Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon Field Trip
Reinforces the following
California Science Standards and
Next Generation Science Standards for
Fifth Grade (Wetland Chemistry)

Wetland Chemistry (Fifth Grade)  Students compare elements and compounds. They investigate the chemical properties of water. They tour Tule Ponds with a focus on the effects of chemistry in the wetland. Students experiment with how molecules get into water and can change the pH.

The following are activities the students will do
1. Read the periodic table of elements
2. Separate elements and compounds
3. Observe properties of elements and compounds
4. Tour Tule Ponds with a focus on wetland chemistry
5. Perform chemical testing

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

Standards arranged by Disciplinary Core Ideas.  Codes in parenthesis represent Performance Standards.  For more detailed information visit   http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards

FIFTH GRADE
5-PS1.B: Chemical Reactions
When two or more different substances are mixed, a new substance with different properties may be formed. (5-PS1-4)
5-PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life
The energy released [from] food was once energy from the sun that was captured by plants in the chemical process that forms plant matter (from air and water). (5-PS3-1)

5-ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
Nearly all of Earth’s available water is in the ocean. Most fresh water is in glaciers or underground; only a tiny fraction is in streams, lakes, wetlands, and the atmosphere. (5-ESS2-2)
LS2.A:  Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
The food of almost any kind of animal can be traced back to plants. Organisms are related in food webs in which some animals eat plants for food and other animals eat the animals that eat plants. Some organisms, such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organisms (both plants or plants parts and animals) and therefore operate as “decomposers.” Decomposition eventually restores (recycles) some materials back to the soil. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their particular needs are met. A healthy ecosystem is one in which multiple species of different types are each able to meet their needs in a relatively stable web of life. Newly introduced species can damage the balance of an ecosystem. (5-LS2-1)

Ca Science Standards
 

Physical Sciences
1. Elements and their combinations account for all the varied types of matter in the world. As a basis for understanding this concept:
f. Students know differences in chemical and physical properties of substances are used to separate mixtures and identify compounds.
g. Students know properties of solid, liquid, and gaseous substances, such as sugar (C₆H₁₂O₆), water (H₂O), helium (He), oxygen (O₂), nitrogen (N₂), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Life Sciences
2. Plants and animals have structures for respiration, digestion, waste disposal, and transport of materials. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know many multicellular organisms have specialized structures to support the transport of materials.
e. Students know how sugar, water, and minerals are transported in a vascular plant.
f. Students know plants use carbon dioxide (CO 2 and energy from sunlight to build molecules of sugar and release oxygen.
g. Students know plant and animal cells break down sugar to obtain energy, a process resulting in carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (respiration).

Earth Sciences
3. Water on Earth moves between the oceans and land through the processes of evaporation and condensation. As a basis for understanding this concept:
d. Students know that the amount of fresh water located in rivers, lakes, under-ground sources, and glaciers is limited and that its availability can be extended by recycling and decreasing the use of water.
e. Students know the origin of the water used by their local communities.

Investigation and Experimentation
6. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will: a. Classify objects (e.g., rocks, plants, leaves) in accordance with appropriate criteria. b. Develop a testable question. f. Select appropriate tools (e.g., thermometers, meter sticks, balances, and graduated cylinders) and make quantitative observations. g. Record data by using appropriate graphic representations (including charts, graphs, and labeled diagrams) and make inferences based on those data.