Case StudyTopic: Interactions and Ecosystems

Discipline: Science - Conservation BiologyEcosystems develop and are maintained by natural processes and are affected by human action. To foster an understanding of ecosystems, this unit develops student awareness of ecosystem components and interactions, as well as natural cycles and processes of change. Building on this knowledge, students investigate human impacts and engage in studies that involve environmental monitoring and research. By reflecting on their findings, students become aware of the intended and unintended consequences of human activity, and recognize the need for responsible decision-making and action.Skill Outcomes Students will ask questions about the relationships between and among observable variables, and plan

investigations to address those questions. Students will work collaboratively on problems; and use appropriate language and formats to communicate

ideas, procedures and results. Students will conduct investigations into the relationships between and among observations, and gather and

record qualitative and quantitative data. (Science Program of Studies, Grade 7, 2003)

Task #1 Task #2The teacher wanted the students to learn about the human impacts on Alberta ecosystems. For their project, he asked students to invent a creature that could survive in an Alberta ecosystem. In doing so, the students had to identify specifically the adaptation that the new creature would have to survive in the ecosystem of their choice. They read about a variety of Alberta ecosystems to consider how their creature would survive: What would they eat? Is their creature a consumer, producer or decomposer? Where would they find shelter? Who would be their predators? What would be threats to their creatures’ existence? Specifically, what would be the human threats to the creatures’ existence? How could we help the creature overcome these threats? The students would be expected to come up with a protection plan for their creature, a campaign to educate others on the importance of the creatures’ survival in the ecosystem, and a way to monitor the creatures’ recovery after the plan was implemented. The teacher created a rubric with the students outlining the essential criteria of the inquiry. This rubric was used to give feedback to each other during the scope of the inquiry. The teacher asked the students to bring in craft supplies from home. After many different options of craft supplies arrived, the students were challenged to be as creative as they could in building a life-sized model of their creature, and to display it in the classroom. Then, the students were asked to write a story about their creature’s adventures in surviving in the Alberta wilderness. They also created a newspaper article describing the creatures’ difficulties. The writing was posted around the room, and the teacher created blogs for the students to share their writing with others.

Within a short walk to the school was a green-space that was used by dog walkers. The area was frequented often and some of the students walked through the area on their way to school. The teacher asked the students, “How is this natural area being impacted by human activity?” Students began brainstorming ideas about possible ways that humans could negatively or positively impact the area. Some students wondered about the impact of dogs on the area, others wondered about trails, others wondered about litter, and some wondered about invasive weed species and the non-native grey squirrel populations. Small groups of students collaboratively developed a field study around one topic from which they could gather data in the field. This involved setting up a comparison study between a highly impacted area of the green space, and an area that was less impacted. Before beginning their study, the teacher and students collaboratively designed a field study rubric that would be used to guide their experimental procedure and reporting of results. The students had to present their experimental design in front of their peers to get feedback on their monitoring ideas and the ways they would gather data. Suggestions were given to the students about ways they could use scientific tools (probes, water testing kits, thermometers, tools to measure erosion, etc…). The students were able to walk to the site 2 times to gather data. After they gathered and analyzed their data, students prepared a presentation to report on their findings. They were questioned as to how reliable their data was and whether or not their conclusions and recommendations were realistic and probable. The teacher invited a local community league board member to hear the students’ recommendations, as well as a city parks and recreation manager.

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1. Which of these tasks more closely mirrors the work of a conservation biologist? Why?

2. What are the processes that make it authentic to the discipline as articulated in the Program of Studies?

Task Design: Mirroring the Discipline

Think broadly about the topic that you brought back. Where does it live? (i.e.: spelling lives in writing)

Topic Discipline/Field of Study

Driving question related to the discipline/field of study? Identify a question that will

guide your thinking.

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Topic: WetlandsDiscipline/Field of Study: Conservation BiologyQuestion: How does a conservation biologist determine the health of a wetland?

Topic: Build Devices and Vehicles that MoveDiscipline/Field Study: EngineeringQuestion: How do engineers design, build and test vehicles?

Topic: WritingDiscipline/Field Study: Author of Children’s FictionQuestion: How do authors write engaging stories for young readers?

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Engaging Students in Learning: The ProvocationType of Provocation Ways that you have

invited students into learning

Provocation ideas from your colleagues

Active Exploration the invitation to learn is

through the physical manipulation or exploration of an object

Engage Through Play students are invited to

explore their environment or a new learning topic through play

Fuels Curiosity a problem or discrepant

event piques curiosity, elicits questions and causes thinking

Create the “need to know” the hook provides the

motivation to learn students are excited about

what they get to do

Provide a sense of leadership and purpose helping out getting behind a cause showing leadership

Connect with emotions or sense of justice students feel a deep

connection to the work

Other other provocations you

have used to hook

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students into a topic

Case Study: Creosote

As you watch the case study identify:

How the teachers engaged students in the task from the onset

Evidence you see of students engaging in authentic disciplinary work

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Getting Hooked on a Topic(From “Focus on Inquiry”, Chapter 2, galileo.org)

There’s value in connecting your topic to students’ experiences. Hook your students by asking the following questions:

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What’s weird about the topic?Your goal is to build on your students’ natural curiosity. Life Sciences lends itself wonderfully to weird topics. New technologies let us see creatures that are stranger than fiction, living in hostile environments. What lives at the extreme edges of the planet? What happens when one living thing leaves an ecosystem? What gross or intriguing defense mechanisms let living things adapt to their environment?

Are there life and death issues involved?Talk to your students and uncover the human side of the story. Who has suffered defending the idea you are studying? What makes a hero, villain or underdog? Find people who have challenged huge odds or overcome insurmountable obstacles. How are elements of today’s lifestyle harming us?

What challenges our sense of justice or fair play? Questioning what’s right and wrong.Present questions that force students to take a stand. Important thinking skills are developed as students go beyond the facts to research and defend their point of view. Questions of what’s right and wrong help students decide how society determines the difference, while helping articulate their own vision and values. Look for the following within the topic you have chosen:• Contradictory reports about the same event• Historical injustices• Current debates raging in the media• Reports that challenge cultural assumptions.

Is there more here than meets the eye?Issues may seem simple on the surface, but once you start digging, all sorts of possibilities emerge. Questions such as ‘how can we help the poor?’ and ‘how do we stop bullying?’, may seem simplistic, but they also prompt huge differences of opinion and opportunities to grapple with various solutions.

What is secret, hidden or puzzling?Too often, school subjects are presented as cut and dried matters of facts and figures to be memorized. There are many things in the world, however, the experts are still uncovering, and new answers are emerging every day. These are areas where students can be easily engaged. Consider the following:• What is space really like? Recent space probes have overturned many

things we thought we knew about our solar system.• Why can we predict some environmental phenomena but tornadoes and

earthquakes still surprise us?

Individual Reflection

1. Describe how you used an exemplar and non-exemplar to identify criteria with your students.

2. How did, or will, students work with the criteria to improve their work and the work of their peers?

Applied Learning

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For next session:Enact the design that you mapped out today. 

Gather evidence of impact from 3 students in relation to the task you mapped out today that demonstrates how they are deepening their understanding of and building discipline knowledge. 

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