grade 6/7 prairie conservation forum...

Grade 6/7 Prairie Conservation Forum

Videoconference

Teacher’s Package

2013

Table of Contents Grade 6/7 Pre-Videoconference Activity ............................................................................................... 3

Lesson Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Gr. 6/7 Environmental Impact Scenarios ........................................................................................... 5

Grade 6/7 Post-Videoconference Activity ............................................................................................. 9 Lesson Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Hunterton Times Newsletter ............................................................................................................ 11

Teacher Resources ............................................................................................................................. 15 Vocabulary List ................................................................................................................................ 15 Species Pages ................................................................................................................................ 16 EXTRA Gr. 6/7 Environmental Impact Scenarios ............................................................................ 21

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Grade 6/7 Pre-Videoconference Activity

Lesson Plan

- Predator, Prey, Habitat -

Curriculum Links:

Grade 6 – Science

Topic: Evidence & Investigation

Recognize evidence of animal activity in a natural outdoor setting

ELA: General Outcome 3.3 ELA: General Outcome 3.4 ELA: General Outcome 5

SO 1: Organize information SO 1: Share ideas and information 5.1 Respect others and strengthen community 5.2 Work within a group

Grade 7 – Science

Topic: Interactions & Ecosystems

• Investigate and describe relationships between humans and their environments, and identify related issues and scientific questions.

• Describe the relationships among knowledge, decisions and actions in maintaining life-supporting environments

ELA: General Outcome 3.3 ELA: General Outcome 4.3 ELA: General Outcome 5

SO 1: Organize information Present and share (all SOs) 5.1 Respect others and strengthen community 5.2 Work within a group

Background Information: Teacher should familiarize themselves with the rules prior to starting the activity, including the vocabulary, the species and habitat cards, and the environmental impact scenarios.

Learning Expectations: Students will:

• Become familiar with terminology • Understand human impact and critical links between habitat and human interaction

Length of Lesson: 1 class period (40min-60min) LESSON Location: The activity is designed to be completed in a reasonably open environment, such as a classroom with desks moved to sides. If available, a gymnasium or outdoor area would be an ideal location to play the game. Preparation:

• Print Species Cards (printing on a heavy weight paper/cardstock if available) • Print Habitat Cards

Classroom Setup: Divide up the classroom space into four quadrants; label or somehow identify each quadrant as a Habitat:

1) Mountains 2) Foothills 3) Grassland 4) Human Dominated (Agricultural, Urban)

INTRODUCTION (Materials: vocabulary list) Timeframe: 15 minutes Invite students to sit (either at desks or in a circle on the floor if possible) Explain that you are about to have the students role play different species in Alberta. Begin by asking what all creatures need to survive (food, water, shelter, and space). Next, ask the students how animals get these things, specifically the food. Ensure students are familiar with definitions for predator and prey, by asking for a definition. If no student volunteers, define predator (an animal that preys on other organisms) and prey (an animal that us hunted and killed by another for food). Some creatures are carnivores and are at the top of the food chain, nothing hunts them, sometimes they are called “apex predators”; some creatures are in the middle of the food chain and may hunt smaller creatures, but also serve as prey for larger creatures; then there are those creatures who eat insects and plants, they usually serve as prey for the carnivores and omnivores.

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MEET YOUR SPECIES (Materials: species and habitat cards) Timeframe: 10 minutes Explain to the students that you are going to give each student a species card. Each species has different needs to survive. Instruct them to head to the quadrant where their species lives. If their species has more than one habitat, they may choose. (If you find that you have a very unequal balance in numbers of students per habitat, you may wish to reorganize). Ask the students to discuss with the other inhabitants of their area what their environment looks like based on their Habitat Card.

• Type of trees and plants • Temperatures, changes based on seasons • Amount of precipitation • Human usage

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ACTIVITY (Materials: species cards, environmental impacts) Timeframe: 30 minutes Tell the class that you are now going to introduce environmental impacts that will affect the cards they were given. Once the students are in their respective habitats, and are familiar with their species. You can give them a few minutes to read their cards and ask questions if appropriate. Explain to the students that while their card represents one species, they are actually representing a population, rather than a single individual. A round begins and ends at the direction of the teacher. For each round, the teacher will read out an environmental factor, and its impact on one or more habitats depending on the scenario. Once students are prepared, the environmental impact scenario is read (either by the Teacher or by a student volunteer). Students are then asked to imagine and hypothesize how their species would respond to the various environmental impact scenarios as they are read out. They are then asked to follow the outcome of the event. For each impact, you may either have students respond directly to the question with their own answers followed by the outcome on the card for that scenario, or you may simply read the impact and have students act them out. Students can be encouraged to discuss within their habitat how the impact will affect the species. During this, you can introduce the vocabulary as part of each round, until students are comfortable with meanings. Students should be repeating vocabulary words by the conclusion of the game. The game can continue through all of the (10) scenarios, or just a few, depending on how long it takes for students to complete each round. CONCLUSION Timeframe: 5 minutes Students should then be asked what impacts they believe made a difference in their habitat.

• Did anyone survive all rounds? (Someone who never sat?) • Which species do students think were most successful? Why? • Which habitat ended with the most biodiversity? • Which impact scenarios did the students like the most? • Were there any scenarios that the students disliked? • How do human decisions impact the environment? • Is human impact always negative?

Key understandings should include:

• Increase in comprehension of vocabulary words: Species-at-Risk, habitat loss, biodiversity • Understanding of critical links between human action and habitat

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Modifications: During set-up of the game, rather than labeling the quadrants with the name of the habitat, students can illustrate. For more advanced groups, Environmental Impact scenarios may play out concurrently in several habitats at a time. The teacher must ensure that the scenarios are distributed in a logical fashion, and may have to reorder them from provided materials. Explore Food Chains and Food Webs in more detail. Further resources, focusing on Wetlands ecosystems, are available. (See bibliography) Optional Extensions

• Add in more environmental impacts from the resource package provided to introduce other possible impacts. • Using any format you choose (e.g. poster, presentation, map, report) share the findings of your group with the rest of your

classmates. • Create a “map” of your habitat, with each student represented by a species in their habitat. This could be extended into

having the class generate a mural. • Develop a new, fictional ecosystem. Determine what types of animals would live in that ecosystem and what they would

behave like.

Gr. 6/7 Environmental Impact Scenarios

Storyline Environmental Impact Outcomes Introduction: This story begins with the assumption that all species in the habitats of Alberta were healthy and thriving. There is plenty of food for all living things, including lots of grasses, insects, fish, and mammals. Each habitat has predators and prey species. It is an ideal season for the success of species.

Baseline, assumption that students have been dispersed across multiple habitats. Everything should happen naturally, normally.

Good opportunity to introduce changes and possible impacts within ecosystems, not always an ideal world.

A logging operation in the Mountain habitat requests permission from the government to expand its clear-cutting operation. Despite protests from the local community, the government approves the request. The clear-cutting operation removes 80% of older trees in the area.

The increased size of the logging operation increases human activity in the area, and increases road traffic, as well as expansion of roads. Clear-cutting reduces viable habitat by half.

• The Mountain habitat

shrinks by half. • Any standing prey

animals that can survive in Foothills and Human Dominated habitats move.

• Remaining species move to remaining half of space.

• Remaining species negatively affected by human activity sit for one round.

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Storyline Environmental Impact Outcomes New government incentives encourage new oil and gas activities across the province. One company has located a natural gas deposit in a region of the Grasslands and Foothills habitat. The company has purchased the land from local owners to develop well-sites. Since the land was privately owned, the public and other residents are not consulted.

Oil and gas activity increases in a large portion of Grassland and Foothills. Well-sites replace native prairie and more roads are put in for access to the well-sites, further changing the landscape.

• Half of the Species-at-

Risk sit down for the rest of the game.

• Any species susceptible to road mortality sits for two rounds.

There is an increase in public support and interest in programs supporting biodiversity and species-at-risk. This is due to a promotional campaign by the Prairie Conservation Forum and the Alberta Conservation Association. The campaign results in more funding for conservation programs.

A conservation program, called MULTISAR, reclaims habitat for Species-At-Risk by seeding cultivated land into native prairie. Reclaimed habitat encourages native species to return and thrive.

• Half of the species-at-

risk sitting down are back in the game.

A forest fire affects a large portion of both the Foothills and Mountain Habitats. As the area affected does not contain any permanent homes and risk to human life is not high, it is decided not to fight the fire unless winds increase. The fire is put out by heavy rainfall within 48 hours.

Despite fears, forest fires are often beneficial to natural environments. The period immediately after the fire produces new life of low-lying shrubs, grasses and flowers. It also prevents trees from encroaching into the grasslands.

• Half of the plant

eating species in the Foothills and Mountain Habitats return to play.

• As a result of the increase in prey species, one predator can also return to the game.

Natural changes in the environment can have positive and negative effects on ecosystems. Heavy rainfall can wash away dens and burrows, while lack of rain can be devastating in regions that are already quite arid, like much of Alberta.

A drought occurs across Alberta, all habitats are affected.

• Healthy ecosystems

are better able to withstand extremes in weather and climate. The Human Dominated area is heavily impacted. All species in the affected habitat sit one round.

• For the other habitats look to see if there is a healthy balance of predators and prey and whether or not there are surviving

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Storyline Environmental Impact Outcomes species at risk. If you don’t feel that your habitat is looking healthy, all species in your habitat need to sit out one round.

Invasive species can become a problem in all habitats. They are characterized by their ability to reproduce and spread rapidly because they often have no natural predators, or are so well-adapted and aggressive that their populations out-compete native species. Invasive plants can choke out native species that many animals rely on for food. Invasive species threaten Alberta’s ecosystems and biodiversity.

Oxeye Daisy and Canada Thistle are reported as growing along-side several road ways in the Grasslands and the Mountains. Before they can be removed, they have quickly spread and native plants begin to decline.

• All prey species and

one predator in Grasslands and Mountains must sit one round.

Alberta continues to have a strong economy, with growth in many sectors. The government reports that there has been a population growth of 3% over the past year. Municipalities respond by encouraging expansion and new housing starts. Big cities expand quickly, and smaller suburban communities also see an influx of new residents.

A large portion of Grassland is sold for development near an affluent suburb of a major city. The area is converted into subdivided acreage homes too.

• As there is increased

human activity in the area and more roads and fences, one species at risk in the Grassland environment must sit down and one predator must sit down.

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Storyline Environmental Impact Outcomes

There is a new rancher who now has access to a large portion of Foothills Habitat for grazing. The rancher has entered into a lease agreement with the Government to graze a large portion of the habitat for his cattle herds. Does he: A) Participate in an Eco-Tourism pilot

project?

B) Attempt to have as many cattle grazing on the area as possible.

Depending upon the choice of the students, choose the appropriate Environmental Impact: A) The pilot project is very

successful. The ranching operation is managed in a more sustainable practice than more traditional techniques. In addition, attention he has received has generated income by allowing access to the habitat area by bird watchers. The rancher notices that the cattle are grazing happily, while there also appears to be an influx of wildlife to an area of rough fescue that has been preserved.

B) Unfortunately, the rancher has allowed his cattle to overgraze a particularly sensitive area of Foothills Habitat. Cattle have also been allowed to graze in sensitive riparian areas and this has negatively impacted streams and rivers.

Depending upon the choice of the students, choose the appropriate Environmental Impact: A) Eco-Tourism Project • No species in the

Grasslands habitat sits out

• All songbirds return to active play

B) Overgrazed Foothills • The Foothills area

shrinks by half • Any standing prey

animals that can survive in Mountain or Grassland areas move to those areas

• Remaining species move to remaining half of space

A not-for-profit group begins working with ranchers to move livestock grazing away from riparian areas (areas alongside water bodies like rivers and wetlands) by providing water tanks placed away from the stream. Cattle are encouraged to use the water tank by placing hay feed nearby.

The amount of time cattle spend in the stream is reduced by 90% which reduces the amount of manure directly entering the water. Native vegetation and overall biodiversity in the riparian area increases.

• No animals in the

Foothills habitat sit, those sitting return to play.

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Grade 6/7 Post-Videoconference Activity

Lesson Plan

- The Great Beet Debate -

Curriculum Links:

Grade 6 – Social Studies

Topic: Democracy: Action and Participation

-6.1.1 recognize how individuals and governments interact and bring about change within their local and national communities.

-6.1.6 analyze how individuals, groups and associations within a community impact decision making of local and provincial governments.

Grade 7 – Science

Unit: Interactions & Ecosystems

-Describe the relationships among knowledge, decisions and actions in maintaining life-supporting environments (Analyze a local environmental issue or problem based on evidence from a variety of sources, and identify possible actions and consequences)

. Background Information: Students should have a firm grasp of the concept of perspective and bias before this activity. One good example to explore multiple sides to stories is the “Trial of the Big Bad Wolf”. The wolf’s side of the story to the familiar children’s tale of the Three Little Pigs. http://www.shol.com/agita/wolfside.htm . Learning Expectations: Students will:

• Be able to constructively analyze a local environmental issue • Engage in discussion and dialogue with others with differing opinions.

Length of Lesson: 1 class period (40 - 60min) . LESSON Students critically assess perspectives in the provided story “The Great Beet Debate”. Location: The activity is designed to take place in a classroom INTRODUCTION (Materials: “Hunterton Times”) Timeframe: 5 minutes Pass out copies of the “Hunterton Times” to each of the students. Ask them to read (individually or with a group) the front page of the newsletter (the articles titled “A Deal That’s Hard to ‘Beet’!”, “Unique Beet History” and “What Community Members Need to Know”). Once the students have finished reading, ask them if they can think of any debates that have gone on in their community? In a debate over a big issue there are always many different viewpoints from many different groups of people. The purpose of the debate is less about being “right” at the end of the discussion, than it is about understanding diverse perspectives, and the complexity of environmental issues. ACTIVITY: Whose Side Are You On? (Materials: “Hunterton Times”) Timeframe: 15-20 minutes Let the class know that you are going to hold a debate about the issue presented in the Hunterton Times. Divide the class up into the following 5 groups:

1. Councillors 2. Provincial Government 3. Business Owners 4. Environmentalists 5. Ranchers

Have each group sit together, then give them each a section of the Hunterton Times to read that outlines their group’s point of view. 1. Councillors – read “Council Corner” 2. Provincial Government – read “From the Province” 3. Business Owners – read “Business Owner Looking to do Good” 4. Environmentalists – read “Environmentalists Weigh In”

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http://www.shol.com/agita/wolfside.htm

5. Ranchers – read “Local Rancher Wants a Say”

Once each group has finished reading, have them answer the following questions (these will assist them in the debate):

1. Is your group for or against the sale of grassland to Baez Beet Farm? 2. List 3 reasons why your group is for or against the sale of grassland to Baez Beet Farms.

The students can use the “Hunterton Times” to answer these questions or do further research from other resources as time allows. ACTIVITY: The Great Debate (Materials: “Hunterton Times”) Timeframe: 15-20 minutes When the groups have answered these questions get them to each choose one or more people to speak for the group during the debate. Have the groups sit so that they are facing each other. Give each group 1 minute to share their answer to question #1 (is your group for or against) and question #2 (3 reasons why) with the rest of the class. Once each group has presented their arguments have the groups each choose one question they would like to ask another group. Have them write down their question. Bring the class back together and choose a group to address their question to another group. Give the group answering the question a bit of time to discuss amongst themselves before answering, if necessary. Try to limit their answers to one minute. Make sure each group gets to ask their question to another group, and that the questions are answered and debated. CONCLUSION Timeframe: 10 minutes Ask the class to vote (either by raising their hands or by secret ballot) whether they are for or against the sale of grassland to Baez Beet Farms. Once everyone has voted ask the class if they think this was an easy issue to solve. Debates like this are never easy to solve, it is always important to recognize that in every environmental issue there will always be diverse opinions. . Modifications: If students are not comfortable debating or discussing the issues, have them reflect on the issue by writing a “Letter to the Editor” of the “Hunterton Times” expressing their opinion on the issues. Alternatively, students who are more comfortable can be selected, and asked to present their position to the rest of the class. The rest of the class may act as an audience, and ask questions. Optional Extensions: Students can debate the issues role-playing different perspectives of the individuals in the story, such as at a Town Hall Debate.

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Hunterton Times Newsletter

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Teacher Resources

Vocabulary List Abiotic Non- living things in the environment, which affect ecosystems. (ex. air, sun,

moisture, soil) Apex Predator Predators with no or few predators of their own. Biodiversity Biodiversity is short for biological diversity. It is a term used to describe the

wide variety of life found on the planet. Biotic Living or once living component of a community. (ex. plants, animals, insects,

bacteria). Carnivore A species getting its nutrition from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively on

other animals. Conservation Managing resources in an effective way so that unnecessary loss or waste of

the resource is prevented. Cultivated Land Land tilled and prepared for the planting of agricultural crops. Ecosystem It is a community of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components and the

interactions that occur between them. Endangered A species facing a very high risk of extinction. Extinct A species that is no longer in existence. Fragmentation Breaking apart an area into smaller unconnected patches. Habitat The natural home or environment that includes food, shelter, water and space

for an animal, plant, or other organism. Herbivore A species getting its nutrition from a diet consisting mainly of plant material

(e.g. leaves, foliage, grasses, bark, etc.). Indicator Species A species whose well-being can be used as a measure for the overall health

of an ecosystem. Insectivore A type of carnivore getting its nutrition from a diet consisting mainly or

exclusively on insects and similar small creatures. Invasive Species An introduced species which negatively affects the habitats they invade. Keystone Species A species that has a large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of a habitat. Omnivore A species getting its nutrition from a variety of food sources, including plants,

insects and other animals. Predator An animal that preys on other organisms. Prey An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food. Secure A species which has a stable population in a specific habitat. Sensitive A species which, without human intervention, is likely to become endangered

or extinct. Species-at-Risk (At Risk)

A species of plant, bird, animal, amphibian, or insect that is in danger of disappearing forever.

Stewardship The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.

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Species Pages Listing of all species contained in Predator/Prey/Environment Activity

Mammals Common Name

Habitat Diet Prey for: Conservation Status

Population Affected by

Special Notes

Canada Lynx Mountains Foothills

Carnivore (small mammals, birds, deer, moose & caribou in winter)

n/a Secure Human interactions, settlement, logging, oil and gas, mining all affect the habitats; trapping.

Have feet that are adapted to maneuvering quickly on top of deep snow

Coyote Foothills Mountains Human Dominated Grassland

Carnivore (small mammals, birds, amphibians)

n/a Secure Hunting/trapping. Is a digitigrade, an animal that walks on its toes. Can jump a distance of 4 metres (13 ft), or 1.5 metres (5-6 ft) straight up

Deer Mouse Grasslands Foothills Human Dominated Mountains Forests

Omnivore (nuts, seeds, insects)

Most land and air predators

Secure Deer mice are known to carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans. They have a short lifespan, very rarely living over 2 years.

A group of deer mice are called a “nest, harvest, horde” or “mischief”.

Grey Wolf Mountains Foothills

Carnivore (moose, deer, elk and caribou)

n/a Secure Hunting; human settlement.

The saliva of a grey wolf has antibacterial properties to help heal wounds.

Heather Vole Mountain Forest

Herbivore (vegetation)

Most land and air predators

Secure Habitat loss and change caused by clear-cutting of forests.

Are crepuscular, which means they’re active during the twilight hours between dusk and dawn.

Little Brown Bat

Human Dominated (Barns, churches, office towers, schools, etc.)

Insectivore Lynx Coyote Snakes

Secure Affected by a fungal disease called white nose syndrome. Wind turbines have also had a negative effect.

Echolocation used to determine size, distance, even texture of prey.

Long-tailed Weasel

Grasslands Carnivore (small mammals)

Raptors Coyote Foxes

Sensitive Habitat loss and change due to human interaction.

After killing prey they often lap up the blood from bite wounds before eating the rest of the animal. This provides valuable liquid and energy.

Cottontail Rabbit

Grasslands Herbivore (Grasses, Buds)

Coyote Snakes Peregrine Falcon Hawks Foxes

Secure Common prey for coyotes, fox, weasels and birds of prey.

Eats on all fours, so uses nose to help move and adjust the position of food.

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Common Name



Special Notes

Pronghorn (Antelope)

Grasslands Herbivore (Grasses)

Coyotes Sensitive Loss of grassland habitat. Human development such as housing developments, fencing and roads has significantly impacted this migratory species.

Has a field of vision almost 360 degrees, meaning they can see a predator from any direction.

Red Squirrel Urban Forests Herbivore (Seeds, nuts, fruits) Insectivore

Lynx Coyote Osprey Hawks Wolverine

Secure Birds of prey, domestic cats, human interactions. Their populations are being affected by competition from more aggressive, introduced grey squirrels in some areas.

Makes something known as a “midden” which is a mound of their own food waste, which they live in during the winter.

Richardson’s Ground Squirrel

Foothills Herbivore (Vegetation) Insectivore

Wolverine Coyote Lynx Raptors Fox Rattlesnake

Secure Human control measures (shooting, trapping, and poisoning); prey for numerous flying and ground predators.

Have numerous calls for different predators. Our ears can be trained to learn if a call is for a bird in the sky, or an animal on the ground.

Short-tailed Weasel

Mountains Human Dominated (Agricultural)

Carnivore (small mammals) Insectivore

Lynx Coyote Raptors Wolverine

Secure Unkown Will use the black tip of its tail to distract the predator chasing it, making the predator miss the weasel.

Snowshoe Hare

Mountains Foothills

Herbivore (grasses, buds)

Lynx Coyote Raptors Wolverine

Secure Population can increase/decrease due to breeding; prey for wolverines, lynx, wolves, coyotes, foxes; young prey for weasels.

Thick, stiff hairs on their back feet act like snowshoes, preventing them from sinking in the snow, and allowing them to move around in areas of heavy snow.

Striped Skunk Mountain Foothills Human Dominated (Agricultural, Urban)

Omnivore (small mammals, insects, frogs)

Birds of prey (primarily great horned owls)

Secure Great Horned Owl, human involvement.

A skunk can spray up to 3-5 meters. They also hate their own smell, so spray as a last resort.

Swift Fox Grasslands (Reintroduced)

Carnivore (small mammals, birds, insects, lizards)

Coyotes At Risk Loss of habitat, caused by agriculture, coyotes.

Can run at a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph).

White-tailed Deer

Mountains Foothills Grasslands

Herbivore (Vegetation)

Wolf Lynx Wolverine Coyote

Secure Hunting/trapping Fawns have no scent, as it is licked off by the adult. This makes them virtually invisible to predators that rely on smell.

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Common Name



Special Notes

White-tailed Jackrabbit

Grasslands Foothills Human Dominated (Grain Fields)

Herbivore (Grasses)

Swift Fox Coyote

Secure They are prey for coyotes, foxes and birds of prey (hawks or owls). Young may be food for weasels.

Is actually a hare. Can also run almost immediately after birth, with the ability to look over its shoulder without turning its head.

Wolverine Mountains Foothills

Omnivore (small mammals, birds, insects); Deer, moose and caribou in winter

At Risk Unknown (Deficient Data)

Human interactions, settlement, logging, oil & gas, trapping, mining all affect the habitats.

Even though it only comes up to a person’s knee, a wolverine can take down prey as big as an elk.

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Mountain Foothills Grasslands

Herbivore (Vegetation)

Wolverine Coyote Lynx Raptors

Secure They are food for badgers, coyotes, wolverines and birds of prey (eagles and owls)

They build their burrow systems under large rocks, which help to protect them from predators. Nicknames are “Whistle pig” or “Rock Chuck”.

Birds Common Name



Special Notes

Burrowing Owl

Grasslands Carnivore (small mammals); Insectivore

Larger Raptors

At Risk Human destruction of prairie habitat (change of grasslands to farmlands). Loss of ground squirrel and badger populations cause loss of available burrows for nesting.

Will collect the dung from mammals and spread it around their burrows, preying upon the insects that the dung attracts.

Loggerhead Shrike

Human Dominated (Agricultural)

Carnivore (small mammals) Insectivore

Coyote Snakes

At Risk Sensitive

Habitat loss and change; pesticides build up in this species and continue to higher predators through food chain; human disturbance.

The only truly predatory song bird, it may use sharp twigs or thorns to impale their prey.

Long-billed Curlew

Grasslands Insectivore Amphibians

Coyote Snakes Burrowing Owls & Raptors

At Risk Sensitive

Human agricultural activity and urban development has resulted in loss of habitat for these ground nesting birds.

Bills are designed to reach deep into curved burrows and catch what is inside. Male and females have different shaped bills.

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Common Name



Special Notes

Mallard Urban and Agricultural Grasslands Foothills

Herbivore (grasses)

Coyote Snakes Burrowing Owls & Raptors

Secure Drought and changes to habitat affect all waterfowl populations; Prey for many predators especially foxes and hawks; human hunting.

Are able to fly at 90 km/h (55 mph). The female mallards are the only ducks to actually “quack”.

Osprey Water (near water) Mountains Foothills Human Dominated Grasslands

Carnivore Fish

Sensitive Pesticide use, human disturbance of nesting grounds.

Osprey nest on high trees and man-made structures like telephone poles; feed exclusively on fish and will dive from 15 to 60 metres (50 to 200 feet) and will turn the fish to face head first to avoid air resistance.

Peregrine Falcon

Foothills Mountains Human Dominated Grassland

Carnivore Birds, small mammals, insectivore

At-Risk Pesticide use Peregrine means “wanderer,” which fits due to the long migration. Can reach a speed of 320 km/h (200 mph) when diving at prey.

Red-tailed Hawk

Agricultural Foothills Grassland

Carnivore Small mammals, rabbits

Larger Raptors

Secure Require trees within open areas. Affected by prey population cycles.

The hawk rarely hovers in search of food. Usually, they perch on top of high poles or trees, and then swoop down on their prey.

Sprague’s Pipit

Grasslands Insectivore Coyote Weasels Raptors Snakes

At Risk Sensitive

Loss of native grasslands. Grazing cattle – although they may tolerate moderate levels of grazing. Reduced fire frequency; drought.

Males are known to have a flight display lasting 30 min or longer. This is the longest airborne flight display of any bird.

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Common Name



Special Notes

White-tailed Ptarmigan

Mountains Insectivore when young, then Herbivore (flowers, leaves, lichen, berries, pine needles, seeds, buds. Chicks diet consists of insects initially)

Prey for a variety of predators such as birds of prey, fox and lynx

Secure Disturbance, such as the development of ski hills, roads or over-hunting

Smallest bird in the grouse family. Has cryptic plumage which makes for very good camouflage against birds of prey.

Amphibians Common Name



Special Notes

Long-toed Salamander

Mountain

Insectivore Coyote Northern Pike Wolverine

At Risk Sensitive

Predatory fish, game fish, industrial activity.

Secretes a milky white substance that is noxious and poisonous. Tail can also fall off to distract predators.

Northern Leopard Frog

Grasslands Insectivore Small Mammals Small Fish

Long-billed Curlew Coyote

At Risk Habitat fragmentation; changes in ecosystem.

Get their name from the dark spots on their back and legs. They are the size of the palm of your hand. An “army” is a group of frogs.

Fish Common Name



Special Notes

Northern Pike

Water (shallow lakes in Foothills and Grasslands)

Insectivore Fish Amphibians Small Mammals

Coyote Wolverine

Secure Game fishing. Continuously replaces the teeth on the top and bottom of their mouth throughout their lives.

Reptiles Common Name



Special Notes

Prairie Rattlesnake

Grasslands Carnivore (Small mammals, birds, amphibians)

Red-tailed hawks

Unknown (Deficient Data)

Loss of habitat caused by humans (grazing, oil and gas), poaching, attracted to heat from paved and gravel roads, where they can get hit by cars.

Hibernate from September to April. Use tongue and heat-sensing membrane to detect prey 30m away.

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EXTRA Gr. 6/7 Environmental Impact Scenarios

Storyline Environmental Impact Outcomes There is a noticeable decrease in the number of baby snowshoe hares born compared to the last few years. It appears that the hare population has decreased by more than half. Animals that hunt the hares for prey have trouble finding enough to maintain their diets, so are forced to travel longer distances outside of their normal habitat range to look for food. Others, who cannot move across distances as easily, look for new sources of food. If no new sources of food are found, some animals may not survive the season.

There is a 60% decrease in the Snowshoe Hare population as part of a normal, population fluctuation. Snowshoe Hare populations see annual trends in rises and peaks, often cycling between peaks every seven to ten years.

• Any Snowshoe Hare

sits two rounds • Any species that relies

on snowshoe hares sits out next round (e.g. as a source of food, or habitat they provide).

A wealthy landowner donates his property to the province in his will. Upon his death, his wish is for his 100 acre property to become a refuge for wildlife and for low-impact human activities, like bird watching and hiking. The province accepts the gift, and establishes a new wildlife reserve.

A large portion of land is protected for wildlife in the Foothills habitat.

• No animals in the

Foothills habitat sit, those sitting return to play.

Animal populations can increase and decrease due to a variety of factors. Fluctuations in population numbers are normal, but can be affected by human involvement. Often, populations of predators will increase when there is an increase in available prey for them. An area with increased prey can attract more predators from neighbouring areas, and offspring can be more successful with higher birth rates.

Deer mice experience a population boom. As a result, all animals that prey on them in any habitat also experience a boom.

• One prey animal in

the Habitat with the Coyote and one prey animal in the Habitat with the Deer Mouse become a New Predator for two rounds.

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Storyline Environmental Impact Outcomes A coal deposit is approved for excavation by a large industrial mining company. The mine site is located in an area with limited access and the mining company must build infrastructure to support the operation. This includes clearing some forest area to make way for roads, as well as diverting water to the operation, and placing mobile trailers for housing and offices. As the mine is expected to produce large amounts of coal, the mining company puts a rush on getting the operation set up.

A new coal mine opens in the Mountain Habitat. Roads and services are built in previously undisturbed habitat. Water from a local glacier-fed river is diverted to the mining operation. There is increased human activity in a 50 km radius around the mining operation.

• Disturbance impacts

some key predators. Wolverines and Lynx’s sit two rounds.

New research shows a direct link between certain types of pesticides and decline in overall biodiversity. As a result municipalities and counties begin to ban the use of certain pesticides. The study suggested this link was caused as pesticides used on crops and in urban areas are leeching into the groundwater and entering the ecosystem. Not only were aquatic (water) insects, birds and mammals showing signs of pesticides in their systems, larger predators were also affected through their prey.

Public awareness and new pesticide bans encourage the use of more natural pest control methods. Tests begin to show a decline in pesticides in groundwater and small herbivores.

• All birds of prey,

amphibians and fish are safe for two turns; those sitting return to play.

Humans don’t always have a negative effect on species. Many programs aim to reintroduce native species into areas where they have been extirpated. In Alberta, there are Government supported Recovery Programs for over twenty species that have been classified as at-risk or were previously extinct. These programs are not always successful, especially if the causes of the original decline in population have not been resolved. However, several successful programs are cause for celebration.

A repopulation program returns an extinct carnivore back to the Foothills and Mountain Habitats.

• A predator can return

to the Foothills and Mountain habitat for one round after one sits.

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