Science Fair

Identify how literature, music, film, pictures, or art can change societies understanding of environmental problems and cause changes in peoples behavior and practices.

Identify the link between social pressure and changes in government policy with respect to the environment.

Research different cultural views regarding living organisms and their ecosystems. Look at the value of nature held by different segments of the population through polling. Examine how viewpoints differ due to peoples' customs, thoughts, and behaviors and/or how viewpoints change over time.

Examine different cultural perspectives on an individual biotic (living) or abiotic (non-living) factor in the environment or explore how personal values may influence one's choices and actions.

Students could create an ecological footprint using one of the many on-line ecological footprint calculators. These tools demonstrate how lifestyle choices create a demand on our environment's resources. Students could comparatively study the ecological footprint of different segments of the population within Lumsden, Saskatchewan, Canada, or Globally.

Students could choose to reduce their ecological footprint to a fraction of what it is now for a given amount of time and study the sustainability of there practice and do a cost benefit analysis of the associated pros and cons.

Students could create their own closed terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem using a large jar, aquarium, or terrarium. They could add appropriate organisms and provide food sources for those organisms. Included should be a visual or written representation of a food chain for their ecosystem.

Students could create a visual representation or model of a pyramid of energy, a pyramid of numbers, or a pyramid of biomass to represent energy flow in an ecosystem. These representations help show the relationships between numbers of organisms at each tropic level. Students should use these representations to explore cause-effect relationships such as how large quantities of producers are required to sustain a single tertiary consumer and the ways in which human activities can influence the energy flow in an ecosystem. Students could also explore why scientists use biomass to determine changes in ecosystems rather than relying solely on changes in numbers of organisms. From these representations, students should be able to explain why there is a practical limit of four or five steps in a food chain.

Students could participate in a role play or simulation to demonstrate the biomagnification of a toxin within a specific food chain.

Students could prepare a case study and visual representation of the bioaccumulation of a toxin within an ecosystem. The case should name the toxin; describe how it progresses through the food chain and identify the consequences for other consumers in the ecosystem. Examples of toxins to research include: DDT to control insects, 2,4-D to control weeds, heavy metals such as mercury being discharged into rivers, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as insulators in electrical transformers, and cyanide for the leaching of gold in gold mines. Students should discuss how scientists are able to measure the amount of toxins present in consumers at each trophic level. (COM)

Students could interview or invite to class an elder, trapper, hunter, local conservation officer, or other person who has an ecology-related career or who can offer cultural perspectives on ecology, ecosystems, and sustainability. These guest speakers could become valuable information resources, role models, or mentors for the students. (CD 5.3)

Students should research species that humans introduced into an ecosystem to determine why and how these species were introduced and to determine the positive and negative effects of this new species on the local ecosystem. Students should consider what factors enable many introduced species to become firmly established in their new homes. Students should determine potential consequences (positive and negative) on the entire ecosystem of removing, or attempting to remove, these invasive species at a later date. Examples of primary invasive species in the Prairies include: purple loosestrife, reed canary grass, leafy spurge (wolf's milk), smooth brome grass, and Canada thistle. Note that not all introduced species are considered invasive.

Students could research methods of removing invasive or introduced species (e.g., herbicide control, physical control, prescribed burning, biological control, and integrated pest management methods) and describe the effectiveness of various methods. They should also consider what future problems these methods might cause. (IL, CCT)

Students should research one or more Canadian at-risk species and identify natural and human factors (e.g., habitat loss, genetic and reproductive isolation, environmental contamination, climate change, disease, invasive species, and suppression of natural events) that contribute to the at-risk classification of the species. Students could prepare a presentation on their species that includes range maps, distribution and population maps, habitat, threats, legislative protection, and any recovery initiatives. Students could use GIS software to produce and analyze maps demonstrating population and distribution data for that species. Students should also identify specific methods that might help restore the natural balance of that species in the region(s) where it is at-risk. As an extension, students might predict the effect on one or more ecosystems if that species became extinct.

Students should develop a brief case study of specific plant or animal populations to show how the carrying capacity of an ecosystem depends on the available resources in the environment.

Students should identify the major causes of change in the population of species in general (e.g., natality, mortality, immigration, emigration, predator-prey relationships, disease, competition, and resource limits) and describe those characteristics for a specific plant or animal population. Students should classify these factors as density-dependent or density-independent, and explain the differences in effects between these two categories of factors. Students could share their findings in order to search for patterns of factors that exist among similar types of species or species in similar locations.

Students should obtain population data or graphs for a specific population in an ecosystem. These are typically available in print format or on-line through governmental agencies or environmental groups. Students should analyze the data or graphs and provide explanations for the shapes of the population graphs and the resulting changes in populations. Students should identify characteristics that indicate growing, stable, or declining populations. Students might also analyze population graphs that indicate changes due to predator-prey relationships. (NUM)

Students should participate in a population simulation that will enable them to recognize the role of limiting factors and carrying capacity of a population in an ecosystem. An example of such an activity is "Oh Deer!" from Project Wild.

Students could research and describe the techniques and technologies (e.g., quadrat, mark-recapture method, radio collars, and GIS) that scientists use to determine characteristics of populations. Students should be able to explain why any specific technology or technique is more effective for certain populations. Students should also discuss the ethics of studying animals which may involve tranquilizing or immobilizing animals to attach radio collars, etc. (IL, PSD, CD 6.3)

Students could write a story from the perspective of a plant or animal within an ecosystem about how changes in other biotic or abiotic factors affect that particular plant or animal. Students might consider scenarios such as how might a wolf's life be different if the deer population were drastically reduced or how cutting a road through a stand of aspen might affect the community. Alternatively, students might create a dance, drama, or music piece to represent this scenario. (COM)

Students could discuss why scientists believe in cause and effect relationships, and why many scientists continue to look for these relationships in nature. For example, the construction of logging roads has led to increased access to wilderness areas, thereby leading to an increase in the number of hunters which in turn has led to a decrease in the elk population. Students could also discuss how other worldviews provide alternative explanations of relationships in nature. (PSD)

Students should create visual representations identifying biotic and abiotic pathways through which carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen cycle through a specific terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem. Representations could identify each cycle separately or show a combination of two or all three of the cycles. Students should discuss how their representations represent simplified versions of reality given that there is considerable overlap in the nutrient cycles. Scientists often choose to study complex systems by reducing them to simpler, more understandable entities. Students should discuss the benefits and drawbacks to this approach.

Students should explain how the components of each nutrient cycle support the stability of the ecosystem. Student explanations should identify the key processes of each cycle, where each process occurs in the cycle, and which biotic or abiotic factors are involved in each process. Students should consider the impact of changes to one or more aspects of each nutrient cycle by considering questions such as: What happens to the bodies of dead organisms? What would happen if nutrients (or one nutrient) quit cycling? What would happen if animals produced a substance other than carbon dioxide during respiration?

Students could investigate one or more aspects of the carbon cycle. For example, students might demonstrate that plants absorb carbon dioxide, an activity that could be integrated with the study of acids and bases in the Chemical Reactions unit. Alternatively, students might conduct an experiment to determine the effects of different carbon dioxide levels on plant growth.

Students should provide explanations of the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and explain how these processes relate to the carbon and oxygen cycles. Student explanations should identify which organisms at each trophic level in a specific ecosystem carry out photosynthesis and cellular respiration. This activity could be integrated with the Chemical Reactions unit by having students write balanced chemical equations for the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and identifying the sources of the reactants and how organisms use the products. A common misconception is that plants do not use O₂ or carry out cellular respiration but the reality is that they do; they just happen to produce more O₂ than they use.

Students could conduct an experiment to investigate one or more aspects of the nitrogen cycle. For example, students might determine how varying the role or type of fertilizers affects plant growth.

Students could create a closed system (e.g., terrarium, aquarium) containing biotic and abiotic components and identify the nutrient cycles in that system and relate them to the Earth's nutrient cycles.

Students could compare scientific perspectives of the cyclical nature of matter and the interconnectedness of the biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem with Indigenous or other cultural worldviews. Such a comparison helps to validate multiple perspectives or worldviews, and helps students understand how their personal beliefs may contradict scientific perspectives.

Students could prepare a case study of an ecosystem that addresses the characteristics of the ecosystem and how it has changed over time. Such a case study should include information that relates to the major concepts studied in this unit - biodiversity, population dynamics, and the cycles of matter. The case study should extend beyond a written description and include data, graphs, and photographs that show evidence of change in the ecosystem. Students could incorporate predictions of future changes to the ecosystem as part of their case study. (COM)

Students could identify examples of ecosystems that have similar characteristics but that exist in different locations across Canada . Students should be able to provide explanations for why these ecosystems can exist in different physical locations. Such explanations should include analysis of biotic and abiotic factors in the ecosystem.

Students should research the ways in which humans have disturbed or altered a specific ecosystem. Students might focus on one particular action within an ecosystem or on multiple actions within the same ecosystem. Examples of human actions to consider include: transportation (e.g., burning fossil fuels or building roads, pipelines, electrical transmission lines), urban development, habitat destruction (e.g., burning forests, draining wetlands, damming waterways, polluting), hunting, poaching, re-locating species, introducing domesticated species into an area, agriculture, forestry, and mining. Students should identify the outcomes of the changes on biotic and abiotic factors in the ecosystem and the overall sustainability of the ecosystem. Students should recognize that society's needs and functions, as well as the global economy, affect one's community. (CD 6.3)

Students should discuss the limits of science in influencing peoples' attitudes and behaviour. Students should consider whether they intend to change their behaviours as they learn more about the effect of humans on their local ecosystems. Students should also consider how they might influence others (e.g., friends, family, community members, politicians) to change their behaviours. (CCT, PSD)

Students could engage in an action project to address an issue of sustainability that is relevant to their local community. Examples of such approaches are identified in materials from Learning for a Sustainable Future ( www.lsf-lst.ca ).

Students could research the role of federal and provincial governmental agencies, universities, environmental groups, tourism groups, and other organizations in funding scientific research related to the environment. Students might investigate issues such as: why these groups fund research, what they hope to learn as a result of the research, how they disseminate their research, where they conduct research, and how much money is spent on environment-related research in Canada. (IL, PSD)

Students could explore the opportunities and trends in occupations related to environmental studies and management, and reflect on how societal knowledge and attitudes drive these employment trends. ( SaskNetWork.ca provides information specific to careers in Saskatchewan .) (CD 6.3)

Students should identify an issue of concern related to sustainability and begin to identify possible solutions. Students could take part in a public deliberation or debate about the issue, or develop and implement an action plan. Many of the illustrative examples listed below might be considered controversial in some communities. Teachers should not shy away from such topics but should make parents aware of the topics that their children may be studying. Teachers should also encourage students to use local resource people as a source of information when researching these topics. Students should be prepared to address social, economic, environmental, political, and technological perspectives when researching these issues. Example topics include:

Consumers throw away hundreds of billions of plastic shopping bags each year. Plastic bags do require less energy to produce and generate less air pollution and solid waste than paper bags. However, those that are not recycled or buried in landfills may choke birds and clog gutters and sewers. In addition, plastic bag production requires oil and other non-renewable energy sources.
Farmers often clear wetlands and wooded areas to increase the amount of land available for crops or ranch land. One result of this approach is a reduction in the amount of natural habitat for animal species. How can their practices change to enhance the sustainability of their entire ecosystem without dramatically affecting their economic well-being?
Producing a single 32MB computer chip requires at least 72 grams of chemicals, 700 grams of elemental gases, 32,000 grams of water, and 1,200 grams of fossil fuels. Production facilities generate huge volumes of toxic chemical waste. How should this waste be handled?
The ubiquity of cell phones has led to millions of cell phones being discarded in landfills throughout the world. These phones contain lead and non-degradable plastics. Hundreds of thousands of kilograms of lead may leach into the water supply and contaminate this portion of the nutrient cycle. What can people do to eliminate or reduce this problem?
The suppression of forest fires close to urban areas has led to a build-up of material on the forest floor. In the past, this build-up burned away in natural fires. Now, there are fewer fires but the ones that do occur are more devastating, primarily because they have more fuel to burn. How should provincial forestry agencies use controlled burns to manage forest ecosystems?
Many city lawns are heavily watered and fertilized in order to maintain a lush look and feel. The grasses used on these lawns may have been introduced to the region from other parts of the country or from other countries. In response, some citizens have planted indigenous grasses, plants, and flowers that require little maintenance or watering. How much freedoms should landowners be given in order to maintain their yard in any way that they choose?
Nitrate poisoning can occur in cattle raised in the Prairies because microbes in the digestive tract favour the conversion of nitrate to nitrite. Poisoning is usually associated with animals ingesting forage or feed with a high nitrate content. If cattle rapidly ingest large quantities of plants that contain high levels of nitrate, nitrite will accumulate in the rumen. This problem did not exist until the development of nitrate-based fertilizers in the early part of the 20^th century. Each year, more and more nitrate-based fertilizers are applied to crops in the Prairies. Can farming practices change to reduce this problem without creating other problems in the ecosystem?
A second problem related to the use of nitrate-based fertilizer use is the build-up of nitrates in water supplies. Plants are only able to absorb a certain amount of the nitrogen from fertilizer. Excess nitrogen often washes away into surface and groundwater systems where it becomes more concentrated. Discuss the impacts of increased nitrogen build-up on biotic and abiotic components of aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems.
The global transportation of products influences the balance of energy in nutrient cycles by moving the finished products away from their sources. As a result, the environment that contains the finished product may not be able to effectively use the energy available in the product. Consider a typical Prairie house that contains many wood products. Abandoned houses in rural settings may naturally decay over many years, returning the energy stored in the wood back to the ecosystem. In a city, older houses are typically demolished and the wood products transported to a landfill where they may never decay. What actions can individuals or communities take to help restore this balance of energy?
People who live in larger communities generally rely on others to provide them with clean, safe drinking water. Typically, governmental agencies regulate the procedures for municipal water and sewage treatment that includes physical, chemical, and biological methods of removing pollutants. What can an individual do to reduce the need for more technologically advanced systems of treating our water?
The primary logging practice throughout North America for most of the 20^th century was clear-cutting where all trees and undergrowth are removed from a large area at once. There has been a shift away from clear-cutting, even though it appears to be economical on a large scale, towards selective cutting in which loggers harvest only the best trees. Should there be a ban on clear-cutting in all circumstances and locations?
Organic approaches to farming attempt to use the natural characteristics of plants, insects, and animals to grow vegetable and cereal crops that are free of disease. Modern North American agricultural practice uses a monoculture approach which requires the use of herbicides and pesticides to support the growth of a single crop on a large scale. Compare and contrast these approaches, their consequent effects on biodiversity, and their vulnerability to environmental changes.
Many areas of the Prairies are experiencing an overabundance of deer as a result of decreases in natural predators such as wolves, bears, and lynx and restrictions on hunting. The deer feed on crops, lawns, and gardens that were not planted for that purpose. Is hunting an appropriate method of attempting to control populations that humans perceive as annoyances? Is re-introducing natural predators such as the grey wolf a better alternative?
Some scientists believe that the human population may have grown beyond the Earth's carrying capacity, given that our actions have used up most of the original biomass of the Earth. Other scientists believe that advances in technology are able to increase the Earth's carrying capacity. How does the human ability to disrupt the flow of energy and matter through ecosystems affect the sustainability of the entire planet?
As of mid 2005, the world's human population is growing at a rate of 200,000 new people each day. Is this growth sustainable given that there are essentially no new unoccupied lands for people to pioneer, as was true up until the 20^th century?