Part Two: Activities

The objective of this activity is to help students realize that even decisions rooted in science aren’t easy and that problem solving requires creativity. Taking on the role of different stakeholders, students will work to reach a consensus agreement at both the local and national level, helping them understand the pros and cons of working at different scales. By the end of this activity, whether students reach an agreement or not, they will better understand the multitude of voices that have a stake in an issue, even when framed by good science, and gain more empathy for decision-makers.

Instructions:

Part One:

1. Divide the class in half. One half of the class selects a national biodiversity hotspot (ex boreal forest) and the other half picks a local biodiversity hotspot (ex location in the city or community).
2. Help students select an issue facing both the national and local biodiversity hotspot they’ve chosen (ex. a species that is endangered in both the community and at the national level). They can use themes from their Inquiry Media if that helps.
3. Have students in each group work together to answer the questions listed in #3 of Part One in the activity.
4. Each member of each group will select one of the issue’s stakeholders and quickly research their position.
5. Next, each ‘stakeholder’ will argue their case to the rest of the group.
6. After everyone has made their case, the group will work to find a solution to the issue that every ‘stakeholder’ can agree with. If they can’t come to an agreement, that’s still a result.

Part Two:

1. Have a representative from each group present their decision to the class, outlining the issue, the viewpoints and the agreed upon solution (or non-agreement).
2. After each group has presented, facilitate a discussion with the class on the pros and cons of local-versus-national action, using the prompts listed in the activity.

Core Concepts:

Summary: Students will work to deepen their understanding of natural selection and extinction.

Objective: The objective of this activity is to review and reinforce student understanding of key concepts, including natural selection and extinction. This activity also tests comprehension by requiring students to answer questions and create an infographic.

Skills:

• Research
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Scientific literacy
• Communication

Instructions:

• Begin the activity by presenting or having the students review the slideshow presentation on natural selection and extinction.

Part One: General Questions

• Assign students to answer the general questions provided in the activity, either individually or in small groups.
• Provide access to research materials or online databases, like the Curated Library, to help students find the information and resources they need to answer the questions.
• Encourage students to critically analyze and evaluate the sources they use, and to provide evidence-based answers that are supported by reliable sources.
• Once students have completed their research, have them share their findings with the class through a group discussion, oral presentation, or a written report.

Part Two: Specific Species

• Assign each student or small groups a specific species to research that is native to their community or region.
• Ask students to answer the questions listed in Part Two of the activity.
• Encourage students to use a variety of sources to research their species, including scientific reports, books, articles, and interviews with experts in the field.
• Once students have completed their research, have them create an infographic that illustrates the unique features and adaptations of their species, and how these features help the species survive in its environment.
• Have students present their infographic to the class to share what they’ve learned or even encourage students to donate it to a local community group, allowing them to raise awareness about biodiversity in the region.

Assessment: Student assessment can be based on the quality of their research, the fullness of the answers provided, and the clarity and creativity of the infographic. Students can also be assessed on their ability to communicate their findings to the class through group discussions, oral presentations, or written reports.

Problem Solving: *Recommended*

Summary: In this activity, students will decide on their guiding or better question that will direct their final project.

Objective: The aim is to help students build on the activities they completed in previous chapters and focus in on the one better question that will inform their final project. Students will take the issue they’ve been exploring and work to find the root cause of the problem, before settling on their guiding question they believe must be answered in order to find a solution. Students will then reflect on and potentially refine their question, ensuring it fits with their skillset and this class.

Skills:

• Critical thinking
• Research
• Creativity
• Organization and Planning
• Communication
• Collaboration

Instructions:

• Present or have students carefully review the activity’s preamble in order to understand the purpose of this activity and how it relates to their final project.

Part One

1. Students will use the prompts provided in the activity to help them uncover the root cause of their issue and the guiding or better question they want to answer through their final project. This task will take some time and you can decide whether the activity should be done in class, with support, or at home as a homework assignment.

Part Two

1. Ask the students to reflect on their guiding or better question by answering the questions listed in this section of the activity. Be sure to emphasize that students should be realistic and honest when answering the questions. Rushing this assessment in order to be done faster will only hurt their ability to produce a good final project.

Assessment:

1. The use of critical and creative thinking skills to determine the issue’s root cause and the better question they want to answer through their final project.
2. The self-assessment of their better question.

Genetic Evolution Lab:

• Developed by educator and biologist Verne Lehmberg and donated for use in Nature Labs

Summary: In this lab, students will learn the Hardy-Weinberg equation and how evolution occurs.

Objective: Every environmental science student needs to understand what evolution is. Students will be able to demonstrate the mathematical basis of evolution and will be able to explain the mathematical Hardy-Weinberg equation, the calculation that predicts the frequency of alleles in the gene pool, as well as the conditions necessary to maintain the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Instructions: Students can follow the self-guiding instructions to conduct and complete the lab.

Species Adaptations Lab:

• Developed by educator and biologist Verne Lehmberg and donated for use in Nature Labs

Summary: In this lab, students will observe animals at the zoo to understand how they have evolved, and if they are threatened or endangered and why.

Objective: Zoos are an excellent place to see animals from other continents, and study how they have evolved into their ecological niche. Students will be able to observe and recognize evolved animal specializations, including: predator offensive adaptations, prey defensive adaptations, Batesian mimicry, Müllerian mimicry, protective coloration and specialized feeding adaptations. They will identify convergent evolution examples and understand why an animal might be threatened or endangered within their native habitat.

Instructions: Students can follow the self-guiding instructions to conduct and complete the lab.

Endangered Species Lab:

• Developed by educator and biologist Verne Lehmberg and donated for use in Nature Labs

Summary: In this lab, students will learn why some species are threatened or endangered.

Objective: The purpose of this laboratory exercise is to learn why some species are threatened with extinction, determine if these threats are human caused, and the species characteristics that make them prone to extinction. Students will also study the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) to learn what federal agencies are responsible for endangered species’ protection and recovery (US-based, but you can use the Species at Risk Act as comparable legislation in Canada).

Instructions: Students can follow the self-guiding instructions to conduct and complete the lab.

NEW STORY AND ACTIVITY: Tariffs: Canada, we have a problem – This new lesson discusses what a tariff is and the implications they have on Canada. It includes one general activity that helps with understanding – this includes definitions, questions and a hands-on activity, as well as mini lessons that relate to the Science course.

Students also have access to the Curated Library – with featured resources presented in the Further Exploration section found at the base of the lesson page – to help them with the above activities.