I used Khan Academy to help me with my lesson. If your students log on and then go to California Academy of Sciences they will come to a Biodiversity Lesson. This lesson is on "hotspots". The lesson gives detailed videos of definitions related definitions and then shows short videos on 3 different hotspots in the world. It also gives the students reading, and then a quiz following the reading. It continues to do this throughout the lesson. So here is my scientific practice.
1. Asking Questions- What is a biodiversity hotspot? What causes biodiversity hotspots?
2. Developing and using models- Not sure about this one? I think using video resources to show the damage to animals and people when environmental changes occur. Animals with six pack tabs wrapped around their bodies., etc.
3. Planning and carrying out investigations- After watching the videos of the 3 hotspots
Compare and Contrast handout- What makes these places the same and different?
Write a paragraph explaining your findings.
4. Analyzing and carrying out investigations- Using a graph www.savingoursharedbirds.org/images/graphics/SpeciesRisk_Graph_p11.jpg- what does this graph tell us about extinction in regards to environmental factors? Explain in a paragraph using the information from Khan Academys videos and reading to support your view.
5. Using Mathematics- Using graphs students will answer the following questions.
Graph-www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/populations_and_sustainabilitity/extinction
What happens to species extinction as human population occurs?What was they amount of increase/decrease of extinctions between 1800 and 2010? How would find this amount of increase? What is the difference in the extinction numbers between 1950 and 1980? What is the extinction percentage between these 2 dates?
6. - South America has the least amount of extinct animals, what would you attribute this too? Explain your answer. What is found in South America that helps the animal culture? Why is this important? Support your answers with the information you have already learned.
7. After reading, viewing and analyzing information on graphs, what is you conclusion to the solution to savaging these hotspots. Why or why isn't this important for all of us environmentally?
Comments
Hi Michelle:
You're the first to post a lesson! Thank you so much. You'll have to let people know how it went. It really made me know that I can't keep printing things I don't absolutely need to have in paper form. Just an FYI to others: You may need to search the Biological Diversity website using the word "extinction" to get to the graph, although Michelle's website address is accurate. (Maybe someone can investigate that problem!). I did the graph at the end of this post.
And, I have apologized to Michelle via email because I think her practice number four is off because of an mistake I made in our workshop. It should read: Analyzing and interpreting data. Just to be safe, here are all the 8 scientific practices:
•Asking questions and defining problems
•Developing and using models
•Planning and carrying out investigations
•Analyzing and interpreting data
•Using mathematics and computational thinking
•Constructing explanations and defining solutions
•Engaging in argument from evidence
•Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Biological Diversity
Cynthia
Michelle, thanks for starting the posting of lessons, and congratulations on such an interesting one you've written! This is such a timely topic, and you've integrated many skills into this lesson.
Cheers, Susan