Adapting to Seasonal Changes: Living Sustainably

Introduction

Through this webquest, you will examine different ways that people and animal adapt to seasonal changes. You will learn about different ways to conserve energy and reduce our impact on the environment by adapting our habits with each season. You will develop an action plan for your family to reduce your energy use at home for each season.

Task

Everything on Earth is affected by the energy from the sun. In Canada, the tilt of the Earth's axis and the location of the sun gives us four seasons: summer, autumn, winter and spring. Plants, animals and people all must adapt to survive the changes brought on by the changing of the seasons.

Humans adapt to the seasons by changing how they dress for the weather, by adjusting the temperature of their homes, and by adjusting recreational activities and household chores. People adapt to seasonal changes in order to survive, but some of the ways in which people change their behaviours for the seasons are not healthy for our environment.

Your task is to research and record your findings about how things in nature adapt to survive the changing seasons. You will also research how people adapt to changing seasons and how they can be more careful about their energy usage for each season. You will develop a plan for your family to sustainably adapt to seasonal changes.

How might we implement what you have learned about how people adapt to seasonal changes to be good stewards in our community and improve our impact on the environment?

[video:https://youtu.be/b25g4nZTHvM?list=PL_EVZ7GC8WiZzrZDMDoeWuKKkXpOqnVsf align:center]

Process

[video:https://youtu.be/D6yQ8-M8rmU?list=PL_EVZ7GC8WiZzrZDMDoeWuKKkXpOqnVsf]

Step 1: Research How Things in Nature Adapt to Seasonal Changes

Animals Adapting to Seasonal Changes:

http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/animals.html

http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/123…

Plants Adapting to Seasonal Changes:

https://www.highlightskids.com/science-questions/how-and-why-do-leaves-…

Record your information on the chart provided

Step 2: Learn Ways to Handle Seasonal Changes Without Hurting The Environment

People Adapting to Seasonal Changes:

http://www.wholeliving.com/133860/winter-green-ecofriendly-ways-stay-he…

http://www.isustainableearth.com/sustainable-living/sustainable-living-…

http://www.hydroone.com/myhome/saveenergy/tips/pages/seasonaltips.aspx

http://www.earthshare.org/green-tips.html#fall

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/envirotips/tips_main.htm

Step 3: Choose 1 or 2 things your family could do to reduce the amount of energy you use each season and create an action plan that explains how your suggestions would help the environment.

Step 4: Share your plan with your class and your family. You might choose to do an oral presentation, make an iMovie, use Prezi or another tech-based app. Make sure you get teacher approval for how you choose to present your findings.

Other Information:

http://www.earthrangers.com/operation-conservation/

Evaluation

Success Criteria

Completed chart seasonal adaptations
Detailed plan of ways your family could improve its energy use by season
Realistic and achievable plan
Description and plan demonstrate knowledge of human impact on the environment
Demonstrate an application of what we have learned about seasonal changes and human adaptation through your plan

Just like the seasons, people have the ability to change. Picture Quote #1