Empires, Ecology, and a Changed World

Launch

Students will launch the investigation by testing early explanations for European expansion, gathering local biodiversity evidence, analyzing contrasting pre- and post-contact ecosystem records, and drafting their first evidence-based inquiry question in a research notebook.

Days 1 - 4

⚖️ Colonization Cause Courtroom - Nelson

Launch 50m

🌿 Campus Biodiversity Transect - Kumnick

Community Experience 50m

🗺️ Before-and-After Evidence Sort - Kumnick

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

📓 Investigation Question Checkpoint - Nelson

Assessment 45m

Curiosity Investigation

Students will investigate a puzzling set of ecological and historical evidence, generate a focused question, test possible explanations against multiple sources, and draft a hypothesis with a brief evidence-based rationale about how European colonization reshaped Earth systems and human activity.

Days 5 - 9

🗺️ Region Evidence Sort - Kumnick

Launch 50m

📚 Corroborating Maps and Sources - Nelson

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

❓ Investigation Question Workshop - Nelson

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

🗣️ Question and Hypothesis Critique - Nelson

Project Work 50m

📝 Hypothesis and Rationale Checkpoint - Nelson

Assessment 50m

Method & Evidence Plan

Students will refine a credible investigation method for comparing pre- and post-contact ecosystems and human systems, peer review each team’s approach, and build a traceable evidence tracker that links every developing claim to cited sources, ecological indicators, and planned representations.

Days 10 - 14

10 min over capacity (250 min available across 5 days)

Colonization Evidence Chain Builder

Project Work 55m

🗺️ Comparing Regions with Evidence Frames

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

📋 Evidence Tracker Build

Project Work 55m

🗣️ Method Critique Circle

Deliverable 50m

✅ Method Plan Gate

Assessment 50m

Collect And Document Data

Students will gather and document traceable ecosystem and historical evidence for their selected regions, compare pre- and post-contact conditions, and prepare organized records, summaries, and source-backed datasets for later modeling and exhibit design.

Days 15 - 19

🧭 Source Trail and Anomaly Log - Nelson

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

🗺️ Region Evidence Harvest - Nelson

Research 50m

📊 Biodiversity Tables to Trend Graphs - Kumnick

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

🧩 Evidence Tracker Critique Swap - Kumnick

Deliverable 50m

✅ Dataset Readiness Checkpoint - Kumnick

Assessment 50m

Model And Midpoint Check

Students will convert their collected ecological and historical evidence into a first computational representation, test whether their model shows defensible cause-and-effect relationships, and revise both their model and claim using structured peer critique and midpoint assessment feedback.

Days 20 - 24

🗺️ Earth Systems Model Patterns - Kumnick

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

💻 Draft Region Change Model - Both

Project Work 50m

🗣️ Midpoint Critique Circle - Nelson

Deliverable 50m

🖼️ Model Gallery Walk Revisions - Both

Project Work 55m

✅ Midpoint Model Defense - Both

Assessment 50m

Analyze And Present Findings

Students will finalize their analysis of colonization’s ecological and historical effects by testing claims against counterevidence, refining visual representations, and polishing exhibit materials for public sharing. They will use peer critique and milestone checks to strengthen accuracy, causation reasoning, and clarity before the showcase phase.

Days 25 - 29

📊 Evidence Patterns and Anomalies Board

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

🧭 Causation Test with Source Sets - Nelson

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

🗺️ Museum Panels and Data Visuals Draft - Both

Deliverable 50m

🗣️ Critique Circle for Exhibit Claims - Kumnick

Project Work 50m

✅ Polished Exhibit Set Checkpoint - Both

Assessment 50m

Showcase

Students will present their completed museum displays and showcase stations to an authentic audience, defend scientific and historical claims with evidence, gather visitor and peer feedback, and complete a final reflection on how their investigation changed their understanding of colonization’s lasting ecological and human impacts.

Days 30 - 32

🛠️ Exhibit Run-Through and Revisions - Both

Project Work 50m

🏛️ Earth Systems Museum Showcase - Both

Community Experience 50m

📝 Defended Claim and Learning Log - Both

Assessment 50m

Launch Days 1–4

Day 1

⚖️ Colonization Cause Courtroom - Nelson

Launch 50m

Day 2

🌿 Campus Biodiversity Transect - Kumnick

Community Experience 50m

Day 3

🗺️ Before-and-After Evidence Sort - Kumnick

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 4

📓 Investigation Question Checkpoint - Nelson

Assessment 45m

Curiosity Investigation Days 5–9

Day 5

🗺️ Region Evidence Sort - Kumnick

Launch 50m

Day 6

📚 Corroborating Maps and Sources - Nelson

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 7

❓ Investigation Question Workshop - Nelson

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 8

🗣️ Question and Hypothesis Critique - Nelson

Project Work 50m

Day 9

📝 Hypothesis and Rationale Checkpoint - Nelson

Assessment 50m

Method & Evidence Plan Days 10–14

Day 10

Colonization Evidence Chain Builder

Project Work 55m

Day 11

🗺️ Comparing Regions with Evidence Frames

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 12

📋 Evidence Tracker Build

Project Work 55m

Day 13

🗣️ Method Critique Circle

Deliverable 50m

Day 14

✅ Method Plan Gate

Assessment 50m

Collect And Document Data Days 15–19

Day 15

🧭 Source Trail and Anomaly Log - Nelson

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 16

🗺️ Region Evidence Harvest - Nelson

Research 50m

Day 17

📊 Biodiversity Tables to Trend Graphs - Kumnick

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 18

🧩 Evidence Tracker Critique Swap - Kumnick

Deliverable 50m

Day 19

✅ Dataset Readiness Checkpoint - Kumnick

Assessment 50m

Model And Midpoint Check Days 20–24

Day 20

🗺️ Earth Systems Model Patterns - Kumnick

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 21

💻 Draft Region Change Model - Both

Project Work 50m

Day 22

🗣️ Midpoint Critique Circle - Nelson

Deliverable 50m

Day 23

🖼️ Model Gallery Walk Revisions - Both

Project Work 55m

Day 24

✅ Midpoint Model Defense - Both

Assessment 50m

Analyze And Present Findings Days 25–29

Day 25

📊 Evidence Patterns and Anomalies Board

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 26

🧭 Causation Test with Source Sets - Nelson

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 27

🗺️ Museum Panels and Data Visuals Draft - Both

Deliverable 50m

Day 28

🗣️ Critique Circle for Exhibit Claims - Kumnick

Project Work 50m

Day 29

✅ Polished Exhibit Set Checkpoint - Both

Assessment 50m

Showcase Days 30–32

Day 30

🛠️ Exhibit Run-Through and Revisions - Both

Project Work 50m

Day 31

🏛️ Earth Systems Museum Showcase - Both

Community Experience 50m

Day 32

📝 Defended Claim and Learning Log - Both

Assessment 50m

September 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

21 Day 1

Launch

⚖️ Colonization Cause Courtroom - Nelson

22 Day 2

🌿 Campus Biodiversity Transect - Kumnick

23 Day 3

🗺️ Before-and-After Evidence Sort - Kumnick

24 Day 4

📓 Investigation Question Checkpoint - Nelson

28 Day 5

Curiosity Investigation

🗺️ Region Evidence Sort - Kumnick

29 Day 6

📚 Corroborating Maps and Sources - Nelson

30 Day 7

❓ Investigation Question Workshop - Nelson

1 Day 8

🗣️ Question and Hypothesis Critique - Nelson

October 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

5 Day 9

📝 Hypothesis and Rationale Checkpoint - Nelson

6 Day 10

Method & Evidence Plan

Colonization Evidence Chain Builder

7 Day 11

🗺️ Comparing Regions with Evidence Frames

8 Day 12

📋 Evidence Tracker Build

12 Day 13

🗣️ Method Critique Circle

13 Day 14

✅ Method Plan Gate

14 Day 15

Collect And Document Data

🧭 Source Trail and Anomaly Log - Nelson

15 Day 16

🗺️ Region Evidence Harvest - Nelson

19 Day 17

📊 Biodiversity Tables to Trend Graphs - Kumnick

20 Day 18

🧩 Evidence Tracker Critique Swap - Kumnick

21 Day 19

✅ Dataset Readiness Checkpoint - Kumnick

22 Day 20

Model And Midpoint Check

🗺️ Earth Systems Model Patterns - Kumnick

26 Day 21

💻 Draft Region Change Model - Both

27 Day 22

🗣️ Midpoint Critique Circle - Nelson

28 Day 23

🖼️ Model Gallery Walk Revisions - Both

29 Day 24

✅ Midpoint Model Defense - Both

November 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

2 Day 25

Analyze And Present Findings

📊 Evidence Patterns and Anomalies Board

3 Day 26

🧭 Causation Test with Source Sets - Nelson

4 Day 27

🗺️ Museum Panels and Data Visuals Draft - Both

5 Day 28

🗣️ Critique Circle for Exhibit Claims - Kumnick

9 Day 29

✅ Polished Exhibit Set Checkpoint - Both

10 Day 30

Showcase

🛠️ Exhibit Run-Through and Revisions - Both

11 Day 31

🏛️ Earth Systems Museum Showcase - Both

12 Day 32

📝 Defended Claim and Learning Log - Both