SAMPLE LESSON
TITLE: The Story in Color!
OVERVIEW: Using the La
Parguera Land Cover maps for three
different dates, covering approximately 67 years, students will discover the
major changes in habitat types for a selected site.
SUBJECT AREA: Environmental Science
GRADE LEVEL: Middle school
OBJECTIVES:
To identify habitat
patterns and develop habitat appreciation.
To
use modeling in explanation of habitat change.
To
differentiate between habitat types.
To
recognize selected patterns illustrated in designated images.
To
understand the processes involved in habitat change.
CROSS CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS: Geography, Earth Science, Life Science, Mathematics
PROCESS SKILLS: Observing, communicating, comparing, inferring, classifying
TIME: Teacher Preparation-One Hour
Class time-two 50 minute class periods
MATERIALS:
Teacher: Background
information
Photo Essay
Skill 1: Map Use, Element 3 Classification of Wetland and
Skill 3: Visual Recognition, Element 1 Comparison of Land Cover
Maps
Student:
Land Cover maps: 1936, 1991,
and 2004
color classification scheme
colored pencils
PROCEDURE:
1.
Students should brainstorm the definition of wetlands and their benefits.
2.
Class discussion
of wetland types should follow to identify the students’ expectations of what
plants and animals are found in various types of wetlands.
3. The photo essay should be shown to confirm or direct student responses and introduce the Habitat classification scheme and Land Cover maps.
4.
Following
distribution of the color scheme, students should begin their exploration of the
site’s habitats by the coloration process.
NOTE: Students may do each map by themselves or in
cooperative groups. If there are
time constraints each student may be assigned the task of coloring one
particular year.
5. After completion of the coloring process, comparisons between the land cover maps should be made by the student group.
6.
Class discussion and question
wrap-up.
ASSESSMENT:
Student group work should be
monitored.
Completed colored images should be evaluated.
A student generated chart to illustrate percent of change for selected
habitat types
should be made.
REFERENCES:
Geography and GIS Sites
www.frw.tuu.nl:80/nicegeo
GIS in Education
danet.wicip.org/gisedu
First National Conference on
the Education Applications of Geographic Information
Systems (EdGIS) Report.
(1955).
Looking at Earth.
(1996). Priscilla Strain &
Frederick Engle.