BSCS Biology
Name:
First Encounter with Critter
In this creative assignment, you will be using your understanding of evolution, ecology, and
biochemistry to describe a species in a given environment that you have newly “discovered”. You
will learn about biomes in order to design your new organism. Each student will create his/her
own Critter.
You will make a concept map on large poster paper. In the center, you will draw a colorful and
accurate picture of your Critter that clearly shows the 3 adaptations to its environment. You
should also draw specific abiotic and biotic factors in its biome/ habitat on your poster. You may
neatly hand write your information on your concept map, but if your handwriting is not very neat or
if you prefer it, you can word process, print out, and paste your information on your concept map.
1. Your assigned biome/habitat:
Tropical Rain
Forest
Desert
Swamp
Coral Reef
Tundra
2. What are 3 adaptations that your Critter has? Explain how each of these adaptations allow
it to survive and reproduce successfully in its specific habitat (biome).
3. How did your Critter evolve through natural selection? Explain each of the parts of natural
selection (overpopulation, competition, variation, selection, reproduction, speciation).
4. What symbiotic relationship does your Critter have – mutualism, commensalism, or
parasitism?
5. What kind of population growth does it currently have in its environment and why (hint:
discuss limiting factors)?
6. Create a food web for your critter – you should include at least 3 producers, at least 3
primary consumers, and at least 2 secondary consumers (of these, one is your Critter!)
7. Based on your food web, explain how your Critter gets its nutrients. Specifically, is it an
autotroph or a heterotroph (or both)? From which food source does your Critter acquire
carbohydrates? Proteins? Lipids?
8. Draw a diagram of a specialized cell from a specific tissue (from a specific organ, from a
specific organ system) in your Critter. It should have all the appropriate structures (this
depends on whether it is a prokaryote, a eukaryote; an animal or a plant).
Check-list for grading:
(10 pts) Story board pages filled out (rough draft)
(30 pts) Each of the 6 items required is thoroughly addressed.
(10 pts) Cell diagram has correct structures and is a specialized cell.
(10 pts) Diagrams/ pictures/ illustrations to show the Critter with its 3 adaptations and
shows its biome/ habitat (abiotic and biotic factors in its environment)
(2 pts) Poster has complete Heading - Critter name and your name
(3 pts) Creative, original, neat, colorful.
BSCS Biology
Critter Storyboard
Describe your biome: ______________
Abiotic factors: (temperature, rainfall)
Name:
Population growth (exponential, logistic)
Why? (limiting factors)
Biotic factors: (plants, animals)
What are 3 adaptations that your Critter has?
For each, explain how it helps survive in its
environment?
1.
Create a food web for your critter – 3
producers, 3 primary consumers, 2 secondary
consumers. Sketch the food web below:
2.
3.
How did your Critter evolve through natural
selection?
O
Based on your food web, explain how your
Critter gets its nutrients. Specifically, is it an
autotroph or a heterotroph (or both)? From
which food source does your Critter acquire
carbohydrates? Proteins? Lipids?
C
Carbs:
V
Proteins:
S
Lipids:
R
S
What kind of cell will you hand draw on your
poster? Prokaryote or eukaryote? Plant or
animal? List the organelles to include:
What symbiotic relationship does your Critter
have – mutualism, commensalism, or
parasitism? Explain.
BSCS Biology
Name:
Critter Rubric –
hand this in with your
poster.
All/ almost all
requirements are
complete and
thorough. Project has
been thoughtfully and
carefully assembled.
Synthesis of content
material and
presentation are
excellent.
Almost all/ many
requirements are
complete and
thorough. Project has
been assembled with
some effort & care.
Good synthesis of
content material and/
or presentation.
Story board pages
filled out (rough draft)
10-8
7-5
Some requirements
are complete and
thorough, but others
are incomplete or are
confusing. Project has
been assembled with
little effort or care.
Synthesis of content
material and/ or
presentation needs
improvement.
4-0
Each of the 6 items
required is thoroughly
addressed.
30-24
23-18
17-0
10-8
7-5
4-0
Diagrams/ pictures/
10-8
illustrations to show
the Critter with its 3
adaptations and
shows its biome/
habitat (abiotic and
biotic factors in its
environment)
Poster has complete
2
Heading - Critter name
and your name
Creative, original,
3
neat, and colorful.
7-5
4-0
1
0
2
1-0
3 adaptations
OCVSRS
Symbiosis
Population growth
Food Web
Nutrition
Cell Diagram
BSCS Biology
Name: