The Doherty Middle School cafeteria looked like a miniature zoo last Friday as 7th grade students on the 7A team displayed their endangered species zoo enclosures created as part of their PBL (project based learning) unit on biomes. Student groups of three or four students were assigned an environmental biome to research and present to classmates. As part of their research, students identified an endangered species that lives in their biome and designed an enclosure for this species that could be found in a modern zoo. The living conditions and needs of the species were researched and the information used to build a model of the animal enclosure for display.
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| Sean McDonald and Jack Beherrell researched tarsiers |
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| Suren Maheswaren and Jack O'Brien studied Canus lupus, the grey wolf |
As with most PBL units, students worked on different aspects of their projects in all of their classes. In math, data gathered about biome climate and animal populations were presented on line graphs. In past years, students composed a letter to a federal legislator in support of continued protection for the endangered species being studied. However, this year, students wrote letters to the Andover town manager expressing concern about the potential impact of a gas pipeline running through Andover which is part of a deciduous forest biome.
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| The amur leopard got some exposure thanks to Carly Dyer, Natalie Brennan, and Vinzay Vieia-Vazquez |
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| Myles Robinson and Lukas Kaufman-LaDuc presented their findings about the endangered hawksbill turtle |
On Friday, December 12, students presented their biome and species research and model enclosures during an hour long open house for parents and guests. While interviewing students about their research, I found most students had developed a good knowledge of the animals they investigated and the issues related to their survival. There was a lot to see in an hour!
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| Bradley Abel, Ben Merggendahl, and Christopher Lyman created an enclosure model for African wild dogs |
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