OLCG logo    

Teaching and Learning

 Student studying plant life

 

 

Name(s) _____________________

Adopt-a-Square Meter

STANDARDS:

A12 - Diversity

KEY CONCEPTS:

There are a variety of organisms exist within a small area.

MATERIALS:

Before you go outside, join two or three other people and gather all your materials in a basket:

meter stick tape measure hand lens for each person

pencil clipboard worksheet

survey tape permanent marker transparent centimeter grid paper

scissors soil thermometer air thermometer

string 4 small garden sticks or 4 GLOBE flags

ruler

SELECT YOUR SPOT:

Find a spot not too near other groups for your investigation.

MEASURE AND MARK YOUR SQUARE METER:

Use the meter stick to make a square. Put sticks or flags in each corner and connect corners with string. Tie a piece of survey tape onto one stake. Put your group name on the tape.

MAP YOUR SQUARE METER

Work with your group to observe generally what is in your square meter. Make a map on the grid sheet following of the main organisms observed. (Be sure to include trees and shrubs overhanging if appropriate). Remember use four senses (not taste) to make your observations. Use measurement to roughly indicate scale of the map. Show symbols used on the legend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SQUARE METER MAP

 

SCALE:

LEGEND:

PLANT PERCENTAGES:

CANOPY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NUMBERS OF PLANTS:

Work with your group to devise a system to count/estimate the approximate number of each organism observed. Design a graph to display your findings. Draw it below. Compute approximate percentages and list below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLANT SIZES

Use the meter stick and/or inclinometer to help you estimate the AVERAGE height of each plant species listed above as being in your square meter. List them on you map page.

Use the ruler or centimeter grid to determine average diameters for main plants. List on the map page.

CANOPY

Use the densiometer to determine the how dense the canopy cover is over your square meter. List on your map page.

ANIMAL SIGNS
Look to see if there are any signs of animals in your square meter (tracks, scat, fur, etc.) What signs of animals do you see? You may have to look very closely. Look for insect damage, tracks, droppings, etc. Draw or describe and/in words or pictures anything you find below.