Project WILD Activities

What Killed Freddy the Fish?

Activities are available through our Project WILD workshops.

Dragonfly Pond (Aquatic) –

Students create a collage of human land use activities around an image of a pond. Upon completion students evaluate the effects of different kinds of land use on wetland habitats; and discuss and evaluate lifestyles changes to minimize damaging effects on wetlands. Requires for each team scissors; masking tape; paper; 2 sets of Land Use Patterns; one Dragonfly Pond map; and a large piece of paper.

Enviro-Ethics -

Students develop and use a "Personal Code of Environmental Ethics." Upon completion students distinguish between actions that are harmful and beneficial to the environment; and evaluate the appropriateness and feasibility of making changes in their own behaviors related to the environment. No materials needed.

Litter We Know -

Students collect and evaluate litter, making collages. Upon completion students identify and evaluate ways that litter pollution can endanger wildlife; and propose ways they can help eliminate these dangers. Requires large sheets of butcher paper for mounting collages; glue; different types of litter; work gloves; trash sacks.

No Water Off a Duck's Back -

Students conduct an investigation to illustrate what happens to wildlife during an oil spill. Upon completion students identify ways oil spills can adversely affect birds; and describe possible negative consequences to wildlife, people and the environment from pollutants caused by humans. Requires cooking oil; shallow containers; eyedroppers; hand lens; feathers; liquid detergent; and hardboiled eggs.

Plastic Jellyfish (Aquatic) –

Students monitor the plastic waste production in their own households, research the effects of plastic waste on freshwater and marine life and propose various ways to lesson the problem. Upon completion students describe the potential effects of plastic waste on aquatic wildlife; and identify specific actions to remedy the problem. Requires plastic waste; a shallow tray or box for each group; soil; plastic bags; one tablespoon of tiny multicolored beads for each group; clock; and paper towels.

Silt: A Dirty Word (Aquatic) -

Students create a model to simulate changes to a stream and its water flow when silt and/or sand are added to the system. Upon completion students describe how sand and/or silt affects water flow; and identify human activities that add sand and silt to surface water. Requires for each group a clear plastic 1 gallon container; gravel to cover bottom of container; water to fill the container 1" from the top; 1 cup coarse sand; 1 cup silt; and three straws per person.

Something's Fishy Here (Aquatic) -

Students read and discuss a story, inventing their own endings that lead to environmental action in their community. Upon completion students identify potential cause and effect relationships involving aquatic pollution; generate and evaluate alternative solutions to aquatic pollution; and outline a plan to reduce the consequences of possible aquatic pollution in their communities. Requires copies of page 148 and writing materials.

What's in the Air? (Aquatic) –

Through simulations and direct measurement the students experience differing conditions of acidity in aquatic habitats and explore the consequences of acidic conditions on aquatic life. Upon completion students describe acidic precipitation; generate and test hypothesis concerning effects of acidic precipitation; and make inferences about the potential effects of it on aquatic wildlife. Requires vinegar; graduate cylinders; pH test kit; six trays of grass seedlings in soil.

What's in the Water? (Aquatic) –

Students analyze the pollutants found in a hypothetical river. They graph the quantities of pollutants and make recommendations about actions that could be taken to improve the habitat. Upon completion students identify major sources of aquatic pollution; and make inferences about the potential effects of a variety of aquatic pollutants on wildlife and wildlife habitats. Requires nine different colors of construction paper; writing or graph paper; scotch tape or glue; paper punch; Pollution Information sheets; ¼ teaspoon; 1 tablespoon.