Bioregion
Matheson Hammock Mangroves

Part 2:  The Mangrove Walk, Tidal Pool, Sand Bar

Objectives

Green (Earth Literacy Goals)

1. The student will learn about the role of mangroves.
2. The student will learn how mangroves buffer the shoreline to the hammock.
3. The student will learn how mangroves eventually give way to other plants and animals
4. Students will learn the importance mangroves to other niches
5. Students will learn how the hammocks fit into the geography of South Florida.
6. Students will learn to identify at least two stages of one type of mangrove plant
7. Students will learn to identify at least two animals in the mangrove area.

 

ESL

1. Students will increase their academic vocabulary.
2. Students will learn observational note-taking skills
3. Students will learn to use voice modulation appropriate for various settings.
4. Students will to make clear descriptive oral and written statements.
5. Students will learn to use English signage.
6. Students will speak and write comparative statements based on clear analysis.

Materials

Teacher Materials

• CD South Florida’s Natural Environment: Ecology and Issues 2002 (see resources below)

• What to Wear handout (see copy)

• Release forms (see copies)

• Directions to the park. Instruct students to get directions from Mapquest at www.mapquest.com so that each will have specific directions from their own chosen starting point. This also increases reading and map skills and following written directions.

 

Student materials:

• Small (pocket sized) notebooks

• Mechanical pencils with retractable leads.

• Bug spray

• Shoes for walking and can get wet if necessary.

• Snacks

• A wristwatch

• A plastic bucket for holding collections.

 

Optional Materials:  (Needed if this activity can be coupled with Hammock Activity #1.)

• Optional bathing suits and towels for the tidal pool.

• If the sand bar is included, nets with at least a three foot handle.

• Plastic buckets.

• A flat pan.

 

Time

1- 2  hours  --This depends on how fast you walk and how much you do.

 

Class Preparation

There is no special or prior permission necessary from The Matheson Hammock Park if the activities are within the parks normal hours of operation of Sunrise to Sunset.

1. Inform your chairperson in writing of the details of the trip.

2. Students must fill out and turn in to you a release form (see copy) prior to participation. You must have those for every person who goes. So if a spouse of a student goes along, at your discretion, that person will have to sign a release. This is necessary for college liability issues. You must keep these on file. Take extra blank ones along with you in case a student has a last minute change of heart and shows up.

You should NOT allow students to participate without the releases.

3. Preliminary discussions should talk about what is appropriate behavior on the trip. This is less an issue of discipline than one of how to work together to have an enjoyable and educational experience. Discussion topics should include:

• A discussion of quietness and the advantage it provides for seeing and hearing animals. 

• Staying together and being aware of were everyone is. Discuss how to react to seeing animals and what to do and not do.

• Discuss fears and clarify those that are reasonable and those that are irrational.

• Show students how to communicate to others silently when they see something interesting. 

• Talk about staying on the path and why.

• Discuss racing the bicycles and why it is not allowed in the park and why it is contrary to the intent of the experience.

• Talk about cell phones, radios, beach toys and how they should be left at home.

• (You might wish to have a cell phone for emergency purposes and let them know that the phone you have is only for such a case.)

• Let them know that while it is outside and an excursion,  it is still a class, so while dress may be casual, behavior and language still follows classroom rules.

• Discuss what is appropriate for collection and release; what is appropriate for collection and removal; and what may not be collected in any manner and should only be observed.  For example, small animals such as shrimp, insects, etc. may be held temporarily and should be release close to the collection point. Fallen flowers and leaves and of course trash may be collected and removed. Flowers on the plant, plants, larger (use your hand as a measure of large and small) animals should be left to observation only.

Talk about the back packer’s ethics:

• What you bring in you take out.

• Leave no trace that you were there.

• Explain what the implications of these are; such as, taking out our own trash and not marking the environment. They should take back memories, notes, photos, recordings and leave the rest as found.

• Arrange to meet in the east parking area just off Old Cutler Road. Start on the east hammock path. Begin with the east hammock area and cross over to the west hammock area. There are some interpretive signs that are self-explanatory. The trail guide is for the west hammock path.

If students are going through more or less on their own then you must arrange a rendezvous time, and place at the end of the trail. In this case it is relatively simple as the trail empties into the parking area for the tidal pool and a table is conveniently nearby that point of exit.

Steps/procedures

 Show Prof. Migliaccio’s presentation The Natural Environments of South Florida one or two classes in advance of the trip.

Part 1:

• Time for the mangrove walk is about an half hour. The only issue is to decide if you will go even if the tide is high. At high tide, the path is covered at many points. While it becomes quite wet, it is still a flat and is safe walk. It is the reason for the note that says “shoes that can get wet.” Our students liked it.
• As students walk along the path, identify the plants. They can use the field guides. If they have the laminated ones, they will hold up better.

• Be sure to point out how the mangroves grow from the floating elongated seed. Try to find examples of the plants growth at various stages. While finding them in the correct sequence, there will be plenty of examples of seed, seedling (showing the beginning roots), rooted small plant, established adult plants.

• Point out how the roots trap leaves and debris that decomposes and turns into soil that will build up to the point of dry land.

• Point out how the roots provide a safe haven for fish to breed. Try to find fish and crabs.

•  When at the rendezvous point take some time to allow for reflections, reactions, and note making.

•  If you are going to do the mangrove and tidal pool exercise along with the hammock walk, then it  would be to take a break at the west end, the entrance area. There are restrooms and water fountains. 

Part Two:

• If you the tide is up, then go to the tidal pool. If the tide is low, then it would be good to walk from the east side of the tidal pool out onto the sand bar.

•  If you have brought nets and buckets, you can drag the bottom for specimens and dump them into the buckets. After about 15 minutes, everyone can bring their “catches” to the shoreline. If you have a shallow pan, you can pour a little of the water and specimens into the pan and see what you have.

• Hint: If you are doing the mangrove walk first then rather than carrying all the equipment, it can be dropped off before beginning the walk to the area.

Vocabulary

mangrove	shoreline	nursery	erosion
roots	seed	seedling	branch
canopy	undergrowth	native	exotic
haven	bay	tide	tidal pool
sandbar	poisonous	eatable	hammock
symbiosis	estuary	protected	tropical
indigenous	aquifer	web	wild
domestic	feral	brackish

Resources:

Resources:

CD South Florida’s Natural Environment: Ecology and Issues 2002, this is a CD produced by Prof. Chris Migliaccio at M-DCC. Among other resources, it contains three PowerPoint Presentations:

Water Flow

The Environmental Destruction of South Florida, The Natural Environments of South Florida,  Prof. Migliaccio has copies available for distribution and use.

There are various good field guides for fish and marine animals. Here are links to Websites about Florida's fish and marine animals.

• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

•  Florida Integrated Science Center
   

* The trail guide is being updated and will be available from Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation, Natural Areas Management, 22200 SW 137 Av. Miami FL 33170. Contact Sonya Thompson, Restoration Biologist, 305-257-0933 ex. 228, sonya@miamidade.gov