Name ______Period______Date______
Science 8 Mr. Ascher
The Past
You designed and created a new creature. To support your creature, you created an environment for it to survive and thrive in. You even brought your creature into the 21st century by making a page to connect with friends.
The Present
Well, 25 years have passed since your creature was born. Thanks to you, your creature has thrived in its environment. Over the years your species has reproduced and adapted to become successful and fit in the environment, even with some environmental changes.
Now, it is April of 2039. Things have changed. Improvements in medicine and pharmaceutical medications have made it possible for people to live far longer than they ever have before. This has led to a housing crisis, there are more people living on the Earth then there are houses for them all to live in. Construction companies have been buying land to build thousands of houses to accommodate the rising human population.
Until now, your species has been unaffected by housing development, but today that all changed. This morning, while your species was out foraging for breakfast, they heard a loud noise. Before they knew it, there was a giant bulldozer knocking down trees and leveling the ground in their habitat. Most of the species was able to run away from the land where the bulldozer entered, but sadly, there were a few individuals who were not fast enough, and didn’t make it.
The Future
Using your knowledge of evolution, you created your species and set it up to succeed. For many years, your species was able to survive and thrive on its own, but now, for your species to survive, it needs your help once again. Your species is depending on you, its creator to save its existence. The only chance your species has at surviving is if the home development project is stopped before it destroys any more of your species’ habitat. You will need to expand your knowledge of evolution and understand how living things interact with and depend on their environment. You will need to appeal to the construction company using sound scientific reasoning as to why they should not destroy this natural habitat to create more homes. You need to be persuasive, scientific and accurate. The future of your species depends on it!
Ok, so you know what needs to be done… but where do you start?
Home development is not a new problem. Below is a list of steps other groups have taken to save natural habitats. These steps have all been successful in persuading construction companies to stop construction and habitat destruction. Good Luck!
Check Off when CompletedStep 1: Welcome to the world wide Eco-web!
Familiarize yourself with topics in ecology by entering the world wide eco-web!
Step 2: A picture is worth 1,000 words.
Construction companies have responded well to pictures representing the “before and after” effect of habitat destruction.
Step 3: Make it happen! – Save the Habitat
Write a persuasive, scientifically sound letter to the construction company. Your letter should inform them of the possible ramifications of their actions, and explain to them why there are more negative effects than positive ones to continuing construction.
Step 1: World Wide Eco-Web Quest
Introduction:
Welcome to the World Wide Eco-Web! Today you are going to embark on an exploration of the essential themes in Ecology.
You will be investigating populations, communities, ecosystems, food chains, food webs, and the water, nitrogen and carbon cycle. Then you will investigate the different biomes on Earth. Finally, you will discover how humans have an impact on ecosystems.
Your Task:
Go to our class website, www.ScienceWithMrAscher.com, navigate to Science 8 à resources. Explore the posted websites to answer the questions below. This will give you the knowledge you need to save your species!
#1 Populations
http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_population.html
a. What is population?
b. Identify 2 things that increase a population
c. Identify 2 things that decrease a population
#2 Communities (use your textbook or a reliable internet source)
d. What is a community?
e. How are communities distinguished?
#3 Ecosystems
http://forest.mtu.edu/kidscorner/ecosystems/definition.html
f. What is an ecosystem?
g. What do ecosystems include?
h. What happens if one part of an ecosystem in damaged or destroyed?
#4: Biodiversity
http://www.dublin.ie/environment/biodiversity/home.htm
i. What is biodiversity?
j. Why is it important?
k. What are abiotic factors?
l. What are biotic factors?
#5: Food Chains
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/foodchain.htm
Diagram your food chain:
Use the following organisms to create one: Snake, Frog, Caterpillar, Owl, Flower
Type of Consumer / Website LinkHerbivores / http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/animaldiet/herbivore.htm
Carnivores / http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/animaldiet/carnivore.htm
Omnivores / http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/animaldiet/omnivore.htm
m. A person is called a ______because theyeat meat & vegetables.
n. ______are animals that only eat meat.
o. ______are animals that only eat plants.
Go To: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/animaldietgame.htm to play a game to test your understanding of the types of consumers.
#6 Food Webs
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/food/food_menu.html (this will take a while to load, please be patient)
Complete one of the food webs, and then answer the questions below.
p. Name a consumer in your food web ______
q. Name a producer in your food web ______
r. Name a decomposer(if there is one) in your food web ______
Go To:
http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/kids_web.htmand choose one of the food webs. Use the info from parts I and II to put the food web together. (Hint: A top-level carnivore is something that preys on other carnivores and it has no predators.)
We chose ______food web.
Name a consumer in your food web ______
Name a producer in your food web ______
Nameaherbivore in your food web ______
#7 Energy in an Ecosystem
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/science_up_close/314/deploy/interface.html
s. Complete the Energy Pyramid below
t. Explain how some energy is lost on each stage of the pyramid.
u. Draw and label an energy pyramid for a forest, prairie, or ocean.
#8 10% Rule (you’re on your own for this one! Try to find the answer by yourself)
v. What is the 10 percent rule? Where does the unused energy go?
#9 Carbon Cycle
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html
Diagram the carbon cycle:
w. Name 2 places on the earth we find carbon
x. Plants pull carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere to make food, through a process called ______.
y. Through food chains animals get ______from the plants and other animals they eat.
z. When plants and animals die and ______, carbon goes back into the ground.
aa. Some carbon is buried deep in the ground and forms ______.
bb. When humans burn fossil fuels, ______is released back into the atmosphere.
cc. When humans and animals exhale, they release carbon back into the air by a process called ______.
#10 Nitrogen Cycle
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Life/nitrogen_cycle.html
Diagram the nitrogen cycle:
dd. What are 2 ways nitrogen becomes useable to plants, humans and animals?
ee. How do herbivores obtain the nitrogen they need?
ff. How is nitrogen returned to the atmosphere?
gg. What are two ways humans impact the nitrogen cycle:
#12 Biomes Around the World
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.php
hh. How are biomes determined?
ii. What are the 6 Biomes of the World?
jj. What are the Freshwater Ecosystems?
kk. What are the Marine Ecosystems?
#13 Human Impact Navigate to each of the links below for various ways humans impact the environment. These sites will be especially helpful in building your case to the construction company and informing them of all of the negative impacts their actions will have.
Impact of Human Activity on EcosystemsDeforestation / http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/
Extinction of Species / http://www.endangeredspecie.com/
Human Soil Erosion / http://www.livescience.com/environment/041103_earth_movers.html
Greenhouse Effect / http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/evidence/greenhouse_effect_img.shtml
Pollution / http://tiki.oneworld.net/pollution/pollution_home.html
List some facts you found which will help support your case against land development, and hopefully save your species! (How many facts do you need? As many as it takes to make the construction company stop, and save your species!) (use the next page)
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Human Impact Facts:
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Step 2: A Picture is worth 1,000 words!
Using the space below, draw a picture of what your species’ environment was like just before the bull dozer started destroying the habitat. Then, draw what you would expect the environment to look like in 5 years from now, if the construction company continues to level the ground to build homes. Remember- your goal is to make the construction company stop so that your species can survive. Create a powerful picture to accomplish this goal.
Our Habitat Before the Housing Project / Our Projected Habitat 5 years from now, if Housing Project Continues in our EnvironmentPage 13 of 14
Step 3: Make it Happen! – Save The Habitat
Option 1: Write a letter to the construction company. (150 word minimum)
Explain to the company that your relatively new, rare species is in danger of going extinct if the housing project continues. Present scientific information to them based on your world wide eco-web research and attempt to persuade them to stop the housing project.
In your letter, be sure to:
ü Use proper letter format, including greeting and signature
ü Explain your species’ situation
ü Explain the effects of destroying the habitat
ü Explain the benefits your species has on the environment, and other species (be creative)
ü Include at least 5 of the following words in your letter:
o Population
o Community
o Ecosystems
o Biodiversity
o Biome
o Food chain
o Food web
o Carbon cycle
o Nitrogen cycle
OR
Option 2: Write an essay in which you respond to the following prompt (150 word minimum):
Construction and housing projects have been held up because of the presence of a rare species.Are we really worse off if we lose 1 or 2 species?ANDwhy is it so important that we have a variety of species? Should housing projects be stopped if a rare species is present?
ü Include at least 5 of the following words in your letter:
o Population
o Community
o Ecosystems
o Biodiversity
o Biome
o Food chain
o Food web
o Carbon cycle
o Nitrogen cycle
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PROJECT SAVE THE HABITAT SCORING RUBCIC – DID YOU SAVE YOUR SPECIES?
Category / Requirements / Points Possible / Student Score / Teacher Score / CommentsStep 1:
World-Wide Eco Webquest / ü Webquest is complete
ü Webquest is completed thoroughly and neatly
(Each missing or incorrect answer will deduct 1 point) / 40
Step 2:
A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words / ü Both before and after pictures are drawn / 3
ü Drawings are thorough, show effort and creativity / 10
ü Drawings use color / 2
ü Drawings are effective in capturing the negative effects of the housing project / 5
Step 3:
Make it Happen- Save the Habitat / ü Minimum 150 words / 5
ü Uses at least 5 of required vocabulary terms / 5
ü Text uses proper grammar and mechanics. / 5
ü Text uses specific scientific facts from web quest and applies them to persuade the construction company to stop the housing project. / 5
ü Text is organized and comprehendible. / 5
ü Text meets the required criteria from page 13. / 5
Classwork / ü Student is on task each period, all period.
ü Student meets daily project goals.
ü Student is on time and prepared for each class. / 10
Total Points: / 100
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