Download Hotspot Task Card

Paradise Vacations
Brochure
Center # 2
Developed by: Carolyn Babineaux
School Name: Barbe High School
Next Generation Science Standards:
List full Next Generation Science Standards here.
ESS2.E: Biogeology
Plants and animals (including humans) depend on the land, water, and air to live and grow. They
in turn can change their environment (e.g., the shape of land, the flow of water). (b)
ESS3.A: Natural Resources
Living things need water, air, and resources from the land, and they try to live in places that have
the things they need. Humans use natural resources for everything they do: for example, they use
soil and water to grow food, wood to burn to provide heat or to build shelters, and materials such as
iron or copper extracted from the earth to make cooking pans. (a),(d)
ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Things that people do to live comfortably can affect the world around them. But they can make
choices that reduce their impacts on the land, water, air, and other living things—for example, by
reducing trash through reuse and recycling. (d)
Introduction:
1. Biodiversity usually refers to the number of different species in a given area. Humanity benefits from this
biodiversity.
2. Many scientists are concerned that the loss of biodiversity is occurring faster in this century than the history of
the earth.
3. In the post-industrial era, human population growth has grown exponentially. To this date, population growth is
occurring in the developing countries at an unprecedented rate resulting in the destruction of habitats for
survival. This is leading to an increased rate of species being threatened, endangered, or extinct.
4. To help fund conservation efforts, some countries have turned to ecotourism. The tourist dollars spent in these
hotspots are for conservation efforts in these ecosystems.
Communicate the Big Question(s):
1. Where are the biodiversity hotspots?
2. What are the endemic species in the hotspots?
3. What are the environmental issues and conservation efforts of the hotspot?
Guiding Questions:
1. Where is the hotspot located?
2. What are the endemic animals of this hotspot?
3. What are the endemic plants of the hotspot?
4. What are the environmental issues of this hotspot?
5. What conservation efforts are in place to protect this hotspot?
6. How could tourist dollars benefit this ecosystem?
Task:
You and your college friends love to travel around the world. In order to minimize the cost of travel to exotic places, you
have opened the “Ecotourism Travel Company” specializing in the travel to biodiversity hotspots. You have been asked
to promote educational tours for colleges and high schools for the study of the delicate habitats. Your task is to design
travel brochures which will include the cost of travel and lodging, endemic species (animal and plant), environmental
issues facing this hotspot, conservation efforts in place to protect this hotspot, and the importance of this hotspot.
Process:
To accomplish this task, you and your team have been assigned a hotspot. You will complete the following steps:
1.
You and your team will each choose one of the following positions:
a. Travel agent – find the hotspot on the map as well as cities or villages in the area, determine the cost of
travel to the hotspot by researching all available modes of travel (hint: go to a travel agency for ideas on
travel and lodging to the hotspot), what the cost and type of lodging available, travel in the hotspot.
b. Botanist – research the endemic plant species of the biome, adaptations of the plants, what is its niche in the
hotspot.
c. Biologist – research the endemic animals of the hotspot, what are the adaptation of the animals, and its
niche in the hotspot.
d. Environmental Scientist – research the environmental issues of this hotspot and the conservation efforts
used to protect this hotspot.
2. After you have completed the research for your specific job, you will come back together as a group and design a
travel brochure for your hotspot using the storyboard worksheet in the folder for planning.
3. After you have a finalized the storyboard for your brochure, you may check out a computer and begin your
brochure. You may use Microsoft Publisher to design your brochure. There are numerous templates to use. Use
this step-by-step instruction sheet to aid in creating your brochure.
For tips on Microsoft publisher, see the online tips available on the web from eHow.
4. The team should compile each team member’s assigned information to create travel brochure.
5. As a team, review final project for accuracy. Be sure all team members are acknowledged for their work.
6. Save your project to Mrs. Babineaux’s flash drive using one team member’s first.lastname plus the hour (ex.
jane.doe_3rd).
7. Email the final product to me at [email protected].
Evaluation:
See attached rubric located in the learning center folder.
Reflective Question or Constructive Response:
What is the importance of biodiversity for humans of today and the future if these biomes are lost? Explain.
Write the answer to your reflective question in your journal.
Adapted from resources found at the following website
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/templates/lesson-template1.htm
Based on a template from The WebQuest Page