Nature Shift
About this resource
- Appropriate grades
- 3–12
- Subjects
- science (astronomy, biology and life science, environmental science, natural history, physics and physical science), social studies (American Indians, United States history)
- Provider
- Grand Forks Public Schools
Legal
This catalog record is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. This license applies to the content of this page only and does not apply to the referenced website.
Experience the wilderness on the banks of the Missouri River — learn all you can about the environment in historical perspective... can you learn enough to survive? Use recorded lab observations from seven online activities to rescue a friend lost on an island — can you help them escape the island or survive on it until they are rescued? These and other online simulations and problem-solving activities on Natureshift! cover environmental topics, electricity and magnetism, energy, motion, gravity, planets, constellations, and phases of the moon.
Educator's guide
NatureShift! presents a unique perspective on the world in which we live. Highly interactive, these interdisciplinary modules engage the learner in self-directed explorations appropriate for students from grade 4 through, in some cases, high school. Each module includes a research and problem-solving element that requires students to analyze either primary and secondary sources or scientific data, evaluate the usefulness of the information gathered, and produce a plan or product from their work. Information Skills are esssential to these authentic, absorbing activities!
The science and social studies integration module Wounded Hawk places the student in the wilderness on the banks of the Missouri River. Students are challenged to learn all they can about the environment in historical perspective...but can they learn enough to survive? Comparisons between the region today and the region 200 years ago are encouraged through the exploration of maps, both historical and current, as well as a timeline of the peoples of the area from the earliest Sahnish, Native Americans that predate the Spanish explorers, to today. Students can consult the elders, compare the essential needs of the plant, animal and human inhabitants, examine the gardens and river. Using a parfleche, or Native American pouch, students store important ideas and create a slideshow of images to establish a survival plan and succeed in the 1800 or Modern Survivor Challenge.
Memories & Stories looks at the historian's craft and helps students to consider how close history is to our own lives. Other people don't have to write our history, we have access to what we need to write our own local history if we carefully consider available resources. The timeline focuses on the eras relevant to the settlement of North Dakota, but the essential sections covering the use of primary source documents, pictures and oral history are applicable to any geographical region. The final History Challenge is a research project that steps the grade 4 through 8 students through the process of research including authentic sources. Students can store their work in their free "My Files" locker and they may submit their final project to be considered for posting to the site.
Robot Lab allows student exploration of physical science topics like electricity and magnetism, energy, motion, gravity, waves and more. The culminating activity is the Island Adventure in which students use their recorded lab observations from the seven sections of the module to rescue a colleague lost on an island either by helping them escape the island or survive on it until they are rescued. Though this is written for grades 4 through 8, activities are appropriate for use through grade 12.
Ranger Rosie is on the job, investigating eco-mysteries in forest, wetland, prairie and schoolyard. To solve the eco-mystery, she needs help. Clues and reference materials students must explore extend into the topics of botany, zoology, ecology and animal behavior. Students study the plants, animals and non-living organisms of the ecosystem. They also learn the characteristics of the ecosystem and some general ecological concepts. Observations are recorded in the student's field notebook. Click on Rosie's Backpack for more Earth and environmental activities for all ages both from NatureShift! and out on the web.
Finally, students can join Moon as he travels the Dakota Skies learning more about space science, astronomy and meteorology. Topics include the orbits and rotations of the planets, constellations, and phases of the moon. Each section is designed to provide students with one more "key" to unlock more of the mysteries of the Moon Challenge. Wheel of Wonders provides a thorough introduction to many phenomena of space including quasars and galaxies. As students learn, information is recorded in their personal Sky Journal.
Teachers may find the Site Map is an essential place to visit, there is great deal to see on this site and it will help to give you the overview you need. An Educator's Portal will provide the necessary support documents and standards information. NatureShift! is a program of Dakota Science Center and the Grand Forks Public Schools funded by the United States Department of Education.
