address Telephone

Children can make a list of questions they would like to have answered. Knowing what we want to learn helps us learn. Make a list of questions you would like to have answered.

Experiences on the trip, brochures, as well as special guides might be sources of answers. (Write answers to questions on the "answer" page.)

As information is learned it can be written on this page. Items can also be written here after the trip.

(Disciplines of social studies and related areas surrounding the center word - History, geography, economics, political science, anthropology, archaeology, art, music)

Children live in a sound rich environment. They need the help of a perceptive teacher to separate, identify, and relate sounds to their sources.

Sounds of birds, mammals, amphibians, people, machinery or swishing of wind or water can be heard and described or recorded on a tape recorder. Experienced naturalists often identify the presence of a bird, mammal, or amphibian by its sound long before they see it.

Students can learn about writing which includes the following:

Alliteration - Repetition of initial sound

Onomatopoeia - Sound effect words - words that sound like what they mean (Buzz, hummmm, swish) Perhaps you will hear the "swish" of the wings of turkey vultures flying through the branches of the tree tops.

Children can be made aware of smells of the earth, wet or dry leaves, or fragrant flowers. Sometimes these will be missed if a teacher does not work to create awareness.

Awareness of what might be seen is important. Talk about what could be seen, look at pictures, listen to sounds, and remember what has been seen on similar excursions. Help children "see" the geographic formations related to the geographic terms. Help them "see" parts of plants, trails and tracks of animals, changes related to seasons, or clues to events which have occurred in the environment. Help them be "environmental detectives" on the trip.

Very young children may draw what they see or feel. Older children may want to make detailed sketches of particular items they want to remember.

Guidance can be given concerning what not to touch. It will also be possible to feel various types of surfaces and use words such as rough, smooth, slippery, soft, hard, dry, wet, etc. Descriptive words help us express feelings and communicate specific ideas about experiences. While on the trip make a list of words describing what you touched.

Sometimes field trips to Hartman Reserve involve the making of maple syrup or apple sauce. In such cases the sense of taste will be involved. Otherwise it will be important to caution children not to taste unknown plants they may see along the way unless a guide specifically instructs them to do so.

Time words related to seasonal changes or history of Hartman Reserve may be encountered.

Order of events on the trip

Rate of growth or change in plants or animals seen

History of Hartman Reserve

Geographic changes from glacial times to the present

Students may make a record of their experiences on the trip

Sentences or paragraphs which describe feelings such as the following might be written:

Anticipation

Appreciation

Apprehension

Excitement

Happiness

Joy

Sadness

Students can learn the meaning of "simile" and "metaphor" and write their feelings in either form.

Similes

The moss was as soft as a pillow.

Her voice was like silver.

Metaphors

The deer was lightning.

The cloud was a pillow.

Much writing we encounter describes characteristics and helps us identify or relate to an item or event. Children can practice describing experiences in a way which will help others clearly understand an event or idea.

This can be real or fictitious. See the section on "storytelling" in the text to help you know what kinds of stories children might want to relate and which form they may want to use. Help them understand words such as introduction, sequence, or plot.

Examine essays or editorials in newspapers. Note how writers use information and ideas to express a particular viewpoint.

Help students learn how to include the five W's in the writing of a news article.

Provide samples of the parts of a letter they may write as a note of thanks to the guide.

Use an outline form to help children identify main and supporting ideas so that they can write or orally share a report of experiences.

Illustrations and step-by-step directions can be created to help someone repeat an experience.

These may start with phrases such as the following:

How many ...

If ... then ...

Why ...

The following form may be used:

There once was a ...

Who ...

When ...

That ...

(Couplet - A pair of verses that rhyme)

(Triplet - Three verses that often rhyme)

(Concrete poetry - Words arranged in picture form)

A type of poetry which follows this form:

Title - One Word

Words describing the title - Two words

Words expressing an action - Three words

Words expressing a feeling - Four words

Synonym for the Title - One Word