Is there life in caves

Transcript

1 Is there life in caves Εισαγωγή Καθοδήγηση για προετοιμασία Teacher will make a scientific information presentation in video and powerpoint format and will prepare the trip to a well known Romanian cave with an professional speleologist scientist. Keywords: cave, speology, biospeology, cave animal, behavior. Target audience: students from secondary school Age range: years Context: In the classroom, caves. Time required: 3 hours, one day visit and investigation. Technical Requirements: video projector, internet, pc, photo camera Author s background: Emil Racoviţă Speleological Institute of the Romanian Academy, Cluj-Napoca, caves Polovraci & Muierii Learning Objectives:

2 describe cave biotope & biocenosis;

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4 identify body adaptations to living in the cave and contact behavior of organisms establishing the relationship between environmental conditions and diversity of organisms involvement in environment research awareness of the importance of the cave ecosystem conservation. Activities: observations, brainstorming, hypotheses, investigation Σύνδεση με τη διδακτέα ύλη Biology (Secondary School)- ecology classes. Included in the Biology curriculum, the ecology classes have an important role in knowing and protecting of the environment. Φάση προ-επίσκεψης Πρόκληση της περιέργειας Is there life in the cave? What are the life conditions in the caves? What species adapted to these conditions and how? Are bats harmful? Students will watch a video regarding bats in their natural environment.

5 Υποστηρικτικό Υλικό Προσδιορισμός ερωτήσεων με βάση την υφιστάμενη γνώση Students will share information about speology and biospeology with guests specialised in this field. Πρόταση προκαταρκτικών εξηγήσεων ή υπόθεσης Watching the guests presentations about caves Questions, arguments, conclusions Myths and legend about bats Σχεδιασμός και υλοποίηση απλής διερεύνησης Watching scientific material about caves

6 Identifying animal cave species Observation of the cave animals characteristics Discussions, documentation, conclusions The cave is an underground ecosystem where life conditions are very limited. Yet some life forms emerged even here. These are microorganisms, invertebrates and few vertebrata (bats). Φάση επίσκεψης Συλλογή αποδεικτικών στοιχείων μέσω παρατήρησης Trip to a cave, where a proffesional speologist will help students to observe life species and their habitat. - Students will make observation and evidence gathering: measuring temperature, humidity, light conditions, insects, bats, guano, stalactites and stalagmites.

7 Εξήγηση βασισμένη στα αποδεικτικά στοιχεία Students will discover that due to the lack of plants, few life forms succeded to adapt to the hush conditions in caves: bacteria, fungi, worm species, crustacean, spiders, insects, fish, Proteus, bats. These life forms suffered structural and functional modifications due to the specific environment conditions: depigmentation, very week eyesight, other senses are amplified (the smell and tactile sense) vital functions are slower, they move slow. Θεώρηση άλλων εξηγήσεων Students will be tought about the frequent species meet in caves: bats - flying mammals. They do not see but they have highly developed hearing (echolocation). Bats are nocturnal animals, feed with insects and are very important in maintaining insects equilibrium in the environment. They destroy many of the insects that spread diseases. Guano (bat excrement) is a source of food for other species.

8 Φάση μετά την επίσκεψη Έκφραση εξηγήσεων - following cave visitation, students will fill in forms the identified caracteristics of the cave biotop and biocenosis - compare cave animals with other animals - discussions regarding bats behaviour - all the natural ecosystems have an outstanding importance, but caves are very special it must be respected. (Video watching) Δραστηριότητες και υλικά μεταπαρακολούθησης Students will make their work materials (power point, poster, project). Students will share the knowledge and impressions with their colleagues and will try to understand the importance of the ecosystems.

9 Στοιχεία επαφής BBC channel 6. Discovery channel