Review of Global Ecosystems Project

Overview: Students learn about biotic and abiotic factors within an ecosystem by creating a powerpoint presentation that is posted online for sharing. Students use pictures they have taken of their local ecosystem for the project. The power of this project is for students to learn about their own ecosystem, sharing that information, and learning from other schools and areas about other ecosystems.

This project has good intentions. I like the teacher and student resources that make this project a good one for teachers beginning to phase in project based learning. It is also low in terms of the amount of technology required (digital camera and computer with internet connection).

However, only two different ecosystems are currently posted on the webpage (both apparently from the same school). Also, urban ecosystems are somewhat discouraged by the request for rural ecosystems. I think I am going to partake in this project in the fall and spring this year. I hope to be able to have students add the South Bend urban ecosystem and the Lake Michigan Beach area ecosystem (after a field trip to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore).

One final thought about this project. I would try and incorporate the activity of sharing basics about specific ecosystems with a service learning component. Students would determine what the most important part of the ecosystem is to protect and then create a plan to go about protecting that part of the ecosystem. The implementation of this plan and reflection on the project as a whole would be assessed.