Populations & Ecosystems Scavenger Hunt

 

TIME IS SHORT!  Show your artistic, writing, and research skills to accomplish as many of these tasks as possible.  The research is up to you!  The maximum amount of points awarded is listed on the side.  Turn in your projects one at a time as you finish them so that they do not pile up!  The final deadline for ALL submissions is May 23rd.  Your goal is to get 100 points or more.  You may do as few or all as you would like, but remember this is your grade!  This is not extra credit, THIS IS AN ASSIGNMENT!

 

All work should be typed and/ or done as neatly as possible.  (Typed means 10 or 12 point font and single spaced) Please refer to the descriptions for actual details and requirements.  

 

Maximum Points

Description

Details and Requirements

5

Write a short report on DDT and how it poisoned birds and wildlife, and what was done to prevent use.

ü      Paragraphs must be typed.

ü      Include a Title

ü      Include reference information.

5 each

CURRENT Newspaper or Magazine Article:  Write a paragraph describing the importance of the article.  (No internet articles)

ü      Paragraphs must be typed.

ü      Include a Title

ü      Include article and article information.

15

Observe an animal over a period of two weeks. Make a chart to observe what it ate, activities, and behaviors.

ü      Paragraphs must be typed.

ü      Include a Title

ü      Include reference information.

ü      Pictures are bonus!

20 each per ecosystem

Create a poster of an endangered species in a specific ecosystem* and what is done to help them. 

ü      Minimum poster size (17”x 22”)

ü      Neatness Counts!

20

Design a poster that describes a variety of plants to treat pain and disease. Include where they are found and a picture of plant.

ü      Minimum poster size (17”x 22”)

ü      Neatness Counts!

ü      Minimum 3 plants

20 each

Write a 2 page report on any of the following biologists:

  • Sir Hans Adolf Krebs
  • Theodor Schwann
  • Mathias Schleiden
  • Anton Von Leeuwenhoek
  • Robert Hooke
  • Charles Darwin
  • Alexander Fleming
  • Margaret Mead

ü      Paper must be typed. (2)

ü      Include a Title (1)

ü      Include reference info. (2)

ü      Include BioPoem (5)

ü      Picture (2)

ü      Information directly from the internet will not count.  Must be in your own words; 300 words min. excluding biopoem(8)

25

 

Grow a plant and write about what you used, how it was maintained. Write about your plant and any uses for it.

ü      Include a Title

ü      Paragraphs must be typed

ü      150 words min.

ü      Need plant

30

 

Build a 3D diorama of any ecosystem* with all parts labeled. Include a key to describe what is present and why it is important to other organisms around it.

ü      Key must be typed.

ü      Include a Title

ü      Include reference information.

35

Make a woodland terrarium for small insects and/ or animals.  Include a key to describe what is present and why it is important to other organisms around it.  Also describe how to maintain it.

ü      Key must be typed if not on poster

ü      Include a Title

ü      If terrarium is too large, bring pictures in a journal fashion or poster.

40

Make an aquarium. Include a key to describe what is present and why it is important to other organisms around it.  Also describe how to maintain it.

ü      Key must be typed if not on poster

ü      Include a Title

ü      If aquarium is too large, bring pictures in a journal fashion or poster.

50

Visit a zoo, animal sanctuary, or botanical garden.  Write about your experience there, what you saw, and how different organisms live where they are. 

ü      Pictures a bonus.

ü      Must have ticket as proof of entry

ü      Minimum 5 points of interest

75

Insect Collection: A total of 25 insects.  Mounted on a poster board.  Neatness REALLY counts!

ü      Mounting: Glue or straight pin

ü       Notecards should include: Typical name, Scientific order, date caught, and place caught.

 

Tips:

ü       The easiest way to kill an insect without smooshing it, is to capture or place insect in a plastic drink bottle with a cotton ball with a little nail polish remover doused on the cotton ball.  The fumes will dry the insect up without curling it up too much or exposing its guts!  This will take only a few seconds. 

ü       Label insects right away and/ or store them in a safe place where they will not smoosh or get thrown away.

ü       Try to identify your insects right away, this way your research doesn’t pile up on you.

ü      See Mrs. Knipe’s website for past examples and additional info.

Notecard Example

House Fly

Diptera

3/18/07

Garage
 
Useful Insect Websites!

http://www.insectidentification.org/

http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/insctans/identification/

http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

http://www.ento.vt.edu/bughunt

http://www.ppdl.org/dd/id_host_location.html

http://www.ent.iastate.edu/list/directory/115

 

*Ecosystems: Tundra, Forest, Desert, Grassland, Ocean, Rainforest