Lesson One - My Expedition

Lesson One

Hi everyone! As you know I have embarked on my Earthwatch expedition and am working alongside Earthwatch scientists in the tropical rainforest near Cairns. Our scientific study looks at how rainforest organisms are affected by climate change. Already the climate at the Daintree forest has increased by 0.6C and this increase had many detrimental effects on many species of flora and fauna.

You have been given an instruction sheet for your assignment, this instructs you to use a word document to submit your assignment! Read these instructions carefully!

In lesson one, you will:

1. Understand Earthwatch and its missions
2. Learn to navigate the TeachLive website
3. Discover the amazing endeavour Miss Nicholas is about to embark upon.

Resources:

Computers and internet, workbooks

Task 1: What does Earthwatch do?

Earthwatch was founded in 1971 in Boston, Massachusetts. A need to invent a new funding model for scientific research became apparent, as dwindling government funding was combined with an increased urgency in the need for scientific information and action.

Earthwatch started with just 4 hand-picked scientists from the Smithsonian Institute, and 39 volunteers working on these 4 teams. Last year, over 3,500 volunteers have worked on Earthwatch projects, which have grown to 140 projects in over 50 countries around the world.

What to do:

Log on to: http://www.earthwatch.org/australia/about/what_we_do/

Answer the following questions in your workbook or in word.
Questions

1) What does Earthwatch do on a day to day basis?

2) Click on Social and Environmental Responsibility. What is Earthwatch’s mission?

3) What is climatewatch and what do they do?

Task 2: Expeditions

Log on to: http://www.earthwatch.org/australia/expeditions/

1) Copy and complete the following table:

Expedition
Country of Expedition
Objective of Expedition
Species of focus

Bahamian Reef Survey

San Salvador Island, Bahamas

Survey endangered coral reefs, document the threats to their health, and help test techniques that might restore them.

fish, coral, dolphins, sharks, jelly fish

       
       
       
       
       
       


2) Select the expedition that you like best! Put together a PowerPoint about that expedition outlining the following:

  • Where the expedition is to
  • What the objectives and mission of the expedition is
  • What key species are involved
  • Why it interests you
  • How it betters the earth
  • Pretend you are on day 7 of the expedition. Write a journal entry outlining how you feel, what you have seen, what your day involves, who you have met and what species of flora and fauna you have observe.

Once you have finished your PowerPoint, save it and submit it with your word document on Tuesday the 20th of April.

Task 3:

Click on my Expedition "Climate Change in the Rainforest"

Click on th Google Map to see where I am doing the rainforest research.

Read through the information under the TAB Headings: Overview and The Research

  • Compare your Earthwatch expedition with mine.
  • How are they similar? How are the different?
  • What two major environmental topics will I be studying?
  • Who is the scientist in charge?

Remember:

If you haven't finished these tasks by the conclusion of the lesson it will become homework!