General Information 

Topic

Słowinski National Park – yesterday, today and tomorrow

Target group

Pupils – Junior high school

Location and time of the lesson

Rabka, Slowinski National Park

• introductory lesson - 45 minutes
• field study - 3.5 hours
• activities in the computer room - 45 minutes
• presentation of the results

Main goal of the lessons

Developing skills of perceiving changes in the natural environment based on various sources of information.

Operational objectives (list of the detailed goals)

Knowledge

• lists the main features of the Slowinski National Park geographical environment
• calls the characteristic species of Slowinski National Park flora and fauna
• gives the stages of succession
• lists the species characteristic for habitats of Slowinski National Park
• understands the use of the terms: spit, dune, habitat, succession, spit-dune landscape
• knows the rules of behavior in the National Park

Formal skills

• uses GPS: records points, navigates to the points
• uses a numeric map, orients the map, reads thematic maps,
• marks and identify species characteristic for Slowinski National Park habitats,
• carry out observations of changes in the environment, landforms, vegetation,
• make measurements of soil pH,
• evaluate the soil moisture,
• determine the relationship between the type of substratum and vegetation
• locates and registers natural structures in the field
• documents the observations and measurements,
• uses a variety of information sources, evaluates and selects information
• introduces, compares and interprets the data,
• uses Google Earth
• concludes
• recognizes the correctness,

Attitudes

• works in a group
• recognizes the natural values SPN
• respects nature,
• conducts a thorough and reliable research

Methods / techniques

• Method of exposing (valorisation) - a movie, presentation
• Method of giving – tutorial lecture
• Practical method - field observations and measurements
• Method of self-inquiry (discovery) - work with source materials: acquisition, selection of data from the Internet, data verification
• Discussion

Organization of the  pupils work

Group work

Teaching aids

GPS devices, GPS know-how, camera and instructions for taking pictures, binoculars, pH meters, guides to determine the species of SPN.
Maps: topographic, orthophoto, historical, soil, plant communities, online crossword, Google Earth, job cards + attachmentsSłuchajZapis fonetyczny

Lesson

Introductory phase

Introduction to the subject

Multimedia presentation and movie about the natural values of the Słowinski National Park.

Recognition and formulation of the research problem

What changes occur in the natural environment of the Słowinski National Park?

Introduction to field study

Explanation of goal for lessons in the field. Getting familiar with the route
The organization of lessons in the field:
• split into groups
• rules of conducting and documenting observations and measurements
• brief instructions of GPS devices and camera
• familiarize with the job cards and auxiliary materials
Behavior and safety in the National Park

Implementation phase

Data acquisition

Groups receive job cards with attachments, GPS devices, cameras. The march route includes check-points is marked on topographical map and GPS map uploaded into device. Points are related to:

1. Station A and B (human activity - history of the Rabka village, the current land use):

   Determining changes that occurred in the settlement area, on the basis of source text from 1939, historical maps, actual topographic map and own observations (job card "Rabka history");

2. Station D (soil glial cells, ground-glial):

   Examination of the soil profile: determination of moisture, temperature, pH of matrix. Determination of the dominant reaction in soil formation process, an indication of a type of soil in the picture (the card work "soil diary");

3. Station E (characteristic vegetation part I – coastal pine forest (Empetro nigri-Pinetum):
   

   
   doing a simple mapping of vegetation on the research area: define research area, identification number of some species of plants in the groundcover, the understory and the stand (job card “phytosociological diary "); knowledge of vegetation in the coastal pine forest  - characteristic ecosystem of Leba spit

4. Station F (human activity - why there is a grassland at the seaside) Point F (human activity - why there is a grassland at the seaside)
   

   Detection of changes - a comparison of historical materials and current topographic map / orthophoto use of meadow, influence of drainage on the condition of the meadow habitat (job card "Drainage");

5. Station G (soils II – podsol soils):
   

   a study of the soil profile - determination of moisture, temperature, pH of matrix, determine the dominant reaction soil formation process, an indication of the type of soil in the figure (the card work "diary soil");

6. Station I (characteristic vegetation II - white dune):
   

   
   doing a simple mapping of vegetation on research area: designation of research area, describing the area, determining the size of selected plant species. Biodiversity evaluation (job card “phytosociological diary”).

7. Station J (types and stages of succession – gray dune):
   

   
   determination of type of succession based on field observations, (job card "Types of succession");

8. Station L (characteristic vegetation III - observing wetland habitats):

   determination of species characteristic for moist habitats, identification of habitat around the point based on information in the worksheet type (job card "moist habitats").

During the tour students take pictures of natural objects.

Tasks performed on the sections (group work)

• Section from the point C to H
  

  
  observations of traces of living animals, GPS recording and replies to the observation form

• points J - K (relief):

determination on basis of the Digital Terrain Model and hypsometric map and their own observations of particular landforms represented by the figure of contour line (how the hills are presented, and how the reduce of the field is presented), designate on the contour line drawing, suitable land flow direction depending on the recognized forms of relief (job card "the lie of the land").

Data processing and analysis

Downloading data from GPS (gpx file) and displaying them in Google Earth or Quantum GIS.
Comparison of results of observation, analysis of maps and attachments.

Inference about the causes and nature of changes in the Słowinski National Park. Synthesis of a presentation summarizing the work in the field - working with Power Point.

Solving the research problems

Students respond to the research question: What changes occur in the natural environment of Slowinski National Park

Presentation of data

Using pictures, data from the GPS measurements as well as pH, (data from the job work), students do a multimedia presentation (in PowerPoint or MovieMaker) about the stages of succession in the Slowinski National Park and observed changes in the environment

Summary phase

Presentation of results and conclusions by a leader of each group- multimedia presentation and  completed work card No. 4. Using maps and illustrations answer the question: Does? What? changes take place in the Slowinski National Park. Summary - answer to the question – how will be the Słowinski National Park tomorrow?

Homework

Evaluation

Evaluation questionnaire for students