Mammoths: Environmental Changes Over Time

Mammoths: Environmental Changes Over Time

How do we know the environment used to be different?

Rating
Average: 4.7 (3 votes)
Science+_Mammoths
Course
Course
Science+
Subjects
Subjects
Science
Grade Levels
Grade Levels
3
Duration (hours)
Duration (Approx hours)
25
Overview
In his module, your students will discover how the environment has changed over time and how those changes affected organisms. The woolly mammoth once roamed North America but is now extinct. Students will research temperatures of different cities in particular seasons to compare the weather patterns around the U.S. Students will also design a solution to help an animal on the endangered species list.
Standards
3-LS4-1
3-LS4-4
3-ESS2-1
3-ESS2-2
3-5 ETS1-1
Section Title
Lessons
Accordion Items
Title
Focus Question: How do we know the environment used to be different?
Content

Guide students in developing a class focus question about the phenomenon. How do we know the environment used to be different?

Title
Discovery 1: What are fossils and where have they been found?
Content

Fossils are preserved remains or traces of organisms. Paleontologists excavate fossils and study them to learn about the organisms of the past.

Title
Discovery 2: What happened to woolly mammoths?
Content

From fossils like that of the mammoth, we can learn a lot about what has happened long ago. Students will analyze data from fossils to learn what the environment was like long ago.

Title
Discovery 3: What is the typical weather during each season?
Content

Students will research temperatures of different cities in particular seasons to compare the weather patterns around the U.S. Students question why Mammoth fossils were found in an area with high temperatures today.

Title
Discovery 4: Why don’t we see as many large animals today?
Content

Students will research and compare the climates and sizes of different prehistoric megafauna. Climates around the world include polar, dry, continental, temperate, and tropical. The climate is not the same as when the mammoths and megafauna lived here.

Title
Discovery 5: How do organisms adapt to changes?
Content

Students will connect the ideas of changes in an environment to changes and adaptations in the animals that live there. Environments change and organisms living there adapt, move, or die.

Title
Engineering Design Project: Environment Improvement
Content

Local paleontologists and museum curators are working together to ensure no more animals end up on the extinct list. They have hired you as an environmental scientist to provide insight and design a solution for their current problem of bald eagles not having enough nesting space. Includes a Claim, Evidence, Reasoning writing activity with rubric.

Title
Socratic Seminar: Do you think the mammoth should be a candidate for bringing a species back from extinction?
Content

A Socratic seminar is a methodology that allows open, polite, deep discussion on a topic. Students freely express their thoughts and ideas without the fear of ridicule, or wrong answers. Students engage in respectful conversation where they justify their thoughts and listen to the ideas of others.