Image From: http://midnightcafe. files. wordpress Friday, March 12, 2010

‘Planet Earth’ at a Glance

What is ‘Planet Earth’? “The series takes the viewer from the Earth's most remote mountaintops to the deepest oceans and includes everything in between. Camera crews spent over five years filming the series, which captures rare footage of several animals in their natural habitats, including stunning footage of snow leopards hunting on the treacherous slopes of the Himalayas” (Discovery Channel Planet Earth Series, 2009)

The ‘Plant Earth’ Series Focuses on ... Great Plains Jungles Freshwater Forests Caves Pole to Pole Mountains Deep Ocean Deserts Ice Worlds Shallow Seas

Curriculum Link to ‘Planet Earth’ Grade 11, University Biology (SBI3U) Strand B: Diversity of Living Things Overall Expectations B1. Analyse the effects of various human activities on the diversity of living things B2. Investigate, through laboratory and/or field activities or through simulations, the principles of scientific classification, using appropriate sampling and classification techniques B3. Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of living organisms in terms of the principles of taxonomy and phylogeny

Curriculum Link to ‘Planet Earth’ Grade 11, University Biology (SBI3U) Strand C: Evolution Overall Expectations C2. Investigate evolutionary processes, and analyse scientific evidence that supports the theory of evolution C3. Demonstrate an understanding of the theory of evolution, the evidence that supports it, and some of the mechanisms by which it occurs Specific Expectation C1.2. Evaluate the possible impact of an environmental change on natural selection and on the vulnerability of species

Curriculum Link to ‘Planet Earth’ Grade 11, College Biology (SBI3C) Strand F: Plants in the Natural Environment Overall Expectations F1. Analyse the roles of plants in ecosystems, and assess the impact of human activities on the balance of plants within those ecosystems F2. Investigate some of the factors that affect plant growth F3. Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and physiology of plants and their role in the natural environment

Relevance to students ... Diversity of Living Things Learn how human activities, for example deforestation & oil spills, affect the biodiversity, habitat & population of mammals Look at how the effects of climate change, for example changing rainfall levels, impact the diversity of living things Understand & explain the importance of biodiversity in relation to conserving viable ecosystems

Relevance to students ... Evolution We, as humans, have evolved, therefore, learning how evolution has taken place & how we have evolved is important When watching the ‘Planet Earth’ series, how have species of animals and plants evolved to adapt (and continue to evolve/adapt) to changing environments (i.e. Climate), and how have they evolved in terms of natural selection, habitat, food consumption (i.e. Evolved from a herbivore to an omnivore), & defence mechanisms

Relevance to students ... Plants Gain an understanding of the physical structure of & physiology of plants & how these components may differ between species & regions Learn what role/affect plants have for the survival of mammals

‘ ‘Planet Earth’ Mission ... Part 1 It’s field trip time to the Canadian Museum of Nature to see ... Special Exhibition Green Legacy – a look at Canadian plants Galleries currently on display: Fossil Gallery Canadian Mammals Gallery Canadian Birds Gallery ** Students will complete a worksheet in which they will have to answer questions specific to the Special Exhibition and each of the galleries.

‘Planet Earth’ Mission ... Part 2 In groups of 2-3, select one overarching theme from the ‘Planet Earth’ series Select one specific topic from the overarching theme to research, looking at ecosystems, diversity, mammals & their survival mechanisms, & plants. Predict how your topic may/will be affected by climate change. Research will be presented in the form of a podcast (with photos) or a video of 2-3 minutes in length

References Canadian Museum of Nature. (2010). Retrieved March 9, 2010 from http://nature.ca/nature_e.cfm. Discovery Channel (2010). Planet Earth: TV Series. Retrieved March 8, 2010 from http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planet- earth/planet-earth.html. Discovery Channel Planet Earth Series (2009). Retrieved March 8, 2010 from http://www.planetearthseries.com/. YouTube – BBC Planet Earth. Posted December 14, 2007. Retrieved March 8, 2010 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba-nwG7Xu50.