Lesson Objective:
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of exoplanets, create their own alien wildlife, and develop an alien ecosystem by applying knowledge of food webs and interdependencies.
Resources:
Slides: Google Slides Link
Title: Exploring Alien Ecosystems
Day 1:
Learning Objective: By the end of this session, students will be able to create their own alien wildlife and understand the concept of holistic science.
1. Introduction (10 minutes):
Welcome the students and introduce the topic of discovering and interpreting exoplanets.
Discuss the role of astronomy technology in understanding planets outside our solar system.
2. Understanding Alien Planets (15 minutes):
Describe the conditions on an alien planet based on scientific findings.
Emphasize the concept of holistic science and its relevance in studying ecosystems.
3. Creating Alien Wildlife (30 minutes):
Divide students into groups based on their assigned roles: Decomposer, Producer, Omnivore Consumer, and Herbivore Consumer.
Provide criteria for creating their alien wildlife, including a food source, a method of obtaining food, a name, and a holistic design.
Allow students to brainstorm and design their creatures within their groups.
Encourage creativity and remind them to think about how each element serves a purpose.
4. Homework Assignment (5 minutes):
Inform students that any incomplete work should be completed as homework.
Encourage them to finalize their creature designs based on the given criteria.
5. Inspiration from Earth (10 minutes):
Show real-life creatures on Earth that possess unusual or alien-like characteristics.
Discuss how nature on Earth can inspire their creativity and design choices.
Day 2:
Learning Objective: By the end of this session, students will be able to illustrate their alien creatures interacting within an ecosystem.
1. Review (5 minutes):
Recap the previous session's discussion on alien planets and the creation of alien wildlife.
2. Crafting the Alien Ecosystem (30 minutes)
Lead students in creating a food web based on their alien creatures, considering their roles as decomposers, producers, omnivore consumers, and herbivore consumers.
Encourage students to think about different biomes their creatures may inhabit, allowing for diverse ecosystems.
Provide guidance and support as they develop their food webs.
3. Drawing Scenes (20 minutes)
Instruct students to draw scenes from their alien ecosystem, showcasing the interactions between different creatures.
Show examples of dinosaur imagery reconstructed from fossils to inspire their artistic representations.
4. Collaboration (15 minutes)
Form new groups by selecting one student from each initial group.
Instruct the new groups to collectively draw their creatures interacting within an ecosystem, incorporating elements from each member's individual designs.
Encourage collaboration and creativity in merging different creature designs.
5. Conclusion (5 minutes):
Recap the activities of the day and the importance of understanding how creatures interact in an ecosystem.
Provide feedback and positive reinforcement for the students' creativity and effort.
Note: Adapt the timings mentioned based on the available class duration and the pace of your students.