Conservation Education
-Diane Sand, Education Information Coordinator-
Conservation education and public outreach are very important to Crawford SWCD. The district offers many hands-on classroom programs covering many conservation topics that meet the Ohio Academic Content Standards. All of our programs are free of charge to any Crawford County school or organization.
Generally all of the presentations take 30 to 45 minutes. The presentations are prepared for single class occupancy, but multiple classes can be combined, with advanced notice. My schedule fills up quickly, and scheduling will be made on a first come first serve basis.
Current Selection of Available In-Class Programs
Soil:
Grades:PreK-3rd
- Soil Salad – This is a reinforcement of the science standard living and non-living. This is a fun interactive program to teach PreK-3rd about the “ingredients” of soil.
Grades: PreK-3rd
- Worms - Learn all about "natures plows" and the important role they play on Earth. I will read the book "A Diary of a Worm" and we will discuss the facts and fiction of this wonderful story, while learning some true worm facts. Real worms will be brought to the classroom for close up studying.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Worm Tunnel - This is an educational 9'X5' tunnel that the students can walk through to learn about recycling, worms, and decomposition. This is a great addition to the soil salad or worms programs.
Water:
Grades: PreK-6th
- Water Cycle – Roll the dice and become a water molecule and travel through the water cycle.
Grades: 2nd-6th
- Macro Invertebrates – This program is like bringing a local stream ecosystem right to the classroom, but with out the mess. The students will learn what a macro invertebrate is, learn some important tools used in macro invertebrate identification and studies, water quality, and complete a stream assessment form on an "actual" stream.
Grades:3rd-6th
- Water Pollution “CSI” – This is for 3rd – 6th grade students based in the 1800’s (great for history class as well). A killer has swept through the streets of London; hundreds are dead! Through a series of clues, students solve a mystery to discover that water can also produce negative effects for people. We will analyze data to solve water pollution mysteries.
Grades:PreK-2nd
- Fred The Fish – Fred the Fish will visit the class room to help students PreK-2nd grade have a better understanding of water pollution.
Grades: 3rd-6th
- Who Polluted the Potomac? - This is a hands on demonstration covering how water in the Potomac River became polluted starting 500 years ago until today. We will cover many types of pollutants made by factories, motorists, families, and more.
Grades:2nd-6th
- H2Olympics – No one will get wet and this is done in the classroom to help students learn about adhesion and cohesion.
Wildlife:
Grades: PreK-6th
- Wild Turkey - This is a wonderful program for around the Thanksgiving holiday. Real turkey props will be brought for the class to view. The history, characteristics, habitat, and other interest areas of the wild turkey will be covered.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Pelts - Crawford County native animal pelts are brought in and can be used for hibernation, mammal studies, nocturnal, habitats, carnivore, herbivore, omnivore and specific characteristics to fit your age content standard. Pelts available are: raccoon, mink, coyote, red fox, grey fox, beaver, opossum, muskrat, and skunk.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Tracks – This is a great correlation with the Ohio Mammals program. We have various domestic and wild animal track molds.
Grades: 1st-6th
- Skulls – We will examine preserved skulls and compare skull features among several animals to explore associated adaptations. This is also a great addition to the pelts or tracks program.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Bats - This program will take a closer look at the only true flying mammal. We will cover echolocation, diet, species, and much more! This is a perfect program for around Halloween or any time.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Frogs and Toads – What is a frog? What is a toad? Are they the same? We will discover the differences in habitats, appearances, where their young are laid, and the life cycle changes. As well as many more interesting facts!
Grades: PreK-6th
- Dragonflies – This program will inform the class on the body parts, life cycle, and habitat of this very interesting insect.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Bird Banding - We will take a look at bird banding, the history, and why it is done. The class will complete a worksheet, while watching my “bird monitoring hotel”, to chart birds that are banded. This is done in the classroom. At the close of the program, the students will make their own color-banded identification bracelet.
Agriculture:
Grades: PreK-6th
- Celebrating the Corn Harvest – Learn how corn is grown, harvested, and what products are made from corn.
Grades: 1-6th
- Ag and Your Friday Night Football Game – This program is all about the importance of Agriculture for football. Example: Footballs and hotdogs come from pigs, an important agricultural commodity. This could be used for other sports as well.
Conservation-Natural Resources:
Grades: PreK-6th
- We All Need Trees – This will cover the various tree parts, structure, uses for humans and animals, and products that are made from this great natural resource.
Please contact me if there is a topic that you would like me to present on that is not listed. Most programs can be made to fit any age group. I can be contacted at Crawford SWCD, 3111 State Route 98, Bucyrus, OH 44820 or (419)562-8280.
Other School Opportunities:
Grades: 9th-12th
- Envirothon - The Envirothon is a multi-disciplinary, environmental problem solving culminating in a series of annual competitions. Teams of five high school students (grades 9-12) train and compete in the areas of soils, forestry, wild life, aquatics and current environmental issues at regional, state, and national levels.
2008 Envirothon Dates:
Area 1: Wednesday April 30, 2008 ~ Miller Conservation Farm, Seneca County
State: June 8-9-10, 2008 ~ Urbana University, Champaign County
National: July 28 - August 3, 2008 ~ Flagstaff, Arizona
Area 1 Envirothon Website ~ Get the 2008 Area 1 results, tests with answers, and see all of the pictures.
Teacher Opportunities:
- E.A.R.T.H Workshop~
The Environmental Awareness and Resources for Teaching Harmony Workshop will be held this year at the Hancock Park District's Litzenberg Memorial Woods, 6100 U.S. Route 224 West, Findlay, Ohio on July 15th and 16th, 2008.
This workshop is an annual event hosted by a cooperative effort of the Hancock Park District and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Allen, Crawford, Seneca, Van Wert, and Wyandot Counties.
For a full workshop brochure with registration forms click below: