FOR THE BIRDS...

A webquest focused on the study of and advocacy for Connecticut's shoreline birds.

Jane Morrissey
jmorrissey@milforded.org

Revised May 21, 2003

This webquest will served as a culminating activity to our Animals unit in which Purple Team students will apply critical thinking and cooperative skills as "scientists" in examining and analyzing local birds, their adaptations, and their habitiats. Students will then present their findings and propose recommendations to federal and local leaders to enact environmental changes for the future protection of the bird species.

 

  
 


Introduction

Biodiversity abounds on our Connecticut coastline! As an estuary community, Long Island Sound boasts wide array of bird species and their respective habitats. Scientists research, study, and track these local "inhabitants" as they are valuable indicators in telling us about the health and well-being of our southern Connecticut environment.

As part of a prestigious task force formed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), you have been invited to work and collaborate with a team of scientists in the study of a Connecticut shoreline bird species and its habitat. As a Cornell orinthologist or a UConn environmentalist, you and your colleague will address and answer the following questions:

  • How is the bird species adapted to function it its habitat?

  • How do conditions within the bird's habitat affect its survival?

  • How can society enact changes to protect this species from potential endangerment and extinction?
       

 

Task

You and your partner will present your analysis of your bird's adaptations and its habitiat. In your analysis, you will identify and describe the adaptations for feeding, movement, and escaping danger inherent to your bird species. Also, you will pinpoint environmental conditons (current or potential) within your bird's habitat and explain how such conditions affect your bird's quality of life in the areas of finding food, nesting, and reproduction. Finally, you will make recommendations for environmental change to correct these habitat conditions to protect your species from endangement and potential extinction. Specifically, you and your partner will:

  1. Complete "Ornithological" or "Environmental Research"worksheet individually while researching your bird species or its habitat.
  2. Plan, design, and create (together) a colorful, organized, and informative poster or Power Point slide show outlining the above information you have found and analyzed.
  3. Write a persuasive letter (email) to a local or federal official (individually) calling for support and action in enacting environmental changes in order to protect your bird species.
  4. Complete a "Works Cited" page that outlines all of your resources using appropriate MLA format.

 

       

 

Process

  1. You will work in pairs for this project, one of you as the Cornell ornithologist and the other as the UConn environmentalist. Each team will be assigned a particular bird species: piping plover, least tern, willet, or the great egret to research and advocate during this project.
  2. With your colleague, decide the role you will play (ornitholgist or envrionmentalist) as it will determine what research you do, as well as the resources you will use.
  3. Research your species and its habitat using a variety of resources below. During your research, take detailed notes on your worksheets. Remember, the content of your notes will surely affect the content, quality, and effectiveness of your analysis, presentation and argument for environmental change!
  4. Share your findings with your partner, and plan your presentation. Together, you must decide which pieces of information will best fit for your presentation, poster, or Power Point slide show. Decide how you will present each piece of information by drafting a layout of your poster or slide show.
  5. Once you've done a draft layout, create your poster or Power Point slide show. Decide, too, who will present each type of information. (Hint: the ornithologist should present the bird-related analysis, while the environmentalist will cover habitat-related analysis.) Both team members should present in recommendations for changes to protect the bird species and its habitat.
  6. Practice and rehearse your presentation. Make sure it fits within the allotted time set by your teacher. Make any changes and improvements as needed.
  7. Each team will then present their findings to the class. Be prepared, too, to answer questions from the audience about your species, its habitat, and your proposed recommendations.
 

Resources

   

For All Scientists
Your class notes
Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center
Living Treasures: The Plants and Animals of Long Island Sound (booklet)
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Housatonic River Estuary Guide (book)
(National) Audubon Society
 

For the Ornithologist

For the Environmentalist
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
U.S.. Environmental Protection Agency: Wetlands, Oceans, & Watersheds Study
Center for Coastal Studies
Long Island Sound Study
University of Michigan Bird Page
National Wildlife Federation
Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership
Habitats of Birds


 

 

 

 

 

 

     
 

 

Evaluation

In assessing your work in the For the Birds project, your teacher will evaluate you in three areas:

1. Oral Presentation (Team)

2. Poster or Slide Show (Team)

3. Persuasive Letter to Government Official (Individual)

 

       

 

Conclusion

You are to be commended for presenting your detailed scientific research, analyses, and informative ideas in advocating for our Connecticut shoreline birds! These diverse species, along with many other living resources, play vital and interrelated roles within our Long Island Sound ecosystem. As you've learned, the health and well-being of these "feathered inhabitants" and their habitats affect the health and well-being of all, including us! With your help, government leaders will now be encouraged to support and enact change for the protection of these coastline species.

Credits

We'd like to thank the following people who were instrumental in the creation of this webquest:

Mr. Richard Julian of the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center, Milford, CT;

Mrs. Beth Maroney, Mrs. Ann Donnells, Mrs. Jan Wislocki, and Mrs. Debbie Hourigan, of Milford Public Schools;

Mrs. Marietta Meyer and Mrs. Patty Pickering of West Shore Middle School;

and finally, the Fabulous Purple Team teachers and students for their support and encouragement.