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Database Provider

Author

Biointeractive

Grades

11th, 12th, AP® / College

Subjects

Science, Social Studies, Biology, History, English Language Arts, World Languages, Spanish

Resource Types

  • Video, 34 minutes, 31 seconds, CC
  • Article

Regional Focus

Africa

Format

PDF, Downloadable MP4/M4V

The Guide: A Biologist in Gorongosa

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Synopsis
  • This video and article introduces students to the biological beauty of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique by following the story of a young man's passion for nature and his newly discovered interest in science after meeting a famous entomologist.
  • The video and article provide an in-depth look at the challenges faced in Mozambique due to recent conflicts and few monetary resources to help support the people in the region and the park's biodiversity.
  • E.O. Wilson was featured in the video and was the catalyst for Tonga's new aspirations.
Teaching Tips

Positives

  • This is an excellent example of how science can be applied in the real world and gives students a different perspective on how land and resources are valued in other cultures and regions.
  • This resource also includes links to three clips of teachers explaining how they used the resource in their classrooms. 
  • Written transcripts of the film are provided in English and Spanish and there is a descriptive audio version of the film as well.

Additional Prerequisites

  • Due to the large file size, the film may take longer than expected to load. It may be best to play the film directly from the landing page.
  • The short clips may require you to reload the page once you click play.

Differentiation

  • Have students reflect on the importance and effectiveness of community-led and community-centered initiatives while watching the film or reading the article, then have them create lists of actions that their communities can achieve to protect habitat or combat climate change.
  • Challenge students to consider the long-term effects of colonialism and conflicts on the environment. History students can research other wars or conflicts in the past to estimate the environmental impacts they may have caused and then present their findings to the class.
  • Have biology, chemistry, or environmental science students consider and discuss the implications of human encroachment, agriculture, and urbanization for other species on the planet and for the climate after watching this film and reading the article.
  • The article introduces the idea of sustainable development, which can be expanded upon by the teacher in social studies or science classes.Links can be made with economics, engineering, civics, and ecology classes.
  • Biology and AP Environmental Science students can utilize this video and paper to connect to many topics and concepts such as population dynamics, HIPPO, genetic bottlenecks, and migration or habitat corridors.
  • As a follow-up activity, consider organizing a bioblitz for your classroom to record as many species as possible on the school grounds or in a nearby park.
  • To extend the lesson, have students learn about community-led initiatives from this video about a restoration project in Tanzania or this video about tree planting.
Scientist Notes
This 35-minute video presents a story about Tonga Torcida. It may inspire students to be environmental stewards and lead major climate actions in their communities. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.

  • Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
    • LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
      • HS-LS4-5 Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.
      • HS-LS4-6 Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.
    • ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
      • HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
  • College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
    • Dimension 2: Civics
      • D2.Civ.5.9-12 Evaluate citizens' and institutions' effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.
    • Dimension 4: Taking Informed Action
      • D4.6.9-12 Use disciplinary and interdisciplinary lenses to understand the characteristics and causes of local, regional, and global problems; instances of such problems in multiple contexts; and challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address these problems over time and place.
  • Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
    • Reading: Science & Technical Subjects (6-12)
      • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9 Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
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