AlgonquinCollege

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Ottawa, Ontario

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(613)727-4723 ext.5138

Sustainability of Ecosystems – Grassland Biomes

Provided by OttawaCarletonDistrictSchool Board

Last updated: June 22, 2007

All pictures, maps and graphics associated with lesson plans are the property of Algonquin College, unless otherwise noted or linked. Statistical data and background information has been collected from the CIA World Factbook, public domain reference materials, and (where identified) external resources.

Curriculum and Lesson Plans have been created by partner School Boards [as identified]. These lesson plans and associated resources (photo, video, audio, etc.) are free for use to all teachers within the partner Boards in the delivery of the Ontario K-12 Curriculum. While every effort has been made to maintain the accuracy of the information provided, Algonquin College is not responsible for unintentional data entry errors or omissions.

If you would like to report any errors or corrections for lesson plans, or use copyrighted materials for purposes other than the Ontario Curriculum please contact:

Expedition Africa at (613)727-4723 ext. 5138 or email

Table of Contents

Summary of Lesson Plan

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

LESSON OBJECTIVES

MOTIVATION

BRACKGROUND REQUIRED

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5/6

MATERIALS

Feedback Page

Summary of Lesson Plan

Students engage in a comparison project between African Savanna Grasslands and Temperate grasslands of Canada.

This lesson plan may identify specific resources to support certain activities. While the expedition team will attempt to gather all the required resources, we cannot guarantee that all photo, audio, video will be captured as listed.

Small World Big Picture, Expedition Africa 2006

Subject Area: SNC2D/P

Unit: Sustainability of Ecosystems – Grassland Biomes

Length of Activity:6

Activity Number:2

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS

  • investigate factors that affect ecological systems and the consequences of changes in these factors
  • demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic nature of ecosystems, including the relationship between ecological balance and the sustainability of life

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

  • examine the factors (natural and external) that affect the survival and equilibrium of populations in an ecosystem (e.g., resource limits of an ecosystem, competing populations, bioaccumulation, selective decline)
  • examine the factors (natural and external) that affect the survival and equilibrium of populations in an ecosystem (e.g., resource limits of an ecosystem, competing populations, bioaccumulation, selective decline)
  • describe ways in which the relationships between living organisms and their ecosystems are viewed by other cultures
  • explain changes in popular views about the sustainability of ecosystems and humans’ responsibility in preserving them (e.g., the shift from a belief that all resources are inexhaustible to the belief that recycling, reusing, and reducing are important)

LESSON OBJECTIVES (Students will learn):

  • Students engage in a comparison project between African Savanna Grasslands and Temperate grasslands of Canada. This would best be conducted as a Small group collaborative activity
  • Student will investigate the special adaptations of specific Savanna species.
  • Students investigate an analogous animal in the Temperate Grasslands of Western Canada
  • Students create links between physical / behavioural characteristics and environmental factors
  • Students will have an opportunity to examine initiatives to preserve threatened ecosystems in the African Savanna (in particular, movements towards Ecotourism)
  • Students will study the seasonal distribution and migration of select Savanna species. A comparison with Migratory influences in North America will serve as a comparison

MOTIVATION (Hook):

  • VIDEO – Intro. to African Savanna – Introduction

BRACKGROUND REQUIRED

  • Knowledge of Biotic and Abiotic Factors
  • Knowledge of nutrient cycles

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

Day 1

  1. Introduction of project through SWBP Expedition Africa website.
  2. Students record information about typical species, climate, vegetation, and migration presented in the Video.
  3. Class discussion of the information presented in the video. At this point connect to world biomes. In particular, generate a list of similarities and differences between African Savanna (Tropical Grassland) and the Canadian Prairies (Temperate Grassland).

Day 2

  1. Generate groups of 6 students
  2. 3 students in each group will choose to research an animal found in the Savanna Biome and three will research analogous (e.g. fit in a similar trophic level)
  3. Begin Research – Each Student is responsible for documenting information on their physical regions along with their specific species

**Internet resources provided below

Day 3

  1. Research (con’t)

Day 4

  1. INSTRUCTION: Comparison of Savanna and Prairies. What are the Abiotic differences between these regions? How have these differences influenced the region?
  2. Brainstorm student ideas
  3. Focus – Tropical climate with Wet and Dry seasons vs a four season Temperate climate
  4. Focus – Climatic impacts of productivity
  5. Students work in small groups to compare the adaptations of Savanna and Prairie animal species.
  • Focus – Dry climate adaptations
  • Focus – Seasonal Adaptations (Hibernation vs Migration)

Day 5/6- Conservation Initiatives

  1. View SWPB Video/Audio link of Interview with Serengeti Conservation Officer. Students document information using the following headings…
  2. What issues are being faced by Savanna Lands?

-Physical

-Human

  • What initiatives are in place to address specific issues?

**The content of the student worksheet would need to be refined based on the specific content of the Video feed once it arrives

  1. INSTRUCTION: Conservation Issues in Canada’s Grasslands.

Focus Topics:

  • Issues in common
  • agriculture stress on land
  • drought
  • Species at risk – where did all the big animals go (this is a chance to discuss how economic value of certain animals (or parts of them) impacts their survivability (e.g. Western Bison) and why we still find analogous large animals in the African Savanna.
  • Role of Park Lands – Canadian Parks vs GameParks / Reserves in Africa

**Intro to Ecotourism

MATERIALS(Requirements):

VIDEO/Audio

  • Introduction to the Savanna Video Feed
  • Conservation Initiatives in the Savanna Feed

TECHNOLOGY/INTERNET

  • Map of Serengeti
  • Migratory maps of Serengeti migrations
  • General information on Grasslands (comparison of temperate and tropical (Savanna)
  • Serengeti Conservation

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Lesson Plan Title:

Grassland BiomesPage 1 of 6