Summer of 2010

"What is a Watershed?"  Find out how to identify the boundaries of a watershed including our very own Perkiomen Creek Watershed while using topographic maps, compasses, and a variety of activities.  Participate in "survivor challenges" which will place you in major tributaries and give a new meaning to the term "flood plain".  Answer that often asked question, "Why should I care?" and develop a land use action plan with your team!

Dates: (pick one)

Time: 9:30 am—12:30 pm

Fee: $120.00 Members/$150. 00 Non-members
* Pre-registration with payment is required.

*REFUND POLICY:  No refunds will be made for cancellations after May 14, 2010.  Cancellations prior to May 14th will qualify for a 75% refund.

CLICK HERE for the REGISTRATION FORM

Contact: Trudy Phillips, Director for Environmental Education, for more information by email: tphillips@perkiomenwatershed.org, or phone: 610.287.9383.

PDE Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology addressed during this week-long experience include:

4.1.4.C. Identify living things found in water environments.
· Identify fish, insects and amphibians that are found in fresh water.
· Identify plants found in fresh water
4.1.4.D. Identify a wetland and the plants and animals found there.
· Identify different kinds of wetlands.
· Identify plants and animals found in wetlands.
· Explain wetlands as habitats for plants and animals.
4.1.4.E. Recognize the impact of watersheds and wetlands on animals and plants.
· Explain the role of watersheds in everyday life.
· Identify the role of watersheds and wetlands for plants and animals.
4.1.7.C. Explain the effects of water on the life of organisms in a watershed.
· Explain how water is necessary for all life.
· Explain how the physical components of aquatic systems influence the organisms that live there in terms of size, shape and physical adaptations.
· Describe the life cycle of organisms that depend on water.
· Identify organisms that have aquatic stages of life and describe those stages.
4.1.7.D. Explain and describe characteristics of a wetland.
· Identify specific characteristics of wetland plants and soils.
· Recognize the common types of plants and animals.
· Describe different types of wetlands.
· Describe the different functions of a wetland.
4.1.7.E. Describe the impact of watersheds and wetlands on people.
· Explain the impact of watersheds and wetlands in flood control, wildlife habitats and pollution abatement.
· Explain the influence of flooding on wetlands.
4.3.4.C. Understand that the elements of natural systems are interdependent.
· Identify some of the organisms that live together in an ecosystem.
· Understand that the components of a system all play a part in a healthy natural system.
· Identify the effects of a healthy environment on the ecosystem.
4.3.7.B. Describe how human actions affect the health of the environment.
· Identify land use practices and their relation to environmental health.
· Explain how natural disasters affect environmental health.
· Identify residential and industrial sources of pollution and their effects on environmental health.
· Explain the difference between point and nonpoint source pollution.
· Explain how nonpoint source pollution can affect the water supply and air quality.
· Explain how acid deposition can affect water, soil and air quality.
4.3.4.C. Understand that the elements of natural systems are interdependent.
· Identify some of the organisms that live together in an ecosystem.
· Understand that the components of a system all play a part in a healthy natural system.
· Identify the effects of a healthy environment on the ecosystem.
4.6.4.A Understand that living things are dependent on nonliving things in the environment for survival.
· Identify and categorize living and nonliving things.
· Describe the basic needs of an organism.
· Identify basic needs of a plant and an animal and explain how their needs are met.
· Identify plants and animals with their habitat and food sources.
· Identify environmental variables that affect plant growth.
· Describe how animals interact with plants to meet their needs for shelter.
· Describe how certain insects interact with soil for their needs.
· Understand the components of a food chain.
· Identify a local ecosystem and its living and nonliving components.
· Identify a simple ecosystem and its living and nonliving components.
· Identify common soil textures.
· Identify animals that live underground.
4.7.7.A. Describe diversity of plants and animals in ecosystems.
· Select an ecosystem and describe different plants and animals that live there.
· Identify adaptations in plants and animals.
· Recognize that adaptations are developed over long periods of time and are passed on from one generation to the next.
· Understand levels of ecosystem organization (e.g., individuals, populations, species).
4.7.7.B. Explain how species of living organisms adapt to their environment.
· Explain the role of individual variations in natural selection.
· Explain how an adaptation is an inherited structure or behavior that helps an organism survive and reproduce.
· Describe how a particular trait may be selected over time and account for a species’ adaptation.
· Compare and contrast animals and plants that have very specific survival requirements with those that have more general requirements for survival.
· Explain how living things respond to changes in their environment.
· Explain how one species may survive an environmental change while another might not.
4.7.7.C. Explain natural or human actions in relation to the loss of species.
· Identify natural or human impacts that cause habitat loss.
· Explain how habitat loss can affect the interaction among species and the population of a species.
· Analyze and explain the changes in an animal population over time.
· Explain how a habitat management practice affects a population.
· Explain the differences among threatened, endangered and extinct species.
· Identify Pennsylvania plants and animals that are on the threatened or endangered list.
· Describe state laws passed regarding threatened and endangered species in Pennsylvania.
· Explain why one species may be more susceptible to becoming endangered than another species.
4.7.4.A. Identify differences in living things.
· Explain why plants and animals are different colors, shapes and sizes and how these differences relate to their survival.
· Identify characteristics that living things inherit from their parents.
· Explain why each of the four elements in a habitat is essential for survival.
· Identify local plants or animals and describe their habitat.
4.7.7.A. Describe diversity of plants and animals in ecosystems.
· Select an ecosystem and describe different plants and animals that live there.
· Identify adaptations in plants and animals.
· Recognize that adaptations are developed over long periods of time and are passed on from one generation to the next.
· Understand levels of ecosystem organization (e.g., individuals, populations, species).
4.7.7.B. Explain how species of living organisms adapt to their environment.
· Explain the role of individual variations in natural selection.
· Explain how an adaptation is an inherited structure or behavior that helps an organism survive and reproduce.
· Describe how a particular trait may be selected over time and account for a species’ adaptation.
· Compare and contrast animals and plants that have very specific survival requirements with those that have more general requirements for survival.
· Explain how living things respond to changes in their environment.
· Explain how one species may survive an environmental change while another might not.
4.7.4.A. Identify differences in living things.
· Explain why plants and animals are different colors, shapes and sizes and how these differences relate to their survival.
· Identify characteristics that living things inherit from their parents.
· Explain why each of the four elements in a habitat is essential for survival.
· Identify local plants or animals and describe their habitat.