How the Envirothon Works A Basic Introduction for Our Team

How the Envirothon Works

A Basic Introduction for Our Team

We will prepare this year

• To compete at a one day State environmental competition in May

• High School students from all over Massachusetts will be there

• ~500 people!

A basic understanding of ecosystems is essential

• FIRST STEP • Identifying: • Plants• Animals• Soils• Aquatic organisms

This is why the Envirothon program works

• Students (no coach/teacher help!) work with their team of five to:

• Answer 25 questions per ecostation that involve:

• Plant, Animal, Soils, & Aquatics ID

• Along with a basic understanding of the environment

5 basic topics in competition

• 5 basic topics in competition •    Forestry Ecostation- 75 points •    Wildlife Ecostation- 75 points •    Soils Ecostation- 75 points•    Aquatics Ecostation- 75 points    (All ecostations, 25 questions, 3 points each)•    Current Issue Presentation - 100 points    (15 minute presentation by students with 10 minutes of questions by judges)

•    So… 75% of team score is ecostation tests, 25% of score is the presentation (based on your research and community work on the Current Issue)

Forestry• Native trees/shrubs• Latin names• Common names• Winter buds are critical!• leaves, bark, fruit• Typical habitat• Learn to use the field guide

book!• You can use it at the

competition

Wildlife

• Tracks• Scat• Fur/hair• Bones/skulls• Evidence of feeding• Dens• Sounds• Movement• Behavior

Fisher

Turkey tracks

Deer scat

Soils

• Understand the basic soil types

• Parent material• How they feel• Colors• Size of particles• Where typically found• Soil profiles- soil pit

Envirothon EcostationTeam identifies soils

Digging a soil pit

• Allows you to see the soil profile

Aquatics• Collect & ID aquatic

insects & plants• Record any other aquatic

life forms found (amphibians)

• Measure stream flow• Oxygen concentration• pH• Understanding the

importance of wetlands• Where is your watershed?

Current Issue•    Research- understand the

issue basics•    Get to know your community:

•    Interview•    Collect data•    Write •    Debate

•    Perfect your public speaking•    Find an issue that really

interests you and is a practical step for your community

• Implement!

Put all of your work on the Current Issue together

• Each team member should speak

(~3 minutes/student x 5 students = 15 minutes)

• Practice!• Anticipate questions• Each student be

prepared to answer a question

Whether you win or not

• You’ll discover that winning isn’t as important as what you will learn about the environment

• Guaranteed to change your world!

:)• Have FUN!