Introduction

The Weirdo is set in the "Powhatan Swamp" region of North Carolina (modeled after the actual Great Dismal Swamp), where two teenagers stand up for what they believe in—even though it means risking personal danger and defying an entire town. Samantha Sanders is nine when she discovers the body of Alvin Howell at the edge of the swamp—and sixteen when she witnesses the dumping of another body from her hiding place in a tree stump. Sam befriends Chip—a young man disfigured in a fiery plane crash that claimed the lives of his mother and sister. Chip, the reclusive son of the spillwayman, has been tracking and tagging bears in the National Wildlife Refuge and hopes that his efforts will help extend a moratorium on bear hunting. Sam's father, like most men in town, is a hunter who resents government restrictions on his sport. Sam soon finds herself caught between her desire to help Chip with the study—and her reluctance to anger her father.

In this web quest, your mission is to try and convince Sam’s father and his hunting friends to continue the restrictions on hunting in the Powhatan Swamp. They are not going to be easy people to sway that they can not hunt in the Powhatan, so you will have to follow the directions carefully. To persuade them, you will work in teams of three (historian & 2 ecologists) where you will answer questions to help Sam’s father understand the complexity and delicacy of the wetland ecosystem.

Products

To complete your charge, each Team will create 3 products to help influence Sam’s Father.

Create a PowerPoint presentation answering the questions of each team member [Historian & Ecologists].
Create a poster or a diorama showing a food web using examples of organisms found in the swamp. You must include organisms from each trophic level.
Define the list of vocabulary words and definitions for the team.

Get Started!!

First view some Google Earth maps map 1 & map 2 of where the “Powhatan Swamp” is located.

National Wildlife Refuge Map, and another general map.

Historian

Sam’s father and his friends have been around the swamp their whole lives. However, they don’t know the real history of the swamp, only what they have heard through story tales told by their parents and grandparents. The tales mostly involved superstition and mystical creatures. Your job is to inform them on the real history of the Powhatan Swamp (The Great Dismal Swamp). Answer the following questions and include them in your presentation (2-3 slides). When you finish with your questions, work on the vocabulary or help the ecologists with their questions.

Questions

1. What is one legend of the Great Dismal Swamp and how can it be explained by modern science?

2. In what ways has the swamp been altered by humans in the last 200 years? How has that affected the ecology of the swamp?

3. Of the original estimated swamp size, how much remains today as a Natural Preserve?

4. When was the Great Dismal Swamp National Refuge officially established, and how much land does it contain? (Include a map in your presentation)

Resources

The Great Dismal Swamp Website

Great Dismal Swamp History

Swamp Legends

Great Dismal Swamp - Wikipedia

National Wildlife Refuges

Ecologists (2)

Your tasks are to describe the wetlands, its inhabitants and the ecological systems of the swamp to Samantha’s father and friends to explain how important and complex the wetlands of the Great Dismal Swamp really are. The two ecologists will need to work closely together as a team to complete the two tasks, so if you get done with your questions help your partner!

Ecologist I

What are wetlands?
What is happening to the wetlands in the United States?
Why are wetlands important?
What animals live in the Great Dismal Swamp?
What birds live the Great Dismal Swamp?
What amphibians live in the Great Dismal Swamp?
What types of plants live in the Great Dismal Swamp?
Describe a predator – prey relationship within the swamp.
Explain how loss of habitat will impact the organisms that live in the swamp.

Ecologist II

What is a food chain? Give and example using the organisms found in the swamp.
What is a food web? How is it different from a food chain?
What is a food pyramid?
About how much energy is transferred to the next trophic level?
How does the size of organisms change from producers to consumers?
Create a poster or diorama of a ecological pyramid (try including examples of organisms at each level from the Great Dismal Swamp).

Biologist Resources:

The Great Dismal Swamp Website

Freshwater Ecosystems

greatdismalswamp01.pdf

National Wildlife Refuges

Wikipedia

Wetlands Plants

Food Webs & Ecological Pyramids

Vocabulary

Use your textbook to help you find the answers to these vocabulary words.

Ecologist	Wetland	Trophic Level	Producer	Consumer
Decomposer	Photosynthesis	Predator	Prey	Symbiosis
Herbivore	Carnivore	Omnivore	Food Chain	Food Web
Habitat	Niche	Species	Biodiversity	Ecological Pyramid

Evaluation

	Beginning	Developing	Accomplished	Exemplary	Final Score
	1	2	3	4
PowerPoint Content	Includes little information and does not address the ecology of the swamp, it’s inhabitants and interactions.	Includes some information and begins to address the ecology of the swamp it’s inhabitants and interactions.	Includes essential and accurate information about the ecology of the swamp it’s inhabitants and interactions.	Covers essential, accurate details of the swamp ecosystem with thorough descriptions of its’ inhabitants and interactions between them.
PowerPoint Organization	Environmental Impact Statement lacks an introduction, has little sequence and lacks a conclusion	Environmental Impact Statement attempts to introduce the topics, has some sequencing evident but lacks a conclusion	Environmental Impact Statement introduces the topic, follows sequencing provided and has a conclusion	Environmental Impact Statement has an informative, capturing introduction followed by logical, sequential information. Provides many details about the topic and has an appropriate conclusion.
PowerPoint Presentation	Lacks visual presentation, and layout with minimal or no graphics.	Few graphics or low visual appeal; work is neat, but could be done better.	Visual presentation and layout are attractive with some use of colorful graphics.	Visual presentation and layout is attractive, uses colorful graphics, and is very neatly done.
Visual Presentation	Generally sloppy work apparently done at the last minute. Lacks sufficient information and/or inaccurate food web.	Somewhat sloppy, has sufficient information, but many inaccuracies.	Generally neat in appearance, obviously time was spent on the project. Information is sufficient in quantity and is mostly accurate.	Very neat and well done. Obvious that a lot of work was put into the poster. The amount if info. is exceptional and accurate.
Cooperative Group Work	Would not work with other team members and had a bad attitude. Was never prepared for team meetings. Refused to equally contribute.	Worked some with the team members and had a decent attitude. Was occasionally prepared for team meetings. Contributed to project only when assigned tasks by other team members.	Worked well with team members and had a fine attitude. Was usually prepared for team meetings. Contributed equally on project.	Worked exceptionally well with team members and had a positive attitude. Was always prepared for team meetings. Enthusiastically contributed to the project.
Final Score

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