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Ecosystem health

Aquatic Ecosystem Presentation Rubric

Submitted by gmri on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 11:20
in

Students choose an aquatic ecosystem in the state of Maine. After in depth research into the health of that ecosystem, students share their findings. This rubric and instruction sheet guide students as they work independently on their research.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
How should others reference your work?: 
C. Hotaling, Final Aquatic Ecosystem Presentation Rubric, Vital Signs Program, 1/3/12.
Documents
Documents: 
application/msword iconfinal_aquatic_ecosystem_presentation_rubric.doc

A Picture of Health: Human Health Continuum

Submitted by vitalteach on Fri, 05/06/2011 - 10:03
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Use A Picture of Health to prime students to think about what it means to be healthy. Before they tackle ecosystem health, students consider human health – a topic more familiar that they all have personal experience with. Students look at a set of photographs of people that show a range of health. They work together to arrange them along a continuum from healthy to unhealthy. They practice backing up their decisions with reasons and evidence, a skill they will use when assessing ecosystem health.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
Resources I used: 
Photos are from Flickr.com. All have a Creative Commons license.
How should others reference your work?: 
vitalteach, "A Picture of Health: Human Health Continuum," Vital Signs Program, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, April 2011
Documents
Documents: 
application/msword iconvs_human_health_continuum_042911.doc
application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation iconvs_humanhealth_continuum_photos_042911.pptx

Nesting Bird Game

Submitted by ashdog on Sat, 04/16/2011 - 15:45
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This is a fun game where participants explore habitat and nesting bird sites with regard to invasive species. Specifically, it addresses the competition between native birds and invasive bird species when it comes to habitat resources and predators.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
Resources I used: 
This is a game I learned from a friend/co worker. I adapted it to make it relevant for exploring invasive species and more. I am not sure of the origins of this game.
How should others reference your work?: 
Ashdog Nesting bird game Vital Signs Program 4/16/11
Documents
Documents: 
application/pdf iconnesting_bird_game.pdf

A Picture of Health: Ecosystem Health Continuum

Submitted by vitalteach on Tue, 10/26/2010 - 10:40
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The Ecosystem Health Continuum gets students playing and experimenting with their own understanding of and assessment criteria for determining ecosystem health. Students look at a series of photographs of ecosystems that show a range of health. They arrange them along a continuum from healthy to unhealthy, and practice backing up the claims they make using evidence.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
Resources I used: 
Human resources! *Photos are from the great Ruth Maclean of Portland's King Middle School! *The fun slide-moving idea is from the great Laura Seaver of Old Orchard Beach's Loranger Middle School
How should others reference your work?: 
vitalteach, "Ecosystem Health Continuum," Vital Signs Program, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, April 2011
Documents
Documents: 
application/msword iconvs_ecosystem_health_continuum_042911.doc
application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation iconvs_ecosystemhealth_continuum_photos_042911.pptx

Project Participation Rubric

Submitted by skistenmacher on Sat, 09/25/2010 - 05:44
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This rubric could be used by students to self-assess their work in a project.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
How should others reference your work?: 
SKistenmacher, Project Participation Rubric, Vital Signs Program, 9/25/2010
Documents
Documents: 
application/msword iconproject_participation_rubric.doc

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Maine, 2010

Submitted by vitalteach on Wed, 08/11/2010 - 13:49
in

This is a Google Earth map layer of the towns in Maine with official reports of invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. Data are from the Maine Forest Service (http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/HWAOverview.htm). Please note that the map markers are placed on the town name, and not on the exact location of the HWA infestations.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
Professional development
Resources I used: 
List of towns with HWA came from the MFS website - http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/HWAOverview.htm
How should others reference your work?: 
vitalteach, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Maine, 2010, Vital Signs Program, 08/06/10
Documents
Documents: 
application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml iconhemlock_woolly_adelgid_in_maine.kml

Putting Photos on Google Earth

Submitted by Jamien Jacobs on Fri, 06/25/2010 - 11:07
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Here is a site to help put your photos onto Google Earth.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
Resources I used: 
https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=panoramio&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.panoramio.com%2Fdo%2Fga_signin%3Fcontinue_url%3D%252Fupload&hl=en_US.utf8

Ecosystem Health: Checking the Vital Signs of a Maine Watershed

Submitted by vitalteach on Fri, 04/16/2010 - 09:06
in

How healthy are your local ecosystems? Students use a variety of health indicators to investigate and assess the health of a local upland, freshwater, or coastal system. They share conclusions and fresh ideas with local planners and resource managers in their communities, and report their findings more broadly to the scientific community through the Vital Signs website.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
How should others reference your work?: 
vitalteach, "Ecosystem Health: Checking the Vital Signs of a Maine Watershed," Vital Signs Program, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, April 2011
Documents
Documents: 
application/msword iconvs_ecosystem_health_unit_overview_042911.doc

Build a Watershed

Submitted by skistenmacher on Thu, 11/05/2009 - 14:57
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In this activity students use rocks and aluminum foil to construct a watershed.
Then they add pollutants (oil and manure) and observe how pollutants affect a watershed.
Finally, they add a wetlands (a sponge) to observe how wetlands can help to clean pollutants from a watershed.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
Documents
Documents: 
application/msword iconBuild a Watershed.doc

Ratatouille and Your Friend The Rat

Submitted by slittlefield on Thu, 11/05/2009 - 14:55
in

Disney and the invasive species connection. Four-By-Rat activity. This is an adaptation of the quick write / quick draw activity.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
Documents
Documents: 
application/msword icon4-rat.doc
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