Large sheets of blank paper or white boards Writing utensils PROCEDURE Review the following ecological terms prior to beginning this activity: population, community, food web, trophic level, producers, consumers, herbivores, omnivores, carnivores. Pass out the “A Forest Web” handout and have students read the opening paragraph describing a forest community. Working in groups, have students generate a food web based on the organisms discussed in the story. Have students compare their web with other groups and make any new connections they see necessary. Discuss the answers to questions 1-3 on the handout prior to continuing onto the scenarios. Assign each group one of the three scenarios to investigate. After completing the altered food webs and questions, have students present the scenario and the changes they made to the food web based on the habitat alteration. EXTENSION Assign students different types of habitats (desert, wetland, rainforest, etc). Have them write their own story describing the interactions among the species. Students can then come up with their own scenarios that would alter their chosen environment. REVIEW QUESTIONS/ASSESSMENT The following questions can be used as guidelines to develop assessment tools (quiz, essay, etc.) appropriate for your students. What are the different forms of habitat destruction? How does habitat destruction lead to loss of species? What are persistent organic pollutants? How might they enter into water sources? Why are some pollutants many times greater in top carnivores than in organisms at the base of the food chain? What are exotic species? Identify some ways exotic species are introduced into a new habitat. Handout: A Forest Web A Forest Web Somewhere in a typical North American forest, a tall, hardy white oak tree drops an acorn which is quickly gathered up by an eastern gray squirrel. A yellow warbler lands on one of the oak’s upturned branches as it finishes off its second moth of the day. In the top branches, a great horned owl sleeps,
organized; Team was prepared organized; team was mostly prepared organized; team was a sometimes prepared organized; team was not prepared Understanding of topic Connected concepts and showed a clear understanding of the topic Connected concepts and showed a clear understanding of the topic most of the time Connected concepts and showed a clear understanding of the topic some of the time Did not connect concepts, nor showed a clear understanding of the topic Quality of Rebuttal Strong, organized, effective rebuttal Strong, organized, effective rebuttal most of the time Strong, organized, effective rebuttal some of the time Poorly organized, non-effect rebuttal Presentation Skills Presenters used appropriate eye contact, convincing tone, appropriate body language Presenters used appropriate eye contact, convincing tone, appropriate body language most of the time Presenters used appropriate eye contact, convincing tone, appropriate body language some of the time Presenters did not use appropriate eye contact, convincing tone, appropriate body language Score________________ Comments/Suggestions: __________________________________________ Lesson 2: HOMEWORK (to be added) Lesson Three: Local Threatened/Endangered Species Objective: Students will have a greater understanding of species in their state/county (as appropriate). Content/Overview: We often hear much about “global” species being endangered/threatened, such as the elephant, rhinoceros and tiger. In the United States, the wolf, bald eagle and California condor are frequently highlighted in discussions of endangered species. However, endangered species are found everywhere. In your own state and/or county, there are likely several species currently classified as threatened or endangered. Students will have a greater appreciation