Monday, January 20, 2020: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School)
Tuesday, January 21, 2020:
For our final week of the semester and this unit, we refocus the Biome Project through the lens of “rewilding” – restoring an area of land to its natural uncultivated state (used especially with reference to the reintroduction of species of wild animal that have been driven out or exterminated).
After a class discussion focused on gathering student reactions to the concept of rewilding, students were tasked with selecting one or more articles about the topic to read and summarize for their Biome Project team on the team’s Google Doc in the Rewilding, Part 1 section.
- Newsela: Cat-size marsupials reintroduced to Australia’s mainland
- Newsela: Scientists bullish on bringing back ancient animal
- Newsela: Bring the grizzly back to California? Critics say no way
- The Scientist: Where the wild things were
- Science: Rewilding complex ecosystems
- Smithsonian: When Rhinos Once Roamed in Washington State
- Wired: When the Bison Come Back, Will the Ecosystem Follow?
Biome Project Team Google Docs
Wednesday, January 22, 2020: To conclude this project, it is time to think big. REALLY BIG. In the Ted Talk yesterday by George Monbiot, he proposes the reintroduction of mega flora and fauna (really big plants and animals) that have gone extinct. Focusing specifically on your biome on your continent, research really big plants and animals that once lived in your area but have gone extinct some time in the past 10,000 years. Complete this section in the Team Google Doc in the Rewilding, Part 2 section.
As a group, select one mega flora (huge plant) and one mega fauna (huge animal) to reintroduce into your biome. Explain how reintroduction of each will impact the ecosystem of your biome. Complete this section in the Team Google Doc in the Rewilding, Part 2 section.
Next, predict how humans living on your continent in your biome might respond to reintroduction of the mega flora and mega fauna you reintroduced. How will culture be impacted? Complete this section in the Team Google Doc in the Rewilding, Part 2 section.
Finally, work together as a team to create a poster describing one aspect of culture as it exists today (before) and as it might exist in the future after rewilding. The poster should be colorful, creative, and able to be shared with the class on Friday, January 24.
Thursday, January 23, 2020: Work day! Complete all unfinished work on the Team Google Doc and work together to to create the team poster (see yesterday’s instructions and the Team Google Doc).
Helpful Resources:
- 10 Extinct Giants That Once Roamed North America (animals)
- Quarternary Extinction Event (plants and animals)
- Timeline of Extinctions in the Holocene (plants and animals)
Friday, January 24, 2020: For the final day of the semester, and the final day of Unit 2, student groups must turn in a complete poster to display in class next week. Work together as a team to create a poster describing one aspect of culture as it exists today (before) and as it might exist in the future after rewilding. The poster should be colorful, creative, and able to be shared with the class on Friday, January 24. Posters and Team Google Docs will be evaluated over weekend and credit will be assigned as the last grades of first semester.
The Art of Science 