Name ___________________________________Period_______________
Science 8
Date______________
Mr. Ascher
Please, save me!
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The Past
You designed and created a new creature. To support your creature, you created an
environment for it to survive and thrive in. You even brought your creature into the 21st
century by making a
page to connect with friends.
The Present
Well, 25 years have passed since your creature was born. Thanks to you, your creature
has thrived in its environment. Over the years your species has reproduced and
adapted to become successful and fit in the environment, even with some
environmental changes.
Now, it is April of 2039. Things have changed. Improvements in medicine and
pharmaceutical medications have made it possible for people to live far longer than
they ever have before. This has led to a housing crisis, there are more people living on
the Earth then there are houses for them all to live in. Construction companies have
been buying land to build thousands of houses to accommodate the rising human
population.
Until now, your species has been unaffected by housing
development, but today that all changed. This morning,
while your species was out foraging for breakfast, they
heard a loud noise. Before they knew it, there was a giant
bulldozer knocking down trees and leveling the ground in
their habitat. Most of the species was able to run away from
the land where the bulldozer entered, but sadly, there were
a few individuals who were not fast enough, and didn’t make it.
The Future
Using your knowledge of evolution, you created your species and set it up to succeed.
For many years, your species was able to survive and thrive on its own, but now, for your
species to survive, it needs your help once again. Your species is depending on you, its
creator to save its existence. The only chance your species has at surviving is if the
home development project is stopped before it destroys any more of your species’
habitat. You will need to expand your knowledge of evolution and understand how
living things interact with and depend on their environment. You will need to appeal to
the construction company using sound scientific reasoning as to why they should not
destroy this natural habitat to create more homes. You need to be persuasive, scientific
and accurate. The future of your species depends on it!
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Ok, so you know what needs to be done… but where do you start?
Home development is not a new problem. Below is a list of steps other groups have
taken to save natural habitats. These steps have all been successful in persuading
construction companies to stop construction and habitat destruction. Good Luck!
Step 1: Welcome to the world wide Eco-web!
Familiarize yourself with topics in ecology
by entering the world wide eco-web!
Step 2: A picture is worth 1,000 words.
Construction companies have
responded well to pictures representing
the “before and after” effect of habitat
destruction.
Step 3: Make it happen! – Save the Habitat
Write a persuasive, scientifically sound
letter to the construction company. Your
letter should inform them of the possible
ramifications of their actions, and
explain to them why there are more
negative effects than positive ones to
continuing construction.
Page 3 of 14
Check Off
when
Completed
Step 1: World Wide Eco-Web Quest
Introduction:
Welcome to the World Wide Eco-Web! Today you are going to embark on an
exploration of the essential themes in Ecology.
You will be investigating populations, communities, ecosystems, food chains, food
webs, and the water, nitrogen and carbon cycle. Then you will investigate the
different biomes on Earth. Finally, you will discover how humans have an impact on
ecosystems.
Your Task:
Go to our class website, www.ScienceWithMrAscher.com, navigate to Science 8 
resources. Explore the posted websites to answer the questions below. This will give you
the knowledge you need to save your species!
#1 Populations
http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_population.html
a. What is population?
b. Identify 2 things that increase a population
c. Identify 2 things that decrease a population
#2 Communities (use your textbook or a reliable internet source)
d.
What is a community?
e. How are communities distinguished?
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#3 Ecosystems
http://forest.mtu.edu/kidscorner/ecosystems/definition.html
f.
What is an ecosystem?
g. What do ecosystems include?
h. What happens if one part of an ecosystem in damaged or destroyed?
#4: Biodiversity
http://www.dublin.ie/environment/biodiversity/home.htm
i.
What is biodiversity?
j.
Why is it important?
k. What are abiotic factors?
l.
What are biotic factors?
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#5: Food Chains
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/food
chain.htm
Diagram your food chain:
Use the following organisms to create one: Snake, Frog, Caterpillar, Owl, Flower
Type of
Consumer
Herbivores
Carnivores
Omnivores
Website Link
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/animaldiet/he
rbivore.htm
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/animaldiet/ca
rnivore.htm
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/animaldiet/o
mnivore.htm
m. A person is called a _____________________________________ because
they eat meat & vegetables.
n. ________________________ are animals that only eat meat.
o. ________________________ are animals that only eat plants.
Go To:
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/animaldietga
me.htm to play a game to test your understanding of the types of consumers.
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#6 Food Webs
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/food/food_menu.html (this will take a
while to load, please be patient)
Complete one of the food webs, and then answer the questions below.
p. Name a consumer in your food web _______________________________
q. Name a producer in your food web ________________________________
r. Name a decomposer(if there is one) in your food web
______________________________
Go To:
http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/kids_web.htm and choose one of the food webs.
Use the info from parts I and II to put the food web together. (Hint: A top-level carnivore
is something that preys on other carnivores and it has no predators.)
We chose ________________________ food web.
Name a consumer in your food web ________________________________
Name a producer in your food web ________________________________
Name a herbivore in your food web ________________________________
#7 Energy in an Ecosystem
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/science_up_close/314/deploy/interface
.html
s. Complete the Energy Pyramid below
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t. Explain how some energy is lost on each stage of the pyramid.
u. Draw and label an energy pyramid for a forest, prairie, or ocean.
#8 10% Rule (you’re on your own for this one! Try to find the answer by yourself)
v. What is the 10 percent rule? Where does the unused energy go?
#9 Carbon Cycle
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html
Diagram the carbon cycle:
w. Name 2 places on the earth we find carbon
x. Plants pull carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere to make
food, through a process called ____________________.
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y. Through food chains animals get ____________ from the plants and other animals
they eat.
z. When plants and animals die and ____________, carbon goes back into the
ground.
aa.
Some carbon is buried deep in the ground and forms
________________________.
bb.
When humans burn fossil fuels, ________________ is released back into the
atmosphere.
cc.
When humans and animals exhale, they release carbon back into the air
by a process called ______________________________.
#10 Nitrogen Cycle
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Life/nitrogen_cycle.html
Diagram the nitrogen cycle:
dd. What are 2 ways nitrogen becomes useable to plants, humans and animals?
ee. How do herbivores obtain the nitrogen they need?
ff. How is nitrogen returned to the atmosphere?
gg. What are two ways humans impact the nitrogen cycle:
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#12 Biomes Around the World
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.php
hh. How are biomes determined?
ii. What are the 6 Biomes of the World?
jj. What are the Freshwater Ecosystems?
kk. What are the Marine Ecosystems?
#13 Human Impact Navigate to each of the links below for various ways humans impact
the environment. These sites will be especially helpful in building your case to the
construction company and informing them of all of the negative impacts their actions
will have.
Impact of Human Activity on Ecosystems
Deforestation
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/globalwarming/deforestation-overview/
Extinction of Species
http://www.endangeredspecie.com/
Human Soil Erosion
http://www.livescience.com/environment/041103_earth_movers.html
Greenhouse Effect
http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/evidence/greenhouse_effect_img.shtml
Pollution
http://tiki.oneworld.net/pollution/pollution_home.html
List some facts you found which will help support your case against land development,
and hopefully save your species! (How many facts do you need? As many as it takes to
make the construction company stop, and save your species!) (use the next page)
Page 10 of 14
Human Impact Facts:
Page 11 of 14
Step 2: A Picture is worth 1,000 words!
Using the space below, draw a picture of what your species’ environment was like just before the bull dozer started destroying the
habitat. Then, draw what you would expect the environment to look like in 5 years from now, if the construction company continues to
level the ground to build homes. Remember- your goal is to make the construction company stop so that your species can survive. Create
a powerful picture to accomplish this goal.
Our Habitat Before the Housing Project
Our Projected Habitat 5 years from now, if Housing
Project Continues in our Environment
Page 12 of 14
Step 3: Make it Happen! – Save The Habitat
Option 1: Write a letter to the construction company. (150 word minimum)
Explain to the company that your relatively new, rare species is in danger of
going extinct if the housing project continues. Present scientific information
to them based on your world wide eco-web research and attempt to
persuade them to stop the housing project.
In your letter, be sure to:
Use proper letter format, including greeting and signature
Explain your species’ situation
Explain the effects of destroying the habitat
Explain the benefits your species has on the environment, and other
species (be creative)
 Include at least 5 of the following words in your letter:
o Population
o Community
o Ecosystems
o Biodiversity
o Biome
o Food chain
o Food web
o Carbon cycle
o Nitrogen cycle




OR
Option 2: Write an essay in which you respond to the following prompt (150 word
minimum):
Construction and housing projects have been held up because of the
presence of a rare species. Are we really worse off if we lose 1 or 2
species? AND why is it so important that we have a variety of species?
Should housing projects be stopped if a rare species is present?
 Include at least 5 of the following words in your letter:
o Population
o Community
o Ecosystems
o Biodiversity
o Biome
o Food chain
o Food web
o Carbon cycle
o Nitrogen cycle
Page 13 of 14
PROJECT SAVE THE HABITAT SCORING RUBCIC – DID YOU SAVE YOUR SPECIES?
Category
Step 1:
World-Wide Eco
Webquest
Step 2:
A Picture is Worth
1,000 Words
Points
Possible
Requirements
 Webquest is complete
 Webquest is completed thoroughly and
neatly
(Each missing or incorrect answer will
deduct 1 point)
 Both before and after pictures are
drawn
 Drawings are thorough, show effort and
creativity
40
3
10
 Drawings use color
 Drawings are effective in capturing the
negative effects of the housing project
2
 Minimum 150 words
 Uses at least 5 of required vocabulary
terms
 Text uses proper grammar and
mechanics.
Step 3:
 Text uses specific scientific facts from
Make it Happen- Save
web quest and applies them to persuade
the Habitat
the construction company to stop the
housing project.
 Text is organized and comprehendible.
5
Classwork
 Text meets the required criteria from
page 13.
 Student is on task each period, all
period.
 Student meets daily project goals.
 Student is on time and prepared for
each class.
5
5
5
5
5
5
10
Total Points:
100
Page 14 of 14
Student
Score
Teacher
Score
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