Teacher
Reference Books
Audesirk,
Gerald and Teresa Audesirk. Biology: Life on Earth.
Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, 1993.
Do not be afraid of college textbooks. They are often
the best sources for detailed information on general subjects
such as biology and food chain ecology.
Hickman,
Cleveland, Allan Larson and Larry Roberts. Integrated
Principles of Zoology. Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1996.
Another college textbook and another good source of information
on animals.
Keener-Chavis,
Paula and Leslie Reynolds Sautter. Of Sand and Sea:
Teachings From the Southeastern Shoreline, SC Sea
Grant Consortium, Charleston, 2000.
An excellent look at the biotic and abiotic factors that
characterize the Coast and Ocean regions of South Carolina
including information on the salt marsh. (Copies of this
book may be obtained from the Charleston Math & Science
Hub, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29424).
Meyer,
Peter. Nature Guide to the Carolina Coast, Avian-Cetacean
Press, Wilmington, NC, 1998.
An informative look at the characteristics and wildlife
of the Coast and Ocean regions of South and North Carolina,
including much on the Salt Marsh.
Raven,
Peter H., Ray F. Evert and Susan E. Eichhorn. Biology
of Plants, W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, 1999.
Though admittedly college textbooks are often a little
too dry and in-depth, with their text, photographs and
illustrations they are often the best resources for finding
information on a particular subject. This college textbook
is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to know more
about the biology of plants.
Ricklefs,
Robert E. and Gary L. Miller. Ecology, W.H. Freeman
Company, 1999.
This college textbook is a great resource for finding
out how wildlife communities interact with each other
as well as the abiotic factors of their environment.
Teal,
John and Mildred. Life and Death of the Salt Marsh,
Ballantine Books, New York, 1969.
An in-depth look at one of the most important and productive
ecosystems in South Carolina, with chapters on spartina
grass and the other marsh plants and their effect on the
surrounding wildlife communities.
Top
Teacher
Reference Videos
Attenborough,
Sir David. Trials of Life (Video series), Turner
Home Entertainment, 1995.
This is the most famous work of heralded nature documentary
filmmaker Sir David Attenborough. This series shows the
various behaviors animals have adapted in order to survive,
including much on feeding. Though the entire series
may be too advanced for elementary students, it is a wonderful
resource for teachers.
Top
Teacher
Reference Websites
Animal
Planet
http://animal.discovery.com
Information and interactive games on a variety of animals.
Food
Chains: Prey and Predators
http://www.cas.psu.edu/DOCS/
WEBCOURSE/WETLAND/WET1/main.html
This website created by Pennsylvania State University
contains activities and information on food chains.
Top
Student
Reference Books
Bennett,
Paul. Nature's Secrets: Catching A Meal. Thomson
Learning, New York, 1994.
Uses photographs and simple text to show the variety of
different adaptations animals have developed to help them
catch their prey.
Brooks,
Bruce. Predator! Farrar Straus Giroux, New York,
1991.
A more in-depth look at how animals get the food they
need that uses photographs and text.
Eyewitness
Books: Plant, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc, New York, 1988.
These very attractive books use photographs, illustrations
and text to teach the readers about plants and trees.
Contains every thing from photographs that show how a
seedling grows to photographs that show how fallen leaves
decompose.
Eyewitness
Science: Ecology, Dorling Kindersley, New York, 1993.
These very attractive books use photographs, illustrations
and text to teach the readers about ecology, communities
and the interactions of plants and animals. Includes information
on food chains and producers and consumers.
Kalman,
Bobbie D. How A Plant Grows, Crabtree Publishing
Company, 1996.
Text for students on plants that includes information
on photosynthesis and the importance of plants to food
chains. Includes experiment activities.
Matthews,
Downs. Wetlands, Simon & Schuster Books, New
York, 1994.
This book describes different types of wetlands and the
plants and animals found there.
Top
Curricula
Aquatic
Project WILD
Aquatic Project WILD is an interdisciplinary curriculum
for K-12 teachers on aquatic wildlife and ecosystems.
The activities cover a broad range of environmental and
conservation topics. For information on signing up for
workshops, call the South Carolina Department of Natural
Resources at (803) 734-3814.
For
more information click on:
www.dnr.state.sc.us/cec/educate/edu1.html#teacher
Project
WILD
Project WILD is an interdisciplinary curriculum for
K-12 teachers on a broad range of environmental and conservation
topics. For information on signing up for workshops, call
the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources at
(803) 734-3814.
For
more information click on:
www.dnr.state.sc.us/cec/educate/edu1.html#teacher
Top
Field
Trip Sites
Food
Chains
One of the best places to see "living food chains"
is in salt marshes. The Spartina grass that is so important
to this habitat as the base of the food chain can be seen
everywhere. Many other species (wading birds, fiddler
crabs, oysters, periwinkle snails) can be easily observed
participating in these food chains. Below are listed some
of the sites where salt marshes are accessible to students.
- Cape
Romain National Wildlife Refuge
Located near Awendaw, this refuge preserves 64,000
acres of marshes, open water and barrier island. The
Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center is
an interpretive center for the public and school groups
that is open Tuesday through Sunday. A boat tour to
undeveloped Bulls Island is also available that allows
a close up view of the marsh. For more information on
Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge call (843) 928-3368.
For information on the boat trip to Bulls Island call
(843) 881-4582.
- Ft
Johnson Marine Resources Center
Located on Charleston Harbor, this division of the
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources offers
interpretive programs that take students directly into
a salt marsh. For information on making arrangements
for a program call (843) 762-5437.
- ACE
Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve
This reserve, located between Edisto Beach and Hunting
Island, contains 12,000 acres of tidal marshes and estuarine
waters. The area is rich in wildlife: fish, crustaceans,
birds and even mammals can all be found here. Boat tours
are available through this area for high school and
college students. For more information call (843) 762-5032.
If
you are aware of other books, videos, websites, curricula,
fieldtrip destinations or other materials that would make
excellent resources for this activity, please e-mail them
to us for inclusion in this list at:
Education@scaquarium.org
