Birds of Prey affect you!!!

A WebQuest for 5th and 6th Grade Science

Introduction

Your future depends upon the status of raptors (birds of prey)!!!!!
The changes in raptor status can reveal harmful environmental changes. You will make a difference for these birds by forming a corporation to effect changes in your school. Your corporation will create a T-shirt, a brochure and gather student and community investors. This unit should take a minimum of two weeks (assuming classes meet daily for approximately 40 minutes.) Some homework is expected; this will take the form of the written reports and research. Extensions to the study of vertebrate anatomy and physiology, renewable and nonrenewable natural resources, ecosystems and succession can be made if the teacher desires.

A link to the National Science standards is provided here.

Task

Students, read on! After completing the tasks described below, you WILL make a difference in the lives of raptors!!

Your task is to create a plan to stop raptor habitat destruction.
You will begin by studying birds of prey (raptors) in your area.
Your group will form a corporation and select a name for it.
You will create a logo, develop a mission statement, and vision statement for your company.
You will advertise your corporation and its mission by creating a T-shirt.
You will create an agenda including a power point presentation and conduct a meeting to present your plan to your peers.
You will enlist the support of your school and local community to effect the changes you present to do your part to save raptor habitat.

Process

To save the raptors, you will need to understand them. Each team member will become an expert on his or her assigned raptor and its habit. Research will reveal the critical importance of these birds to us. Each corporation will include an expert in each raptor group. Once formed, the cooperative task of developing a plan to effect change will commence.

Students will submit an index card containing a prioritized list of their desired raptors.
Students will prepare a brief oral presentation indicating why they wish to study the selected raptors.
Based upon the presentation, the teacher will assign each student a raptor to investigate. An error-free, written report will be submitted on time.

Students will find the geographical area and migration patterns for their bird.
Students will locate a photograph of the bird and identify the food chain and extended food web that their bird is a part of.
Students will determine whether their raptor is on the endangered species list and the cause for this. (When in doubt, ask an expert!)
Each student is responsible for completing background research (complete this WebQuest) to understand why the health of raptor populations is significant to each student individually.

Your teacher will assign you to a cooperative group that will work together to form your corporation.
Your group will brainstorm what you have learned, what you find most interesting about raptors, and discuss the need to save them. Create a set of brainstorming rules to be followed by your group.- visit this site for assistance.
Find out how to create a logo.
Brainstorm again (see step number 5) to come up with a design that reflects the group's vision. You cannot do everything, but you can do something. Limit your ideas.
Brainstorm your group's vision. What are you most impassioned about? Do you want to focus on pesticide reduction, deforestation, etc.?

Decide on the important points to put in a bi-fold brochure. It must include your corporation's name, vision, mission statement, logo and a place for the recipient to respond if they want to help your corporation.
Create the brochure; your teacher will grade this and give the approval to create color, printable versions to distribute.
Create an image (it could be your logo) to place on a t-shirt. Purchase the iron - on transfers used with computer generated images to put your design on T-shirts . These will be worn at the meeting you hold to enlist your fellow student's and local community member's support for your project.
Optional and for extra credit, you may create and produce business cards.

Schedule a business meeting.

Meet with your teacher and/or principal to find a good time for your corporation to address the student group you are focussing on.
Once the date and time are selected, create posters to advertise the meeting.
Create an agenda for your meeting.
Once you know what you will present, begin work to design a Power Point presentation to convey your passion for raptors and desire to see their numbers protected. Include the specifics of the plan you are proposing and tell students what they can do to help be a part of the solution.
Your teacher will provide the students that attend the meeting with investment money (Frog Bucks were used at the author's school). Students viewing the presentation may purchase units of stock in your company.

Involve the student body at your school to undertake the task you have identified.

Advertise your plan and your accomplishments in local town newspapers.
Create extra T-shirts to send to local agencies that help rehabilitate raptors.
Make a difference!!

Evaluation

The grade for this project is based primarily on individual effort. Cooperative work is key to the process of developing the finished product.. Total score is 150 points.

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Task 1 Index card with choices submitted on time and in appropriate format.	Index card was submitted, but did not contain three choices.	Fewer than three prioritized choices were submitted.	Three prioritized choices were submitted on time.	Three prioritized choices included a statement of rationale.	10
Task 2 Oral presentation explaining rationale for desired raptor.	Student was not prepared on time, showed little enthusiasm or preparation.	Student was prepared on time; presentation was not rehearsed or in sufficient detail.	Clear and logical rationale presented; student read and did not present.	Excellent presentation, from memory, with passionate reasons for selection.	15
Task 3 Individual student investigation and report on assigned raptor	Of four parts; student did a marginal job of investigating less than three.	Student investigated all 4 parts in task three; depth is insufficient.	Written report is not error free, though complete in depth and extent (4 parts).	Error free, in depth investigation of all parts of task 3.	20
Task 4 Each student will prepare a list of brainstorming rules for the group.	Work submitted by student shows little effort.	Evidence of thought is shown; there is no indication that web sources have been researched.	Rules are thorough, and show that the student has read the information on assigned web sites.	Student has exceeded expectations; concise rules for brainstorming have been developed.	10
Task 5 The individual works well within his or her group - listening and giving input to brainstorming	Student does not listen to his or her peers, or is detached from group actives	Student is engaged, but expresses no qualitative input to assist the group effort	Student is passionate about the cause and creates a vision and mission statement that are effective and realistic	Student exceeds level 3 objectives by adding research completed on other work already completed	10
Tasks 6 & 7 Student research on creating a logo	Student makes vague guesses as to the content and nature of a logo.	Research is conducted (using the hyper links provided); no other substantive creative thought is generated.	Input is based upon research and reflective thinking.	Preliminary designs (mechanicals) are submitted to the group; discussion is lively and substantive.	20
Task 8 Group vision and mission statement and T-shirt	Students ideas are not developed into a rough draft stage. Student did not create a T-shirt.	Rough draft of one or two ideas is brought to the meeting, but quality is poor; product contains errors. T-shirt is poorly executed.	High quality, thougtful work is done, only one or two ideas are prepared. T-shirt shows care in preparation.	Preliminary ideas for brochure design and content are well prepared ; quality and color are evident. T-shirt is masterfully done.	20
Task 9 Meeting scheduled and advertised	Student is not helpful in scheduling, making posters or advertising the meeting.	Student creates one or two posters, but is not available to discuss meeting dates and times.	Student is involved and helpful in preparation of posters and meetings, but does not assume a leadership role.	Exemplary leadership beyond level three of the rubric.	15
Task 10 Leadership into action - do what you proposed; advertise your success!	No assistance given to the group in preparing advertisement or conducting the work proposed in the plan.	Minimal assistance, student attends few work sessions and is not helpful in advertising the plan.	Student is actively engaged in the work of the plan and writes advertising for local papers.	Active leadership role in guiding peers, company members and others to accomplish and advertise the outcome	30

Conclusion

Can one student make a difference? Did the saving of one raptor matter? Each student who undertakes this project will have to answer that question for himself or herself. I can say with authority that the work of one man, Bill Streeter, at the DVRC made a difference in my life and that of the students who have been involved in this project. If the health of our ecosystems is gauged by the status of the raptor opulations around us, then it is the job of the students we teach to act NOW. Bald eagles are just coming off the endangered species list - it took thirty years to accomplish this. The efforts began with one person caring enough to do something. Will you be that student?

Credits & References

This project has required investigation to a great deal of fine work completed by other whose passion is to save raptors. Thanks to Bill and Stephanie Streeter at the Delaware valley Raptor Center for their passion for raptors. Bill's presentation to my students at Zion Lutheran School was the spark that inspired this process. The presentation viewed at camp Koinonia was followed up with another by the Tenafly Nature Center.

Web references used

http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/noframe/b024.htm, 2/14/06
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/images/bald_eagle_eye_inset.jpg
http://www.northislandwildliferecoverycenter.org/gallery.htm
http://www.sciencecenterct.org/rbncpage/events/animals.html
http://thebirdguide.com/digiscoping/photos/golden_eagle.htm, 2/24/08
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/images/graphics/d-e/GoldenEagle004_032901A.jpg, 2/24/2008
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/spring2004/eagle/Update022504.html

Print References used
Hendrickson, John. Raptors: Birds of Prey. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1992.
Laubach, Christyna M., Rene' Laubach, and Charles W. G. Smith. Raptor: A Kid's Guide to Birds of prey. North Adams: Massachusetts. Storey Kids, 2002.
Penny, Malcolm. Birds of Prey New York, NY: Thomson Learning, 1996.

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Awards Received

Last updated Sat, 22 Feb 2008 02:23:52 GMT. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page