University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Bill Robertson, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, Teacher Education

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems The Scenario As a team, you are working for the Federal Parks and Wildlife Department and are managing an Arctic region. Many different animals live in the area in terrain defined by shrubs and other terrain known as tundra. Moose are an important food for subsistence hunting for the people who live in the area, and are hunted by predators in the area. As Wildlife Rangers in the Arctic, how would you control the distribution of a species, such as Moose, in a global change environment?

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Guiding questions In what way do animals need plants? In what way do plants interact with other plants? How do plants and animals depend on each other? Which living things need each other to survive? Can you describe in a few sentences the interdependency of organisms and the environment? Identify the nonliving components in the environment. What part do they play in the lives of living things?

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems The Task As a team, you will need to construct a drawing of relationships between animals and their environment on the map of today and fifty years from now. Draw the symbols of the animals that are now going to be living in the tundra biome and the shrub vegetation biome. Use arrows to show the connections between the first consumers and second consumers (and so on), so that you create a food chain of the animals of this region. Next to the animal symbol on both maps, specify if the animal is an herbivore, a carnivore, or an omnivore.

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Today’s View

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Fifty Years From Now

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Things You Need Information about Arctic animals Alaska tundra maps Colored pencils, pens or markers

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Terms Reorganization - species assemblages change Acclimation - species can change their physiology to better cope with different conditions Adaptation -genetic selection that can only occur between generations Migration - climate space of an animal changes it can move in to new areas

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Teams Begin to Work on Their Maps and Present and Explain Scenarios

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Pedagogical Practices To Employ in Classroom Inquiry-based learning Socratic questioning Brainstorming Cooperative Groups – Jigsaw, Scaffold, Think/Pair/Share Constructivism – Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate Guided facilitation strategies

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Constructivism Constructivism is a learning strategy that draws on students' existing knowledge, beliefs, and skills. With a constructivist approach, students synthesize new understanding from prior learning and new information. The constructivist teacher sets up problems and monitors student exploration, guides student inquiry, and promotes new patterns of thinking. Working mostly with raw data, primary sources, and interactive material, constructivist teaching asks students to work with their own data and learn to direct their own explorations. Ultimately, students begin to think of learning as accumulated, evolving knowledge. Constructivist approaches work well with learners of all ages, including adults.

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems The 5Es The 5 E's is an instructional model based on the constructivist approach to learning, which says that learners build or construct new ideas on top of their old ideas. The 5 E's can be used with students of all ages, including adults. Each of the 5 E's describes a phase of learning, and each phase begins with the letter "E": Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. The 5 E's allows students and teachers to experience common activities, to use and build on prior knowledge and experience, to construct meaning, and to continually assess their understanding of a concept.

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems The 5Es in this Lesson EngageExploreExplainElaborateEvaluate Hook Photos Video Real World Local Issues Inquiry Guiding ?s Criteria Cooperative Groups Facilitation Content Info Cards Definitions Scientific Presentation Primary Sources Deepen/Broaden Technology – Inspiration/PPT Underlying Connections Multidisciplinary Future Conditions Informal Discussions Collaborations Formal Answers Maps Presentations & Products using rubric

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Criteria - Rubric Knowledge - Knows and understands scientific terms, facts, concepts, principles, theories and methods Application - Applies scientific knowledge, skills and methods to manipulate, analyze, synthesize, create and evaluate Communication - Communicates scientific knowledge and applications through writing, speech, and visual displays

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Extensions Concept Mapping – Inspiration/Kidspiration Culminating Activity – use rubric to guide students over unit of study Integrated Product – PPT (example) presentation plus written position Other Ideas?

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems

University of Texas at El Paso, TX. USA Establishing Connections in Changing Systems Bill Robertson, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, Teacher Education Questions?