Center for Earth and Environmental Science
Indiana University ~ Purdue University, Indianapolis

IUPUI
School of Science
Department of Earth Sciences

Wetland Exploration Programs currently offered in Wetland Exploration include: Wetland Soil Study Wetland Ecosystem Investigation and Comparison Wetland Water Quality Studies (Chemical Assessment) Wetland Water Quality Studies (Biological Assessment)  Wetland Soil Study Description:  Utilizing both technology interface and observation skills, students collect and analyze data to draw conclusions about the quality and type of wetland soil at their site.  Soil investigations include analysis of soil texture, moisture, temperature, infiltration rates, color and pH.  Students use Vernier LabQuest scientific handhelds, soil temperature, pH and moisture sensors, soil core samples, and soil texture and color charts. Length of Program:  Two visits per participating class. First visit (classroom) will be introductory, occur either inside or outside, with or without trailer, for a typical class period.  Second visit (trailer) will follow program description, occur outside, with trailer and equipment for 1.5-2 hours.  For ease of programming, classroom visit should occur the day before the trailer visit. If school schedule allows, the program can be one day, 3 hours. Program Availability:  September 2, 2008 – November 28, 2008 and March 30, 2009 – June 12, 2009. Site Requirements:  Access to wetland ecosystem – pond, swamp, marsh, bioswale etc.  No rapidly flowing water. Cost:  None.  All equipment, teaching materials, and technology are provide free of charge. Indiana Academic Standard and Environmental Education Guideline Alignments: Indiana Academic Standards for Science and Math Excellence in Environmental Education - Guidelines for Learning (Pre K - 12) To schedule a program or receive more information, please contact Brooke Furge, Education Specialist. Top  Wetland Ecosystem Investigation and Comparison Description:  Students investigate the concept of biodiversity by conducting scientific ecosystem investigations in two different environments.  Data collection and measurements for each ecosystem include:  date, time of day, weather conditions, wind speed, air temperature, soil temperature, water temperature, infiltration rates, soil sample, soil pH, plant transect, and animal observations.  Different methods of data collection – scientific handhelds and sensors, personal observations, and experimentation – are used throughout.  Collected data is analyzed and conclusions drawn about overall biodiversity of the ecosystem. Length of Program:  Two visits per participating class. First visit (classroom) will be introductory, occur either inside or outside, with or without trailer, for a typical class period.  Second visit (trailer) will follow program description, occur outside, with trailer and equipment for 1.5-2 hours.  For ease of programming, classroom visit should occur the day before the trailer visit. If school schedule allows, the program can be one day, 3 hours. Program Availability:  September 2, 2008 – November 28, 2008 and March 30, 2009 – June 12, 2009. Site Requirements:  Access to wetland ecosystem – pond, swamp, marsh, bioswale etc.  No rapidly flowing water.  Cost:  None.  All equipment, teaching materials, and technology are provide free of charge. Indiana Academic Standard and Environmental Education Guideline Alignments: Indiana Academic Standards for Science and Math Excellence in Environmental Education - Guidelines for Learning (Pre K - 12) To schedule a program or receive more information, please contact Brooke Furge, Education Specialist. Top  Wetland Water Quality Studies (Chemical Assessment) Description: As one component of water quality research, students use Vernier LabQuest scientific handhelds and sensors to measure pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and turbidity of the wetland.  Electronic field notebooks, running interactive water quality software, aid students in hypothesis creation, data entry, observation records and scientific conclusions about wetland water quality.  Students, using personal observation skills, also note physical features of the wetland and consider the impact of both chemical and physical features on wetland water quality.  *If desired, to demonstrate the principles of wet chemistry, nitrate and phosphate levels can be measured using a CHEMetrics multi-analyte photometer. Length of Program:  Two visits per participating class. First visit (classroom) will be introductory, occur either inside or outside, with or without trailer, for a typical class period.  Second visit (trailer) will follow program description, occur outside, with trailer and equipment for 1.5-2 hours.  For ease of programming, classroom visit should occur the day before the trailer visit. If school schedule allows, the program can be one day, 3 hours. Program Availability:  September 2, 2008 – November 28, 2008 and March 30, 2009 – June 12, 2009. Site Requirements:  Access to wetland ecosystem – pond, swamp, marsh, etc.  No rapidly flowing water.  Cost:  None.  All equipment, teaching materials, and technology are provide free of charge. Indiana Academic Standard and Environmental Education Guideline Alignments: Indiana Academic Standards for Science and Math Excellence in Environmental Education - Guidelines for Learning (Pre K - 12) To schedule a program or receive more information, please contact Brooke Furge, Education Specialist. Top  Wetland Water Quality Studies (Biological Assessment) Description:  As one component of water quality research, students collect, identify, and analyze benthic macroinvertebrate populations.  Hester Dendy samplers are placed in wetland two weeks prior to collection and removed the day of the program.  Using dichotomous keys, flow charts, and interpretive macroinvertebrate identification software, students identify and count different macroinvertebrate species, categorize them based on pollution tolerance, and create distribution graphs.  Students, using personal observation skills, also note physical features of the wetland and consider the impact of both biological and physical features on wetland water quality.       Length of Program:  Two visits per participating class. First visit (classroom) will be introductory, occur either inside or outside, with or without trailer, for a typical class period.  Second visit (trailer) will follow program description, occur outside, with trailer and equipment for 1.5-2 hours.  For ease of programming, classroom visit should occur the day before the trailer visit. If school schedule allows, the program can be one day, 3 hours. Program Availability:  September 2, 2008 – November 28, 2008 and March 30, 2009 – June 12, 2009. Site Requirements:  Access to wetland ecosystem – pond, swamp, marsh, etc.  No rapidly flowing water.  Cost:  None.  All equipment, teaching materials, and technology are provide free of charge.   Indiana Academic Standard and Environmental Education Guideline Alignments: Indiana Academic Standards for Science and Math Excellence in Environmental Education - Guidelines for Learning (Pre K - 12) To schedule a program or receive more information, please contact Brooke Furge, Education Specialist. Top  Brooke Furge Education Specialist IUPUI Center for Earth and Environmental Science 723 West Michigan Street, SL 118 Indianapolis, IN  46202 bfurge@iupui.edu

We are pleased to announce that Veolia Water Indianapolis has made the lead philanthropic gift to this program. We have also received significant funding support from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, Dow AgroSciences, Duke Energy, Hoover Family Foundation and Indianapolis Power & Light Company with proposals currently in review by additional foundations and corporations. For more information about the program and opportunities for program sponsorship, please contact us.

Top 

Center for Earth and Environmental Science
 School of Science
 Indiana University~Purdue University, Indianapolis
 723 West Michigan Street, SL118
 Indianapolis, IN 46202
 www.cees.iupui.edu
 cees@iupui.edu