Quest Line:
Previous Quest:
Summary:
Help Kellis determine what's causing the decline in the mudweaver population by running simulations of the possible causes.
Recommendations:
In this quest, players continue using the Eco Globe simulation tool, but in this case, the tool is not being used to predict the future. Here it is being used to try to understand why a current change in the ecosystem in occurring – why a certain population is dying out. This Eco Globe now has six species that a player can experiment with, however, as starting help, the globe suggests three possible changes that the player can try.
Learning Objectives:
- Use a simulation to make predictions
Tools:
Connecting Questions:
- What did you find was causing the death of the mudweavers? Did you get the solution on the first try or did you have to try a few different possibilities? Did you try changing one of the species that was not suggested in the instructions? Try to get the students talking about different approaches.
- How does knowing the food web of an ecosystem help you to use the simulation? Help students to make the connection that the model that the simulation is using is the food web of the area.
- Did you try any solutions that led to strange findings? Encourage the students to play around with the simulations. It is helpful to go through one as a class and let them propose different starting conditions.
Additional Resources:
None.