In this lesson students will study one of the vulnerable cave organisms shown in the video. They will relate information about the critter to the provided “nature concepts” chart and write a poem for the organism.

Click the links below for full Lesson Plan, guidesheet, and Student Activity chart. Lesson Plan includes GLE cross-references. All three are printable .pdf files.

"Connecting Karst Critters" Complete Lesson Plan (pdf)

"Connecting Karst Critters" Nature Concepts guidesheet (pdf)

"Connecting Karst Critters" Student Activity Chart (pdf)

Vocabulary

Related Web Links / Background Information:

http://library.thinkquest.org/11883/data/biopoem.htm [Biopoem instructions]

http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/endangered/endanger/endspeci/ [Importance of endangered species in Missouri]

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/ozark-cavefish [Field guide/fact sheet on Ozark cave fish]

http://www.fws.gov/Midwest/endangered/fishes/ozkcf_fc.html [Fact Sheet on Ozark cave fish]

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/snails/tcca_fct.html [US Fish & Wildlife- Tumbling Creek cave snail]

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2005/08/07/in-search-of-the-pink-planarian/ [News article on the pink planarian]

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/FederalAid/documents/MissouriPlanSummary.pdf [List of Missouri endangered species]

http://www.amphibiaweb.org/cgi-bin/amphib_query?query_src=aw_lists_genera_&table=amphib&where-genus=Eurycea&where-species=spelaea [Grotto salamander fact sheet]

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/wildlife/tes/ca-overview/docs/cambarus_setosus-BristlyCaveCrayfishMTNF.pdf
[Bristly cave fish information]

http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/biospeleology/pdf/2007%20mo%20cave%20life.pdf [40-page “Missouri Cave Life” pdf booklet. Contains 4 of the 5 species, photos and glossary]
http://www.youtube.com/user/moconservation#g/c/D7C7F0C7995ECF68 [