Brief Description

In this project students will plot square meters in their schoolyards and record the living and non-living things that are found. They will submit this information to the project database, this will allow viewing via the Internet. Students will then compare and contrast their information with that submitted by other classes from around the world and prepare a brief report or presentation that will be posted to the project web site.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 1T-F2. Demonstrate functional operation of technology components.
• 5T-F1. Recognize electronic information sources.

• 5M-F3.Make estimates of measurement.
• 5M-F2.Explain the concepts related to units of measure and demonstrate the process of measurement with non-standard (e.g., using paper clip lengths), U.S. customary and metric units.
• 5M-F1.Demonstrate that a single object has different attributes that can be measured in different ways (e.g., length, mass/weight, time, temperature, area and volume).
• 4SC-F4. Identify characteristics of plants and animals (including extinct organisms) that allow them to live in specific environments.
• 4SC-F7. Explain the interaction of living and non-living components within ecosystems.
• 3SS-F2. Identify natural and human characteristics of places and how people interact with and modify their environment.

Academic

The students will successfully record information that was found in their square of life. This information will be compiled together with the entire class reports to be presented as a final group project.

Technological

• The students will access the website http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/squareproj/index.html.
• Students will work as a class to create summary of all of their findings. This summary will be posted on the website and shared with the rest of the participating schools around the world.

Students will need to know:

• Basic keyboarding skills (how to locate home-row on the keyboard)
• How to locate the URL address bar and enter in a teacher given address
• How to operate a digital camera (optional)

• Drawing tools (pencils, markers, etc.)
• Clipboards
• Writing paper
• Plant and animal reference books and materials (see Reference Materials Section)
•  Several meter or yard sticks (at least 2)
• String or Yarn (for 8 squares you will need a minimum of 100 feet)
• Wooden stakes or wire clothes hangers
• Digital Camera (optional)

• SEI (Sheltered-English Immersion) SEI students may print their photos to cut out and attach to their paper.
• Students with an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) will be given additional work time to view their square of life and record their information.
• Gifted students will be asked to record more detailed information on their square of life. They may also predict what other locations may find in their square of life.

Teachers will use the Square of Life website http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/squareproj/index.html
Before beginning the activity, all classes will submit a letter of introduction (guidelines are provided in the Teacher Area).  Be sure to read the deadline dates for the following:

• Submit letters of introduction to the Discussion Area.
• Submit square data to the project database.
• Submit final reports to project leader for publication.

Activity #1: Preparing for the study

1. Explain to the students that they are going to get to work on a special project that will involve their schoolyard environment. Tell them that once they are able to describe every detail of their own square and what they found in it, they will get to tell the other students around the world what they discovered.
2. Lead a discussion in which students make predictions about some of the things (living and non-living) that they think they will find in their squares.

1. With a meter stick, measure and mark off a one square meter area.
2. Map off your square meter using the string or yarn.

Activity 1 Investigate your square.

1. Break students up into their groups (one group per square).
2. Explain that they are going to investigate what is actually in their one meter square. Tell them that they are going to work in teams of three or four (again, larger or smaller groups will work).
3. Handout drawing paper and explain that they are going to spend about a half hour observing their square and drawing a sketch of it. They will also be using a digital camera to photograph their square.  Wait until they are at their squares before you distribute the drawing tools.
4. Bring the students outside and have each team sit next to their square. You may want to locate each student at a corner of the square so that they do not disturb each other.  Once all of the groups are settled, distribute the drawing tools.
5. Let the students simply sketch and photograph whatever they see in their square. Remind them to look under rocks and other movable objects.  About 5 minutes before the end of the activity announce that they should finish up their sketches. For older students, you can ask them to record some written comments on what they saw.
6. In addition to making sketches and taking notes, you might also allow the students  to collect a few samples to bring back into the classroom. Bring brown paper bags and demonstrate how to collect a sample and place it in the bag.
7. Have the students gather up their materials and head back into the classroom.

1. Reassemble into a circle and ask the students to share what they found. Were the items what they expected to find present? Were they surprised at any of the things they found?
2. Students should keep their sketches and notes for use in preparing a class list for submission to the Project Database.

• You will need to have three large sheets of paper posted on the classroom wall. One sheet should be labeled Plants, another Animals and the other Non-living Objects. You will probably need additional sheets depending on how many observations you want to record.

Procedure
1. Explain that they are now going to come up with one big list of all of the plants, animals and non-living objects that were found in all of the squares. Besides listing the items they found they will also need to list as many details about each item as they can remember. Explain that once you create the three lists you will share them with the other schools around the world.
2. Pick one of the three categories to start with and go around the room and ask each student one at a time to tell you one item that should be listed. If students repeat objects make sure they realize that you only want to list an object once.
3. As students give you answers and fill in the details start recording what they say on the wall chart. Try and be selective in the details you record, only use those that are accurate and reflect the objects that they are talking about. This is important since you will be sharing these details with the other participating schools who may be re-creating your square from the information you supply.
4. Continue this activity until you have filled in all of the details for each category.

Final report
1. Once you have completed the collection process explain to the students that you will take all of the information and post it to the project's web site for the other students around the world to use. If you have a computer with Internet access in your classroom you can have the students help you input the data or watch you post it. If the Internet computer is not in the classroom it is a good idea to have them take "field trip" to the computer after you have posted the data to see that their information is now online. The following information should be included in the final report: A brief description of the writer's own school environment and what was found in the square, the name of the school(s) whose square findings they are comparing to their own or to others, including any information about the environment of that school that they think might have affected what was found in the square,  a comparison of the squares selected, possible reasons for similarities and differences, and conclusions or lessons learned.
1. To post the data go to the Project Data section of the project web site and follow the on screen instructions for submitting your data.
2. Leave the wall charts up for the duration of the project so that they can always refer to it.

Assessments will include completion of each students drawing on what is included in their square of life. Students will also participate in a group discussion that will be written up as a final presentation on the Square of Life website. Students will use a PBL checklist located at http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/view.php3?id=68352 for self-evaluation of their completed project.