High School
Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation offers environmental field study programs at three of the region’s best natural resource parks. Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Park, located on the east side of Tucson, is a true desert oasis. Natural spring-fed ponds attract a variety of wildlife and provide some of the most exciting bird watching in the area. Felíz Paseos Park and Tucson Mountain Park, located on the west side of Tucson, showcase the iconic Saguaro-Paloverde habitat characteristic of the Sonoran Desert.
Read through the following detailed program descriptions to help you decide which programs best suit the needs of you and your students. All environmental field study programs are linked to the Arizona Academic Standards and selected programs are available for the schoolyard or the classroom. Check the Program Location Table in the following brochure to find out which programs works best for you.
High School Programs Brochure
For more information about school programs offered, or to schedule a program, contact (520) 615-7855 Ext. 101 or email us at eeducation@pima.gov.
Ecosystem Discovery
Explore the diversity of life in riparian and desert ecosystems through guided, hands-on exploration. Students use binoculars and hand-lenses to make observations and work together to understand the interrelationships between plants and animals and the environment.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Science S3, C3, HSPO1; S4, C1, HSPO4.
Ecosystems Discovery High School Level
Worksheet
Water Monitoring in Freshwater Habitats
The natural spring and pond at Agua Caliente Park are teeming with life. Students collect samples to measure water quality and identify indicator species. The data collected are used to learn the relationship between water quality and the abundance of life. Water chemistry tests conducted include pH, electrical conductivity, alkalinity and dissolved oxygen.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Science S4, C3, HSPO1-PO2; C4, HSPO4, HSPO6; C5, HSPO2, HSPO4; S5, C1, HSPO2; C4, HSPO2, HSPO12.
Water Monitoring High School Level
Geology of the Tucson Mountains
The geology of the Tucson Mountains is often described as chaotic due to the hodge-podge of geologic features seen today. Explore some of these dramatic features to understand how the Tucson Mountains and basin were formed. Use the geologic record to understand how the environment has made dramatic changes over the past 250 million years. This class trip involves relatively easy hiking over desert terrain.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Science S6, C1, HSPO1-PO2; S6, C3, HSPO4.
Geology of the Tucson Mountains High School Level
Map and Compass
A fun and practical way to explore the desert is through orienteering, or the use of map and compass to find your way. Students learn how the Earth’s natural magnetic field interacts with a compass and how wildlife relies on magnetic fields to navigate. Each student will use a compass with a topographic map to determine bearing and distances to specific map points.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Math S1, C3, HSPO1; S4, C3, PO7; S4, C4, PO9. Health S2, 2PA-P5, PO1. Social Studies 3SS-P1 PO1; 3SS-D1 PO5.
Map and Compass High School Level
Invasive Species of the Sonoran Desert
Through hands-on activities students learn to identify buffelgrass and to understand the threats this invasive plant poses to Sonoran Desert. During a community service field experience, students remove buffelgrass from a natural area. The location for the buffelgrass removal project will be identified at the time of scheduling. Activity requires 4-6 hours.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Science S3-C1: PO1-5; S3-C2: PO5; S4-C3: PO1, PO2. Social Studies S4-C2: PO1a, PO3, PO6, PO7; S4-C4: PO6, PO7; S4-C5: PO3, PO5, PO7.
Invasive Species of the Sonoran Desert High School Level
Tucson’s River of Words (TROW) School Residency
These multi-disciplinary programs are offered on a limited basis to K–12 schools with an interest in participating in Tucson’s River of Words Youth Poetry and Art Contest. Participation in these programs is not required for contest entry.
The TROW School Residency has two components; science and the arts. Science instructors engage K–12 students in a study of the local environment to learn the fundamental concepts of watersheds, water cycles, water resources, and conservation. The second component is visual art, poetry, or dance. Art instructors work with the students on individual and collaborative projects that demonstrate the integration of the arts into environmental education. A TROW School Residency can take place in the classroom and/or outdoor location such as a field trip to Agua Caliente Park. The duration and specific lesson plans for the TROW School Residency are determined at the time of scheduling.
Science Components (Teachers select one Science Component)
Exploring Watersheds
Students learn about the water cycle and construct a watershed model to track the movement of water through the landscape to discover the connections that plants, animals, and people have to water. Upper grade levels participate in a watershed management planning exercise to learn about land use issues that affect watersheds.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Science S4: C2: GK-4; S4, C4, GK-8; S6: C3: GK-4; S4: C3: HS; S6: C1: HS.
Exploring Watersheds High School Level
Sum of the Parts
Students build a river model as a means to illustrate the contributing factors to the pollution of a river and identify ways to reduce sources of pollution.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Science S1: C1: G4-8PO1; S1: C3: PO2, PO4; S1:C4, G4-8PO3; S3: C1: G4PO1, G5PO2, G7PO1-PO3, G7PO1, PO2
Arizona Water Web
Students research the roles of various water users in a typical community. In a group exercise the students act out the roles of selected water users to demonstrate the interdependence among water users in Arizona.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Science G6-8S3:C1; G6PO2; G7PO2, PO3; G8PO1, PO2; C2: G6PO1, PO2, PO3; G7PO1, PO2; G8PO1, PO2, PO3. HS-S3: C1; PO1, PO2, PO3, PO4, PO5; C2:PO1, PO2, PO3, PO4, PO5.
Arizona Water Web High School Level
Art Components (Teachers select one Art Component)
Visual Art
Students work with an artist to learn principles of basic design such as color, shape, and line as means to illustrate their experiences and demonstrate learning during the science lesson. Students increase their visual literacy by using critical thinking skills to translate science education to basic skill building in drawing and/or painting. Students are encouraged to submit their art work to the Tucson’s River of Words Youth Poetry and Art Contest.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Visual Art S1: C1: PO 001, 101, 102, 403; S1, C2, PO 001, 002, 202; S1: C3: PO 001, 201; S1: C4: PO 001, 101, 201, 202; S1: C5: PO 001,101; S2: C1: PO 001, 202; S2: C2: PO 001; S2: C4: PO 001; S3: C3: PO 001.
Poetry
Students work with a poet to develop writing skills in poetry. Students read original works by published poets and are introduced to poetry writing tools such as rhythmic verse, metaphor, couplets, imagery, and personification. Students create original poems inspired by the science component introduced at the beginning of the TROW School Residency. Additional class time will be necessary for students to complete their poems for submission to Tucson’s River of Words Youth Poetry and Art Contest.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Writing S2: C1: G1-2, PO1, PO2; S2: C1: G3-5, PO1, PO2, PO3; S2: C1: G6-8, PO1, PO2, PO4; S2: C1: G3-5, PO1, PO2, PO5; S2: C2: G6-8, PO1, PO2, PO6; S2: C4: G1-2, PO1, PO2, PO3; S2: C4: G3-5, PO1, PO2, PO3, PO4; S2: C4: G6-8, PO1, PO2, PO3, PO4; HS-S2: C1, PO1, PO2, PO3, PO5; S2: C2: PO1, PO2; S2: C4: PO1, PO2, PO3, PO4, PO5; S2: C5: PO1, PO2, PO3.
Dance
Students work with a dancer to learn basic modern dance movement, body skills and awareness, and how dance can be used communicate personal, community, and environmental stories or perceptions. The students use movement to create deeper understanding and awareness of the water cycle and how water moves through the landscape. Dance curriculum can also be closely tied to poetry exercises, as students use movement to express images, ideas, and feelings from text.
Linked to Arizona Academic Standards – Dance S1: C4: PO 101, 102, 103, 104; S2: C3: PO 101, 102; S2: C4: PO 101.
|
Copyright © 2010, All rights reserved