Putnam County Soil

Putnam County Soil & Water Education Mike Hilty, Education Specialist, 419-523-5159 ext. 205

All Putnam SWCD Education Programs are free of charge.

Envirothon

Ft. Jennings Team #1 members are: front row (left to right): Scott Saum,
Keith Saum; back row: Craig Saum, Lance Gerdeman, and Andy Kleman.
Thisd envirothon team placed first in Area 1 competition and went on to
state and placed second at the State Envirothon.

School Programs

Habitats

Grades 1-2, 40 minutes.

Mystery bag of animals. Describe changes to animals caused by humans. Know the basic needs of all living things. Life cycles are covered. M&M’s game will show conservation practices will help animals survive.

Worm World Tunnel

Grades Pre-K, 35 minutes.

Students will crawl into a 3’x6’ tunnel with flashlights. They will get a feeling of what it is like underground. Students will learn about the soil and the importance of worms in a fun way.

What is a Watershed?

Grades 1-6, 40 minutes.

Students will pollute the environment with the use of an enviroscape model. It involves houses, factories, farms, animals, people, forest, golf course, creek, cars, lake, and a whole lot more.

Bugs

Pre-K-6, 45 minutes.

Insect identification. Facts and demonstrations. Live bugs weather permitting. Arachnids including spiders.

Rocks, Fossils, and Minerals

25 minutes.

Introduction and examples for the class to see up close. Brachiopod fossils found in limestone will be featured. Mineral and rock kits.

What is Soil Made Of?

Grades 3-6, 30 minutes.

Observation, comparing, classification, and the value to our world. Plus samples to dig into and feel different soil textures. Chocolate chip cookies are used to illustrate how ingredients from the soil are used in our favorite foods.

Ohio Animals

Grade 3, 35 minutes.

10 animals are featured with fur patches for the class to pass around.

Exploration of Materials to be Used Over Again

Grade K, 30 minutes.

Two bags of items brought in to see and understand. One group to be recycled and another to be reused.

Identify Materials Used for Recycling

Grade 1, 30 minutes.

Bags of items we can recycle. Students will be able to identify symbols and numbers used in recycling.

Stream Table

Grades 5-8, 40 minutes.

3’x6’ stream table. The students will learn from hands-on activities what factors affect the rivers.

Dry Stream

Water insect identification. Will use macroinvertebrate tally sheets. Props designed for use in the classroom. Water insects hidden under rocks for the students to identify.

Birds

Grades K-3, 30 minutes.

What traits classify it as a bird? How is it different from other birds? What are some of the ways it protects itself from predators? What do they eat? What are there special characteristics to catch food? Real bird sounds as you press each bird.

Edible Insects

Grade K-12 Field Day Activity.

We show the amount of insects that are allowed in the food we buy. Some examples: coffee, ketchup, canned corn, peanut butter and fruit. We then fry mealworms with an extra crunchy barbeque flavor. I also show you how to prepare them. Who wants to try them?

Resources to Borrow

· Paper making supplies for paper and pins. Including blenders, molds, books, screens, and paints.

· Stream monitoring: nets, pH meter, chemical kits, thermometers, macroinvertebrate sheets.

· Red worms and bin for food composting in the classroom.

· Animal tracks.

· Seining baskets.

CD’s

· Waterbirds of Ohio Birdsongs

· Common Birdsongs of Ohio

· Protecting your Environment

· Somebody Else’s Mess

· Burning Issues Plants and Animals Affected by Fire

· Ollie Saves the Planet

Sponsored Educational Activities

· Envirothon

· 5^th grade poster contest

· 8^th grade essay contest

· College scholarship

· Fair display

· 5^th grade conservation tour

· Teacher and student workshops

· Trees to all first graders in Putnam county

Education Specialist is Available for Civic Presentations.

Putnam County Soil & Water