Ecology Science Crash Course - I Am Ecology- 4 Weeks (Age 9-14)

Hello learners, explorers, and nature science enthusiasts. Welcome to "I Am Ecology", a six-part (6 classes + 2 extension & activity times) narrative style online course with beautiful, symbolic, and contemporary visual graphics to destination Earth System. This is a 4 week course with activities. You will get to explore connections of all kinds including our connections through the internet & technology, as well as connections with your fellow travelers. You'll travel through a rail system as you begin to think in systems. You'll take an airplane around the globe to explore biomes and see the Earth as a complete system. You'll dive into the ocean to explore a newly discovered coral reef ecosystem, and fly over to the Great Barrier Reef to explore the beauty of an ecosystem. You'll also explore ecosystems in your own back yard or community. Who knows?..you may even discover a new species as you celebrate biodiversity and strange but cool speciation with me, Teacher Nate, your travel guide and teacher. And ultimately, you'll take a time machine to the ecologically resilient and sustainable future!

"I Am Ecology" is a primer that explores the fundamentals of Ecology Science, Systems Thinking and Biodiversity Science for young learners adapted to two different close age-range groups designed for grades 3 and up. The course contains interactivity, discussion, and activities.

**Upon completing the 4 week - 6 part journey, you will also get a DEFINITIVE BEGINNER ECOLOGIST'S LIST of other age appropriate materials and all-family "edutainment" to continue your study**

I believe you, as a human (Homo Sapien), are part of nature's web and this is why the course is called I Am Ecology. Come with me and take the journey to find out how this can be so. Are you connected?

Class Schedule Breakdown:

-Week One-
Meeting One: Lesson 01 - CONNECTIONS STATION - An intro exploration of Connections from Technology to Ecology
Meeting Two: Lesson 02 - CONNECTIONS STATION RAIL SYSTEM - An exploration of Systems Thinking with System designing activities

-Week Two-
Meeting One: Lesson 03 - EARTH SYSTEM - An overview showing Earth as an interconnected System with an introduction to Biomes and an exploration of the Amazon River Basin
Meeting Two: Lesson 04 - REEFS & ECOSYSTEMS - A "deep dive" into ecosystems, learn about a recently discovered coral reef as well as the workings of The Great Barrier Reef. *This meeting asks the student for homework assignment to take a picture of an ecosystem which is to be brought to the week three meetings.

-Week Three-
Meeting One: Activity Extension 01 - Students will build extension dialogue on Ecology topics covered so far and complete a customized ecosystem activity selected based on student interest *Learners are expected to bring the ecosystem photograph homework assignment to be discussed in one of week 3's meetings.
Meeting Two: Lessons 05 - A CELEBRATION OF BIODIVERSITY - Exploration of the vast diversity of life and speciation - Be prepared to talk about your favorite unique plants, animals, or other species. Activity: exploring the Tree Of Life on Onezoom.org

-Week Four-
Meeting One: Lesson 06 - RESILIENT FUTURE - How does biodiversity create resilience? We'll watch as two disrupted ecosystems unfold and see how ecosystem services are connected to us humans as well as what this means for our future.
Meeting Two: Activity Extension 02 - Learners will build extension dialogue on Lesson 05 & 06 topics and complete a game, I created, based on ecosystem resilience. The the students' success during this game will reflect the class's overall understanding of the topics covered. Lastly, the class will engage in reflection, review, and discussion, as well as new horizons, and classmate farewells.

**You will also receive an in-depth and detailed class description .PDF file upon signing up and notes .PDF upon completing each class. 

What do you need to do next?
Find a class date range and time in the "Available Times" section that all fit the student's available schedule. Click on the Enroll Button and fill in the enrollment form and purchasing information. Click Enroll again and log into the classroom hub. There you will be greeted and receive your first document. Use your e-mails or log in to your Outschool profile to join each class at the designated class times. 

Course Deliverable:
-Deep understanding of Ecology and Student's personal connection to Nature & Community
-Intrinsic Interest and curiously of Earth related topics
-8 classes (including 2 Activity Classes)
-Detailed Class Schedule .PDF
-6 Class Notes & Study guide .PDFs (To be save for student's future personal studies)
-Student Assessment (Upon Completion)
-Definitive List of Ecology Edutainment .PDF (Fiction and non-Fiction Books, Documentaries, Youtube Videos, Websites, TV Shows, & Video Games all specially chosen for continuing curiosity of topics covered) **To be received upon completion of full 4 week course.**