I don't actually assign the Wander Society book as reading for my students. I just used it as inspiration for a semester-long reflective assignment. Here are some other prompts I use for the same activity:
Transformations
Neither matter nor energy can be created or destroyed, only transformed. This is the foundation for food webs where energy flows through the trophic levels, from producers to consumers. This is also the foundation of the biogeochemical cycles: carbon cycle, water cycle, and nutrient cycles.
For this wander, seek out a natural transformation and document it using your method of choice. Remember to: 1) remain open to discovery, 2) question everything, and 3) use your imagination.
Turn in a text or video file with the following components:
- An annotated photograph or video with audio description of the transformation you observed
- Your list of observations
- A reflection on how your Wander connected to one or more of the module learning objectives
Psychogeography
As you’ve learned, there is significant variability of life on Earth. Despite these differences, there are many similarities between living organisms. Humans and slugs have about 70% of the same DNA sequence!
Psychogeography is a playful exploration of a city in a nontraditional way, with a focus on awareness of the urban landscape. For this module’s wander, find a map of an area you'd like to explore. Focus on the map through the lens of biodiversity and biomes.
Turn in a text or video file with the following components:
- An annotated photograph of a map or video with audio description addressing biodiversity.
- A reflection on how your Wander helped you understand the importance of biodiversity to an ecosystem.
Populations
Plant and animal populations are influenced by many factors, some of which depend on the total population size (water availability) while others are independent of the number of individuals (pollution).
In this Wander, you will continue to hone your observation skills. Pick a population to analyze. Closely observe the population and document evidence of factors that influence the population size. As always, think outside of the box.
Turn in a text or video file with the following components:
- A brief description or image of the population you observed
- Your list of observations
- A reflection that uses at least six key vocabulary words from this module's learning objectives.
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