GRADE LEVEL: 9-12

SUBJECT MATTER: Science

TIME ALLOTMENT: Two or three 45-minute class periods

OVERVIEW

In this lesson, students will use segments from Nature: Wild Balkans to explore the roles and interrelationships of organisms in the varied environments of the Balkan Peninsula. In the Introductory Activity, students will identify the Balkan Peninsula on a map and hypothesize what natural environments and wildlife might be present there. Students will use an interactive map to identify different regions of the Balkan Peninsula and the wildlife that resides in each region. In the Learning Activity, students will explore the regions of the Balkan Peninsula in more depth by viewing and discussing segments from the episode. Students will explore the habitats and wildlife of each region and the ways in which species collaborate and compete, as well as the role of humans in these environments. In the Culminating Activity, students will explore one species in depth and create a 3-D diorama or computer-generated simulation of the species in its environment. Students will discuss their projects with the class.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

• Describe at least three different habitats in the Balkan Peninsula and the species that reside in each.
• Explain how species cooperate and compete within an ecosystem.
• Describe the roles that humans play in the Balkan Peninsula.
• Discuss one species in depth, including its preferred habitat and how it cooperates and/or competes with other species.

STANDARDS

National Science Education Standards

Grades 9-12:

Content Standard C: Life Science
Fundamental concepts and principles that underlie this standard include:

• The Interdependence of Organisms
  • Organisms both cooperate and compete in ecosystems. The interrelationships and interdependencies of these organisms may generate ecosystems that are stable for hundreds or thousands of years.
  • Living organisms have the capacity to produce populations of infinite size, but environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension has profound effects on the interactions between organisms.
  • Human beings live within the world’s ecosystems. Increasingly, humans modify ecosystems as a result of population growth, technology, and consumption. Human destruction of habitats through direct harvesting, pollution, atmospheric changes, and other factors is threatening current global stability, and if not addressed, ecosystems will be irreversibly affected.
• The Behavior Of Organisms
  • Organisms have behavioral responses to internal changes and to external stimuli. Responses to external stimuli can result from interactions with the organism’s own species and others, as well as environmental changes; these responses either can be innate or learned. The broad patterns of behavior exhibited by animals have evolved to ensure reproductive success. Animals often live in unpredictable environments, and so their behavior must be flexible enough to deal with uncertainty and change. Plants also respond to stimuli.
  • Like other aspects of an organism’s biology, behaviors have evolved through natural selection. Behaviors often have an adaptive logic when viewed in terms of evolutionary principles.

MEDIA COMPONENTS

Nature: Wild Balkans, selected segments

• Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii)

A close look at the Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii), Europe’s most extensive wetland.

• Dobrudza

A look at the dry and stony region of Dobrudza.

• Durmitor

A look at the wildlife and terrain of Durmitor region of the Balkans.

• Kopacki Rit

A look at Kopacki Rit, one of Europe’s most extensive and important wetlands.

• Skadar Lake

A look at Skadar Lake, the largest lake in the Balkans.

• Tikves

A look at the terrain and the vultures & other inhabitants of the desolate, mountainous region of Tikves.

Access the streaming and downloadable video clips at the Video Segments Page.

Websites:

• Interactive Map: Wilderness of the Balkan Peninsula

This map on the Nature: Wild Balkans website highlights the different regions highlighted in the episode. This map is used in the Introductory Activity to provide an overview of the different regions of the Balkan Peninsula.

• Balkan Peninsula Map

This map features the countries of the Balkan Peninsula.

• Photo Gallery: Rare Animals of the Balkans

This page on the Nature: Wild Balkans website features images and descriptions of some of the Balkans’ rarest species. Students could use this as a resource in the Culminating Activity.

MATERIALS

For the class:

• Computers with internet access.
• Computer, projection screen and speakers (for class viewing of online/downloaded video segments).
• 1 copy of the “Regions of the Balkan Peninsula” answer key.

For each student:

• 1 copy of the “Regions of the Balkan Peninsula” student organizer.

PREP FOR TEACHERS

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and websites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer(s) or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark any websites that you plan to use in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.Print out one copy of the “Regions of the Balkan Peninsula” student organizer for each student.

Print out one copy of the “Regions of the Balkan Peninsula” answer key.

Proceed to ACTIVITIES

Excerpts from the NATURE episode, Wild Balkans.

Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii)
(View full post to see video)
Dobrudza
(View full post to see video)
Durmitor
(View full post to see video)
Kopacki Rit
(View full post to see video)
Skadar Lake
(View full post to see video)
Tikves
(View full post to see video)

1. Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii)
A close look at the Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii), Europe’s most extensive wetland.

2. Dobrudza
A look at the dry and stony region of Dobrudza.

3. Durmitor
A look at the wildlife and terrain of Durmitor region of the Balkans.

4. Kopacki Rit
A look at Kopacki Rit, one of Europe’s most extensive and important wetlands.

5. Skadar Lake
A look at Skadar Lake, the largest lake in the Balkans.

6. Tikves
A look at the terrain and the vultures & other inhabitants of the desolate, mountainous region of Tikves.

GRADE LEVEL: 5-8

TOPIC/SUBJECT MATTER: Life Science/Environmental Science

TIME ALLOTMENT: 1-2 45-minute class periods

OVERVIEW:

This lesson uses video segments from the NATURE film “Crash: A Tale of Two Species” to explore the interrelationship between the horseshoe crab and a small migratory bird called the red knot. Both species are in decline, and the red knot’s future, in particular, depends on the horseshoe crab making a comeback in the waters of the Delaware Bay.

Students will first be introduced to the horseshoe crab via a video segment, learning that the species’ longevity (350 million years) makes the horseshoe crab a “living fossil,” an anomaly in terms of the Earth’s species. They will view several other video segments to explore the interconnectedness between the horseshoe crab and the red knot, following the videos with a discussion of the reasons for the decline of each species. Students will fill out an exit ticket to assess their comprehension of these concepts. An optional additional video segment can be used to explore how humans have come to depend on horseshoe crabs as well (their blood, which evolved to have primitive antibacterial properties, is used to test intravenous drugs for contamination).

As a culminating activity, students will use an interactive online map to research endangered species in the region of the United States where they live. They will discuss the environmental changes that have led to the species’ decline (often of human origin) and will discuss the strategies being employed to prevent their extinction.

MEDIA RESOURCES

Video

NATURE: Crash: A Tale of Two Species (selected segments):

Clip 1: “The Living Fossil”

The horseshoe crab has survived for 350 million years.

Clip 2: “Horseshoe Crabs and Red Knots”

Horseshoe crabs are an essential source of nutrition for migrating birds.

Clip 3: “Protecting the Horseshoe Crab”

Measures have been undertaken to protect the horseshoe crab.

Clip 4: “Horseshoe Crabs and Humans”

The horseshoe crab has immense value to humans for its uses in medical technology.

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Web sites

Sierra Club Endangered Species Map

This interactive map provides information on key endangered species, including efforts currently being undertaken to protect them, in different regions of the United States.

Standards:

National Science Education Standards

LIFE SCIENCE: Content Standard C

As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of

• Diversity and adaptations of organisms
  • Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many generations. Species acquire many of their unique characteristics through biological adaptation, which involves the selection of naturally occurring variations in populations. Biological adaptations include changes in structures, behaviors, or physiology that enhance survival and reproductive success in a particular environment.

o        Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient to allow its survival. Fossils indicate that many organisms that lived long ago are extinct. Extinction of species is common; most of the species that have lived on the earth no longer exist.

As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop understanding of:

• The Interdependence of Organisms
  • Organisms both cooperate and compete in ecosystems. The interrelationships and interdependencies of these organisms may generate ecosystems that are stable for hundreds or thousands of years.
  • Living organisms have the capacity to produce populations of infinite size, but environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension has profound effects on the interactions between organisms.
  • Human beings live within the world’s ecosystems. Increasingly, humans modify ecosystems as a result of population growth, technology, and consumption. Human destruction of habitats through direct harvesting, pollution, atmospheric changes, and other factors is threatening current global stability, and if not addressed, ecosystems will be irreversibly affected.

SCIENCE IN PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES: Content Standard F

As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of

• Populations, Resources, and Environments
• When an area becomes overpopulated, the environment will become degraded due to the increased use of resources.
• Causes of environmental degradation and resource depletion vary from region to region and from country to country.

Materials

For each student:

• Endangered Relationships Exit Ticket (PDF) (RTF)

For each group of 3-4 students:

• One computer with broadband internet access

For the class:

• One computer for the teacher with a digital projection system

Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Describe characteristics of the horseshoe crab;
• Specify how “living fossils” like the horseshoe crab differ from most other species;
• Understand that over 99% of all species that have ever existed on earth are extinct;
• Name specific factors that can lead to species endangerment and extinction;
• List several strategies that can be undertaken by humans to protect endangered species;
• Provide at least one example of species interconnectedness: how the population decline of one species adversely affects another species.

Prep for Teachers

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and Web sites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Print and cut out a copy of the “Endangered Relationships Exit Ticket” for each student.

Next: Proceed to Activites

Excerpts from the NATURE episode “CRASH: A Tale of Two Species”

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

Clip 1: “The Living Fossil”

The horseshoe crab has survived for 350 million years.

Clip 2: “Horseshoe Crabs and Redknots”

Horseshoe crabs are an essential source of nutrition for migrating birds.

Clip 3: Protecting the Horseshoe crab

Measures have been undertaken to protect the horseshoe crab.

Clip 4: Horseshoe Crabs and Humans

The horseshoe crab has immense value to humans for its uses in medical technology.