Learning Through Leaf Packs Leaf Pack Dissection (Lesson 4 of 8)

This is an 8 lesson unit that is designed to be used together to learn about the health and diversity of your local watershed by placing leaf packs into a water source (natural or man-made ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers) and attracting macroinvertebrates.

Leaf packs need to stay in water source 2-4 weeks.
Instructional video on retrieving packs here.Collect the leaf packs from the water source(s). You can do this the day prior and place the leaf packs in old ice chests overnight.
If you don’t have a water source, you can do a virtual simulation of this lesson here.
Sorting and identification video here.
Soliciting help from community partners (local scientists or experts), university students and parents is helpful.
This lesson takes at least 1 class period---preferably a longer class period--60-90 minutes.
Prior to students arriving, it will be important to have all materials for each group set up to save time.
Pre rinse packs and place in tray
Make sure students are familiar with tools -- hands lenses, dichotomous keys, microscopes, and how to record data in the data table
Define lab groups (3-4 students per pack)



List of Materials:

sink or way to rinse the leaf packs
1 6″ sieve, 500 micron mesh
Set of MacroLens™,
1 set of 6 Laminated, Spiral-Bound Freshwater Macroinvertebrate Dichotomous Keys
1 set of 6 Biotic Index Data Sheets,
60 Petri dishes or similar clear dishes to place on sorting sheets
12 artist’s paint brushes
6 plastic sorting trays
6 hand lenses
1-2 plastic spoons for each group
White butcher paper to cover tables (helpful but optional)
Buckets
dissecting microscopes
flashlights (optional)
dichotomous keys
macroinvertebrate picture cards
gloves for each student (optional)

Agenda:

One 60-90 minute class period
Dissect leaf packs
Sorting and Identifying macroinvertebrates
Add data to tally sheet