Animal Planet LTP Requirements
Fantastic, Funky Forms of Life
Animal Planet Long Term Project
Spring 2020
You will truly bring your research to life as you work through your long term project toward your presentation of learning. The requirements are listed below and there will be classroom support all along the way.
Discovery – We live on Animal Planet and there are endless examples of life that are truly mind boggling. Crazy adaptations that allow animals to live in harsh environments, defense strategies that aid in survival and wild behaviors that make each animal unique. You will choose an organism that you find truly fascinating and become the ultimate expert ready to share your new discovery! You and a partner could also choose two symbiotic animals and do your POL together.
Long Term Project (LTP) Requirements:
Food Web – Based on lesson in class. Make a diagram, which includes at least ten organisms within the food web of the creature you are studying. Make sure all jobs are represented (producer, consumer, decomposer/scavenger). Also, arrows showing the energy transfer. Pictures of each must be included, these can be drawings or computer generated.
Written Piece – A 4 – 5 page research piece that includes the following information, which is detailed and well explained.
~ Where does the organism live? – detailed description of the habitat
~ What adaptations does the organism have that help it survive?
~ Overall description of characteristics (size, shape, internal/external anatomy)
~ How does the organism mate and care for young or grow/replicate?
~ What specific behaviors are unique to this animal and what is their purpose?
~ Fun facts woven into the body of the paper
~ You MUST include a works cited that includes 5 sources [at least one book]
~ Have fun with the format of this paper [possibilities include: magazine article, newspaper, basic research paper]
Classification – Examples of this will be given in class.
~ You will make a table that shows all levels of classification (kingdom, phylum, class, order,
family, genus, species) with the characteristics that fit each level of classification.
~ There must be several pictures at each level to show the variety of life that is included in each
level until you are down to the species level, where you can have just one picture.
Biopoem ~ to be explained and completed in class
Model – Get creative with this and be sure the model of your organism includes the following:
~ the structures on the model must be in correct proportion to each other
~ the model must be three-dimensional and have the correct coloring and patterns
~ at least one adaptation must be clearly shown and function in some way
~ please do your best to use recycled and inexpensive supplies
Presentation of Learning (POL) Requirements
Costume – You will actually become the organism you are studying by creating a cool costume for your presentation. Yes, you will wear this as you present so make sure you can move around and feel free to “go wild” with your design. Guidelines:
~ must be able to wear throughout the presentation
~ obvious what organism you are
~ purchases are discouraged and must be pre-approved
~ must be homemade
Talk – Strive for a balance between entertainment and accurate information. MUST INCLUDE – overall description of the organism, what role they play in the ecosystem, what other organisms are they related to, what are some interesting and special facts, what might the audience find surprising, humor allowed within reason.
POL expectations
Two visuals
Transfer script to note cards to read/perform
Wear costume
Interact with audience
Timeframe ~ 8 minutes
Work sessions (come to class prepared to work on specific focus):
| Date | Focus |
| Friday, 1/24 | confirm partnerships, topics |
| Thursday, 1/30 | food web |
| Friday 2/7, Thursday 2/13, Friday 2/21 | written piece – research |
| Thursday, 2/27 | classification of organism |
| Wednesday 3/1 | model |
Deadlines (must be met or logical consequences occur):
| Date | Project Piece Due |
| Thursday, 2/6 | food web |
| Friday, 2/21 | outline |
| Wednesday, 2/26 | classification of organism |
| Friday, 2/28 | rough draft of written piece |
| Friday, 3/13 | final draft of written piece |
| Friday 4/3 | model |
| MONDAY 4/13, TUESDAY 4/14 | COSTUMES and POL’s ** POL Work Days TBA** |