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!