Ice Age Mammals Teacher's Corner - nature.canature.ca/sites/default/files/docs/iam_psptc_e.pdf · Produced by the Canadian Museum of Nature in partnership with the Montreal Science

Produced by the Canadian Museum of Nature in partnership with the Montreal Science Centre, the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.

Ice Age Mammals

Dear Teachers,

Welcome to the Teacher’s Corner for the Beringia Centre. We have put together a number of

lessons, activities, and evaluation materials for your use, each of which can be used alone or with

the whole group as a portfolio project. The portfolios can be compiled in a duotang folder or on

computer, using a program such as Power Point. It would be a great wrap-up to the unit to

share your computer presentations with the whole class, and a way to once again reaffirm the

knowledge, skills, and attitudes learned through the lessons.

The lessons are primarily research based, and are intended as a time for gathering information

about the topic. The activities take the information and then apply it to a project. In putting the

activities together, we wanted to focus on an experimental approach. We find that students gain

the clearest insights by walking in another’s shoes, so we have created activities that allow

students to live out some of the reality of the Beringia experience.

The lessons are mainly geared towards middle years students, but some lessons and activities

include modifications that will allow you to increase or decrease the expected comprehension

performance levels in order to adapt the unit to various grades, from Kindergarten through

Grade 12. For the very young students, some of the activities will have to be omitted.

We have reference the lessons, where possible, to the British Columbia Integrated Resource

Package Learning Outcomes, the Pan Canadian Science Protocol and the Western and Northern

Canadian Protocol Learning Outcomes.

I hope that you will find these materials useful and fun. The games, activities, and projects are

intended to get students enjoying themselves so much they don’t even realize how much they

are learning! Have a great time in Beringia!

Sincerely,

The Ice Age Mammals Exhibition Team

and the Beringia Interpretive Centre

THE LAST GREAT ICE AGE

Overview: Lessons

LESSON ONE: What is Beringia?LESSON TWO: Evolution: Mammoth vs. Mastodon LESSON THREE: Extinction: The Scimitar CatLESSON FOUR: The Strange: Giant Beavers, Ground Sloths, Saiga

Antelope and Camels?LESSON FIVE: The Familiar: Steppe Bison, Yukon Horse, Ground

Squirrels, MuskoxLESSON SIX: Evolution Gets It Right! Forever CaribouLESSON SEVEN: What About People?LESSON EIGHT: The Food WebLESSON NINE: What’s in a Theory?LESSON TEN: Archaeology vs. Palaeontology

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WWW.BERINGIA.COM


Illustrations: George “Rinaldino” Teichmann © Gouvernement du Yukon 2007

Overview: Activities

ACTIVITY ONE: Parent Quiz on BeringiaACTIVITY TWO: Erosion for Kids!ACTIVITY THREE: A Land for Living ACTIVITY FOUR: Animal PuzzlesACTIVITY FIVE: Group Mural ProjectACTIVITY SIX: Making TracksACTIVITY SEVEN: Survivor: BeringiaACTIVITY EIGHT: A Beringia JournalACTIVITY NINE: Making a Mammoth (Skeleton Project)ACTIVITY TEN: Being a SlothACTIVITY ELEVEN: One-Two-Three Bear!ACTIVITY TWELVE: The Eternal Caribou ACTIVITY THIRTEEN: When the World BeganACTIVITY FOURTEEN: Making a Beringia Food WebACTIVITY FIFTEEN: Making an Atl-atlACTIVITY SIXTEEN: Theory SoupACTIVITY SEVENTEEN: Writing: Human AdaptationACTIVITY EIGHTEEN: An Eye for Something DifferentACTIVITY NINETEEN: Setting up a “dig” at your SchoolACTIVITY TWENTY: Foraging for a Shelter

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WWW.BERINGIA.COM


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Grade levels: 4-12

Lesson Objective:The learner will be able to:

• Identify and describe the basic processes which led to the existence of Beringia

• Locate Beringia on a world map or North America map

• Identify some effects of global warming and cooling

• Define some key concepts related to the unit

Materials:• World Map or North America Map which shows

connections withSiberia.• Overhead projector and slides + a green marker.• Selection of Beringia area from the above map

photocopied onto overhead slide and as paper handouts for students.

• Students will need plain lined paper for notes and green pencil crayons or markers.

Lesson Process:1. Introduction to the topic: Start with the map of the

world on the wall or chalkboard. Students should have paper in front of them, ready to take notes when needed, with the title “What is Beringia?” written at the top. Ask students what they see on the map. Take a few minutes just to get oriented. Talk about oceans, continents, rivers, lakes, etc. Point out the equator and the poles. Let students freely talk about the wide variety of things shown on a map. Emphasize as you go the large amount of blue space on the map, representing water. Ask students whether they think there is more land or more water on the map. Ask them what kinds of water are shown on maps – oceans, lakes, rivers, etc. Now, move their attention to the poles. Ask them what arctic and antarctic mean. Ask them what they would see if they were in the arctic. If your map shows it, identify the white areas and ask students what is represented there (permanent ice). Write the word glacier on the chalkboard, and have students write an appropriate definition (a large mass of compacted ice and snow which remains throughout the year and can grow, shrink, and move depending on

LESSON ONE:

What is Beringia?

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climate conditions). Tell students that a huge amount of the earth’s water is frozen into ice in the arctic and antarctic. The atmosphere of the Earth is like a huge refrigerator, where the temperature can be turned higher or lower. Ask students what happens if they put a cup of water in the freezer (it freezes). Ask students what happens if you put that cup of ice on the counter (it melts). Go back to the map. Tell the students that the Earth has been in an Ice Age for the past 2.6+ million years, but that the climate is sometimes warmer (causing an interglacial period) and sometimes colder (causing a glacial period). Ask students to imagine that someone has turned the temperature of the whole Earth down five degrees. What do they think would happen? Brainstorm and fill in the missing information until students have a picture of a glacial: a large quantity of ocean water froze, huge sheets of glacier ice covered much of North America, the shorelines changed drastically as there was less water in the oceans, plants and animals had to move south and/or adapt or die. Have students write the words the last glacial, approximately 70,000 to 10,000 years ago on their notes page and then describe these effects you have brainstormed. Note that the key time period we are discussing in this unit is approximately 10,000 years ago. Circulate and read the definition as they write it to ensure that students have understood the key concepts of the lesson so far. The students should now be able to describe and discuss glaciers and the alternating glacials and interglacials of the ice age.

2. When all students are ready to proceed, tell them that you are starting a unit on a very special place in a very special time. This place only existed during the last Ice Age, when the oceans were frozen and the land revealed. When the Earth warmed up, everything changed. This place is called Beringia. Take your overhead slide and place it over the section of the map from the Yukon to Siberia, showing students which part of the world we are discussing. Then move to the overhead projector, and place the slide there. If you do not have access to an overhead, just enlarge one of the student handouts and tape it to the chalkboard. Asking students to copy what you do on their own maps, outline and shade in green the area between Alaska and Siberia that was exposed land (sometimes called the Bering Land Bridge). You can use the map on the website (www.beringia.com ) to assist you in correctly locating the area. Remind students that as more of the ocean water was frozen, more of the shoreline and submerged land was exposed. Also shade in the areas in Siberia, Alaska and the Yukon which were not covered in glacial ice. Tell students that this exposed land was there for many thousands of years, and was very wide. If you stood in the middle of it, you would not know that it was different land from that in Siberia or in the Yukon. It was mostly grassy, and very windy. Scientists believe that many animals moved across this land into North America and also from North America across to Siberia. There was constant travel across this wide and windswept land. One theory holds


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that a group of Human Beings moved from Siberia into North America this way and at this time as well. Archaeologists, palaeontologists, glaciologists, climatologists, and many more professional scientists are still gathering information about all of the topics concerning Beringia, and will continue for many years to come. Students should write the names of these science-related careers and define them. Students now write the title “Beringia” on their maps, then write a definition of Beringia on their notes page. Once again, circulate and ensure that students have understood the processes and concepts. (You may choose to break here and take up the lesson again next day. You could do Activity One and Two.)

3. Tell students that they will once more be discussing climate. Discuss the difference between climate and weather. Write both words on the board and have students write definitions as you discuss them:

Climate is the long term pattern of weather in an area, over many years. Weather is what happens on any given day. Weather changes daily. For example, the climate of the Yukon is one of moderate, dry summers and cold dry winters. The weather today or this week in the Yukon may be sunny, rainy, windy, freezing, or hot. Climate changes over a period of many many years, but it does continually change. Climate gets cooler and warmer. A change of even a few degrees can cause major changes in the Earth. The overall climate of the Earth was only five degrees cooler than today during the last Ice Age, and that caused so many changes! Currently, the climate of the Earth appears to be warming. Remembering what we have learned about what happened when the Earth cooled down five degrees, what do you think will happen if the Earth continues to warm up quickly? Some scientists feel that there is evidence that human activities are contributing to this warming trend. What do you think? Is this a normal interglacial warming pattern, or have humans accelerated the process? How would we find out what the trends were during the last interglacial period (around 125,000 BP)?

4. Have students write a paragraph answer to the questions posed. A great follow-up or accompaniment to this unit would be one on Glaciation or Global Warming.

5. Take students to the computer lab, and introduce them to the Beringia Centre Website at www.beringia.com. Students should browse the website. Information from the virtual tour will be on their quizzes and unit test.

6. To extend this lesson: have students browse this website and others to discover who is involved in the research (many Canadians work in these fields and have contributed to and unearthed key parts of the glaciation puzzle). Have each student research a prominent Canadian who is working in a field associated with glaciation, palaeontology, etc. and present their project to the class. Identify key areas of study and careers involved in Beringia research, glacial research, palaeontology, etc.

7. Tell students that tomorrow they will be meeting the animals of Beringia. They can go home and quiz their parents on Ice Ages, climate change, and Beringia tonight (see Activity Two)

British Columbia Integrated Resource Package Links:This lesson will supply or contribute to the following learning outcomes:

Grades 2-3 Life Science:

• suggest reasons for the endangerment or extinction of an animal species.

Grade 6Applications of Science

• discuss the contributions Canadians have made to science

Grade 7Applications of Science

• identify factors that have made possible or limited the work of particular scientists

Works well with:• Science Probe 7 *Global Warming• Science Probe 8 Unit V

~ Chapter 16: “Life on a Changing Earth”• Science Probe 10 Unit IV

~ Chapter 12: “Geological Time”

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Grade 8Life Science (Global Ecosystems)

• evaluate how major natural events and human activity can affect local and global environments and climate change

Pan-Canadian Science Protocol Links.This lesson will supply or contribute to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4: • 301-2: relate habitat loss to the endangerment or

extinction of plants and animals • 301-5: describe effects of wind, water, and ice on

the landscape

Grade 5: • 104-7: demonstrate the importance of using

the languages of science and technology to communicate ideas, processes and results.

Grade 8: • 311-12: describe factors that affect glaciers and

polar icecaps, and describe their consequent effects on the environment.

Grade 9: • 112-12: provide examples of Canadian

contributions to science and technology.


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Grades 4-12

Lesson Objectives: The learner will be able to:

• Discuss how the theory of evolution helps us to understand the differing development of mammoths and mastodons

• Explain how adaptation affected the evolution of several Beringian mammals

• Understand ways in which we are constantly interacting with our environment, affecting it and being affected by it.

Materials: • Computers with Internet access• Paper, pens• If possible, large images of Mammoth and

Mastodon.

Lesson Process:1. If your class has not studied it yet, begin by

introducing a synopsis of the theory of evolution. Students should take notes. Emphasize that this is a theory, which many people believe, and which some people do not believe. Tell students that scientists build theories based on the best evidence they can obtain. Sometimes, there are gaps in the evidence that we fill in with the best possible answer. Sometimes, those

Works well with:• Inquiry Into Life Part VI: Evolution and Diversity• Biology (Nelson) Unit One: Understanding

Diversity~ Chapter Two “Adaptation and Change”~ Chapter Three “Theories to Explain Variation”

LESSON TWO:

Evolution: Mammoth vs. Mastodon

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answers are later shown to be true or false when new evidence appears. We will be doing a lesson and some activities on how theories work later in this unit. One really super classroom resource on evolution is the November 2004 issue of National Geographic, which contains an article entitled “Was Darwin Wrong?”.

Adaptation to one’s environment is a very important idea in this unit, and we will be looking at some of the adaptations Beringian mammals made to survive in their very cold, dry climate. Ensure that you develop the idea of adaptations in your classroom, using modern examples such as camouflage, mimicry, etc.

Another key idea is extinction. Develop a classroom definition of extinction such that students understand that extinction is a natural part of the overall evolutionary process, but that in modern life we humans are drastically amplifying this process through deforestation, destruction of habitat, pollution, etc.

2. Now, instruct students to go to the computers and locate the www.beringia.com website. First, they should scroll through the different sections to find everything they can about the Woolly Mammoth and American Mastodon. Ensure that they have adequate time to really explore the website, as there are multiple locations where information is stored. Through careful reading, students should be able to take thorough notes about each mammal. They will then create a Ven Diagram comparing and contrasting the evolutionary adaptations of the two mammals. (If you don’t know what a Ven Diagram is, it is two intersecting ovals. In one oval you write everything that is specific only to the mammoth. In the other, everything that is specific to the mastodon. In the middle, you write characteristics/adaptations that the two share.)

3. Emphasize that Woolly Mammoths are not direct descendants of Mastodons or vice versa, but that they do share a common ancestor. They are two “branches” of a family tree. Have students consider why they think the two species developed and adapted in different ways. Students should come up with a plan of how to check their assumptions using books, the internet, or asking questions of experts. They may even choose to write to or email the Beringia Centre with their questions!

4. Finally, in the students’ journals, have them write a paragraph about the ways that elements of their

environment might influence them. For example, what about temperature? What about how you get your food? Are we “adapting” to a fast-food, convenience store, drive-thru existence? What about poisons in our air? How do you affect your environment every day? List at least 10 ways. How does your environment affect you?

British Columbia Integrated Resource Package Links:This lesson will supply or contribute to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4Life Science:

• relate the structure and behaviour of local organisms to their survival in local environments.

• discuss how changes in an organism’s habitat can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species

• give examples of how the differences in individuals of the same species may give an advantage in surviving and reproducing

• relate the growth and survival of organisms to a variety of conditions

Grade 8Life Science (Diversity)

• compare and contrast how various organisms have adapted to the conditions of each biome and how these organisms interact with each other.

Life Science (Social Issues)• compare and contrast the practical, ethical, and

economic dimensions of population growth and polluted environments

Life Science (Global Ecosystems)• evaluate how major natural events and human

activity can affect local and global environments and climate change

Grade 11 BiologyAdaptation and Evolution

* this lesson can be used to provide examples contributing to students’ understanding of many PLOs in this section, but does not address one specifically.


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Grade 6• 104-8: demonstrate the importance of using the

languages of science and technology to compare and communicate ideas, processes and results.

• 204-1: propose questions to investigate and practical problems to solve

• 206-9:identify new questions that arise from what was learned

• 301-15: compare the adaptations of closely related animals living in different parts of the world and discuss reasons for any differences

Grade 7• 209-5: select and integrate information from

various print and electronic sources or from several parts of the same source

• 210-2: compile and display data, by hand or computer, in a variety of formats, including diagrams, flow charts, tables, bar graphs, line graphs, and scatter plots

Pan-Canadian Science Protocol Links:This lesson will supply or contribute to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4• 104-6: demonstrate that specific terminology is

used in science and technology contexts• 204-1: propose questions to investigate and

practical problems to solve.• 300-1: compare the external features and behaviour

patterns of animals that help them thrive in different kinds of places

• 301-2: relate habitat loss to the endangerment or extinction of plants and animals

Grade 5• 205-8: identify and use a variety of sources and

technologies to gather pertinent information• 104-7: demonstrate the importance of using

the languages of science and technology to communicate ideas, processes, and results

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Grades: 4-12


• Understand the process of extinction.• Describe why certain species became extinct.• Ponder the effects of ancient and modern

extinctions.

Materials:• Computers with internet access• Paper, pens

Lesson Process:1. In the last lesson, the idea of “extinction” was

introduced. Review the concept , using your own classroom resources, and then communicate the following information:

The Scimitar Cat was a very interesting Beringia Mammal. Today you will research the Scimitar Cat to

discover how it became extinct, as well as some of the other Beringian Mammals.

2. Students are to go to the Beringia Centre Site www.beringia.com , to research the Scimitar Cat. They should take notes on the size, appearance, diet, and interesting information about the Scimitar Cat. Next, they are to discover what experts think caused the extinction of this cat. They are to write a short paragraph describing why the cat became extinct and how they think it could have adapted.

3. Next, the students need to find five other Beringian mammals that are extinct, and discover the theories of why they became extinct.

4. Finally, in a journal entry, the students can discuss what the idea of extinction makes them think about. Do they know of modern extinctions? Do humans cause extinctions? How? Why? What of the ancient extinctions? How do they feel about the fact that there will never again be Woolly Mammoths or Scimitar Cats? Will humans ever become extinct?

LESSON THREE:

Extinction! The Scimitar Cat


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British Columbia Science Integrated Resource Package Links:This lesson will supply or contribute to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 2-3Life Science

• describe structures that enable animals to survive in different environments

• suggest reasons for the endangerment or extinction of a species

Grade 4Life Science

• discuss how changes in an organism’s habitat can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species.

• relate the growth and survival of organisms to various conditions

Grade 7Life Science

• describe ways in which species interact with each other

Biology 11 This lesson may provide examples of some of the processes and evolutionary theories being discussed, and could be adapted to a Biology 11 level.

British Columbia Social Studies Integrated Resource Package Links:This lesson will supply or contribute to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4Applications of Social Studies

• identify and clarify a problem, issue, or inquiry• locate and record information from a variety of

sources organize information into a presentation with a main idea and supporting details.


• identify and clarify a problem, issue, or inquiry• gather and record a body of information from a

variety of primary and secondary sources.


• identify and clarify a problem, issue or inquiry• research information using print, non-print, and

electronic resources• organize information from a variety of sources into

a sturctured presentation using more than one form of representation.


• identify and clarify a problem, issue, or inquiry • gather and record a body of information from

primary archaeological and historical evidence and secondary print, non-print, and electronic sources.

• generate and justify interpretations drawn from primary and secondary sources

• organize information into a formal presentation using several forms of representation.

British Columbia Language Arts Integrated Resource Package Links:While this lesson is not primarily a language arts lesson, it can be used to satisfy many of the learning outcomes for all grade levels. The outcomes satisfied will depend on individual teachers’ modifications.


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Grade 4• 300-1: compare the external features and

behavioural patterns of animals that help them thrive in different places

• 301-2: relate habitat loss to the endangerment or extinction


various print and electronic sources or from several parts of the same source (e.g., compile information from a variety of books, magazines, pamphlets, and Internet sites, as well as from conversations with experts, on the role of microorganisms in food preservation)



Grade 11-12 Biology• 213-6: use library and electronic research tools to

collect information on a given topic

• 214-17: identify new questions or problems that arise from what was learned

• 215-1: communicate questions, ideas, and intentions, and receive, interpret, understand, support, and respond to the ideas of others

Western and Northern Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Education Links:

Language Arts:As teachers modify this lesson to suit different age groups, you may include slight modifications to satisfy many of the general outcomes described in this protocol; specifically:

1.1 Discover and Explore1.2 Clarify and Extend3.1 Plan and Focus3.2 Select and Process3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate4.2 Enhance and Improve4.3 Attend to Conventions4.4 Present and Share5.1 Encourage, Support and Work with Others


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Grade levels: 4-12

Lesson Objective: The learner will be able to:

• Identify and describe in detail a personally selected Beringia mammal

• Create an artistic representation of the animal• Share his/her learning with the rest of the class

Materials: • Computers with internet access.

Lesson Process:1. Post the following list of Beringia Mammals on the

board or on the wall:i. Giant Beaverii. Ground Slothiii. Saigaiv. Giant Beaverv. Scimitar Cat

2. Students will choose the unusual animal they wish to study in more depth, and through their choices they will form groups with others studying the same animal. While each student will create their own project, working cooperatively can enhance their learning experience. Ensure that each animal will be represented.

3. Hand out the attached sheet describing the activity. Students should start by browsing the website www.beringia.com but may also choose to find information in books, encyclopedias, or on other websites. They will make a poster about their animal, featuring illustrations and information. Circulate, ensuring that students remain on-task and interested.


LESSON FOUR:

The Strange: Giant Beavers, Ground Sloths, Saiga Antelope and Camels?

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Grade 4Life Science



Grade 7Life Science


Biology 11This lesson may provide examples of some of the processes and evolutionary theories being discussed, and could be adapted to a Biology 11 level.




sources• organize information into a presentation with a

main idea and supporting details.



variety of primary and • secondary sources.




a sturctured presentation • using more than one form of representation.








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various print and electronic sources or from several parts of the same source (e.g., compile information from a variety of books, magazines, pamphlets, and Internet sites, as well as from conversations with experts, on the role of microorganisms in food preservation)




collect information on a given topic• 214-17: identify new questions or problems that

arise from what was learned• 215-1: communicate questions, ideas, and

intentions, and receive, interpret, understand, support, and respond to the ideas of others




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Here is what you have to do:

1. Choose the animal you will research. You will work in a group with the other students who are also researching the same animal. Get to know the students in your group, remembering that you will be expected to work cooperatively with them for the project.

Your teacher will take you to the computer lab. Go to the site www.beringia.com, which is the website for The Beringia Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon. It is full of information on everything to do with Beringia, and you will find a lot about your animal there.

2. Here is the information you must find about your animal:

a. A full physical description (size, probable colour, fur, teeth, etc.)

b. Diet: What did your animal eat?c. Predators: What ate your animal? d. Adaptations: What special features did your animal

have to allow it to survive and thrive during the Ice Age?

e. Related modern animals.f. The Latin Name for your animalg. Did your animal become extinct or do members of

that same species exist today? Why do you think it did or did not become extinct?

h. Any other interesting facts.

3. Next, you will put an illustration of your animal on a poster along with the information you have found. Make sure to write the information in your own words; do not just print pages or sentences from the website and glue them on. If you need help to understand some words, ask your teacher. Do a good job, one that you will be proud of!

4. Finally, you will present your findings to the class, using your poster as a guide. Make sure to do a thorough presentation, so that everyone learns something.

Welcome to your project on Beringian Animals!


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Grade levels: 4-12


• Identify and describe in detail a personally selected Beringia mammal

• Create an artistic representation of the animal• Share his/her learning with the rest of the class

Materials: • Computers with internet access.

Lesson Process:1. Post the following list of Beringia Mammals on the

board or on the wall:

i. Steppe Bisonii. Ground Squirreliii. Red Foxiv. Muskoxv. Wolvesvi. Caribou

2. Students will now choose a familiar animal they wish to study in more depth, and through their choices

they will form groups with others studying the same animal. While each student will create their own project, working cooperatively can enhance their learning experience. Ensure that each animal will be represented.

3. Hand out the attached sheet describing the activity. Students should start by browsing the website www.beringia.com but may also choose to find information in books, encyclopedias, or on other websites. They will make a poster about their animal, featuring illustrations and information. Circulate, ensuring that students remain on-task and interested.





LESSON FIVE:

The Familiar: Steppe Bison, Yukon Horse, Ground Squirrels, Muskox

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Grade 4Life Science



Grade 7Life Science


Biology 11This lesson may provide examples of some of the processes and evolutionary theories being discussed, and could be adapted to a Biology 11 level.




sources• organize information into a presentation with a

main idea and supporting details.



variety of primary and • secondary sources.




a sturctured presentation • using more than one form of representation.


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various print and electronic sources or from several parts of the same source (e.g., compile information from a variety of books, magazines, pamphlets,

and Internet sites, as well as from conversations with experts, on the role of microorganisms in food preservation)




collect information on a given topic• 214-17: identify new questions or problems that

arise from what was learned• 215-1: communicate questions, ideas, and

intentions, and receive, interpret, understand, support, and respond to the ideas of others

Western and Northern Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Education Links:Language Arts:As teachers modify this lesson to suit different age groups, you may include slight modifications to satisfy many of the general outcomes described in this protocol; specifically:


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Here is what you have to do:

1. Choose the animal you will research. You will work in a group with the other students who are also researching the same animal. Get to know the students in your group, remembering that you will be expected to work cooperatively with them for the project.

Your teacher will take you to the computer lab. Go to the site www.beringia.com, which is the website for The Beringia Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon. It is full of information on everything to do with Beringia, and you will find a lot about your animal there.

2. Here is the information you must find about your animal:

a. A full physical description (size, probable colour, fur, teeth, etc.)

b. Diet: What did your animal eat?c. Predators: What ate your animal? d. Adaptations: What special features did your animal

Welcome to your project on Beringian Animals!have to allow it to survive and thrive during the Ice Age?

e. Related modern animals.f. The Latin Name for your animalg. Did your animal become extinct or do members of

that same species exist today? Why do you think it did or did not become extinct?

h. Any other interesting facts.3. Next, you will put an illustration of your animal on

a poster along with the information you have found. Make sure to write the information in your own words; do not just print pages or sentences from the website and glue them on. If you need help to understand some words, ask your teacher. Do a good job, one that you will be proud of!

4. Finally, you will present your findings to the class, using your poster as a guide. Make sure to do a thorough presentation, so that everyone learns something.


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• Identify key information regarding ancient and modern caribou

• Use the internet to search for specific information• Create an argument either for or against an

important modern socioscientific issue.

Materials:• Computers with Internet access• Printed worksheets (attached)

Lesson Process:1. Using the Beringia Centre website at www.beringia.

com, students must seek out the information to complete the attached worksheet on ancient caribou. The caribou is one of the species which survived the

large-scale mammal extinctions of about 10,000 years ago. Students will use the information they gather and their growing knowledge of Beringia to hypothesize about why the caribou did not become extinct.

2. Next, they must surf the web to discover three more sites about caribou. There are sites which track radio-collars on the Porcupine Caribou Herd, sites about caribou themselves, and many more. Students must record three interesting facts about each site they find.

3. Finally, students can research the Porcupine Caribou Herd, a herd of barren ground caribou who are the descendants of the Beringian Caribou, to answer the question “Is the Porcupine Caribou Herd likely to become endangered or extinct as a result of proposed oil drilling in northern Alaska?” This will help the students to relate modern concerns, especially the loss of key habitat areas and its effect on wildlife, to the ancient ancestors of the Porcupine herd.

LESSON SIX:

Evolution Gets it Right! Forever Caribou

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British Columbia Science Integrated Resource Package Links:This activity satisfies or contributes to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4:Life Science

• relate the structure and behaviour of local organisms to their survival in local environments



Grade 8: Life Science (Diversity)

• compare and contrast how various organisms have adapted to the conditions in each biome and how these organisms interact with each other

Life Science (Social Issues)• assess different impacts of using renewable and

nonrenewable natural resources

British Columbia Social Studies Integrated Resource Package Links:This activity satisfies or contributes to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4: (All grades have a similar set of outcomes in their “applications” sub-heading)

Applications of Social Studies • identify and clarify a problem, issue, or inquiry• locate and record information from a variety of

sources• assess at least two perspectives on a problem or

issue

Pan-Canadian Science Protocol Links:This activity satisfies or contributes to the following learning outcomes

Grade 4:• 300-1: compare the external features and

behavioural patterns of animals that help them thrive in different kinds of places

• 301-1: predict how the removal of a plant or animal population affects the rest of the community


• 302-2: describe how a variety of animals are able to meet their basic needs in their habitat


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A. Go to the site www.beringia.com to find the answers to the following questions:

1. When and where did the caribou originate as a species?

2. Give a complete physical description of caribou:3. Which are the most common parts of the caribou

found as fossils? Why?4. Why do caribou migrate?5. Describe the caribou’s diet:6. Where did the oldest known caribou live? How

long ago?7. Where was the oldest known fossil of a caribou

found? How old is the fossil?8. Who were the main predators of caribou?

B. Now, browse the Internet to find at least three more interesting sites on caribou. You must record three

Ancient Caribou

1.site : a.b.c.

2.site : a.b.c.

3.site : a.b.c.

interesting facts from each website you choose. You will share these with your class:

C. Finally, research the Porcupine Caribou Herd, a herd of barren ground caribou who are the descendants of the Beringian Caribou, to answer the question “Is the Porcupine Caribou Herd likely to become endangered or extinct as a result of proposed oil drilling in northern Alaska?” Defend your answer with specific information from the websites, making sure that you provide proper referencing for the Internet sites.

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Objectives: The learner will be able to:

• discuss some of the archaeological information regarding human beings in North America and Beringia,

• realize that many different people hold different theories of the origin and global movements of human beings,

• compile a picture of life for human beings in Beringia.

Lesson Process:1. Let students know that in this lesson we will discuss

some of what is known about how long human

beings have been in North America, and life in Beringia for people. It is important for students to realize the process of theory development. A theory is developed over time and through the use of the “clues:” archaeological and palaeontological information (fossils, footprints, frozen or preserved remains, etc.) It is augmented by the oral histories of local First Nations, who have passed on information about events over many generations. Some of the information comes from hundreds of years ago. Some of the archaeological and palaeontological finds were made over a hundred years ago. And every day more information is coming to light that helps us to complete the puzzle of what happened so long ago. We may never have a complete answer as to

LESSON SEVEN:

What about people?


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what happened in Beringia, when human beings first stepped on to North American soil, or who the long lost cultures really were. But with the growing body of information, we can continue to build a picture. This lesson will address what we do know, based on archaeological findings and information from First Nations in the Yukon and Alaska.

(You may wish to do Activity 16: Theory Soup, to reinforce the development of theories and how they can be interpreted; or, you can leave that activity to accompany Lesson 9: What’s in a Theory?)

2. Give students the attached assignment sheet. They will search through the Beringia Centre website (www.beringia.com) to find out what we do know about the people who lived in Beringia during the last interglacial period. Advise them to pay special attention to the Bluefish Caves excavation site, but also to look in other key areas to find their information.

3. When they have finished, they can do Activity 15: Making an Atl-Atl, Activity 13: When the World Began, about different stories regarding the origins of people, and a journal entry on “A Normal Day in Beringia”.


Grade 4:Applications of Social Studies

• locate and record information from a variety of sources

Society and Culture• describe how people’s basic needs are met in a

variety of cultures.

Grade 7:Environment: Ancient World Cultures to AD 500

• evaluate how ancient cultures were influenced by their environment

Western and Northern Canadian Protocol on Education Links:This activity satisfies or contributes to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4:Time, Continuity and Change

• 4-V-T-010: respect oral tradition as a source of historical information

• 4-K-T-029: demonstrate awareness that accounts of the past may vary according to different perspectives

Grade 8:Time, Continuity and Change

• 8-K-T-023: demonstrate awareness of the role of archaeology in providing information about past societies.

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In this lesson, you will look at what we know about the people who lived in Beringia.

Find some answers to the following questions, taking notes in point form on this page, and then write a one to two-page essay describing the people of Beringia.

1. Do we know some concrete dates when people were definitely in Beringia?

Write down exactly how we know these dates.

2. What were some things in people’s diet?

People of Beringia3. What kind of clothing did people wear?

4. What kinds of tools did people use? How did they make them?

5. What other details do we know about people’s daily life?

6. What kinds of physical clues were found at excavation sites?

Now, take good notes on any other points of interest to you about People in Beringia.


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Grade levels: 4-12


• Describe what is meant by producers and consumers

• Understand and recreate the interactions of a food web

• Contribute to the creation of the food web of Beringia

• Consider his or her own place in the ongoing cycle of production and consumption

Materials:• Chalkboard and chalk• Students should have lined paper for notes• A large bulletin board or wall, covered in paper• Pictures of the animals and plants of Beringia• String, tape, scissors• A large black marker

Lesson Process:1. Starting with the students at their desks, you will

walk them through the basic ideas of a food web. Have them write “Food Web” at the top of their notes page. Tell the students that all food has to come from somewhere. Ask them where their food comes from. (If you get answers like “the grocery store”, push farther until the students realize that all food is either plants or animals.) Write the items brainstormed on the chalkboard under three columns, Plants, Animals and Decomposers. (Under plants you should

Works well with:• Science Probe 8 Unit VI Chapter 18:

~ 18.1: “The Earth’s Ecosystems”~ 18.2: “Obtaining Energy and Nutrients”~ 18.3: “Relationships Between Living Things”

LESSON EIGHT:

The Food Web

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2. Brainstorm a list of which animals eat the primary consumers. Group them as Secondary Consumers. The animals that eat Secondary Consumers are Tertiary Consumers. You can continue to Quaternary Consumers if you wish. Some animals will be in more than one category. For example, as a human I may be a primary consumer, eating a salad or a potato, a secondary consumer if I have a steak, and a tertiary consumer if I eat a carnivorous fish or bird. Students should take this information down in their notes.

3. Make sure to emphasize the role played by decomposers, highlighting the cyclical nature of food/energy.

4. Now, do Activity 15: Making A Beringia Food Web



• describe all organisms in terms of their roles as part of interconnected food webs.

• Describe ways in which species interact with each other

have vegetables, fruits, grains like wheat, rice, etc. Decomposers: bacteria, fungus, etc.) When you have a sizeable list, ask the students where each animal gets its food, until the class realizes that all food eventually comes from plants. Circle the column of plants and write in bold letters: PRODUCER. Ask students what the word “produce” means (make). Tell them that plants are the producers or makers of all of the food in the world. They turn sunlight and nutrients from the air and soil into food they store in their leaves, stems, and roots. When they die, the stored food (sometimes called “nutrients”) goes back into the soil as they decompose. (*You may choose to accompany this lesson with a science lesson on photosynthesis and the CO2/O2 cycle as part of the Environmental Chemistry unit.) If they are eaten, however, the stored food goes into the animal that eats them. (Again, this introduces the idea of the carbon cycle from the Environmental Chemistry unit.) Ask students what kinds of “nutrients” they get from plants. Tell them that if they eat a big meal of potatoes, vegetables, rice, and bread they will get a lot of energy and they will be able to walk and run and think all day. Remind them that all animals must have food in order to be able to function and continue to live. Plants make the food we eat. Go back and underline the word “Producer”. Now, circle the animal column. Tell the students that animals

are not producers. We eat food, and we are called “Consumers”. Write CONSUMERS in bold letters beside the animals column. Make sure you add human beings to the list of consumers. Tell the students that the word “consume” means to eat or use up. So, plants use sunlight and nutrients from the air and soil to make food (produce food) and animals eat the plants, consuming food. Some animals don’t eat plants; they eat other animals. So, we have special names for animals that just eat plants: Primary Consumers. Brainstorm a list of modern primary consumers.

This works well if you write “PLANTS:GRASSES, SEEDS, ETC.” at the bottom of the board, with PRODUCERS off to the left hand side, then ANIMALS: COWS, RABBITS , HORSES ETC. above it with PRIMARY CONSUMERS to the left, and then each successive level of consumer above the last.


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Grade 4:• 104-6: demonstrate that specific terminology is

used in science and technology contexts (e.g., use appropriate terminology such as habitat, behavioural and structural features, food chain, population, and community)

• 302-3: classify organisms according to their role in a food chain

Grade 7:• 210-2: compile and display data, by hand or

computer, in a variety of formats, including diagrams, flow charts, tables, bar graphs, line graphs, and scatter plots (e.g., prepare a chart showing the flow of energy in a food web that exists in the school yard)

• 304-2: identify the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a local ecosystem, and describe both their diversity and their interactions

• 306-1: describe how energy is supplied to, and how it flows through, a food web

• 306-2: describe how matter is recycled in an ecosystem through interactions among plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.

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Objectives:The learner will be able to:

• differentiate between theory and truth• understand that theories develop over time and with

new evidence• identify some theories which attempt to explain the

archaeological and palaeontological evidence of human origins and human history in North America

Lesson Process:1. Students will research and discuss theories in this

lesson. We have dealt with two major theories in this unit: the theory of evolution, and the theory of Beringia. Remind students that for most of the phenomena we think we understand in the world, we are working from theories. The idea that the earth is round instead of flat was a theory (and considered by many to be wrong!) until more modern technology was able to show its truth. That the earth rotates around the sun and not the opposite was also considered a theory until it was finally proven, as well. Scientists collect and study data, looking for connections and patterns within the information. A theory is the best possible

explanation that can be found using scientifically sound methods and processes to fit the known data concerning a topic. So, it is like being partway through a jigsaw puzzle, and predicting what the final picture will be. As you fit more pieces into the puzzle, you get an ever more clear picture of what it will look like. A theory, then, is more than just a guess. It must be composed of actual data, and it must take into account all of the known information. If there are facts that contradict the theory, then the theory must grow and change to encompass the new information. Sometimes new information shows major flaws in a theory, and it’s back to the drawing board to understand how the pieces fit together. Many theories will never be completely proven to be “true,” but will always be the best explanationand the closest to the truth that we can get.

2. On a piece of lined paper, have students create two columns: We Know and Theory. Go back over the information learned so far in this unit, creating entries in each column. For example, you may say “Mammoth bones have been found in excavations” and students would put that under “We Know.” Then, you may

LESSON NINE:

What’s in a Theory?


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say “Mammoths crossed into North America over the exposed land called Beringia during the last glacial period” which would be under “Theory.”

3. Older grades: Now, students will research alternate theories than Beringia for the presence of Human Beings in the Americas. There are alternate theories out there. Students must assess the factual basis of the theory: is it based on a sufficient amount observed fact or does it lack substance? They must relate the theory to what they have learned about the archaeological and palaeontological data cited on the Beringia site. Finally, they must present the theory to the class. The class will compare all of the theories discussed, and decide which they believe, as a class and as individuals, to be closest to the truth.

Pan-Canadian Science Protocol Links:This activity satisfies or contributes to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 11/12• 114-2: explain the roles of evidence, theories, and

paradigms in the development of scientific knowledge (e.g., explain how our knowledge of pathogen resistance to antibiotics has contributed to our knowledge of evolution)

• 114-5: describe the importance of peer review in the development of scientific knowledge (e.g., describe how the theory of evolution was refined by the contributions of different scientists)

• 115-7: explain how scientific knowledge evolves as new evidence comes to light and as laws and theories are tested and subsequently restricted, revised, or replaced (e.g., explain how fossil data contributed to the theory of the evolution of species)

• 213-6: use library and electronic research tools to collect information on a given topic (e.g., use the Internet to access Web sites and collect relevant information on evolution and biodiversity)

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LESSON TEN:

Archaeology vs. Palaeontology

Objectives: The learner will be able to:

• Differentiate between archaeology and palaeontology

• Describe some of the processes of each study• Report on a Canadian archaeologist or

palaeontologist

Lesson Process:1. Write the terms Archaeology and Palaeontology on the

board. Have students copy them into their books. Tell students that archaeology is the study of prehistoric people through excavating and examining physical artifacts. Archaeologists locate sites and dig down into the earth to find objects left from cultures who didn’t leave written records of their history. They put the objects together to reconstruct parts of those cultures. Palaeontology is the study of ancient/extinct plants and animals through fossils and other physical evidence. Palaeontologists also perform excavations to locate fossil evidence in the earth, and build on the physical evidence to create theories.

2. Students are now to research on the internet and find a Canadian archaeologist or palaeontologist. They should provide a brief biography and describe

what projects they have been or are working on. OR they can research a current or past archaeological or palaeontological excavation or discovery and report on what was or is being learned. AND they can research archaeological and palaeontological methods and practices.

3. They should share their discoveries with the class, either orally or in a written presentation.


Grade 4• 104-6: demonstrate that specific terminology is

used in science and technology contexts

Grade 5• 104-7: demonstrate the importance of using

the languages of science and technology to communicate ideas, processes, and results

Grade 6• 107-11: identify examples of careers in which

science and technology play a major role (e.g., identify examples of careers such as environmental chemist, paleontologist, and wildlife biologist)

Grade 9• 112-12: provide examples of Canadian

contributions to science and technology• 209-5: select and integrate information from



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ACTIVITY ONE:

Family/Parent Quiz on Beringia

Homework, plus discussion in class

This is a good activity to build bridges between school and home. It gives the students a reason to involve their families in their studies, so that the parents or families know that the students have started a unit on Beringia. Parents often want to take an interest in what their child is learning, but when they ask questions about what their child is learning in school, they receive the universal “nothing” as an answer.

1. Hand out the following questionnaire to students to take home. They must interview as many members of their families as possible to achieve their results. Let the students know that it is fine if their families don’t know anything about Beringia yet – the students will just be the teachers at home over the next two weeks!

2. When students return the following day with the questionnaires, encourage them to share their results in a class discussion.

Take this sheet home with you this afternoon, and interview as many members of your family as you can about Beringia, asking the following questions and writing down their answers:

1. Have you ever heard of a place called Beringia?2. Have you ever heard of a Woolly Mammoth?3. What do you think North America was like during

the last Ice Age?4. Do you believe me when I tell you that there used

to be Giant Beavers and Giant Ground Sloths?5. Do you think there were ever camels in North

America?Tell your family that you have started a new unit at school on Beringia, and that you will be learning a lot about all of the things mentioned above, and more! They can ask you about what you are doing each day, and you will have something new and fabulous to tell them!

ACTIVITY TWO:

Erosion for Kids!This is a quick ice activity for younger grades. Take a large plastic container half filled with sand/gravel in hills, and lay dozens ice cubes or an ice “sheet” (made by freezing water flat in zip-lock bags) on top. Have students predict what will happen to the sand and ice, writing their predictions down. Set a time for regular periodic observations (10 minutes?) and have students record their observations on the same paper. Review the importance of using scientific language to describe what they see. (“It looks kind of funny.” doesn’t let others understand what happened in the experiment, but “It became bumpier and much of the sand washed away with the melting water” creates an appropriate mental image). Let the students play with the sand and water for ten minutes or so at the end of the experiment, and then have them write down their observations of what happens to sand when it meets water. When they are done, have some students share their written observations with others. Discuss where their observations are similar, and where they are different. Give examples of how scientific terminology can help us to understand each other, using terms like “erosion”, “melting” etc. Brainstorm a list of questions that arise from their observations (ie. “What would happen if the composition changed from sand to rock, or clay, or soil, or a mixture?” “How would this experiment change if the water was frozen right into the sand instead of being on top of it?” ) Finally, have students design a future experiment, and write a prediction and hypothesis about it based on what they have observed today.


K-1:Applications of Science:

• collaborate with others in scientific investigations• suggest possible interpretations for a set of

observations• suggest questions for investigations

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Earth and Space Science:• describe the effects of water and wind on rocks and

soil

Grade 2-3:Applications of Science:

• conduct simple tests and describe observations• communicate scientific observations to peers,

teachers and familyPhysical Science:

• differentiate between solids, liquids, and gases• demonstrate changes in properties of matter when

heated or cooledGrade 4: Applications of Science:

• predict the results of an experiment• construct simple definitions based on their

experiment• demonstrate an ability to recognize a valid

interpretation of their results• present their interpretation of results from an

experiment

Grade 5:Applications of Science:

• design a scientific experiment• identify and test a prediction• correctly state a hypothesis• differentiate between relevant and irrelevant

information• use appropriate technologies to record, measure,

save, and retrieve data


• design a scientific test and evaluate its fairness• draw reasonable conclusions from experiments

Physical Science:• classify changes to matter as either chemical or

physical• identify factors affecting chemical or physical

changes• demonstrate chemical or physical changes


• select an appropriate procedure for an investigation• design an experiment involving two or more

variables• select appropriate equipment and techniques

to collect useful qualitative and quantitative information.

• investigate how models may be used to think about processes that cannot be observed directly

Pan-Canadian Science Protocol Links:This activity satisfies or contributes to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4:• 104-1: demonstrate processes for investigating

scientific questions and solving technological problems.

• 104-4: compare the results of their investigations to those of others and recognize that results may vary.

• 104-5: demonstrate that specific terminology is used in science and technology contexts.

• 204-1: propose questions to investigate and practical problems to solve.

• 204-3: state a prediction and hypothesis based on an observed pattern of events.

• 204-6: identify various methods for finding answers to give questions and solutions to given problems, and select one that is appropriate.

• 205-5: make observations and collect information that is relevant to a given question or problem.

• 206-9: identify new questions or problems that arise from what was learned.

• 207-2: communicate procedures and results, using lists, notes in point form, sentences, charts, graphs, drawings, and oral language.

Grade 5:104-7: demonstrate the importance of using the languages of science and technology to communicate ideas

• 204-3: state a prediction and hypothesis based on an observed pattern of events.

• 205-5: make observations and collect information that is relevant toa given question or problem.


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Grade 6: • 204-1: propose questions to investigate and

practical problems to solve.• 204-6: identify various methods for finding answers

to given questions and solutions to given problems, and select one that is appropriate.

• 206-9: identify new questions or problems that arise from what was learned.

Grade 7:• 109-12: distinguish between terms that are

scientific or technological and those that are not.• 208-5: state a prediction and a hypothesis based on

background information or an observed pattern of events.

ACTIVITY THREE:

A Land for Living 30 minutes class time. Finish for homework

What would it be like to find yourself in Beringia? What would the land look like? How would you choose a place to build a shelter? What would you need in a site? For many years, all over the world, human beings have had to find good places to live. To do this, we have to have a list in our heads of what must be near our shelter. For example, if there is no water source near your shelter, you will have to walk for kilometres every day and carry heavy containers of water back to your home.

In this activity, students will create a diorama of the perfect spot to build a home in Beringia. Remember that the landscape was mostly one of grassy plains. There were rarely any trees, but in warmer periods some small evergreens would grow. (Students may consult with the beautiful reconstructions of Beringia created by George Teichmann on the website at www.beringia.com . You may wish to print some of these as inspiration for the students, as well.)

1. Each student must bring a shoebox, other small box, or square of cardboard approximately 12” x 12”.

2. Brainstorm with students on basic needs. Without cars, grocery stores, or taps, what do they need to have near their home?

3. Use self-drying modelling clay (expensive!) or make a medium such as brown/yellow and blue playdough (see recipe attached) that will stay malleable if covered but dry hard if left to the air.

4. Students must mold a landscape for their new home. Do they want some small hills for shelter from the wind? Do they want a stream or river nearby? What about animal pathways or grazing areas? They must think of all of these things before they shape their landscape.

5. Cover the playdough landscape with 1⁄2” clippings of dried wild grasses. If they insist on very small trees nearby, they may make them. They can sprinkle the top of the playdough with sand, and use small stones to represent erratics. Get creative! Use the blue playdough for the water. Encourage students to make a site for a home where they would really want to live.

6. Afterwards, you may choose to have students write a short paragraph about the site they have made, to be affixed to the top of their diorama or in front of their square of cardboard. They should explain why they made their decisions, what criteria they used for making their site, and what they wish could be in their site that didn’t exist in the Beringian landscape.

Making Playdough:2 + cups flour, 1⁄2 cup table salt, 1 cup hot tap water

Mix the flour and salt. Stir in the hot water until it gets too thick to stir, then use your hand to knead more in the bowl. When you have a ball that holds together, dump it out

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and knead it some more until you achieve a good smooth product. You may have to add more flour if it is too sticky. You want the dough to be malleable but to also hold its shape when sculpted. Colour with food colouring or liquid tempera paint. Store in two or three sealed plastic bags. Use soon after making. If you leave it exposed to the air, it will dry out and your landscape will become “permanent”.


Grade 4: Society and Culture

• describe how people’s basic needs are met in a variety of cultures

Grade 7:Environment: Ancient World Cultures to AD 500

• evaluate how ancient cultures were influenced by their environment

ACTIVITY FOUR:

Animal Puzzles 10-15 minutes per puzzle

This activity takes a bit of prep, but you can keep the puzzles to use year after year. We have attached the masters for some puzzles featuring Beringia animals. Each puzzle was created at the Beringia Center, and has important information about each animal on it. Print out the master, enlarge it as much as you can (the originals are about 1m x 1.25m), even using it plotter if possible. Affix the paper to a sheet of 1⁄4” - 1⁄2” plywood, and then use a jigsaw to cut the pieces out. Varnish or plasticize the tops of the pieces.

**** If this is too labour-intensive and costly, you can enlarge the puzzles to 11x17 size and then attach to cardboard and cut out. Hardware or home stores carry clear “mactac”, or shelf liner, which is a cheap and easy way to plasticize and protect the pieces.

Set up stations; one for each puzzle you have created. Students can work together in small groups to assemble the puzzles and then record the information in their portfolios. Remind them of the unit test, which will encourage them to pay close attention to the necessary information.


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ACTIVITY FIVE:

Group Mural Project One class (or more if you really want to make it

detailed)

When my class is studying a topic, I love to create a complementary ambience in the classroom. This project will transform one wall into “Beringia”. Students will be constantly reminded of the landscape, the plants, and the animals of this long-ago place. When writing in their journals, they can use the Beringia mural for inspiration or dreaming.

1. Cover one wall or a portion thereof with paper. If you are wonderfully artistic, paint the background with a pale blue Beringia sky, some far-off towering glaciers, and a lot of rolling grassland. You can add in a lake or stream, some rocks... use your imagination. For more inspiration, refer to the Beringia paintings done by George Teichmann on the website at www.beringia.com . You may wish to print some of these as inspiration for the students, as well.

If you are less artistic, you could use blue and brown/yellow paper to indicate the landscape and have

students make the glaciers, grasses, stream, etc. to complete the detail.

2. As a class, make decisions about the layout of the mural. Which animals will be there? Will they be interacting or not? Will it be a battle scene or a peaceful one? Will there be the suspense of a creeping scimitar cat about to pounce? Which animals will be in the foreground and which will be in the distance?

3. Each student can choose a Beringian animal (or two, or three...) to represent. They must draw and colour/paint the animal themselves. Some students may choose to represent one group of animals and work collaboratively on those. They can refer to the website and the Teichmann paintings for inspiration. Stress that this is “our class’s” mural, and not a reproduction of a professional painting. Students should do their very best, and personalize the mural.

4. When students are ready, they can add their animals to the mural. Ongoing discussions and late additions keep the energy flowing.

5. Invite a class, teachers, or administrators in to see your mural. Have them give feedback to the students about their work.

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ACTIVITY SIX:

Making Tracks! 20 minutes

Materials: • Black Cardboard or Construction Paper• Printouts of attached track sillouettes• Scissors• Clear shelf-liner or wide clear packing tape

1. Set up stations around the classroom, and as students enter send them evenly to each station. Each station will contain black paper, the printouts of one animal’s track, scissors, and shelf-liner (“mactac” – cheap and available at hardware/home stores).

2. Instruct students to create as many tracks as possible in ten minutes, working neatly and covering them with tape or shelf-liner to preserve them. After 10 minutes, students must stop and, group by group, they must guess which animal made their tracks.

3. Choose an area – it could be the classroom, the hallways of the school, the office, the playground, etc. Students take heavy tape and create a sequence of tracks made by their wandering animal. They may choose to have their animal stop at the water fountain for a drink, go outside to play, or have a visit at the office. They have ten minutes to complete the sequence, ensuring that the tracks are spaced as if an animal had made them while walking.

ACTIVITY SEVEN:

Survivor: Beringia! 1⁄2 hour to one hour

This is a wonderful physical activity that allows students to really inhabit the reality of life for the animals. I have had endless fun playing similar games with classes from Grades 6 to10, but you can extend it to other grades as well. It can be played indoors in a gym if necessary, but is much more psychologically effective outside. I use it as a bargaining tool – if all classwork is finished before 2:30 we’ll go outside for another game!

1. Print out the cards below and cut them out. Make sure you have a clipboard with a class list on it to keep points, a whistle, and a reflective jacket. Go over all rules with students before they start the game, especially noting that when they hear the whistle they must return to the starting point immediately.

2. Send a few students to spread the “grass” and “seed” cards. Make sure there is a clearly delineated area in which the cards will be spread (we used the verge of an old unused dirt road in the woods on school property.)

3. Designate a student to be scorekeeper (often one student cannot participate because of poor health etc.)

4. Each student is handed a card with the name of an animal and a daily food quota number. The herbivores are allowed a thirty second head start, then the carnivores may follow.

5. The object of the game is to get enough food to sustain you for a day. Each time a student does that, they get a point beside their name. To do so, the herbivores must gather the number of seed or grass cards indicated on their card. The carnivores must tag the herbivores. When a carnivore catches an herbivore, he or she gains that number towards their food quota. They may have to catch a lot of herbivores to get enough food for a day. Several carnivores may “gang up” on a large herbivore like a mammoth or bison, and then share the points.

6. When one student sees another, they must call out which animal they are. They must do so immediately, and be honest!


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Grade 7:Life Science:

• describe all organisms in terms of their roles as part of interconnected food webs


Pan Canadian Science Protocol LinksThis activity will contribute to or satisfy the following learning outcomes:

Grade 4• 205: observe and investigate their environment and

record the results• 205-5: make observations and collect information

that is relevant to a given question or problem• 300-1: compare the external features and


• 302: describe interactions within natural systems and the elements required to maintain these systems



Grade 7 • 304-2: identify the roles of producers, consumers,

and decomposers in a local ecosystem, and describe both their diversity and their interactions


7. When they have attained their food quota, they return to the teacher and trade in their card, along with the cards of those they have eaten. They get a point beside their name, and then are handed a new card. To keep the game going, you can institute a rule in which the new “animal” has to rescatter some of the grass and seeds before he or she can start finding food. A student who has been eaten must return to you for a new card.

8. If you feel that play is becoming too predictable, or just want to liven up the last five minutes of the game, you can choose a student to wear the reflective jacket and become fire, famine, or disease. They kill anyone they see.

9. Blow the whistle to end the game leaving at least a few minutes to discuss it. Have students gather round and share their experiences. I just love hearing what students have to say about this game. I’ll never forget a student, tired and red-faced, growling: “It’s HARD to be a mouse!”

10. Have students write about the experiences they had playing the game in their journals.

British Columbia Science K-7 Integrated Reource Package Links:This activity will contribute to or satisfy the following learning outcomes:

Grade 2-3:Life Science:


• demonstrate a knowledge of what animals need to survive

• explain how animals interact with each other


• relate the structure and behaviour of local organisms to their survival in local environments.

• give examples of how differences in individuals of the same species may give them an advantage in surviving and reproducing.

• relate the growth and survival of organisms to a variety of conditions.

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Print 3 (or more) of:

1 grass 1 grass 1 grass









2 leaves 2 leaves 5 leaves






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2 seeds 2 seeds 2 seeds





43


















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Print 2 of:

HERBIVORE:

Wolly Mammoth 65

HERBIVORE:

Baby Mammoth 40

HERBIVORE:

Ground Sloth 20

HERBIVORE:

American Mastodon 65

HERBIVORE:

Giant Beaver 20

HERBIVORE:

Steppes Bison 30

HERBIVORE:

Yukon Horse 15

HERBIVORE:

Helmeted Muskox 25

HERBIVORE:

Ancient Caribou 15

HERBIVORE:

North American Saiga 10

HERBIVORE:

North American Saiga 10

HERBIVORE:

Ice Age Camel 10

HERBIVORE:

Ground Squirrel 5

HERBIVORE:

Ground Squirrel 5

HERBIVORE:

Ground Squirrel 5

CARNIVORE:

Short-Faced Bear 30

CARNIVORE:

American Lion 40

CARNIVORE:

American Lion 40

CARNIVORE:

Scimitar Cat 30

CARNIVORE:

Short-Faced Bear 30

CARNIVORE:

Scimitar Cat 30

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ACTIVITY EIGHT:

A Beringia Journal 10 minutes/class, ongoing

Journals are a great way to allow students to follow trains of thought. Start each class with ten minutes of journal writing to focus students’ attention and imagination on Beringia. Here are some ideas for setting up themes and topics:

1. I am in Beringia. A rift in the space-time continuum has created an exact double of you, and transported that other you back to Beringia. Over the course of this unit, you will keep a daily journal of your alter-ego’s experience, writing a brief summary of the exciting events of the day. Don’t forget, he or she has to find shelter, safety, food, and water. What will he or she see? Will he or she meet other people? Will they communicate? Will he or she see animals? Use your imagination, and really picture yourself standing there.

2. I am an archaeologist. You are an archaeologist studying ancient Beringia. Each day, you will be given a new “discovery,” which you must discuss in your journal.

Examples: Today you found a large, slender, curved bone that is serrated like a steak knife. It has a fracture in it. Describe the animal it came from, how and where you found it, what you hope to find tomorrow, etc.

3. A Day in the Life... Choose your favourite Beringian animal and write a daily diary of their life. You must use your imagination to make the animal’s life eventful and factual. Or, you may choose a different Beringian animal each day and write about what happened to that animal on that day.



1.1 Discover and Explore1.2 Clafiry and Extend3.1 Plan and Focus3.2 Select and Process3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate1.2 Enhance and Improve1.3 Attend to Conventions1.4 Present and Share5.1 Encourage, Support and Work with Others



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Grade 4:Life Sciences:

• compare and contrast the skeletal and muscular systems of humans and various animals.

ACTIVITY TEN:

Being a Sloth Transportation and 1⁄4 hour

This is an activity for a day with good weather. Take students out to a shrubby area. Sit in a circle, with students still so that they can hear you. Say something along these lines:

“Today you will have a different experience from any you have had before. More and more, as our modern lives increase in speed and stress, we try to move faster and faster. We rush past most of the things in our world without even seeing them. We are always looking for faster ways of doing our daily tasks, faster means of travel and communication – we even talk faster and faster! Today we will stop being humans for fifteen minutes. For that time, we will become sloths. There are sloths in the world today. They are small, smaller than an average dog. They live in trees, and may go many hours without even moving their head or twitching a finger. A really active moment for them is reaching out (so slowly) to pluck a leaf off of a branch,

ACTIVITY NINE:

Making a Mammoth (Skeleton Project)

Homework, then one class

1. First, distribute to students the diagram and questions about the Mammoth Skeleton. They can finish labelling the diagram for homework. (Omit this step for younger grades.)

2. Drawing freehand or using the photocopier, enlarge each bone as much as you can. Remember that real mammoths were 3 metres high at the shoulder!!

3. Cut out each bone and glue the paper onto cardstock or cardboard. Number each bone as you make it, and keep a “master” copy of the skeleton, in case you end up with a bone which is hard to identify! If you are working with young grades, you could mark, outline or colour each kind of bone with a different colour and replicate the colour scheme on the diagram of the complete skeleton to help them fit it together.

4. Mix up the bones. As students enter the classroom divide them into groups of four. Hand each group a pile of bones. They must use their diagram to discover which bones they have and where they fit on the skeleton.

5. As a class, decide which bones you will start with to build your Mammoth. One representative from each group will bring each bone as it is called for and add it to the skeleton. You can glue them together, or use push-pins or paper clips to keep your bones reusable for next year. Also, if it isn’t glued you can change the stance of your Mammoth as need be. Keep your Mammoth in the classroom (if there’s room!), or the main foyer of your school, and include him/her in the life of the class. Keep it fun!

British Columbia Science K-7 Integrated Resource Package LinksThis activity will contribute to or satisfy the following learning outcomes:

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then to slowly slowly put the leaf in their mouth and chew it. In Beringia there were gigantic sloths, called Jefferson’s Ground Sloths. They lived mostly on the ground. Today we will be Jefferson’s Ground Sloths. I will take each of you to a different spot nearby, and you must make your way back here in fifteen minutes. You will only be about a two minute walk away. You must move as slowly as you possibly can. You might just sit for a long time. You might pause to scratch your shoulder for three minutes or so. The key to this is: you can’t talk. You may only talk in an emergency. You must imagine yourself as a sloth. What would a sloth be thinking about? What do you notice when you are a sloth? What is around you? What sights or sounds or smells? Here are some descriptive terms about Jefferson’s Ground Sloths to help you imagine them:

• Jefferson’s Ground Sloths were long-haired and about 3 metres long.

• They had short, deep skulls and blunt snouts.• They had heavy, strong jaws.• They had strong, broad tails which were used to

help them balance.• They had three clawed toes on the back feet, and

curved claws on the front.

Show students pictures of the sloths, and then lead them around to their individual spots. Make sure they have enough privacy to let their imaginations work, while also being within easy earshot of you. Give them their fifteen minutes. If any come back too soon, they must sit as motionless as possible, thinking about sloths. When the time is up, call out for them to come in. Sit down again and debrief the experience. What did they notice? What would it be like to be a sloth? What was positive? What was negative? When you return to class, give students a chance to write about their time in their journals and to draw a Jefferson’s Ground Sloth.

ACTIVITY ELEVEN:

One Two Three Bear!This is an activity which compares how different kinds of bear adapted to their environments:

Send students to the computers. They must first, at www.beringia.com , find a picture of a Short-Faced Bear and

read a description of its attributes, taking notes. Next, they must find descriptions and pictures of the modern polar bear, grizzly bear, and black bear. Using information on the internet, what they have learned about adaptations, and the illustrations they procure, they must compare the adaptations made by each bear to its natural environment. (i.e. polar bears have black skin and hollow translucent fur in order to filter sunlight. Grizzlies have long claws for digging roots and catching salmon.) Each student should create pages for his/her journal containing a sketch of each bear, labelling and describing key adaptations.

(*Modification for grades 2-5: A really great classroom resource for younger grades is a book entitled Alaska’s Three Bears by Shannon Cartwright and Shelley Gill, published by Sasquatch Books, ISBN 0-934007-11-X. It is a story of the three above-mentioned modern bears, but at the bottom of each page it contains really great facts about each type of bear. You could provide the picture and information about the short-faced bear and compare it to the three modern bears.)


Grades 2-3:Life Science



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ACTIVITY TWELVE:

The Eternal CaribouThis is a project which combines art with the information already gathered in lesson six.

Students will sketch a caribou and then use watercolour paints and paper to artistically render the idea of the caribou as a survivor. They must then use a black pen to neatly and concisely label key areas of the caribou which have enable their survival. For example, as part of the background the students could write “The sedges, grasses, lichens, and other small groundcovering plants of the Beringian times still grow abundantly in the areas of the Yukon and Alaska through which the Caribou migrate” and “Caribou are highly adaptable”. Remind them that this is an artistic project, and that aesthetics are highly important.






Grade 8: Life Science (Diversity)

• compare and contrast how various organisms have adapted to the conditions in each biome and how these organisms interact with each other




• 301-1: predict how the removal of a plant or animal population affects the rest of the community






Biology 11:Adaptation and Evolution

• differentiate among and give examples of convergence, divergence and speciation.





Grade 6:• 301-15: compare the adaptations of closely related

animals living in different parts of the world and discuss reasons for any differences

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ACTIVITY THIRTEEN:

When the World BeganIn this activity, students will either perform a personal interview with an elder or use the internet and library books to research creation stories from different cultural groups. Introduce students to the idea that each culture has a story about how and when the world began, how and when people were created, and other important events. Students will find a creation story from a First Nation in Canada, draw an illustration to accompany the story, and read it to the class.

Western and Northern Canadian Protocol on Education Links:This activity satisfies or contributes to the following learning outcomes:

Grade 5Culture and Community

• 5-K-CC-008: demonstrate an awareness of First Nations and Inuit stories of their origins.

ACTIVITY FOURTEEN:

Making a Beringia Food Web

15-20 minutes, then discussion

1. Each student or group needs to be assigned to draw a picture of at least one Beringian plant or animal. Go to the bulletin board, taking your tape and string. Standing back, tell the students that they must work together to create the Beringia Food Web. Guide them as they go, encouraging them to start at the bottom with the plants, labelling them as Producers, and that they should label the other levels of consumption as well. They must attach a string from each animal to each of the things it eats. If an animal appears in more than one category, it should be put in the highest of those categories. Have a student with neat writing entitle their project “The Beringia Food Web”.

2. Stand back and look at what you have made. Discuss the food web. Which animals do the students think would need to work the hardest for their food? Why? Which animals would be the first to become extinct if the climate changed? Why? Which animals ate the widest variety of foods? Which only ate one kind of food?

3. Students should return to their desks and create the Beringia Food Web in their own notes on a fresh page. They don’t need to draw each animal; instead they can just write the name and clearly indicate what each one eats.



• describe all organisms in terms of their roles as part of interconnected food webs.



Grade 4:• 104-6: demonstrate that specific terminology is

used in science and technology contexts (e.g., use appropriate terminology such as habitat, behavioural and structural features, food chain, population, and community)


Grade 7:• 210-2: compile and display data, by hand or

computer, in a variety of formats, including diagrams, flow charts, tables, bar graphs, line graphs, and scatter plots (e.g., prepare a chart showing the flow of energy in a food web that exists in the school yard)

• 304-2: identify the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a local ecosystem, and describe both their diversity and their interactions


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• 306-2: describe how matter is recycled in an ecosystem through interactions among plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms

ACTIVITY FIFTEEN:

Making an Atl-atlThe attached sheets outline how to make a spear thrower, or Atl-atl, typical of that which would have been used by people in Beringia. Print out the attached sheets and make or have kids make an atl-atl. Then you can make different targets to hit, and have an atl-atl throwing competition.

How to Build an Atl-atl in 5 Easy Steps

Supplies: • Bases, hooks or spurs, sinew, glue, leather, stones,

drill. sandpaper, scissors, (verathane, paint and brushes are optional).

• Flipchart with steps written out in large print.

Leaders/Teachers: Precut the sinew pieces, leather straps, cut and peel polar bases or obtain preformed bases, keeping in mind grip size (small hand = small diameter base), and the length (elbow to finger tip). Let kids get their own rocks or provide a variety to choose from.

Note: Sinew needs to be pulled tightly as it wraps. Have a finished atlatl displayed to show expected outcome.

1. Sand base as required. (Paint optional)

2. Hook or spur: Drill an angle hole 1-2 cm from the tip or use slot. Insert hook at 30-45 degree angle. Cup hooks can be screwed into slotted preformed base. Wrap about 50 cm of sinew around spur to reinforce it. Smear glue over sinew.

3. Handgrip: Precut pieces 12-16 cm long. Loop under base, room for one finger/thumb at each side of base. Fold over about 2cm each side, wrap sinew tightly to secure it in place.

4. Banner Stone (Rock): If placed high up will act as a silencer, stone butterfly shape. If placed lower it acts to give more power. Usually is good at about 1/3 the way up over the handgrip. Needs to have a flat bottom and fit well to base. Sinew it to base with an X pattern, glue over it.

5. Decorate, paint or add decorative markings. May be verathaned to preserve paint.

Recommendation: Let dry for 24 hours.

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ACTIVITY SIXTEEN:

Theory Soup In this activity, students will have the opportunity to come up with theories of their own to explain a given set of facts. Get half a dozen plastic tubs or cardboard boxes. In each box you will put a large number of “clues,” including such things as:

• cement “fossils” of plants, animal bones, insects, or footprints (See “making a fossil” activity in the webquest on the teacher’s page)

• some of the animal tracks you made in activity six• cut bones – you can get sliced cow bone sections

from your grocer – just boil them well with vinegar and let them dry out for a long time so they don’t smell!

• hair or fur• tools/broken tools• written words: slips of paper describing an artifact,

or describing the location where theitems were found, etc.

• you could make a modern mystery – include kids’ toys, buttons, articles of clothing, a wallet, a bus pass, etc.

• use your own imagination!

Make sure each box is different, and contains a number of different objects. As students arrive, divide them into six groups; one per container. They must go to the container, and, as a group, they have ten minutes to examine the items within and come up with a reasonable explanation of why and how the items ended up in one place together. They must write a detailed description of their theory. When the whistle blows, they pack up the box and exchange with another group, and repeat the process. Continue until the groups have each examined at least four boxes, then sit down and go through the boxes one by one, sharing the different theories invented and talking about how the students made decisions and deductions. Discuss the connections between this activity and the development of scientific theories, and the importance of having other experts examine the same evidence in order to provide a more complete interpretation of events.


Grade 11/12:• 114-2: explain the roles of evidence, theories,

and paradigms in the development of scientific knowledge

• 114-5: describe the importance of peer review in the development of scientific knowledge

• 115-7: explain how scientific knowledge evolves as new evidence comes to light and as laws and theories are tested and subsequently restricted, revised, or replaced

ACTIVITY SEVENTEEN:

Writing: Human Adaptation

30-45 minutes

The students have learned about adaptation and extinction. Now they can use their imaginations to create a fictional account of a future human adaptation. Imagine a major shift in the Earth’s climate or living conditions that may jeopardize the continued existence of human beings. You could stay with the idea of global warming or cooling. Projecting their imagination ten thousand years in the future, what kinds of adaptations will human beings have made? They must write a full story, with an introduction and a conclusion. They must set the scene, describing what has happened on the Earth. And they must have at least one adaptation the human species has made to continue to survive on the Earth. They may choose to write it in the style of a news report or a short story in the first or third person. They should have a colour illustration to accompany their story. Students should share their stories with each other, either orally or with all stories collated in a class storybook for silent reading. Students could take these home, or you could keep them for future classes to read for inspiration.


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ACTIVITY EIGHTEEN:

An Eye for Something Different

15-20 minutes, then discussion

One of the skills an archaeologist or paleontologist must master is being able to recognize substances that are different from their surroundings, even if the differences are minute. Here is a hands-on activity designed to help students “tune” their eyes:

1. Set up a “site” for each group of four students– this can be a simple as a small rubbermaid container filled with sand or gravel, or a combination of both.

2. Choose a dozen objects to hide in the gravel or sand. You may choose a small rock which is a different shade from the gravel, shards of ceramics, old buttons, old fractured bone, a small piece of metal, a rock which is significantly different in texture from the others (ie. a smoothe river rock in with the sharp

gravel), a small piece of wood, a dark piece of yarn, a gum wrapper, etc. Make the objects small and inconspicuous enough that it will take the students some effort to locate them, but obvious enough that they will have some success given 15-20 minutes. For younger grades, make the objects larger and more obvious. For Grade 11 or 12, throw in a few obvious objects and a few challenging ones.

3. As students find the items, they should fill in the attached chart. You may print the chart out and use it as is, or copy it to a word-processing program and alter it to suit your specific needs. For evaluation purposes, you can give an observational mark on participation during the activity, a mark for completion of the chart, and you can have students evaluate themselves and their group members. Once students have finished, discuss as a class how they made their decisions. Ask each group to showcase a few of their objects and say what they are, what they are made of, why they think they are anomalous, and how they think they got into the sample. Ask if any groups had difficulty working together, and how they solved the difficulty. Ask if any groups really worked well together, and why they think their group was so successful.

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Welcome to your first Archaeology activity! You have been assigned the contents of this container to analyze, along with your team members. Now, search through the contents of your container to find 12 objects that are

anomalous (different from everything else). As you find them, complete the chart. Remember, you are a scientist and so you must be accurate and give attention to detail.

OBJECT :WHAT IS IT MADE OF?

WHAT IS ITS SIZE

AND SHAPE?

WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS

ANOMALOUS?

HOW DO YOU THINK IT GOT

THERE?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

“Eye for Something Different” Site Report


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ACTIVITY NINETEEN:

Setting up a “dig” at your School

This is another activity which takes some preparation, but it is well worth it. Excavate 1m x 1m squares (or 1⁄2 x 1⁄2 m). You can do several, if you have some help, or have one that kids can take turns in. Dig down about 1⁄4-1/2m. One important idea is strata, or the layering of different kinds of soil denoting different time periods. Have on hand a quantity of different kinds of materials, such as sand, various coloured dirts, clay, etc. to make good clear strata for kids. They should have at least three different layers in their pit. You will also need to make some fossils (see the activity on making fossils in the Web Quest located in this teacher’s corner) or skeletons, and have other artifacts for students to find.

Layer the soils, salting them with appropriate artifacts. Lightly spray and pack each layer of soil before you add the next, to provide conditions similar to regular earth. Make sure you keep the corners staked.

Students will be equipped with trowels, brushes, dustpans, buckets, and tape measures. The must carefully remove only a hlaf-inch or so of soil at a time, brushing it aside and loading it into the pail before starting on the next half-inch. One student per group will take care of the paperwork. They will create a diagram of the top view and side views of the dig. When the team encounters an artifact, they must add it to both diagrams, drawing it in and measuring the distance from the top and sides of the excavation.

For older students, have them draw the profile of the soils at the side of the excavation. They must first make sure the wall of their dig is nice and straight and as smooth as they can get it. Then, they measure the depth at which each layer starts and ends along the wall. They must measure at each corner and three points along the wall. Then they scale it down and create an accurate representation on their paper. They should describe each soil as well as they can. If you have access to a soil identification guide (college or university geology and archaeology departments have these) they should use it to identify each type of soil.

ACTIVITY TWENTY:

Foraging for a Shelter 20 minutes scavenging, 40 minutes to build

If you lived in Beringia, how would you build a house? Remember, there weren’t any trees to use for lumber, and certainly no hardware stores for nails, drywall, etc.

The people who lived in Beringia lived in shelters of animal skins supported by huge mammoth bones. They used the materials that were available on the land they were living in. Learning about the different plants, animals, and attributes of the land you live in so that you can use them for food and shelter is called “foraging”. In this lesson, students will get a chance to see what kinds of foragers they are.

1. Read students the information above. Inform them that they must go outside the school to forage for enough materials to build a mini-shelter. They can work in partners or groups of three. They have five minutes to decide how they will design their shelter and what kinds of materials they will need. Then they will be timed for twenty minutes, and can go outside to forage. Put reasonable boundaries on where they can go; obviously they cannot cross busy roads and should stay on school grounds. Use a whistle or other predetermined signal to indicate that twenty minutes has passed.

2. When they return, they have forty minutes (or the rest of your block) to construct their shelter. By the end of that time, they must have a shelter that can withstand wind and water. Note: If a student incorporates “garbage” such as a pop can or cardboard box, remember that they are showing what good “foragers” they are! (You may choose to discuss the ecological and other benefits of re-using materials with the class.)

3. At the end of the elapsed time, or the next day, test each shelter using an electric fan and a watering can. If the shelter remains standing and is dry inside, they pass!

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Grade 4:Society and Culture

• describe how people’s basic needs are met in a variety of cultures

Grade 7Society and Culture: Ancient World Cultures to AD500

• compare how various cultures meet common needsEnvironment: Ancient World Cultures to AD 500

• evaluate how ancient world cultures were influenced by their environment

Documents

Ice Age Mammals Teacher's Corner - nature.canature.ca/sites/default/files/docs/iam_psptc_e.pdf · Produced by the Canadian Museum of Nature in partnership with the Montreal Science