wipAdirondack Curriculum Project - www.adkcurriculumproject.org
NYS Content Area Standard

MST 4. Science



 Title: Why "hitch-hiking" can be Dangerous
Grade Level: 3rd

Author: Sarah Bencze,
Tupper Lake CS

Email: sarahb@tupperlakecsd.net
 Adirondack Curriculum Content Area
_X_ Natural History
___ Human History
___ Culture & the Arts
___ Government & Civics
___ Economy
_X_ Health, Recreation & Life Skills

Investigative Question or Issue: What happens when a "hitchiker" on a motorboat propellor misses its ride and stays in a new body of water?

Challenge:  
Context for this challenge: In preparation for this challenge, the teacher will want to ensure the availability of all materials necessary to construct the product described. The teacher will want to choose whether to present this challenge at the beginning of a unit on invasive species (thereby having the creation of the puppet show drive the investigation/study) or at the end of the unit (thereby having the creation of the puppet show act as a culminating/summarizing event for the unit).

The Challenge:
In teams of three or four create scenery, puppets, and script for an engaging, informatve, & easy to understand puppet show that illustrates what can happen when a milfoil fragment hitches a ride on a motorboat propellor and is relocated to a different body of water in the Adirondacks where milfoil has not grown previously.

Be sure your puppet show includes the following elements:
  • Scenery includes two bodies of water both located in the Adirondacks
  • One element of scenery illustrates the condition of a body of water with a "balanced" ecosystem before the introduction of milfoi (i.e. shows the variety of plant & animal life, water clarity and cleanliness, & the role of  non-living components in the system)
  • A second element of scenery illustrates how the balance of the ecosytem in a body of water where milfoil had not grown previously might be changed after its introduction.  This includes showing what the milfoil looks like and how it multiplies.
  • The story line of the puppet show describes how the milfoil fragment is able to "hitchhike" via motorboat propeller from the body of water with milfoil to a body of water without previously growing milfoil
  • The story line of the puppet show describes how the  invasion of the milfoil into a new body of water might have been prevented
  • The story line of the puppet show describes what can be done after the invasion of milfoil has taken place.

All members of the production team should be prepared to answer any questions about the information they provide in the show.

Quality Standards:

Puppet Show
  • The show is engaging - encourages audience to watch & respond
  • The show is informative - information communicated is accurate and relevant
  • The show is easy to understand - an audience of peers can correctly answer questions about the content of the show
  • Scenery includes two bodies of water both located in the Adirondacks
  • One element of scenery illustrates the condition of a body of water with a "balanced" ecosystem before the introduction of milfoi (i.e. shows the variety of plant & animal life, water clarity and cleanliness, & the role of  non-living components in the system)
  • A second element of scenery illustrates how the balance of the ecosytem in a body of water where milfoil had not grown previously might be changed after its introduction.  This includes showing what the milfoil looks like and how it multiplies.
  • The story line of the puppet show describes how the milfoil fragment is able to "hitchhike" via motorboat propeller from the body of water with milfoil to a body of water without previously growing milfoil
  • The story line of the puppet show describes how the  invasion of the milfoil into a new body of water might have been prevented
  • The story line of the puppet show describes what can be done after the invasion of milfoil has taken place.
  • All members of the production team can adequatey answer any questions about the information they provide in the show.
Adapted for the Adirondack Curriculum Project from the work of Education By Design TM and Leading EDGE, LLC ©ACP 2002

   Product Quality
Checklist
Date: ________                                                                     Class Period: ________
Product Author(s):

 
Why "Hitch-hiking" can be Dangerous
Evaluator Name(s)
 
 Observed Standard/Criteria
Possible
Points
Rating
  The show is engaging - encourages audience to watch & respond  5
  
  The show is informative - information communicated is accurate and relevant 5  
  The show is easy to understand - an audience of peers can correctly answer questions about the content of the show 10
  
  Scenery includes two bodies of water both located in the Adirondacks 10
  
  One element of scenery illustrates the condition of a body of water with a "balanced" ecosystem before the introduction of milfoil (i.e. shows the variety of plant & animal life, water clarity and cleanliness, & the role of  non-living components in the system) 10
 

A second element of scenery illustrates how the balance of the ecosytem in a body of water where milfoil had not grown previously might be changed after its introduction.  This includes showing what the milfoil looks like and how it multiplies  10  

The story line of the puppet show describes how the milfoil fragment is able to "hitchhike" via motorboat propeller from the body of water with milfoil to a body of water without previously growing milfoil 10

The story line of the puppet show describes how the  invasion of the milfoil into a new body of water might have been prevented 10

The story line of the puppet show describes what can be done after the invasion of milfoil has taken place. 10

All members of the production team can adequatey answer any questions about the information they provide in the show. 20








 
TOTALS
  100  

bri Product of the 2008 ACP Biodiversity Workshop, funded by a grant from the New York Biodiversity Research Institute.
Comments: Students will definitely need guidance with creating the script after a unit on invasive species.