The Balancing Act: Expedition Kick-Off
The 7th grade science teachers are excited to kick-off the science side of our expedition.
Mission of the Expedition
In this expedition students will explore the delicate world of ecology and answer the question:
"How do we balance human needs with those of the environment?"
This will be an interdisciplinary expedition. This means you will be studying about topics related to the guiding question above in both your science and humanities classes. In science, the focus will be on ecosystems. First we will learn about how ecosystems work and how a change in one part of an ecosystem affects other parts.
In Case Study #1, we will take a deep dive into the world of the honey bee. You will get a taste of what is troubling the honey bee in part-2 of this kick-off
In Case Study #2, we will be learning about the nitrogen cycle and how it is out of balance in the farm lands surrounding the Salton Sea. You will be evaluating solutions to repair the ecosystem of the sea.
Product: Like to eat? Like to cook? The product that you create on the science side of this expedition will be a scientific recipe designed to educate our community about how their food choices impact the ecosystems around the world. Get ready to learn more about ecosystems than you ever thought possible!
Part-1: Ecosystems
What is an Ecosystem?
Exhibit-1
Click on the video to the left to learn about ecosystems. After you watch the video, answer the question in your Tour Guide Document for Exhibit-1.
How Ecosystems Reach Equilibrium
Exhibit-2:
Watch the video and explore the feedback loop in real time in the game below.
So you wanna be a park ranger? Think it's easy? Try for yourself.
Exhibit-3: Play the game Ecokingdoms and explore the difficulties of balancing the needs of people, the environment, and money alike.
Optional Exhibits #5-#9
Skip these for now, if you finish the Kick-Off exploration early, you can return to these links for more information.
Exhibit-5
Exhibit-6
Exhibit-7
Exhibit-8
It's not all doom and gloom. Watch this video to learn about how 1 man restored a huge piece of land in Texas back to its natural glory.
Ecosystem Restoration
Exhibit-9
Do you need a "happy" ecosystem story? Watch this video!
Part-2: Honey Bees!
Exhibit-10
Watch this short video to learn about the plight of bees.
Click the bee
Exhibit-11
Infographic: Bee's toxic Problem
Click the image of the bee
OptionalExhibit-12
OptionalExhibit-13
Gallery of Images related to bee keeping.
Click the smoker to get to slide show.
Exhibit-14: Whole Foods market --- With and Without Bees
With Bees
Without Bees
Look at the images above. What changed from picture 1 to picture 2?
Read Article #1 by clicking on the word "Article"
Be sure to record your thoughts in your Tour Guide Doc.
Honey Bees under a microscope
The honey bee worker has a number of fascinating features on the microscopic scale that enable it to fulfil its role in the bee colony. It's preferable to study these features 'hands-on' using live or preserved specimens of the worker, but we aren't going to mail you any bees, so check out these links below.
Optional Exhibit-15: Click on the link above to see different parts of a honeybee under a microscope. When you click on a red number, an image opens in your browser.
Optional Exhibit-16: After you explore the anatomy of a honeybee, try this matching game. (Click on the image to play)
Part-3: The Salton Sea
Miracle in the Dessert
Exhibit-17: Check-out this dessert oasis! This is a promotional video from the 60's Want to go back in time to visit? Click on the image for a link to a video in EdPuzzle
An Ecosystem Collapse
Exhibit-18: Learn what is harming the Salton Sea.
Don't forget to answer the questions in your Tour Guide Doc
Asthma rates for children in California.
Exhibit-19
The Salton Sea is located in the desert of Imperial County, California just outside Coachella.
Look at the line graph. What jumps out at you? What questions do you have? Record your answers in your Tour Guide Doc.
Exhibit-20: No only are the fish and birds of the Salton Sea suffering form the ecosystem collapse, humans are suffering too. In this expedition, you are going to play the role of ecologists to evaluate the plans that have been put forth to repair the ecosystems of the Salton Sea.
Saving the Salton Sea
Optional Exhibit #21
This link in the picture takes you to a video and article about what researchers are doing to save the Salton Sea.