Habitat Heroes: Protecting Animal Homes Together

High School Grade

Project
7 weeks

Habitat Heroes: Protecting Animal Homes Together

Mark Hines

Purpose

Students will investigate animal habitats and the impact of human activities on these environments. Through hands-on projects, they will identify and propose solutions to real-world conservation challenges. By collaborating with community partners, students will gain insights from experts and apply their learning in meaningful ways, fostering a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship.

Learning goals

Students will investigate the concept of habitats and the various animals that inhabit them, focusing on understanding human impacts and devising solutions to environmental challenges. Through hands-on activities, students will engage in the writing process to articulate their findings and proposed solutions. Collaborative projects will foster teamwork as students create visual representations of habitats and participate in community-based conservation efforts.

Standards

NGSS - HS-LS2-7: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Products

Students will create individual shoebox dioramas representing the habitat of their chosen animal, accompanied by index cards detailing facts about the animal and its environment. They will collaboratively produce team habitat drawings in small groups, illustrating the diverse ecosystems studied. As a class, students will engage in sorting activities to categorize animals into their respective habitats. Additionally, students will write and refine essays that propose solutions to environmental issues affecting their chosen habitats, culminating in a published piece. The project will conclude with a community exhibition where students present their visual and written work, sharing insights on habitat preservation.

Launch

Kick off the project with an immersive experience by organizing a virtual or in-person tour of a local zoo or aquarium. During the tour, students can observe various animals in their habitats and engage in discussions with experts about habitat preservation. Follow up with a brainstorming session where students select an animal to research and identify a specific habitat-related problem, setting the stage for their individual and team projects.

Exhibition

Host a "Habitat Heroes Showcase" where students present their shoebox dioramas and team habitat drawings to peers, teachers, and community partners. Arrange for students to share their written solutions to habitat problems, highlighting their understanding of human impact and conservation efforts. Invite guest speakers from partner organizations to provide feedback and further insights, creating an engaging dialogue about real-world applications. Display visual art projects like murals in a dedicated space, allowing visitors to explore the diverse habitats and the students' creative expressions. Conclude with a reflection session where students discuss their learning journey and future actions they can take to protect animal habitats.

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Kick off the project with an engaging virtual tour of a local zoo or aquarium, focusing on observing different animal habitats and hearing from experts about habitat preservation.	Facilitate a class discussion to brainstorm the essential question: 'What can we do to protect animal habitats?' and allow students to share initial thoughts.	Guide students in selecting an animal they are interested in researching, ensuring a variety of habitats are covered.	Introduce the concept of habitats through interactive activities, such as matching animals to their correct habitats using digital tools or physical cards.	Have students start a research journal to document interesting facts about their chosen animal and its habitat.
Deliverables	1. Each student submits a research journal entry that includes the name of their chosen animal, its habitat, and at least one interesting fact about the animal.
Preparation	1. Arrange the virtual tour with the local zoo or aquarium, ensuring technology is set up for smooth delivery. 2. Prepare resources for the habitat matching activity, including digital tools or printed cards with images of animals and habitats. 3. Create a template for the research journal that students will use to document their findings. 4. Coordinate with the community partner to schedule a guest speaker session or provide resources on habitat conservation.

Week 2	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Introduce the concept of human impact on animal habitats through a class discussion, using examples from local or global contexts.	Divide students into small groups to research specific examples of human impact on their selected animal's habitat, focusing on identifying a particular problem.	Guide students to brainstorm potential solutions to the identified problems and document these ideas in their research journals.	Facilitate a peer review session where groups share their findings and solution ideas, providing and receiving constructive feedback.	Have students begin drafting a paragraph that describes the problem in their animal's habitat, incorporating feedback from the peer review.
Deliverables	1. Each group submits a research journal entry that includes a detailed description of a human impact problem in their chosen animal's habitat and initial solution ideas. 2. Each student drafts a paragraph describing the problem in their animal's habitat, ready for revision in the following week.
Preparation	1. Prepare a presentation with examples of human impacts on various habitats, including visuals and case studies. 2. Create guidelines and a template for peer review sessions to help students provide structured feedback. 3. Set up a digital forum or platform where students can share their research findings and receive peer feedback. 4. Coordinate with a local environmental group to provide resources or guest speaker videos on habitat conservation efforts and challenges.

Week 3	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Introduce the writing process by guiding students through brainstorming sessions to generate ideas on how to solve the problem in their animal's habitat. Encourage students to discuss and refine their ideas in small groups.	Facilitate a workshop on constructing clear and compelling arguments, focusing on how to effectively communicate solutions to environmental problems. Provide students with examples of strong, persuasive writing.	Have students begin drafting an essay that outlines their proposed solution to the habitat problem. Encourage them to include research data and facts from previous weeks to support their arguments.	Organize a session where students can collaborate in their small groups to design a visual representation (e.g., poster or digital infographic) of their proposed solution, incorporating key points from their essays.
Deliverables	1. Each student submits a draft of their essay proposing a solution to the habitat problem, incorporating feedback from group discussions. 2. Each group creates a visual representation of their proposed solution to the habitat problem, ready for peer review in the following week.
Preparation	1. Develop a workshop guide and resources for teaching the writing process, including brainstorming techniques and essay structuring tips. 2. Collect examples of effective persuasive writing to share with students. 3. Prepare materials and templates for the visual representation activity, ensuring students have access to digital tools or art supplies. 4. Coordinate with a local artist or art organization to provide input or guidance on creating impactful visual representations.

Week 4	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Conduct a peer review session where students exchange essays and visual representations from Week 3. Encourage detailed feedback focusing on clarity, feasibility of solutions, and effectiveness of communication.	Facilitate a revision workshop where students refine their essays and visual representations based on peer and teacher feedback. Provide guidance on enhancing arguments and improving visual impact.	Organize a guest speaker session with a local wildlife conservation expert to discuss real-world applications of proposed solutions and provide insights into habitat preservation practices.	Begin creating individual shoebox dioramas representing the habitats of their chosen animals, incorporating their proposed solutions to the identified problem.
Deliverables	1. Revised essay with improved arguments and solutions, incorporating feedback from the peer review session. 2. Updated visual representation of the proposed solution, ready for presentation in the following week. 3. Initial stages of the shoebox diorama, showcasing the chosen animal's habitat and proposed improvements.
Preparation	1. Prepare guidelines and rubrics for the peer review session to ensure constructive and focused feedback. 2. Organize materials and resources for the revision workshop, including access to digital tools or art supplies for refining visual representations. 3. Coordinate with the local wildlife conservation expert to schedule the guest speaker session and prepare relevant discussion topics. 4. Gather and distribute materials needed for the shoebox diorama activity, such as shoeboxes, art supplies, and habitat images.

Week 5	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Facilitate a collaborative session where students present their updated visual representations to small groups, receiving feedback that focuses on clarity, creativity, and the portrayal of the proposed solution.	Guide students in finalizing their shoebox dioramas, ensuring they incorporate realistic elements and clearly depict their chosen animals' habitats and the proposed solutions.	Organize a peer review gallery walk where students observe each other's dioramas and provide constructive feedback on the depiction of habitats and solutions.	Host a virtual or in-person guest speaker session with a local artist to discuss how art can be used to communicate environmental issues and inspire action.
Deliverables	1. Completed shoebox diorama that accurately represents the chosen animal's habitat and proposed solution. 2. Finalized visual representation that effectively communicates the proposed solution, incorporating feedback from the peer review.
Preparation	1. Set up the classroom for the collaborative and gallery walk sessions, ensuring space is available for displaying dioramas and visual representations. 2. Coordinate with the local artist to schedule and prepare for the guest speaker session, including discussion points on the role of art in environmental advocacy. 3. Ensure all materials and art supplies for diorama completion are available, such as glue, paints, habitat imagery, and miniature models. 4. Prepare guidelines and feedback forms for peer review to help students provide detailed and constructive critiques.

Week 6	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Facilitate a class session where students prepare for the Habitat Heroes Showcase by rehearsing their presentations. Encourage students to practice articulating their findings and proposed solutions clearly and confidently.	Organize a peer feedback session where students present their shoebox dioramas and visual representations to small groups for final feedback, focusing on the clarity of their solution and the accuracy of their habitat depiction.	Guide students in making any last-minute revisions to their essays, visual representations, and dioramas based on peer feedback, ensuring all components are polished and ready for exhibition.	Conduct a collaborative session where students work in their teams to finalize team habitat drawings, ensuring they accurately represent the ecosystems and include elements of human impact and proposed solutions.
Deliverables	1. Each student submits a finalized essay that clearly communicates their proposed solution to the habitat problem, incorporating all feedback received. 2. Each group submits a completed team habitat drawing that effectively represents the studied ecosystems and proposed solutions. 3. Finalized shoebox diorama and visual representation, ready for display during the Habitat Heroes Showcase.
Preparation	1. Prepare guidelines and a rubric for the class presentation rehearsal, focusing on clarity, engagement, and effective communication of solutions. 2. Set up the classroom for the peer feedback session, ensuring space for small group presentations and feedback exchanges. 3. Coordinate with community partners to confirm their attendance and participation in the upcoming Habitat Heroes Showcase. 4. Ensure all art supplies and materials are available for any final revisions to dioramas and visual representations.

Week 7	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Activities	Host the Habitat Heroes Showcase, where students present their shoebox dioramas, visual representations, essays, and team habitat drawings to peers, teachers, community partners, and family members.	Facilitate a reflection session where students discuss their learning journey, insights gained, and potential future actions to protect animal habitats.	Organize a class debrief to celebrate accomplishments, share feedback on the showcase experience, and discuss the real-world impact of their proposed solutions.
Deliverables	1. Presentation of each student's shoebox diorama and essay at the Habitat Heroes Showcase. 2. Final team habitat drawings displayed during the showcase.
Preparation	1. Coordinate logistics for the Habitat Heroes Showcase, including setting up presentation areas and arranging for technology needs. 2. Invite community partners, family members, and other classes to attend the showcase. 3. Prepare certificates or acknowledgments for students to celebrate their participation and achievements. 4. Organize refreshments and materials for the reflection session to create a welcoming and inclusive environment.