Introduction
Welcome, Wildlife Detectives!
Imagine that you have been chosen to help protect Florida's Everglades! The Everglades is home to many different plants and animals that have special characteristics to help them survive. But what makes these plants and animals so unique, and what happens when their environment changes?
During this WebQuest, you will become a wildlife detective and explore the Everglades. You will research plants and animals, discover how they adapt to their environment, and work with your classmates to share what you learned.
Guiding Questions:
- What makes the Everglades a unique habitat?
- How do different plants and animals adapt to survive there?
- How can changes to the environment affect wildlife?
- What can people do to help protect the Everglades?
Learning Objectives: By the end of this WebQuest, students will be able to identify and describe adaptations, compare the adaptations of two Everglades organisms, explain how environmental changes can affect wildlife, and create a group presentation using information from reliable online resources.
Florida Standard: SC.5.L.17.1 - Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments.
Bloom's Taxonomy: Understand, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create.
Task
Your Mission: Protect the Everglades!
You and your team of wildlife detectives have been asked to teach others about the Everglades and why protecting its plants and animals is important.
Working in groups of four, you will research the Everglades and create a 5–6 slide presentation using Canva or Google Slides.
Your presentation must include:
- An introduction explaining what makes the Everglades unique.
- One Everglades animal and the adaptations that help it survive.
- One Everglades plant and the adaptations that help it survive.
- A comparison showing one similarity and one difference between their adaptations.
- One environmental threat and two ways people can help protect the Everglades.
- Pictures and a list of the websites used for research.
Each group member will have a specific role, but everyone must help complete the presentation and share what they learned with the class.
Your goal is to help your classmates understand how living things survive in the Everglades and why protecting their environment matters.
Process
Step 1: Meet Your Wildlife Detective Team
You will work in groups of four to learn about the Everglades and create a presentation about its plants, animals, and environment. Each group member will have a special role:
- Animal Researcher: Choose an animal that lives in the Everglades and find out what adaptations help it survive.
- Plant Researcher: Choose a plant that grows in the Everglades and research how it survives in its environment.
- Environmental Investigator: Research one threat to the Everglades and find ways people can help protect it.
- Presentation Designer: Help organize the information, find pictures, and put together the group's presentation.
Even though everyone has a different role, you will all work together to compare your research, share ideas, and present your final project.
Step 2: Explore the Everglades
Before starting your individual research, visit the following website to learn more about the Everglades:
Learning About the Everglades - For Kids
https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/kidsyouth/learning-about-the-everglades.htm
As you explore, answer these questions:
- What makes the Everglades a special environment?
- What kinds of plants and animals live there?
- What is one interesting fact you learned?
Step 3: Research Your Assigned Topic
Use the website that matches your group role.
Animal Researcher:
The Wild Life of Wildlife
https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/kidsyouth/the-wild-life-of-wildlife.htm
Choose an animal and answer:
- What is the name of your animal?
- Where does it live in the Everglades?
- What characteristics or adaptations help it survive?
Plant Researcher:
Plants of the Everglades
https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/plants.htm
Choose a plant and answer:
- What is the name of your plant?
- Where does it grow?
- What characteristics or adaptations help it survive?
Environmental Investigator:
Everglades Nature
https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/index.htm
Explore information about environmental threats and answer:
- What is one threat to the Everglades?
- How does this threat affect plants or animals?
- What are two ways people can help protect the Everglades?
Presentation Designer: Review the research websites with your teammates, help choose appropriate pictures, and begin planning how to organize the presentation.
Step 4: Share Your Research
A shared Google Doc will be provided for your group. Each student will add at least three important facts from their research.
Read what your teammates have shared and leave at least one comment or question about their findings.
Step 5: Compare and Discuss
Work with your group to compare the plant and animal you researched.
Discuss:
- How does each organism survive in the Everglades?
- What is one similarity between their adaptations?
- What is one difference?
- How could an environmental threat affect them?
Include your comparison in your presentation.
Step 6: Create Your Presentation
Use Canva (https://www.canva.com/) or Google Slides (https://slides.google.com/) to create a 5–6 slide presentation called Protecting the Everglades.
Your presentation should include:
- A title slide with your group members' names.
- An introduction to the Everglades.
- Your chosen animal and its adaptations.
- Your chosen plant and its adaptations, including a comparison with the animal.
- One environmental threat and two ways people can help.
- A list of the websites and sources your group used.
Make sure your slides are organized, easy to read, and include pictures that relate to your research.
Step 7: Review and Present
Before presenting, use the evaluation rubric to check that your group has completed all the requirements.
Each group member should participate in presenting at least one part of the project. Be ready to explain what you learned about the Everglades and why protecting its plants and animals is important.
Evaluation
How Will Your Mission Be Graded?
Your group will be graded on the accuracy of your research, your understanding of adaptations, your explanation of environmental threats, the quality of your presentation, and your teamwork.
Each category is worth up to 4 points, for a total of 20 points.
| Criteria | 4 - Excellent | 3 - Good | 2 - Developing | 1 - Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research and accuracy | Accurate, detailed facts about the Everglades, plant, and animal | Mostly accurate information with minor details missing | Some information is missing or unclear | Very little accurate information |
| Adaptations and comparison | Clearly explains both organisms' adaptations and compares them | Explains both adaptations with a basic comparison | Limited explanation or comparison | Adaptations or comparison are missing |
| Environmental threat and solutions | Clearly explains a threat and provides two realistic solutions | Explains a threat and provides two basic solutions | Threat or solutions need more explanation | Threat or solutions are missing |
| Presentation quality | Organized, creative, readable, and includes pictures and sources | Mostly organized with pictures and sources | Some slides are unclear or incomplete | Presentation is difficult to understand |
| Teamwork and participation | Everyone contributes to research, shared document, and presentation | Most group members participate | Some members contribute very little | Little teamwork is demonstrated |
Total: 20 points
Before submitting, make sure your group has answered all the research questions, included reliable sources, and checked that everyone has contributed.
Conclusion
Congratulations, Wildlife Detectives!
You have completed your mission!
Throughout this WebQuest, you explored the Everglades and discovered how plants and animals have special adaptations that help them survive. You also learned how changes to the environment can affect living things and why protecting natural habitats is important.
Think about what you learned:
- Which plant or animal adaptation surprised you the most?
- Why is it important to protect the Everglades?
- What is one thing you could do to help protect the environment?
Enrichment Activity: Become an Everglades Junior Ranger!
Want to continue exploring? Visit the Everglades National Park Kids & Youth page:
https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/kidsyouth/index.htm
Explore the Junior Ranger activities or watch one of the educational videos about Everglades habitats and wildlife.
As you explore, choose one new fact you learned and write a short paragraph explaining why it is important.
Remember, even small actions can help protect the environment and the animals and plants that depend on it!