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Overview:
An ecosystem exists when plants and animals interact with each other and their physical environment. This lesson will use the Eco-Cycle Station to introduce students to ecosystems in Hawaii, as well as the plants and animals that make up the ecosystems. Students will seek out the key animals and plants as they read about the ecosystems.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 8: "The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface"
Time:
Two hours
Materials Required:
- Computer(s) with Internet access
- Blank Xpeditions outline maps of Hawaii, one for each student
- Crayons or colored pencils
Objectives:
Students will
- define terms associated with ecosystems, including desert grassland, lava field, alpine desert, rain forests, coral reef, and open forest;
- define terms for elements that make up these ecosystems, including cattle, butterfly fish, lichens, ferns, observatories, nene goose, and feral pig; and
- locate Mauna Kea on a map of Hawaii and color in only the island on which it can be found.
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
Organizing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Distribute the outline maps of Hawaii to the class and explain that today you are going to discuss Hawaii. Create a list of facts students already know about Hawaii. Some responses might include references to the beach, the heat, surfing, volcanoes, pineapples, and flowers. Remind students that Hawaii is a chain of islands and explain that today, you are going to discuss Mauna Kea, which is on the largest island. Ask students to color in the big island on the map, after locating Mauna Kea.
Development:
As a class, visit Eco-Cycle Station. The first screen will explain what ecosystems are, but you can summarize for the class that one small area can have several ecosystems, or habitats. Just before clicking through the exhibit, ask students to listen for the following words and let them know that the words will be explained online, as they look for the photos in the correct ecosystem:
- Cattle
- Butterfly fish
- Lichens
- Ferns
- Observatories
- Nene goose
- Feral pig
Closing:
Ask students what would happen to the ecosystem if one of the elements were removed. For example, if there were no cattle, what would happen to the grassland? Does the grassland need the cattle, or do the cattle need the grass? Ask the students if any of the animals they have learned about remind them of animals that they know about that live in different ecosystems?
Suggested Student Assessment:
Working in pairs, ask students to send to the headmaster or principal the postcard that pops up at the end of virtual exhibit. In the postcard, have them pretend that they have visited one of the ecosystems. Ask them to explain what they saw, what the climate was like, and how it was different from their own habitat.
Extending the Lesson:
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