| Science - early |
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"It is the year 2025. You and two friends have just been hired as Environmental News Reporters for a local news station. Over the past 20 years there have been many drastic changes to the world's ecosystems as a result of both manmade and natural disasters. In fact, it has just been discovered that a very important ecosystem has been drastically changed as the result of a disaster. All the animals from the ecosystem will be forced to adapt to changes in their environment."
Questions:
What sort of natural or manmade disaster could occur that would drastically change an environment?
What adaptations will the animals need to make in order to survive in their changed environment?
Where will they now fit in the food chain?
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"Welcome to the Amazing Animals Zoo. You have a very important task ahead of you. The Amazing Animals Zoo is in need of one unique animal to showcase for a very special guest that will be taking a tour of the zoo. The President of the Zoological Society will be making a visit to decide how much money the zoo should receive next year. It is your goal to design an animal that has adaptations to help it survive and to convince the zoo that your animal is the most unique."
Question: "What animal will you design and how will you persuade the zoo to exhibit your animal?"
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"Should we disallow the hunting of endangered species? The answer that springs to mind is probably, "Yes, of course!". Issues such as these are much more complicated in real life."
"Take the case of the Bowhead Whale, found in Arctic waters. It has been declared an endangered species, but is also an animal traditionally hunted by the Inuit. Should they still be allowed to hunt the whales? If they can, should others too? How far should we go to protect animals?"
Question: Should ALL hunting of Bowhead Whales be prohibited?
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"The Mayor of the City is considering exterminating (killing) the bats in her city. She believes that bats are disease-infested, good-for-nothing, evil beasts that are bloodthirsty and should be done away with. Public safety is very important."
"The Mayor wants to make sure that her choice is wise. So, she has assigned a team to find out whether or not bats are a threat to people or a benefit to people."
"You and your team members will each choose different tasks. When each team member has finished their task, you and your team members will write a report to the Mayor. The report must tell the Mayor whether bats are a threat or a benefit and most importantly 'WHY.'"
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"What's the weather like today in your part of the world? Do you think it's the same all over the world? No matter where you live, weather is an important part of your life. Let's find out about weather and how it makes a difference all over the world! Pack your bags, we're taking a trip!!"
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"Everytime we go to the grocery store, the bagger asks this question. People have lots of different reasons for choosing one over the other. Some simply think about which kind they can reuse in their home, some think about which type is easier to recycle in their area, some simply think about saving trees or landfills, and some people may not care. Have you ever wondered if you are making an informed decision or even the right decision?"
Question: 'Paper or Plastic?'
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"The machines we use every day help to make our work easier. This WebQuest will help you identify different types of simple machines so that you can invent your own machines."
"Your project will be to invent and build a simple machine that can be used in one of the following places: garden/farm, kitchen/restaurant, office/school, garage, on a boat"
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"Use the Internet to explore and identify why oceans and beaches are in trouble. In your learning, look for relationships between humans, animals, and the ocean. "
Tasks: #1) Make a concept map that shows the relationship between humans, animals, and the ocean. #2) Choose a fact or idea you learned and make a poster about it to inform the community about the issue."
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"The Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin, wants to purchase some new penguins for visitors to enjoy. Since Monroe 2nd graders have been learning so much about penguins, the zookeepers have asked us to help them make a choice between these four kinds of penguins."
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