#2725. Hometown Ecology

Science, level: Middle
Posted Mon Oct 28 10:17:12 PST 2002 by Ed Leitz (edleitz@hotmail.com).
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Johnstown, PA
Materials Required: poster board, newspapers, magazines, siccors, glue
Activity Time: 2- 40 minute periods
Concepts Taught: relating ecology to their own life

OBJECTIVES
Students will explain how ecology is at work in
their home towns every day.

Students will be able to define and give
examples of ecology terms.

INTRODUCTION
Ask students what they know about the world around them. Do they ever take the time to observe the world they live. Have they ever stopped to think about how they affect the environment.

DEVELOPMENT
Give students a list of terms related to ecology that can be visually represented. Examples can be
1. Natural Resources
2. Fossil Fuels
3. Conservation
4. Erosion
5. Recycling
6. Ozone Depletion(Products that cause this)
7. Strip Minning
8. Solar Power
There are many terms that can be used for this section, however it is best to limit it to 6-8. Also give the students the definition of each term and some possible examples.

ASSIGNMENT
Have students use newspapers, magazines, the internet, to find a picture that would represent each term you proided them with. The only stipulation is that is must be something they can find within their own town or community. If your town does not have a recycling program, do not let them put a picture of a recycling post, they must think of another way that people can recycle.
Once the students have all of their pictures have them put them on a poster, which they can present to the class and explain exactly how each picture represents the ecology term.

Another item that can be added to the poster is a food web consisting of pictures of animals that they have personally seen in their town.