Ergonomics

You are the newly appointed Deputy Secretary of the Office of International Affairs, Department of the Interior (http://www.doi.gov/intl/) for President Barack Obama. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) is the primary conservation agency of the United States whose function is to maintain our country’s natural resources. Their Office of International Affairs is responsible for fulfilling international treaty obligations that deal with endangered species, wetlands, the protection of world cultural and natural heritage, and marine pollution, and providing technical assistance and scientific advice on wildlife, water, and other natural resources (e.g., water issues in Middle East peace talks), park management, and addressing environmental hazards (e.g., volcano and earthquake monitoring).

The President is embarking on a worldwide tour of diverse biomes. Since he is such a busy man, he needs you to provide him with a dossier (a file containing detailed records on a particular subject) on the biomes he is scheduled to visit. You must provide him with background information on the biome as well as any environmental issues concerning the biome. The President wants to know if there is anything that can be done to curtail these problems in the future. Be sure to give him some of your ideas. You and your staff will separate into five research teams and each team will research one of the following biomes: Forest (Temperate Deciduous and Rainforest), Desert, Prairie/Grassland, Tundra, Aquatic (Ocean and Freshwater - lakes and rivers.) You may present this information in the format that you find most effective whether it is a poster, a report, a scrapbook, a brochure, a powerpoint presentation, or some other method. You must also present your findings to the President and members of Congress, providing each with a one page summary.

The profile for the President must contain six components:

A. The physical make-up of the biome (abiotic)

B.   The plant life of the biome. (flora)
C.   The animal life of the biome. (fauna)
D.   A food web of plants and animals within the biome.
E.   The problems concerning your biome, how they occur, ways to curtail them, their impact on the organisms in the ecosystem.
F.   An oral presentation to the President and Congress summarizing your findings.

A. Physical make-up:

1. Topography (mountains, hills, major rivers, lakes, and etc.)
2. Substratum (soil, rock, permafrost, etc.)
3. Climate and Seasons (average precipitation, temperature, winds…)
4. Ecosystems within the biome.
5. Maps identifying where the biome occurs in the Western Hemisphere.
6. Human activity (mining, agriculture, major industries…)
7. History of the area (Settled by…, Site of first…, Covered by ice during…)
Physical make-up report – minimum of 2 pages.

B. Plants (flora):

1. Describe three plants stating characteristics and adaptations of each.
2. Include the common and scientific name of each plant.

Extra points for pictures of each plant included. If a picture of each plant is included place the common and scientific name above each picture.

C. Animals (fauna):

1. Describe five animals stating characteristics and adaptations of each. How do the adaptations allow each animal to survive in this biome?
2. Include the common and scientific name of each animal.
3. You must choose animals from different levels of a food chain.
example: Bark beetle American Toad Black Snake Redtailed Hawk
Extra points for pictures of each animal included. If a picture of each animal is included place the common and scientific name above each picture.

D. Food Web

1. Construct a food web using the plants and animals from your reports. Include other animals from the biome.
2. Be creative in the construction of your biome web. You may hand draw the organisms, cut them out from magazines, use Internet graphics, or use any other creative approach in depicting your food web.
3. There must be at least 5 plants and 8 animals in your food web.
4. DO NOT pick all carnivores!!!
Remember, you must have primary consumers before you move up the food chain.

E. Ecosystem Problems
    1. Summarize the ecological issues surrounding your region.
    2. Explain their history and occurrence.
      3. Effect on ecosystem and living organisms contained there.
      4. Possible methods used to control these damaging influences.
      5. Your recommendation to the president.
F. Oral Presentation

1. Each team member will present their part of the report.
2. The presentation must:

Describe the biome’s physical make-up.
Describe at least three plants found in the biome.
Describe at least two animals found within the biome.
Discuss and explain the food web.
Explain the conservation issues regarding the biome and what can be done to address them.

Resources

GRADE BASED ON POINTS EARNED: A: 23 - 28 B: 22 - 17 C: 16 - 11 D: 10 – 6 F: <6

Learning Standards:

5.1d The methods for obtaining nutrients vary among organisms. Producers, such as green plants, use light energy to make their food. Consumers, such as animals, take in energy-rich foods.

5.1e Herbivores obtain energy from plants. Carnivores obtain energy from animals.

Omnivores obtain energy from both plants and animals. Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, obtain energy by consuming wastes and/or dead organisms.

5.1g The survival of an organism depends on its ability to sense and respond to its external environment.

6.1a Energy flows through ecosystems in one direction, usually from the Sun, through producers to consumers and then to decomposers. This process may be visualized with food chains or energy pyramids.

6.1b Food webs identify feeding relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem.

6.1c Matter is transferred from one organism to another and between organisms and their physical environment. Water, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are examples of substances cycled between the living and nonliving environment.

Describe how living things, including humans, depend upon the living and nonliving environment for their survival.

7.1a A population consists of all individuals of a species that are found together at a given place and time. Populations living in one place form a community. The community and the physical factors with which it interacts compose an ecosystem.

7.1b Given adequate resources and no disease or predators, populations (including humans) increase. Lack of resources, habitat destruction, and other factors such as predation and climate limit the growth of certain populations in the ecosystem.

7.1c In all environments, organisms interact with one another in many ways. Relationships among organisms may be competitive, harmful, or beneficial. Some species have adapted to be dependent upon each other with the result that neither could survive without the other.

7.1e The environment may contain dangerous levels of substances (pollutants) that are harmful to organisms. Therefore, the good health of environments and individuals requires the monitoring of soil, air, and water, and taking steps to keep them safe. Describe the effects of environmental changes on humans and other populations.

7.2a In ecosystems, balance is the result of interactions between community members and their environment.

7.2b The environment may be altered through the activities of organisms. Alterations are sometimes abrupt. Some species may replace others over time, resulting in longterm gradual changes (ecological succession).

7.2c Overpopulation by any species impacts the environment due to the increased use of resources. Human activities can bring about environmental degradation through resource acquisition, urban growth, land-use decisions, waste disposal, etc.

7.2d Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have resulted in major pollution of air, water, and soil. Pollution has cumulative ecological effects such as acid rain, global warming, or ozone depletion. The survival of living things on our planet depends on the conservation and protection of Earth’s resources.

1.1. Listening and reading to acquire information and understanding involves collecting data, facts, and ideas; discovering relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written, and electronic sources.

1.2. Speaking and writing to acquire and transmit information requires asking probing and clarifying questions, interpreting information in one’s own words, applying information from one context to another, and presenting the information and interpretation clearly, concisely, and comprehensibly.

2.1 Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

2.3 Information technology can have positive and negative impacts on society, depending upon how it is used.

6.2. Models are simplified representations of objects, structures, or systems used in analysis, explanation, interpretation, or design.

7.1. The knowledge and skills of mathematics, science, and technology are used together to make informed decisions and solve problems, especially those relating to issues of science/technology/society, consumer decision making, design, and inquiry into phenomena.

7.2. Solving interdisciplinary problems involves a variety of skills and strategies, including effective work habits; gathering and processing information; generating and analyzing ideas; realizing ideas; making connections among the common themes of mathematics, science, and technology; and presenting results

Conclusion

Great job!! You have successfully provided our Commander in Chief with all of the information that he needs to effectively complete his journey. Your information on environmental issues regarding your assigned biome was clear and concise and brought all of the pertinent issues to his attention. Your hard work and efforts have succeeded in shining a light on the important issues that need to be addressed.

By listening to your colleague’s presentations, you have become aware of all other biomes - you should now be aware of the different plants and animals in them, the varying climates, how biotic and abiotic things positively and negatively affect the environment, and how we can help. You have raised awareness about the ecological concerns and conservation efforts in various areas and can take the necessary steps to ensure their continued existence.

	Points Possible	Points Awarded
Describe the biome’s physical make-up.	20
1. Topography (mountains, hills, major rivers, lakes, and etc.) 2. Substratum (soil, rock, permafrost, etc.) 3. Climate and Seasons (average precipitation, temperature, winds…) 4. Ecosystems within the biome. 5. Maps identifying where the biome occurs in the Western Hemisphere. 6. Human activity (mining, agriculture, major industries…) 7. History of the area (Settled by…, Site of first…, Covered by ice during…)
Describe at least three plants found in the biome.	20
1. Describe three plants stating characteristics and adaptations of each. 2. Include the common and scientific name of each plant.
Extra points for pictures of each plant included. If a picture of each plant is included place the common and scientific name above each picture.
Describe at least two animals found within the biome.	20
1. Describe five animals stating characteristics and adaptations of each. How do the adaptations allow each animal to survive in this biome
2. Include the common and scientific name of each animal. 3. You must choose animals from different levels of a food chain.
Extra points for pictures of each animal included. If a picture of each animal is included place the common and scientific name above each picture.
Discuss and explain the food web.	20
5 plants
3 animals
Not all carnivores
Creativity and presentation (neatness, use of color, punctuation, grammar, etc.)	20
TOTAL POINTS	100

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Knowledge of position (Supporting details)	Not sure of what your position is. Little or no supporting details.	Definite knowledge of position but few supporting details.	Definite knowledge of position with sufficient supporting details and a mix of general and specific examples.	Excellent knowledge of position citing mostly specific examples in defense of your position.
Analysis of the issue (Making inferences)	Little or no interpretation of data.	Interpretation of data is minimally developed and utilizes few supporting details.	Interpretation of data is well developed with adequate use of specific details.	Interpretation of data demonstrates a thorough understanding of the issue and its consequences and is supported by relevant specific details.
Punctuation, grammar and spelling	Very frequent errors which make the writing difficult to understand.	Frequent errors which make the writing difficult to understand.	Errors do not detract from understanding the writing.	Errors are infrequent, and writing is clear.
Teamwork	Rarely cooperates with team.	Occasionally cooperates with team.	Usually cooperates with team.	Almost always cooperates with team.
Oral Presentation	Information was read rather than presented and/or ideas not successfully conveyed to audience.	A combination of reading and presenting of information was used and/or ideas minimally conveyed to audience.	Most information was presented rather than read and ideas clearly conveyed to audience.	Strong presentation and outstanding communication of ideas to audience.
Visual	No visual, visual does not support your stance or visual is unappealing.	Visual is somewhat supportive of your stance but can be more visually appealing.	Visual is effective and does support your stance.	Excellent visual that completely supports your stance.
Summary Handout	Inadequate information supplied.	Some information provided but not clearly explained.	Research explained in detail in clearly understandable language.	Thoroughly researched and meticulously compiled. Comprehensive yet succinct.

World Biome Dossier

Introduction

The Task

Resources

Learning Standards:

Conclusion