One
of the benefits of a long-term project like Journey North is that
students can gain in-depth knowledge about a single topic or concept.
As they engage in the project over the course of a season, they
are able to collect and reflect on changing details, notice patterns,
uncover various examples of the same phenomena, consider ideas from
different angles, and routinely think about and hone their understanding.
As they do so, they develop a more coherent understanding and grasp
of underlying principles behind biological phenomena.
If
you want to help students build meaning from these many threads
during a Journey North study, first consider what topic(s) or concept(s)
are key to your teaching and learning goals. Take advantage of the
variety of entry points Journey North offers to help students develop
understanding over time: field observations, scientist reports,
lessons, discussions, and journaling suggestions. |
Journal
entries can be an ideal means of documenting thinking and observations
about a topic or concept. If you ask students to review and reflect
on journal entries throughout the season, and discuss their ideas
with you or peers, they will be better able to build understanding.
The
following lists represent sample teaching themes. Ask students to
post a theme on a page of their journals. These will serve as prompts
for routine journal entries throughout the season. |
-
Examples of habitat needs
-
Examples of habitat needs that you didn't expect
- Ways
an animal's habitat failed to meet its needs
- Questions
about habitat that scientists haven't answered
- Similarities
and differences between habitat on wintering grounds, migratory
routes, and breeding grounds
-
Ways humans and the animal compete for habitat
-
Your own new questions about an animal's habitat
-
Questions about the meaning of habitat
- Examples
of interdependent relationships
|
- Connections
between migration and climate
- Examples
of interdependent relationships
- Examples
of how climate change could affect this animal or its habitat
- Connections
between an animal's habitat and the seasons
- Connections
between migration and the weather
|