Leaf Liter

In an effort to make students who live in an urban concrete jungle more aware of the living things around them and improve their observational skills this teacher asked students to examine t... See More

In an effort to make students who live in an urban concrete jungle more aware of the living things around them and improve their observational skills this teacher asked students to examine the number of organisms that live in leaf litter at the base of a tree. Students create a Berlese funnel and use it to explore the biodiversity of the leaf litter. All materials and steps are provided. This is an excellent activity to do with students in any school environment. The activity requires only simple equipment and easily accessible samples.

Wonderful directions on student-led inquiry

The author does an excellent job of describing how to guide classes to design an inquiry where the students have some control over the topic of investigation. It is not total inquiry, as the... See More

The author does an excellent job of describing how to guide classes to design an inquiry where the students have some control over the topic of investigation. It is not total inquiry, as the teacher directed each class to the same investigation, but she mentions how the use of guiding questions and "on-time" learning (providing the information students need when they need it, like the introduction of the quadrant) gave students control over the investigation. While I have not taught this lesson, I have observed biology teachers who used it in a more rural environment and the results were fascinating, you would never expect some of the insects you find, especially if you are lucky enough to find some that come out at night and you don't generally see during the day. (The rural teachers were lucky enough that they also set their Berlese funnels outside overnight under safety lights to see what was captured then, as well). Good lesson - wonderful explanation - thoughtful safety tips.