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Pre-Site Information Big Cypress National Preserve
National Park Service Pre-Site Information Anticipation Guide Water GPS Introduction to Swamp Ecosystems Backpack Orientation Slide collections reflect seven day pre-site lesson plans For Dissolved Oxygen and Relative Humidity lesson plans, see teacher’s guide.
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Anticipation Guide In your anticipation guide, quietly work through the ten questions. Keep this paper, and we will find answers to each question before we go to the SWAMP! The answers will not come in order, so you must remember what you guessed while we go over the information!
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“Why Should I Care About Swamp Water?”
Ask students: Why should they care bout swamp water? Does it affect them in any way? If you like swimming, fishing, boating, or the beach, then water is important to you. If you like fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, and sugar… water is important! If you prefer clean drinking water, clean clothes, and a clean shower or bath…. Water is important! Water is important for all of us.
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Water in Big Cypress Naples Immokalee
Discuss the flow of water. Ask where water comes from- students MAY have heard that water flows from Lake Okeechobee. This is true for Everglades NP, but not BICY. The water in Big Cypress is mostly rainwater that flows from the north to the southwest. The water in Big Cypress affects everyone in Collier County every day.
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Water in Big Cypress Naples Immokalee
What are the possible causes for water flow? Answer… gravity. Water flows from the higher portions of land to the lower portions. Why does the water flow from north to southwest?
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What happens to the water while it flows across the swamp?
Bill Nye the Science Guy Water in Big Cypress Follow link to Bill Nye videos. Information on the wetlands acting as a sponge/cleaner occurs at the times 1:45—3:55 and 6:09—8:11.
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Water in Big Cypress What happens to the water while it flows across
the swamp? The swamp, or wetlands, act as a filter. The swamp removes pollution from the water, making it cleaner as it flows south and down into the aquifer. The swamp also slows down the water to prevent flooding. The water that you use every day comes from the Shallow Aquifer of Southwest Florida. Water in Big Cypress
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The Shallow Aquifer of South Florida is located under the majority of Collier County. Rainwater refills the aquifer. Without Big Cypress, the rain would flow straight into the Gulf of Mexico, rather than down into the aquifer. Water in Big Cypress Source: United States Geological Survey
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Everyone depends on water.
Water in Big Cypress Everyone depends on water. “70% of the Earth's surface, 75% of the human body, 90% of blood and sap. 97% of Earth's water is in the oceans, 2% is frozen in icecaps, 1% is fresh, but much of this is inaccessible, deep in the Earth. From what is left, we use 98% for industrial purposes and agriculture, only 2% for the nutrition and health of every living organism.”
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Water in Big Cypress Water also impacts what types of animals and organisms live in and around an area. What kind of animals or organisms might live in these areas?
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Water in Big Cypress There are four factors that determine what lives in or near a body of water. Water Depth Water Temperature Level of Dissolved Oxygen pH Level A good way to review these factors is to have students discuss how these factors would affect animals who live in or around a body of water. Most students will not know DO or pH immediately. Water depth: how deep a body of water is Water temperature: is it hot, cold, lukewarm? DO: What is oxygen? What is it important? Why would this impact life in the water? Review pH
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Water in Big Cypress Water Depth
Reviewing these photographs… which animals could live in each place? Clockwise from left… the Hardwood Hammock has no ground water. Mammals could live here. The Cypress Swamp has standing water, making it ideal for alligators and turtles, who don’t need very deep water to survive. The Mangroves and the surrounding water is filled with fish.
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Water in Big Cypress Water Temperature The water must allow for
animals to live in the water. The water temperature is also affected by other factors, such as how water depth, air temperature, and exposure to the sun. Why do you think that is? Water affects living organisms. Would an animal in Florida want to live in water that was excessively cold? What about boiling hot? Depth affects temperature, because a shallow pool of water will be heated up faster than a very deep pool of water. Similarly, air temperature can warm up or cool down a pool of water. Finally, water shaded from the sun will not get as warm as water that is directly exposed to the sun.
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Water in Big Cypress Level of Dissolved Oxygen
Dissolved Oxygen is the amount of oxygen in the water. Preface answer by asking students, what is oxygen? What happens when it is not available to humans? Do other animals need oxygen in order to survive? Watch DO video (click link on slide).
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Water in Big Cypress 4. pH Discuss acids and bases.
A good way to compare- lemon juice (eating a lemon on its own) compared to the taste of milk. Notice what happens when water is too acidic- how does this affect fish? Emphasize either side of the scale is not good.
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Global Positioning System (GPS)
Global positioning system (G.P.S.) is a navigational tool that uses satellites orbiting the Earth to: Determine the coordinates of your position on the ground Show your elevation, ground speed and compass heading Find the coordinates of a landmark Plot your route from one landmark to the next Estimate the distance from your current position to your destination Guide you in the right direction and keep you on course Day 2: Ecosystem Research
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Coordinates?! Coordinates are described in latitude and longitude.
Latitude describes the location of a place based on the distance from the Equator, which is an imaginary line that separates the top and bottom portions of the Earth. Longitude describes the location of a place based on the distance from the Prime Meridian, an imaginary line that reaches from the North to South Poles. Ask: Does anybody know what coordinates mean? What are they talking about here?
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"When am I ever going to use GPS?"
Each of these uses GPS (clockwise from top left): Twitter locations, Facebook Places, Instagram’s photo maps, and Google Maps (especially on your phone)! If you have a smart phone, you have a GPS in your pocket/on your desk/in your backpack right now!
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In Big Cypress… Scientists in the Big Cypress National Preserve use G.P.S. to: Plot the position of wildlife or certain plants; Track animals such as the endangered Florida panther; Plot trails created by off-road vehicles (O.R.V.s) and airboats; Mark boundaries for prescribed vegetation burns; Plot habitats such as sawgrass prairies, slash pine flatlands, hardwood hammocks, mangroves and cypress domes; (this is what you will do!) and Mark the location of sampling sites for water quality testing so that the sites can easily be found. You will be using a G.P.S. unit during the field trip to find coordinates. These will be used in a mapping activity back in your classroom.
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What do you think might influence the different types of habitats?
Why do you think that there are different habitats throughout Big Cypress? What might influence the creation of these various habitats? Answer…. Water depth.
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Hardwood Hammock Three types of vegetation found in this ecosystem:
Oak tree Cabbage Palm Saw palmetto Illustration: Today, students will be responsible for reporting on the various types of ecosystems that they will encounter on the field trip. We are only covering three in class, so the other two are modeled here for you to show the students. Source:
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Hardwood Hammock Three types of animals found in this ecosystem:
Florida Panther Florida Black Bear White tailed deer Illustration: Source:
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Hardwood Hammock What role does water play in your ecosystem? (How much water? Where is it found? Is it there all year long?) Hardwood hammocks are at a slightly higher elevation than most of Big Cypress (the ground is a little higher). Because of this, there is not as much standing water. Hardwood hammocks have a hydroperiod (amount of time that it is covered with water) of about days per year.
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Hardwood Hammock What is one characteristic that is unique to your ecosystem? There are so many trees that the ground is shaded and much cooler than other areas!
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We can’t answer these questions until after we jigsaw!
Hardwood Hammock What is one characteristic that is similar to the other two ecosystems? 1) Other Ecosystem: ____________________ Similarity: _____________________________________________ 2) Other Ecosystem: _____________________ Put the ecosystems in order from highest elevation to lowest elevation: Hardwood Hammock→ ___________ → ___________ → ___________ → ___________ We can’t answer these questions until after we jigsaw!
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Mangrove Estuary Three types of vegetation found in this ecosystem:
Red Mangrove Black Mangrove White Mangrove Illustration: Source:
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Mangrove Estuary Three types of animals found in this ecosystem:
West Indian Manatee Many types of fish Wading and water birds (like a Great Egret) Illustration: Source:
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Mangrove Estuary What role does water play in your ecosystem? (How much water? Where is it found? Is it there all year long?) Students can see photo and make decisions There is a lot of water found all around the mangroves. It makes home for fish and other aquatic lifestyles. Prompting questions: What else might enjoy fish living in the mangrove roots? What would happen without the water? What does this tell us about the importance of water? Source:
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Where does it live? Based on what you have learned about each ecosystem in the swamp, take a guess as to which ecosystem each plant or animal calls “home”.
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Where does it live? Habitat…. Pinelands! Florida Panther
I like dry ground. I make a den for my babies around the saw palmetto roots. I like other animals to be around so I can have them for dinner! Source: Habitat…. Pinelands!
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Where does it live? Black Bear Habitat… Hardwood Hammock!
In the fall, I like to migrate stay in a certain area. I stay in one place that has lots of acorns falling from the oak trees! I also like to stay dry. Habitat… Hardwood Hammock! Source:
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Where does it live? White Tailed Deer Habitat… Prairie
I travel through many habitats in Big Cypress. I really like to visit a certain habitat after wildfires. When the saw grass is growing back after a fire, I like to eat it when it is still very short and sweet! Habitat… Prairie Source:
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Where does it live? Airplants (bromileads) Habitat… Cypress Dome
I am epiphytic (I grow on other trees.) I am sometimes mistaken for a bird’s nest! I like to be in a wet forest with damp air with high relative humidity. The other trees keep me safe, and the damp air gives me water! Habitat… Cypress Dome Source:
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Backpack Orientation This backpack contains all the technology and information that we will be using in the swamp! Today we will be learning about each item and what we will be doing in each ecosystem that we visit. Day 3: Backpack Orientation
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Backpack Orientation There are currently five stations set up that will allow you to get familiar with the activities that we will do in the swamp. Stations: Weather Water Location Animal Vegetation Day 3: Backpack Orientation If you do not have an orientation, contact Lisa Andrews at
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Weather Station At the weather station, there are three items for
you to inspect: Sling Psychrometer Weather Vane Anemometer These three instruments measure different properties of the atmosphere that you will use during the SWAMP program. Day 3: Backpack Orientation
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Water Station At the water station, there are five items for you to inspect: Thermometer Depth stick/ruler White sheet of paper pH strip Glass ampoule Items at this station are very fragile! Day 3: Backpack Orientation
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Location Station At the location station, there are five items for you to inspect: Habitat hand-out Landmark hand-out Compass G.P.S. (optional) Items at this station are very fragile! Day 3: Backpack Orientation
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Animal Station and Vegetation Station
At these stations, you will practice making observations like you will do in the swamp. You will be responsible for observing plants, animals, and evidence of animals or people. When you see plants, think: what kind of cover does this provide? What food source does it provide? How have humans or other disturbances changed the way it all looks?
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