KS2 GEOGRAPHY
Curriculum link: Geographical skills and analysing fieldwork
data
MAPPING AND INTERPRETATION OF MOVEBANK DATA LESSON PLAN
Introduce students to Movebank data and how it can be used to answer key research questions to promote
understanding of species, and explore how data can be interpreted to investigate tortoise migration.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Resources required: PowerPoint presentation, Movebank data maps, rainfall data worksheet, rainfall data from 2010 and
2012.

1.
3.
FIRE STARTER
Using the PowerPoint presentation, begin by introducing the
Movebank data map from Cerro Fatal in Santa Cruz of tortoises
Jumbo and Nigrita. Discuss the format of the map and that the
plots are from 4 years of data. Show students the lowland areas
to top right of map and highland areas on bottom left, where
land is used for agriculture due to increased rainfall and mists.
GPS data is recorded monthly to track the tortoises.
Identify the lines of latitude and longitude. Can students identify
and patterns in the plots, what is the difference between the
plots for Jumbo and Nigrita?
2.
GAINING GROUND
Suggest that we think tortoise movements are linked to changes
in weather and that they are going to put this theory to the test.
Weather information data is also recorded at sites on the islands,
including rainfall and temperature. Look at the rainfall data
worksheet for Cerro Fatal in 2011, one of the years that Jumbo’s
movements were recorded. Students to calculate the total
rainfall for each month and then plot the monthly total as a line
graph. Identify any anomalies they see (in this case March and
perhaps June). Complete the graph on excel if available.
MAKING WAVES
Ask students to identify when the rainfall is higher and lower
(generally). Explain the islands have 2 seasons – a warm and wet
season from January to May, and a cool and dry season from June to
December. The rainfall data for Cerro Fatal clearly shows how rainfall
is significantly higher during the warm, wet season and much lower
during the cool, dry season. (see explanation in ‘A day in the life of a
biologist’
chapter.)
Students identify which pattern of plots would have been recorded in
each season. Annotate the dry and wet season on their graph. Can
they identify the lowland and highland areas and which season the
plots represent. Ask them to look at Nigrita’s plots. Did she migrate?
Can they think of any reason why she may have chosen not to
migrate?
4. FUTURE FOCUS
Discuss what else we have found put about tortoise migration from
these studies using slide 6 from the PowerPoint presentation.
Using temperature data for the same period, plot on another line
graph. Compare the outcome with the rainfall chart and find any
correlations between amount of rainfall and temperature.
A RESOURCE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GALAPAGOS CONSERVATION TRUST (REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1043470) AND THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH IBG)

To study data from the GTMEP
programme and consider how it can be
used to answer key scientific questions.
To plot data taken from GPS tags of
tortoises.
To interpret the results and identify any
patterns and trends in their data analysis.
STUDENTS’ OUTCOMES


To explain how data can be used to help
scientists answer key questions.
To explain the results of their work in
scientific terms and how this relates to the
conservation of the Galapagos giant
tortoise.