An Ecological Survey and Comparison of Plants and Animals That Live Near and In The Ocean
-Day One-
Sara Watts, Memorial Academy
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/triton/ecosur/ecosur1.html
Introduction
Does it require different effort for plants and animals to exist effectively near or in the ocean than it does for inland species? Does the ocean limit or benefit plant and animal life? Do inland plants and animals have common or limited characteristics?
The Task
Over the next two weeks you will compare inland and aquatic life. You will compile the following information and publish your findings on the internet.
- A descriptive informative essay relating your feelings and impressions about the out of doors and nature formulated as you take a hike on camp trails
- Visual descriptives and drawings or photographs of flowering plants and birds (seen while hiking)
- Visual descriptives and drawings or photographs of flowering plants and animals that live on or very near the ocean.
- A comparison of habitat and general life qualities of the ocean and in land flowering plants and animals you have chosen to examine.
Resources
Internet pages that will help you gain access to the information needed (wild life, aquatic life, plants of the southwest coastal region etc.)
The Process
On your hike or outing:
- Select several (two or more) birds that are unfamiliar to you - sketch or photograph them.
- Write a descriptive informative paragraph about your feelings, impressions, and sensations when hiking and siting birds and flowers for first time.
- Select several (two or more ) flowering plants that are unfamiliar to you - sketch or photograph them.
- Use internet to select two aquatic coastal birds
- Use internet to select two aquatic coastal flowering plants
- Use the internet to research for classification, characteristics, and comparison (compare differences/similarities of one inland bird to one aquatic bird, and one inland flower to one aquatic flower)
Learning Advice
Print a copy of the journal to use out in the field. When you return to the classroom you will download a copy of the template to use to publish your work on the internet.
Evaluation
You will be evaluated by how well you complete the following information.
- Analysis of 4 birds (2 inland, 2 aquatic)
- Analysis of 4 flowering plants (2 inland, 2 aquatic)
- Bird comparison (1 inland vs 1 aquatic)
- Flowering Plant Comparison (1 inland vs 1 aquatic)
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