In Middle School science, students are diving into “eco-scenario” research projects. They will be researching one of ten ecosystems that exist in our national parks. Their investigations will include where the ecosystem is located, what major populations live there, and what human issues are centered there. Students will work together to compile information, organize a food web, and create a poster. Additionally, each student will compose an individual report on their research.
Each grade (6th-8th) will take a field trip to the downtown branch of the Santa Barbara Public Library to learn about online databases and how to find reliable online sources. They will also learn to use the catalog system at the public library in order to look up, find, and check out books for their sources. Yesterday the 8th graders took to the first trip to the library (see photos below), and the 6th and 7th graders will follow in their footsteps next week. Ask a middle schooler about their eco-scenario research!