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Element: Pond for Amphibians
Teachers provided requirements: Please Check
2nd and 3rd grades Insects and Life-cycles
4th and 5th grades: Using microscopes
Other participants: Mary Hall Utica Zoo
1. An elevated pond surrounded by a
wildlife garden with limited access for up to 12 students. The pond can be
10” to 20” in depth with edges tapering down. Vegetation surrounding the
pond on three sides should be “wild and weedy” requiring little maintenance.
Vegetation should hang over pond and small shrubs, rocks and tree branches
should border the area. The pond should not be in direct sunlight and should
relate to other natural elements in the Courtyard. The pond must be elevated
at least 32” above the ground and have an area of earth and stone 14” in
width at minimum to prevent students from having direct access to the water.
The pond should be no longer than 7feet and 4 feet wide and have a suitable
liner. Other elements to be included are a skimmer and waterfall feature to
provide for water circulation (see attached PDF file)
2. The pond should provide a place were students can study aquaculture to
include insects, amphibians including frogs and toads. Fish do not have to
be included. The pond should be a place where students can take samples of
water that can be analyzed under a microscope (inside). And provide an
example of an ecosystem where the cycle of life-plants, insects and
amphibians can be established and studied.
3. Groups of up to 12 students supervised by a teacher can develop
individual and group study of the ecosystem and study the life-cycle of
frogs and amphibians from egg to tadpole to maturity and the mutually
beneficial relationship between
larger animals, insects and plants.
4. The pond should be related to plants,
insects and butterflies, weather station,
composting, greenhouse and birdhouses.
5. The element requires a plan and
engineering to provide a safe and secure area and
to minimize danger to the students. Also a pond kit including plumbing, a
liner a
a skimmer and waterfall for water circulation. Also initially tadpoles
should be purchased to establish frogs. These features will necessarily
require some maintenance.
6. Resources required for the pond will
be a architectural plan, installation will require running underground
piping for water. Water for the pond has to be initially treated and
filtered and a suitable pond kit including a thick plastic liner must be
purchased. (see attached PDF)
7. There will be some maintenance required and wintering over is another
issue that will require a yearly plan. Maintenance and safety must be
accounted for.
8. Although the pond requires some
maintenance, maintenance can be minimized by choosing a good installation.
It neither should be too large nor too small and
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