Wetland Wonders: New York's Budget Will Help Safeguard Them
Articles/Websites
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
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Provided by The Nature Conservancy
What it is
- This article from The Nature Conservancy explains the importance of providing environmental protection for small wetlands in New York.
- Students will learn about the significance of small wetlands as carbon sinks, habitats for many species of wildlife, and "nature's sponges," providing a place for excess water to go instead of flooding neighborhoods.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The embedded animated video helps students comprehend the important environmental role of wetlands.
- There are links to related articles and information on how to become more involved in the fight to protect our nation's wetlands.
- Photos of wetlands-dwelling wildlife capture the attention of readers.
Additional Prerequisites
- Vocabulary is rigorous, so a definition list or graphic organizer will be helpful to students.
- One of the embedded links is no longer working.
- Students and teachers can share this article via social media.
- Students should understand the effects of climate change, such as increased flooding and drought, and know the term carbon sink.
Differentiation
- The article mentions environmental protections, so social studies teachers can have students read the article and then research recent environmental protection legislation in their state.
- English teachers can utilize the article and links to related articles as factual resources for informational essays about environmental protection.
- Science teachers can have students connect the article to climate change and then conduct experiments explaining how wetlands act as "sponges" and "nature's kidneys," as mentioned in the resource.
- This article can extend discussions and lessons about stormwater runoff, droughts, floods, or habitat protection.
From the scientist review
This resource from The Nature Conservancy focuses on ecological and hydrological functions of wetlands. The article is framed around the inclusion of protection for small wetlands in the New York state budget. The article links an excellent video highlighting the power of wetlands and several excellent other articles and fact sheets. This resource is focused, well-sourced, and is recommended for teaching.
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