This OLogy activity tests kids' knowledge the interdependence of species, the Endangered Species Act, and more with an interactive quiz. The 10-question multiple-choice test covers a wide range of topics, from "Which group has the largest number of species?" to "Why is Madagascar a great place to study biodiversity?"After making their 10 selections, kids can check their answers with a page that shows them how they did on each question and offers explanations of the right answers.
Type of Material:
Assessment Tool
Recommended Uses:
This resource contains numerous games, stories, hands-on activities, and videos that could be used in class or as homework, either as individual activities or by letting students explore the resources based on their individual interests.
This is a versatile site that can be used in many ways. It can be an exploration center with games. It can encourage kids to read. Hands on activities to work on motor coordination as well as just fun. There are numerous videos showing what the museum "Ologists" do and where they do it.
Technical Requirements:
None.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
This site is one of twelve different "Ology" sites for kids at the American Museum of Natural History The intent is to allow kids to explore science topics through, games, readings, hands on activities, and videos. This particular site is focused on "What is Biodiversity?"
To define biodiversity
To understand the role of variety in biodiversity
To understand the interconnectedness and importance of biodiversity
To understand the impact of extinction and loss of diversity on our planetTo learn about efforts to save biodiversity, including how students can contribute
Target Student Population:
Grade School
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Students will need basic computer navigational skills. Otherwise, the interface is very user-friendly.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
Biodiversity is a very relevant topic, and this resource presents many aspects of biodiversity in an entertaining and interactive way.
The language used is clear and easily understandable and can be used without additional context.
It is also flexible, accurate, and generally of high quality.
Wide variety of activities suitable for electronic systems or hand work
Illustrate consists by particicpation in activities.
Spark interest through contact with active scientists and their work through videos.
Concerns:
None.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Promotes learning on several levels--seeing, doing, watching others, group games.
Because of the variety of activities provided, many ways to reach educational goal.
Promotes cooperatrion with others.
Eleven other "Ology" sites that are available to help answer questions or provoke new interests.
Links to global cultures and issues.
Learning objectives are not explicitly stated, but are generally summarized by the first link on “What is Biodiversity?”
Relationships between concepts are made by all or nearly all of the included resources.
Teachers could provide this website for students to explore in an individually-paced way, or download activities from it for use in the classroom, or assign students to spend time on certain resources specifically.
Concerns:
Many of the activities would need to be guided.
No indication of the frequency site information is updated.
No prerequisites are specifically identified.
Concepts are not progressively reinforced, as students can click on resources in any order, exposing themselves to multiple concepts based on their interests.
Prior concepts will naturally be built upon as students continue their exploration of the various games, videos, and activities.
Teachers could measure certain learning outcomes by asking students to take the quizzes and share screenshots of their answers, or by assessing student learning using some of the print-outs for in-class activities, but the only assessments included in this website are informal.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Site is easy to follow--colorful and uses icons to designate types of exercies.
Searchable by type of activity.
All parts of the site functioned.
This website is easy to use, engaging, visually appealing, interactive, and of high design quality.
This resource also meets certain accessibility requirements.
For example, its videos have closed captions and transcripts, but many of the hands-on resources require access to a printer.
Concerns:
No specific instructions for how to use this website are included, but teachers can easily provide such instructions to their class. In fact, the lack of specific instructions increases the flexibility of this learning resource.
Creative Commons:
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