Science WebQuest

Created by: Shawn Holman

Area of Study: Ecosystems /Animal adaptations and survival

Purpose: This exciting WebQuest has been developed for seventh grade students to discover and appreciate the wit and wonder of nature as they work together in small groups to travel around the world, explore on their own, and discover many interesting facts about animals where they live and how the survive. Students will play games, view images of animals in the wild, use interactive maps, answer questions, and complete a field guide on endangered animals from around the world. There are also extension activities for those who have a fascination for animals.

A habitat is any place where a particular animal or plant lives. Examples of a habitat include a lake, a desert, or a forest. Descriptions of environments using temperature and rainfall are used to group habitats together. Animals, which live within a same-species group, and occupy an area at the same time, are part of a population. Populations of different plants and animals interact with each other, and together, these populations form communities. Plants and animals in a particular ecological community, or biome, must be adapted to the same living conditions so they can all survive. Many populations can live in the same area because each species fills a specific role in the community. Each plant and animal has its own roll in the ecological community, and is important in some way to the survival of the other.

Introduction: Hello students! Travel with your friends on this exciting journey around the world. Select an ecosystem to visit and learn about the animals that live there. You may even come across endangered species. After each stop around the world your group will create a field guide on the species of your liking from each biome.

TASK - Your Mission As A Student:

You have been chosen to journey around the world stopping on each continent to discover interesting animals, their habitats and the treats they face. Some animals you will be researching have uncertain futures. They are endangered! You will do your own research on each ecosystem’s animals. Your assignment is to complete field guide notes describing the ecosystem and an animal, create a poster and write a story.

Are you ready now to accept your mission? ✖ Yes!

Where will your first stop be?

Process:

Step 1: Choose an ecosystem. You must research one animal from one ecosystem.

Step 2: Print Field Notes. You must have field notes on the ecosystem and your animal.

Using your field notes, you will create a field guide. Print pictures of your animals and cut them out to paste in your guide.

Step 3: Play Food Web Game: http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/kids_web.htm

Step 4: Write a story using your notes. You will describe your life as an animal in this ecosystem. Are you a predator or prey? Have your teammates help you describe your animal accurately.

Rainforest

Asia ★ South America ★ Africa

http://www.mbgnet.net/set s/rforest/index.htm

http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/rforest/index.htm

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rnfrst_animal_page.htm

Tundra

Artic

http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/tundra.htm

http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/tundra/index.htm

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tundra_animal_page.htm

Taiga

Europe ★ Asia ★ N. America

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga_animal_page.htm http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/taiga/index.htm

Desert

Africa ★ Australia ★ North America

http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/grasslnd/index.htm

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_animal_page.htm

http://www.livingdesert.org/animals/gila_monster.asp

Find out if the desert tortoise is endangered.

Grasslands

Africa ★ N. & S. America ★ Asia

http:// www.mbgnet.net/sets/grasslnd/ index.htm

www.hamiltonnature.org/habitats/grasslands/grass_animals.htm

http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/bison.php

Temperate Deciduous Forest

North America ★ Europe ★ Asia

http://www.eagles.org/moreabout.html

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_animal_page.htm

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/yellowstone-otters/introduction/2103/

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/in-the-valley-of-the-wolves/interactive-map-where-yellowstone-wolves-roam/228/

http://www.wwfmaps.org/

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/giantpanda/panda.html

Extended Activities

Activities, puzzles and worksheets: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/

Games, acivities, homework help: http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/kids_home.cfm

Build a Prairie: http://www.bellmuseum.org/distancelearning/prairie/build/

Show what you know – build a food web:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/ACTIVITIES/explorer/ecosystems/be_an_explorer/map/form_wildcats.htm

Extended Activity

Our wonderful froggy friends are disappearing!Frogs are very sensitive to environmental changes. The

rapid lost of many species of frogs is a sure sign that something is going very wrong on our planet.

Every day new species of frogs disappear from our planet forever. Meet some of the interesting fellows whose plight

has been noted.

http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/save/enda

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/hot/frogs.htmlngere

http://www.amphibians.org./d.ht

http://www.im.nbs.gov/amphibs.htmlml

Name _______________________                                           Date_____________           

Field Notes   Animal Name ________________________________________________________________ 

Physical description –be sure to include adaptations         Behavior          Description of Habitat          Diet     Is this animal a carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, scavenger, or decomposer?  

Scoring Rubric

Trait 4 3 2 1Ideas and Content

·  Ideas are clear and original.

·  Main ideas fully develop the topic.

·  Main ideas are supported with relevant facts, details, examples, and explanations.

·  Ideas are clear and mostly original.

·  Main ideas support the topic without repetition.

·  Main ideas are supported with relevant details and facts.

·  Partially addresses prompt.

·  Ideas partially clear.

·  Ideas are unoriginal.

·  Main ideas support topic with some repetition and few relevant details.

 

·  Ideas are unclear.·  The writing repeats

information or presents information as a list rather than in paragraphs.

·  There is no elaboration·  Completely off topic. 

Organization ·  Includes multiple paragraphs with an appropriate introductory paragraph.

·  Supporting paragraphs have relevant facts and details to develop the main ideas.

·  Includes a concluding summary paragraph.

·  Writes two or more paragraphs that include topic sentences.

·  Main ideas and supporting details are well organized within the paragraphs.

·  The concluding sentences are strong. 

·  The beginning is somewhat week.

·  The writing is partially organized but is confusing in parts.

·  The arrangement of main ideas and details is disjointed.

·  The conclusion is weak

·  There is no real beginning to the paper (no hook or topic sentence).

·  The writing lacks organization and is confusing.

·  The ideas aren’t connected.

·  There is no conclusion. 

Sentence Fluency ·  The writing flows smoothly.

·  Transitional words are used to add interest.

·  Sentence length and structure are varied.

·  The writing moves along smoothly.

·  There is a variety of sentence structure.

·  Some transitional words are used.

·  The writing moves along but may sound repetitive.

·  Little variety in sentence structure.

·  The writing is mechanical or awkward.

·  There is no sentence variety.

 

Conventions ·  The writing has minimal

·  The writing has some

·  The writing has some errors in

·  The writing has many errors in capitalization,

errors that do not distract from meaning.

errors , but mistakes rarely detract from meaning.

capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and usage, and mistakes may cause some confusion.

punctuation, spelling, and usage, and mistakes affect understanding.