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Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Saving Migratory Animals

Secondary

Description

The objective of Here Today, Gone Tomorrow:Saving Migratory Animals is to determine the migratory path for a bird species and investigate whether the habitats in its summer and winter location are similar or different. Based on this information, students will come up with a recommendation for which locations should be conserved to protect this species.

In this great STEM activity, students will:

  • set up and download migration data
  • identify the migration path and bird habitats using google earth
  • make a pie chart for each variable
  • analyze the habitat data
  • make a prediction on what type of land needs to be conserved to preserve the species

During the experimental procedure, students will get the chance to access spatio-temporal data stored in Movebank and then use Google Earth Pro to map the paths of the individual birds. Students will develop these skills through well planned out lessons. 

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

This resource teaches:

  • reading of bird migration data
  • using Google Earth
  • analyzing data
  • making pie charts
  • analyzing variables

Strengths

This resource:

  • is very up to date. It was last updated in June 2018
  • provides a lot of background information with definitions of words that might be new to students
  • has a full list of bibliographies so students can further their reading on the subject
  • can be done in a short amount of time (2 to 5 days)
  • uses actual bird migration data
  • has a lesson plan that is extensively explained
  • A forum called Ask an expert is available for students to post their questions if they run into problems

Weaknesses

  • The lesson plan is not divided into lessons. It is instead continuous. 
  • You need admin rights to computers in order to download the needed software.
  • Students are not asked to take action when the resource is completed.
  • No evaluation tools are provided

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This resource is great to introduce the impact of humans on our environment and endangered species in courses like Biology or Environmental Sciences. This resource could also be used to further science skills on analyzing graphs and data. 

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

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  • Alberta
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        • Biology 20: Ecosystems and Population Change
      • Technological Education
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        • Wildlife - WLD2020: Diversity of Wildlife Values
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        • Environmental Science 11: Changing ecosystems are maintained by natural processes.
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        • Environmental Science 12: Sustainable land use is essential to meet the needs of a growing population
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        • Science 1206: Sustainability of Ecosystems
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        • Knowledge and Employability Science: Biological Diversity (Social and Environmental Contexts Emphasis)
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        • Environmental Science (Univ/College Prep.) Scientific Solutions to Contemporary Environmental Challenges
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        • Science 431A: Life Science, Sustainability of Ecosystems
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  • Yukon Territory
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    • Grade 11
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      • Environmental Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Environmental Science 11: Changing ecosystems are maintained by natural processes.
        • Environmental Science 11: Complex roles and relationships contribute to diversity of ecosystems
        • Environmental Science 11: Human practices affect the sustainability of ecosystems
        • Environmental Science 11:Humans can play a role in stewardship and restoration of ecosystems
    • Grade 12
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Environmental Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Environmental Science 12: Sustainable land use is essential to meet the needs of a growing population
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Specialized Science 12: Biodiversity is dependent on the complex interactions and processes between biotic and abiotic factors

Themes Addressed

Ecosystems (4)

  • Biodiversity
  • Endangered Species
  • Habitat Loss
  • Wildlife Protection

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Good

Students get to look at different point of view on saving the habitat of migratory birds. 

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Good

Within the materials provided, students get to examine the environmental impacts on bird migration and how this could impact our economy. The social dimension is not present. 

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Good
Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Poor/Not considered

Action opportunities are not included in this resource. However, it could be easily integrated as an extension. 

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good

Multiple reflexion questions are provided in order for students to be able to express their own beliefs of the issue in question. 

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Poor/Not considered

This is not considered in this resource.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Good

This resource, along with its background information, will help students realize the importance of our natural world and the effect human activities are having on our environment. 

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good

This resource uses actual bird migrating data making it relevant to the lives of the learners in classroom. 

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Very Good

Through bird migration data, students look at what impact our past actions have had on our natural world and they try and find solutions for the futur. 

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Good

In this lesson, the questions that are provided for the teacher are open ended and allow for the students to make their own conclusions. As well, students get to choose what bird they are going to analyze its path.  

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Very Good

Students will get to use skills from a number of subjects including math (making pie charts), science (making pie charts) and biology (endangered species)

Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Satisfactory

Students are guided throughout the activities but analyze their own data and answer their own questions. 

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good

This resource is good for all learning styles although no accommodations are ready to use for learners with difficulties. 

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Good

Even though all learning happens inside the school, students will be using real life data on bird migration. Students have to analyze the real world data themselves. 

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory

Students may work in groups, this is the decision of the teacher. 

Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Satisfactory

No actual evaluation of learning is provided but teachers could easily use the reflexion questions as a mean to evaluate student learning. 

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Poor/Not considered

Not considered in this resource

Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Very Good

In this resource, students will download real bird migration and temperature data from Movebank.org. They will then look at the migration route in Google Earth Pro and analyze the habitats that the birds are using to determine which lands need to be conserved to protect the species. 

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Good

Students get to decide which data they will analyze and more resources are available if students want to dive deeper into the issue. 

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.