Show students the 17 minute audio-visual program "The New Jersey Pinelands, Our Country's First National Reserve"

Distribute copies of the "Regional Location Map of the N.J. Pinelands". Ask students to locate the New Jersey Pinelands, then discuss the region's location in relation to the surrounding states. (For example, the region is near the major cities of Philadelphia and New York. It extends to such bodies of water as the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay.)

Next, distribute copies of the "Pinelands National Reserve Map". Have students identify the seven counties that are part of this 1.1 million acre region. (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Ocean counties are the counties that fall within the Pinelands National Reserve.)

Prepare numbered question and answer cards for the game "Do You Know?". Make the cards from a durable material like oak tag or cardboard. Each card should contain a single question and answer. Print the numbered question on one side of the card and the answer on the reverse side. Distribute the cards to students. Explain to the students that every card is numbered and the numerical order will be followed in playing the game. Each student, based on the numerical order of his or her card, will ask the class a question. Student answers will be elicited and written on the chalk board or chart paper by the teacher.

After answers have been compiled for each question, the student questioner will read back the correct answer supplied on the back of his or her card.

Incorrect answers can be erased or crossed out

Have students copy the correct answers to all questions to use as a resource for future Pinelands Animal lessons.

After playing the "Do You Know?"game, distribute copies of the "Pinelands National Reserve Vegetation Map". Ask students to locate and describe the different kinds of habitats shown on this map. These include uplands, wetlands, cranberry bogs, rivers, streams, and reservoirs. Have students color each habitat. Some questions to ask students about this map might include: Why are cranberry bogs on or near bodies of water? (Cranberries need a large supply of pure water to grow.) Why do you think towns like Batsto and Pleasant Mills were located by bodies of water? (Water was needed to turn the water wheels that powered the saw mills, grist mills, and paper mills.)

As an evaluation of student understanding, have each student complete the "What Do You Call Home?" worksheet.

Consider using the following as follow up activities:

1.Ask each student to bring to class pictures from newspapers, magazines, or the Internet, that illustrate a Pinelands habitat. Students may be assigned research to further his or her understanding of the habitat pictured. Findings should be shared with the class, and further discussion encouraged.

2. Individually or in small groups, students may prepare a diorama or mural of a particular Pinelands habitat.

3. Field Trip: Take students on a walking tour of your community to see how many habitats you can identify (field, vacant lot, grove of trees, stream, pond, etc.). Have students carry the "Habitat Observation Chart" with them and make notations on it as you discover the various habitats on your trip.

This lesson will introduce the students to the following vocabulary words:(Click on a word to see its definition-use your browser's BACK button to return to this page)

bog, carnivore, habitat, herbivore, omnivore, pond, river, scavenger, space, stream, swamp, upland

Science standards:

5.1-All students will learn to identify systems of interacting components and understand how their interactions combine to produce the overall behavior of the system.

5.6-All students will gain an understanding of the structure, characteristics, and basic needs of organisms.

5.7-All students will investigate the diversity of life.

5.10-All students will gain an understanding of the structure, dynamics, and geophysical systems of the earth.

5.12-All students will develop an understanding of the environment as a system of interdependent components affected by human activity and natural phenomena.

Social Studies standards:

6.7-All students will acquire geographical understanding by studying the world in spatial terms.

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