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Evolving Ecosystems
Educator guide
(Adventure: North Atlantic)
What actions can we take to protect ecosystems?
What’s it all about?
Students join youth host, Anisha, and Boris Worm on an expedition in the Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy. Here, they’ll conduct a deep-dive exploration into the eating habits of everything from microscopic crustaceans to gigantic North American Right Whales, and use cutting-edge science to explore every oceanic link which binds them!
Estimated media time - 50m
Watch the trailer
Potential topics / Big ideas
Traditional Knowledge (Netukulimk)
Ecosystems
Food web and food chain
Species management and protection
Data collection and analysis
Patterns and trends (e.g. species behaviour, movement)
Stability and change (e.g., impacts of changes to habitat and food sources, shipping lanes and fishing practices)
Technology as a tool to improve marine research, collaborate, gather and analyse information
Competencies
Lines of inquiry
Evolving Ecosystems contains three lines of inquiry, each with a focus question. This guide describes all of the media in each line of inquiry by title, type, content and accompanying activity. We have provided estimated times for each activity. Note. As an inquiry-based learning platform, Ocean School is designed to allow students to choose their own path according to their crew’s (group) decisions. If you would like the students to follow a prescribed path, you will need to tell them where to go.
For more information, read about our approach to Inquiry based learning.
Take Action
The Take Action is the culminating activity in every module. Learners are asked to reflect about what they’ve learned and how they can put their learning into action. This activity is designed to support sustained inquiry, leadership and collaboration.
The Take Action is framed with a “call to action” from the youth host who poses the overarching module question and asks students to take action to answer it. In this case: What actions can we take to protect our ecosystems?
Below we have described the call to action and a handful ideas of actions or products.
Call to Action
What actions can we take to protect our ecosystems?
2m
Every ecosystem needs its defender! Whether it’s an ocean close to you, or a forest even closer, how can you change that ecosystem for the better? What small thing can YOU do, right now, to make a difference? Let us know how YOU make waves!
Activity
Take action planner: A template is provided with the call to action and questions to scaffold the planning of an action. Preview the planner here.
Ideas for actions and products
Get outside! Identify habitats that are threatened in the local area. Investigate and help to restore the habitat!
Create a product to share learning and build awareness among others -Infographics, podcasts, digital stories, social media campaign
Create a role play
Become a citizen scientist
KRILLER SOUP
What contributes to the health of a marine ecosystem?
In this line of inquiry: Awesome soup, Kkijinu Wtuoml: Grandmother's cooking pot, What's wrong with right whales, Grocery shopping for whales, A crustacean taste sensation
WHALE HELLO THERE
How do changes in the environment affect the ecosystem for right whales?
In this line of inquiry: Whale watching, Wiretapping for whales, Dive with Boris, Where's Whaledo
CHANGING COURSE
Why do the patterns and behaviours of marine life change?
In this line of inquiry: Finding phyto, Phytosurge, Uncharted waters, Current news: Right whales
Inquiry tools
How can we boost our inquiry skills?
An inquiry tool is a piece of media that explicitly targets inquiry skills building. Ocean School is designed to facilitate and build inquiry skills, such as asking great questions. Each of the inquiry tools has an accompanying educator guide with a lesson plan.