- Welcome/Overview
- Content Notes
- Lesson and Activities
- Lesson 1-Living Systems-Where do we fit?
- Lesson 2- Explore Your "Wild" World!>
- Lesson 3- Building Food Chains and Food Webs>
- Lesson 4- Owls- A Mighty Predator
- Lesson 5- About Ecosystems>
- Lesson 6- We Are Explorers! (day1 of 2 lessons)>
- Lesson 7- We Are Explorers (day 2 of 2 lessons)
- Lesson 8-A Closer Look at Communities
- Lesson 9- What's in the Water?
- Lesson 10- Our Environment/Our World>
- Websites for Kids
- Books Used Throughout Lessons 1-10
- Assessment Page
Lesson 6- We Are Explorers- Day 1 of 2 Day Lesson
Objectives:
- Research and examine various ecosystems around the world
- Study scientists who have explored ecosystems around the world and elaborate on their findings
- Integrate Geography by comparing global ecosystems and practicing map skills
World Map Outline and other Graphic Organizers of your choosing.
Lesson:
- Post Google Images of Aquatic Ecosystems- and Google Images of Terrestrial Ecosystems on board
- Students pretend to be Explorers working for National Geographic Magazine.
- Discuss Explorer Field Guide Questions to be researched.
- Include websites listed on this page and Lesson 7 in a class folder for students to access during class
- Pull this website Biomes of the World. to explain the Explorer's Field Guide portion of the assignment-
- Show interview with Sylvia Earle to introduce the "Get to Know a Scientist" piece
- Post Greenhearted Education-website and view List of Scientists
-Discuss how students might look up books about these scientists in the library.
- Print a world map and distribute along with all worksheets to be used for this project
- Explain Geography piece and scope of the project
- Begin work on project
Assessment:
Students will:
- Answer questions regarding the ecosystem of their choosing
- Write an essay describing the contributions made to ecology by a scientist on the list above
- Practice Map skills.
- Make certain students correctly identify and describe key concepts regarding ecosystems, food chains, and food webs, populations, communities, as well as employ the use of good writing and map skills by circulating around the classroom while students complete projects
Additional Websites to help with Biography--Science Kids website and Famous Marine Biologists
Switch Zoo- This game tests students' knowledge of where in the World a particular animal is located. Allows students to learn a little more about where various habitats are located around the world as well as honing geography skills.
References:
Secured sample World Map Outline from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt- Education Place-http://www.eduplace.com/.