Survivor: The Galapagos Islands?

Last updated on February 2002. Based on a template from The Web Quest Page

 Introduction

The fragile ecology of the Galapagos Islands is being threatened by outside forces. The survival of the unusual wildlife that once thrived on these Islands is at risk. Something must be done to protect these strange animals that only live in this part of the world.

You have been chosen as a member of a special team of biologists. You are being sent to the Galapagos Islands to study the wildlife and determine the factors endangering their survival. 

Please help! You are the Galapagos Islands only hope! Help them survive!

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The Task

Your research will be guided by The Big6 Skills Information Problem Solving Approach.

Big6 #1 Task Definition
Determine a purpose and need for information. What am I supposed to do? Brainstorm a list of questions about the topic.

Your mission is to study the Galapagos Islands and determine the conditions threatening the wildlife. Your team needs to report on how these factors impact negatively on the well being of the animals indigenous to the Galapagos Islands.

As a team, you will write a brief report about the endangered animals and the conditions threatening the Galapagos Islands' wildlife.

You will recommend solutions to protect them from possible extinction.

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The Process

Big6 #2 Information Seeking Strategies
Determine the best resources to find the information you need.
Big6 #3 Location & Access of Information
Locate the resources and access the information within them.
Big6 #4 Use of Information
How will I record the information that I find?
Cover - Student's Research Notes
#1 Location and Climate of the Galapagos Islands
#2 Galapagos Background Notes
#3 Animal Fact Sheet
#4 Environmental Data
#5 Research Report on The Galapagos Islands
#6 Bibliography - How will I give credit to my sources?

To accomplish the task, you will need to do the following:

1) Choose a partner to work with you (your teacher may help do this for you). Write your name on the Research Notes packet provided.

2) Go to Encarta Atlas and locate the Galapagos Islands. Zoom out until you can answer the questions on page #1 of your research packet.

                  #1 Location and Climate of the Galapagos Islands

                3) Go to World Book Encyclopedia and read background information about the 
              Galapagos Islands. Use this information to answer the questions 1-7,
              in complete sentences, on page #2 of your research packet. 

                #2 Galapagos Background Notes

4) Go to Charles Darwin’s Diary, (Note: This is a primary source) read what Darwin wrote in his journal on September 17^th and other entries of your choice. Answer question 8 on page #2 of your research packet.

               #2 Galapagos Background Notes

5) Go to Yahooligans and enter the keyword Galapagos in the search screen. Choose sites that have information about the following animals:

o Galapagos Fur Seal

o Giant Tortoise

o Galapagos Island Iguana
      

(Note: You might have to hit next matches before you find information on certain animals).

Copy and paste pictures of the animals onto a blank Microsoft Word Document and type the following as your title, How can the Galapagos Islands’ Wildlife be Protected? Then give your document the file name: Galapagos cover. Save it into a folder labeled Galapagos on your H: drive for future use. This will eventually become the cover for your research report.

Using the sites, write notes about why these animals are endangered on page #3 of your research packet. Please be sure to paraphrase the information, rather than copying it down verbatim (word for word). Use complete sentences when answering the questions.

Find additional information about the animals in at least two other sources (i.e. World Book Encyclopedia, Encarta Encyclopedia, Eyewitness Nature, SIRS and/or Yahoo Search.) and record it on page #3 of your research note packet.

#3 Animal Fact Sheet

6) Go to Treasures of Evolution Island and scroll down to the heading Nasty History, Nasty Menu. Beginning with the third paragraph, read to the end of the page. Answer questions 1 and 2 on page #4 of your research packet.

            #4 Environmental Data

7) Go to Galapagos Oil Spill and read the Time for Kids article about the oil spill affecting the Galapagos Islands. Answer questions 3-6 on page #4 of your research packet

 

Research Report

Big6 # 5 Synthesis
How will I present the results of my research from a variety of resources.

Before writing your research report, check to see that you have completed the following:

 Locate the Galapagos Islands and surrounding countries on a world map.

Familiarize yourself with the history of the Galapagos Islands.

Research three endangered Galapagos Island animals.

  Determine the conditions threatening the wildlife and explain how these factors impact negatively on their well being.

 Record research notes about your findings.

        You are now ready to write your research findings on the conditions threatening the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. Follow the Baker-Keyhole essay outline. Use page #5 of your research packet as a guide for writing the paper.

        #5 Research Report on The Galapagos Islands

       Presentation to Others

          Before presenting your research report, check to see that you have  
       completed the following:

 Write a brief report about the endangered animals and conditions threatening the Galapagos Islands’ wildlife

 Recommend solutions for the survival of the animals

 Select one of the following ways to present your solution.

1. Produce a poster to encourage others to help save an endangered animal of the Galapagos Islands.

2. Create a Web Page on Microsoft Word or FrontPage to encourage others to help you save an endangered animal of the Galapagos Islands.

3. Create fliers on Creative Writer to save the Galapagos Islands’ animals.

Evaluation

Big6 #6 Evaluation
Your research report will be graded using the rubric below. Please read it carefully so you know what is expected of you.

RESEARCH REPORT RUBRIC

CRITERIA

NOVICE

APPRENTICE

PROFICIENT

DISTINGUISHED