You Be the Scientist!

Name______Date______Homeroom______YOU BE THE SCIENTIST! A Think Sheet

You will research, collaborate with other scientists, design and create a presentation, build a database, and participate in debates in this Unit! You can even help the world find answers to global warming.

A. First meet with other scientists at a scientific convention to discuss global warming. Your convention chairman will provide you with your assignments, this Think Sheet, and a rubric .

B. You will then meet with your assigned group of scientists. You must decide collectively which teammate will research each of the major ecological land communities (biomes) of Earth:

a. Taiga (coniferous forests) b. Tundra c. Temperature broadleaf deciduous forests d. Deserts e. Rain forests f. Grasslands

C. Once your team assignments have been made, use the following address to find the Web Quest created for this unit:

http://questgarden.com/34/91/1/061117111303/

On your laptop, go to this web site and bookmark it please!

D. Once you get to the web site, you can read the introduction and process sections to review what you are going to do during this project/unit. You can also click on Evaluation to see a copy of the rubric. Remember, the rubric tells you what you need to do and how well you need to do it in order to get the evaluation grade you want!

E. Begin your research and record the information you find in this Think Sheet on pages 2-4.. RESEARCH

1. Click on the various links on global warming provided on the Process Section of the Web Quests. You will need to record the information you find here:

What is global warming? ______

______

Why is it happening? ______

______

Name the fossil fuels. ______

What are the symptoms of global warming?

______

Name the greenhouse gases.

______

What should we do about global warming?

______

Other facts: ______

______

______2. My biome is ______. This biome is

located ______(describe

location) , and a world biome map showing this biome can be found at

http://______.

3. The average yearly rainfall of my biome is ______

and the average temperature is ______.

Other interesting or unique facts or features (special to just this one biome) are:

______

4. Plants that are common to my biome are:

______

Pictures of plants can be found at (write down the addresses of websites found):

______

______5. Animals that are common to my biome are:

______

Pictures of animals can be found at (write down addresses of web sites found):

______

6. Now think about all the living and nonliving things within your biome. Remember that in a community, all living things are dependent on each other and with the nonliving things in the community. Think about how any changes brought about by global warming may affect someone or something in the biome and will, in turn, affect other parts of the biomes. You may want to go back and re-read information from the global warming websites. Some of the changes in the biome caused by global warming include:

______

______F. Now that you have your information, complete a total of 7 PowerPoint slides. Start with a title slide and then add one slide each about topic #1-6 on your research pages. Please look at the Evaluation page of the Web Quest or your rubric so see the criteria for your slides.

G. Once your slides and your teammates’ slides are completed, you will meet with your fellow scientists from your team to share slides and discuss them. You will need to reach an agreement that can be accepted by all members about which biome is likely to be most affected by global warming. Record the name of the biome your team chooses here: ______

H. Now compile the characteristics of your biome on a database using Excel. Use the five characteristics listed as #2-6 above. Your teach will provide a template for your database. All team members must contribute their information.

I. When all the decisions and the databases have been created, our convention will meet again to share all the presentations and databases. Bring your rubric copy to the convention for your evaluation.

J. Once the presentations are complete, the debates can begin. In one debate, your team should defend its decision about which biome is likely to be most affected by global warming. In the other, your team will have to oppose another team’s decision. Be sure to have a copy of your team’s database to use in the debate.