Ecosystems and the Human Factor — Teacher Guide
Directions
Group Work
In this project, students work in groups to:
- select a scenario;
- design a brief survey to generate categorical data related to human behaviors and the environment;
- conduct the survey; and
- tabulate the data.
The teacher should read and approve each survey and data collection plan for viability, accuracy, and appropriateness. Verify that the survey questions are likely to produce usable data.
Materials Needed
All materials needed to plan the survey are accessible online. Students will access the scenarios and complete the Environmental Research Survey template and the Data Collection Plan online. One student in each group should be responsible for typing the survey and the plan.
To conduct the survey, each group will need 40 copies of the survey. Allow students sufficient time to conduct the survey.
To tabulate the data, each student will need multiple copies of the tally sheet. The teacher should check the tallies and approve data sets that are appropriate for the final report.
Final Report
The final report consists of two parts. Students work independently on both parts. Students will need access to their tallies of the data while completing Part I.
For Part I, each student will:
- construct a two-way table (on paper or using word-processing or spreadsheet programs) to summarize the data; and
- write a brief report summarizing the data in the table.
For Part II, each student will:
- construct a scatter plot of the data using graph paper; and
- answer a series guiding questions to produce a final report.
The teacher should review scatter plots before students proceed. If graphs are inaccurate and/or incomplete, the teacher should provide the student with feedback and instructions for revision. The student can proceed with the final report when the student has a final approved scatter plot.
Materials Needed
All instructions to students are provided online. However, both parts of the final report include components that must be completed offline or by using software with graphing tools. Students will need paper or access to software to produce two-way tables to summarize their data for Part I of the report.
For Part II, students begin by creating a scatterplot of environmental data. The Environmental Measurement Data table is provided in the final report as a popup. It is also provided as a printable document. Students will need one or more sheets of graph paper for this exercise. Students will also need a ruler or straight edge while answering the questions to Part II.
Standards
Student Materials
Teacher Materials
Your Mission
Air pollution, water pollution, deforestation, endangered species, climate change—the list of environmental issues goes on and on. Protecting the environment is an environmental scientist's goal when he or she goes to work each day. If you have a love for the outdoors and a desire to protect the oceans, this might be the right career for you.
Environmental scientists gather data from samples of air, soil, water, food, and other sources. Back in the laboratory, they look for patterns and relationships in the data to identify and assess threats to the environment. Then, they communicate their results in writing or at a conference or meeting. Sometimes, they make recommendations for programs or regulations aimed at reducing or eliminating threats to the environment.
In this project, you will design and conduct a survey to collect data about human behaviors, health, and the environment. Then, you will analyze the data and look for patterns of association among the variables. Your final product will be a report for the client who funded your research.
