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Science


NatureWorks
Concepts in biology and ecology
Grade Levels:
Upper primary-6
Length:
15 minutes
Taping Rights:
School year
MARC Record:
Downloadable
Web Site:
www.nhptv.org

This early-elementary biology series introduces basic ideas in the study of plants and animals and their environments. Rather than simply giving facts about individual species, the programs focus on how ecological communities function—how animals communicate with and relate to one another and how the surrounding environment affects populations. Topics include habitats, biomes, native vs. invasive species, and biodiversity.

Each episode consists of five segments:

  • an introduction to the basic concept to be covered;

  • a “concept focus” that follows a particular animal or plant and explores the episode topic in relation to that organism;

  • a field work segment, in which student researchers work alongside scientists and naturalists;

  • a review summing up the material presented; and

  • a “Simply Nature” segment, which features field footage with no narration to allow students to see and enjoy nature at work.

NatureWorks includes 16 classroom programs and a utilization program for teachers. KET will include the utilization program in block feeds of the series.


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2007/08 Block Feeds on KET ED

Block Feed: Programs 101-117 Program Details
4 hours, 15 minutes
    Friday, September 28 at 6:00 am on KETED
    Friday, December 7 at 6:00 am on KETED
    Friday, February 29 at 6:00 am on KETED
    Friday, May 9 at 6:00 am on KETED


Episodes Included in These Block Feeds

101. Adaptation
Demonstrates how plants and animals—in particular, possums and beavers—are adapted to their environments and how the New England Aquarium's Critical Care Ward cares for beached Kemp's Ridley sea turtles. 15 minutes.

102. Coloration
Uses the great horned owl and the skunk to illustrate how the structural adaptation of coloration contributes to plant and animal survival. A visit with a wildlife photographer highlights the role of color in photography. 15 minutes.

103. Natural Communication
Shows animals communicating through visual, auditory, chemical, and tactile signals, with specific looks at the red fox and songbirds. A herpetologist visits a pond to show how frogs communicate. 15 minutes.

104. Migration
Explores the many reasons for migrating, banding to track bird migration, the migrations of three raptors (broad-winged hawks, red-tailed hawks, and snowy owls), and an annual hawk count. 15 minutes.

105. Habitat
Visits the artificial habitat at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center aviary, featuring the common loon. A biologist builds and floats a loon raft. 15 minutes.

106. Marine Communities
Demonstrates how life in the ocean is organized in layers and examines life in tide pools and estuaries with a visit to the Wells Reserve to monitor soft-shell clam and green-crab experiments. 15 minutes.

107. Fresh-Water Communities
Explores life in lakes, streams, and wetlands, with a special look at the snapping turtle. 15 minutes.

108. Terrestrial Communities/Biomes
Features tundra, rainforest, grassland, taiga, temperate deciduous forest, and desert biomes. The red-tailed hawk's adaptation to a variety of habitats and the diversity of plant life along the Appalachian Trail are featured. 15 minutes.

109. Wildlife Web 1—Producers and Herbivores
Shows how plants make food and how plants and herbivores depend on each other; spotlights the moose and its habitat and methods for improving melons. 15 minutes.

110. Wildlife Web 2—Herbivores and Carnivores
Shows how herbivores and carnivores depend on each other for survival and features looks at the insect-eating brown bat, the gray wolf, and a bat cave. 15 minutes.

111. Decomposers and Scavengers
Explores the role of decomposers and scavengers. Illustrative examples include the progressive decomposition of a dead gray squirrel and the life of the turkey vulture. Members of the Appalachian Mountain Club demonstrate recycling in the wilderness. 15 minutes.

112. Population Dynamics
Begins with the concept of population and its limiting factors and then examines factors that affect porcupine and white-tailed deer populations in particular. A University of New Hampshire professor shows how he helps control deer numbers. 15 minutes.

113. Species Diversity
Looks at how species diversity helps maintain a healthy environment. The naturalists sweep for insects to see how many different kinds they can locate. After a look at life on the forest floor, a Keeping Track member shows how to use tracks to determine animal diversity. 15 minutes.

114. Niches
Examines animals' roles in their environments, particularly the niches of pileated woodpeckers and coral reefs. A conservation officer demonstrates how he tries to control the impact of beavers in urban areas. 15 minutes.

115. Invasive Species
Shows how alien invaders can change an environment, with special consideration of milfoil in aquatic communities. Also included is an up-close look at the mute swan. Shoals Marine Lab researchers show the impact of invasive seaweed in the waters off their island. 15 minutes.

116. Life at Risk
Explores factors that could endanger plant and animal species and features the wood turtle and the peregrine falcon. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee shows how she monitors the health of dwarf wedge mussels. 15 minutes.

117. How To Use NatureWorks in the Classroom



Kentucky Academic Expectations

This program relates to the following Kentucky Academic Expectations.

Kentucky schools may tape and retain programs according to the rights listed above. For further information, contact the KET Education Division.

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Last Updated: Monday, 30-Jun-2008 10:27:15 EDT