130 likes | 276 Vues
The Envirothon is a one-day environmental competition for high school students in Massachusetts, where teams of five learn and showcase their knowledge of ecosystems. Participants will be tested on their understanding of plants, animals, soils, and aquatic organisms through a series of ecostations. Teams will answer 25 questions per ecostation and deliver a presentation on a current environmental issue impacting their community. This program fosters teamwork and environmental awareness, ensuring students gain essential knowledge while having fun in a competitive setting.
E N D
How the Envirothon Works A Basic Introduction for Our Team
We will prepare this year • To compete at a one day State environmental competition in May • High School students from all over Massachusetts will be there • ~500 people!
A basic understanding of ecosystems is essential • FIRST STEP • Identifying: • Plants • Animals • Soils • Aquatic organisms
This is why the Envirothon program works • Students (no coach/teacher help!) work with their team of five to: • Answer 25 questions per ecostation that involve: • Plant, Animal, Soils, & Aquatics ID • Along with a basic understanding of the environment
5 basic topics in competition • 5 basic topics in competition• Forestry Ecostation- 75 points • Wildlife Ecostation- 75 points • Soils Ecostation- 75 points• Aquatics Ecostation- 75 points (All ecostations, 25 questions, 3 points each)• Current Issue Presentation - 100 points (15 minute presentation by students with 10 minutes of questions by judges) • So… 75% of team score is ecostation tests, 25% of score is the presentation (based on your research and community work on the Current Issue)
Forestry • Native trees/shrubs • Latin names • Common names • Winter buds are critical! • leaves, bark, fruit • Typical habitat • Learn to use the field guide book! • You can use it at the competition
Wildlife • Tracks • Scat • Fur/hair • Bones/skulls • Evidence of feeding • Dens • Sounds • Movement • Behavior Fisher Turkey tracks Deer scat
Soils • Understand the basic soil types • Parent material • How they feel • Colors • Size of particles • Where typically found • Soil profiles- soil pit Envirothon Ecostation Team identifies soils
Digging a soil pit • Allows you to see the soil profile
Aquatics • Collect & ID aquatic insects & plants • Record any other aquatic life forms found (amphibians) • Measure stream flow • Oxygen concentration • pH • Understanding the importance of wetlands • Where is your watershed?
Current Issue • Research- understand the issue basics • Get to know your community:• Interview• Collect data• Write • Debate • Perfect your public speaking • Find an issue that really interests you and is a practical step for your community • Implement!
Put all of your work on the Current Issue together • Each team member should speak (~3 minutes/student x 5 students = 15 minutes) • Practice! • Anticipate questions • Each student be prepared to answer a question
Whether you win or not • You’ll discover that winning isn’t as important as what you will learn about the environment • Guaranteed to change your world! :) • Have FUN!