Living History Project

Grade Level: 6-12

Introduction: Living History projects are non-written, alternative assessments in which students embody a particular object, organism, or person other than themselves. In this lesson, students create a presentation in which they become an organism or species that resides in the tropical montane cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica. Students may also choose to enact the role of a human that works within the forest. This assessment is unique and useful because it can be altered to meet a wide range of content matter and academic criteria, based on the individual needs of the teacher and students. A Living History project can also be developed for which completing previous Canopy In The Clouds lessons is not necessary.

Objectives: Students will be able to 1) describe and discuss an organism/species that lives within the cloud forest or human that works within the cloud forest 2) evaluate the organism/species/human role and how it contributes to the cloud forest ecosystem 3) present findings to class.  

National Science Standards: Structure and function of living systems, Populations and ecosystems, Diversity and adaptations of organisms, Interdependence of organisms, Behavior of organisms

Time: One class period for introduction of project and organism selection. One to two class periods for student presentations, dependent on class size. Research and preparation can be performed at school, or at home, as decided by teacher.

Related Plans:

1. Life History of a Strange Tree: The Strangler Fig
2. What's a Niche?
3. Symbiosis, Mutualism, Parasitism and More
4. Cloud Forest Adaptations
5. Plant Defense
6. Animal Diversity
7. Living History Project