Flora-fauna

Flora and fauna of Réunion

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Task | Process | Content | Assessment | Research notes sheet | Weekly log | Evaluation Form

Introduction

You will adopt two roles during this research. The first role is that of an entrepreneur who wishes to clear one of the few remaining tracts of natural vegetation in order to introduce a new crop to the island. The second role is that of a member of a local protection association who wishes to preserve this habitat.

The Task

Your task is to write a debate from the point of view of both Greenies and Industrialists with regards to endemic, introduced and extinct species on Réunion island.

The Process

In order to complete your task you will need to:

Brainstorm the topic. Use this time to organise your ideas.
Write guiding questions for the different aspects of the content that you plan to cover. (Check the guide to doing a research task if you are not sure how to write guiding questions. Use the Research notes sheet to record your questions.)
Search the online resources (text pages, web links) provided in this course
Check through the optional extras pages to see if any are relevant to your topic.
Use the Research notes sheet to record and organise your facts and the sources you have used. It would be a good idea to print off this sheet and get it enlarged to A3 size.
Write a Weekly log to keep a record of what you have accomplished and to list your next steps.
Show this log to your teacher each week. (You will need to copy the log to a Word page and save it: Ctrl c to copy and Ctrl v to paste. You can add to your entries each week.)
Write the text of a debate (about 4-8 pages).
Fill out the Evaluation Form and give it to your teacher with your research assignment.

Content

Your debate should include a description of the:

endemic, introduced and extinct species of flora and fauna
positive and negative impact of man on Réunion’s systems

LearningTips

In each of your roles as debater, you should:

Select facts that support your point of view and discredit your opponent.
Consider the history of settlement on the island.
Consider the impact that introduced species have on the island.
Consider the economic sustainability of the island.
Consult with other students researching the same topic so that you can share your findings.

Think about the software you might wish to use (eg Power Point, Publisher etc).

Assessment

You are required to write a 4-8 page debate, devoting equal attention to both sides. You must include a bibliography that lists all of your sources of information.

General assessment criteria

You will be assessed on how well you demonstrate the ability to:

select information that is relevant to the task
combine and order information in a logical manner
deliver a balanced content that makes sense grammatically
distinguish between fact and opinion in web texts
make connections between the history and geography of Réunion and present day practices
demonstrate creativity – original ideas, imagination, presentation

Conclusion

Participating in this research task should enhance your understanding of the flora and fauna of Réunion. You should develop a better understanding of the connectedness and interdependence of ecological systems in Réunion. You will gain experience in using the computer as a research tool and may develop further skills in using technology to present your work.

Credits & References

See the weblinks for a summary of Online references.

Offline references (used in creating the text pages).

La Réunion: le guide touristique et encyclopédique, EncycloGuide 1999
Histoire, Géographie: Programmes pour la Réunion, Hatier International 2001
Le guide île de la Réunion, Éditions Noor Akhoun
En parcourant la Réunion, Éditions clin d’œil 1999
Clin d’œil de la Réunion, Éditions clin d’œil
Mauritius , Réunion & Seychelles, Lonely planet publications 2001

Research notes sheet

It’s a good idea to note the source of any facts that you locate. You can use it to list your sources in the bibliography. You might also need to go back to a web site to check up on details.

Guiding questions	Source	Source	Source
Why?
When?
Who?
How?
Where?
What?

Weekly log

Name: ________________________________________________________________________________

Partner: _______________________________________________________________________________

Directions: Once a week, while you are working on your research task, make an entry in this log detailing what you have accomplished. Then plan what you need to accomplish the following week.