Lesson Plan & Supporting Media
Madeleine DeManche, Skidmore Class of 2010, led a very successful family program on wetlands. It was the culmination of her independent study on the pocket wetland at Hudson Crossing Park. Young and old took a close look at floating duckweed, sought out dragonflies, and created miniature models of wetlands.
Adapted from Penn State School of Forest Resources, Ranger Rick’s Nature Scope, 1997, Saratoga Springs Open Space Project, Wonderful Wetlands! Wetlands and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and the Watershed Education Guide for Saratoga Lake by Lauren Fletcher and Sieglinde Mueller, 2007-2008
Following are lesson plans for the material that was covered including supporting images and background research. Our thanks to Ms. DeManche for her hard work and commitment to a healthy earth!
LESSON 1: Building a Wetland Model
Grade levels: 5th-8th grade
Objectives for the lesson:
To teach some background history about wetlands in the United States
To explain the benefits and importance of wetlands (help reduce pollution, flooding, provide habitat for unique species)
To interpret the pocket wetland on Hudson Crossing Park property
LESSON 2: Plant Scavenger Hunt
Grade Levels: 1st–4th grade
Objectives for the lesson:
Basic definition of a wetland
Understanding of some plants that live in wetlands
To interpret the pocket wetland on Hudson Crossing Park property
Scavenger Hunt Sheets - PDF
Special Features of Hudson Crossing Park’s Pocket Wetland
The pocket wetland is a inland, freshwater, wetland (Palustrine). It is seasonally flooded or saturated with water. The plants primarily found in the pocket wetland are broad-leaved deciduous trees and shrubs. The soils of the wetland are commonly found on floodplains and have poor drainage (Limerick-Saco complex). Limerick and Saco soils are frequently flooded and are formed in silty alluvial deposits.
Plant Species Found in Pocket Wetland (snapshot of early spring)
Surrounding vegetation: vegetation that can grow in shallow water or moist soil in wetland margin
Surrounding vegetation continued:
Surrounding trees
Plants not specifically associated with wetlands found around the pocket wetland
Invasive plants:
