Learning Extensions
Here is a list of possible follow-up class lessons/projects related to alien species and includes links to online and CD-ROM learning resources.
IMPORTANT!!! IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN RESEARCH WITH US: Please only use these class project ideas AFTER your class has finished all phases of Life Preserver research!
Invasive Species
Life Preservers is a terrific lead-in to student research projects on alien species that exist on Earth today. Although not a part of the game itself, students can apply what they learned in order to understand how invasive species could come from a different ecosystem and have significant impact. Here are links on invasive species that students could use to further investigate the ecological impact of alien species on Earth:
List of the world's “100 worst” invasive alien species:
http://www.issg.org/database/species/search.asp?st=100ss&fr=1&sts=
The Nature Conservancy has a list of invasive plants: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/worst.html
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea has a site that explores invasive species of all sorts that are causing havoc underwater: http://www.ices.dk/marineworld/alienspecies.asp
"Evolution: a journey into where we’re from and where we’re going"
PBS has an web site supporting its seven episode NOVA series, Evolution: a journey into where we’re from and where we’re going.
The site includes seven lesson pages for students and seven short online videos for students.
“Voyages Through Time”
The SETI Institute is a scientific research organization that seeks to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe. In partnership with NSF, NASA, the California Academy of Sciences, and San Francisco State University, the Institute's education team developed “Voyages Through Time,” a high school science curriculum in 6 modules: Cosmic Evolution, Planetary Evolution, Origin of Life, Evolution of Life, Hominid Evolution and Evolution of Technology.
Sample lessons and more are available at: http://www.voyagesthroughtime.org
http://www.seti.org
Sampler CD-ROMs (free): request at ed_dept@seti.org
Purchase: www.voyagesthroughtime.org
