In this domain, I would expect a student to consider, for example, adaptations that might allow hemlock to grow in colder climates. In addition, I hope that students will begin to think about other factors affecting trees in this location. My hope is that each student will consider the importance of additional factors such as disturbance in addition to climate and soil in influencing tree type and size in our study site. The students work outside of class to write individual research papers. Students who are not used to making observations in the field will need some help and special training.
Students have a difficult time distinguishing between observations and interpretation.
Another idea is to go outside near your building and have students write down observations of what they see and discuss these. The next step is to help students develop specific questions based on their observations. You need to be open to their ideas but the project needs focus and must meet your course objectives. This is a tricky balance. You will have to decide how much creative chaos you find useful for your students and how much you need to orchestrate the data reduction.