A Science WebQuest for 4th Graders
By:  Michelle Gilmer

  "You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round.....
  The Sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours....
  Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves."

--Black Elk, Oglala Sioux Holy Man, 1863-1950

Introduction

Native Americans have always believed that Nature is cyclical -- everything has a cycle that repeats over and over.   They believe each organism on earth supports other organisms in a never-ending Circle of Life.  Is there a Circle of Life?  Does every living thing depend on other living, and non living, things?

Task

The United States Postal Service wants to create a commemorative stamp series focusing on Native American beliefs.  Each stamp in the series will be an artwork that represents the belief that everything in life works as a circle.

You have been selected to create a mural based on the above quote from Black Elk.  After you create your mural, it will be sent in to the USPS.  There it will be judged and possibly selected to become one of the stamps in the Native American series.

Your task is to research and map out the Circle of Life.  You will work in teams of three people.  Each team member will be responsible for an area of research to determine the inter-relationships in nature.

Process

1.  Your teacher will assign you to a team.  Each team will have three members.  Each member will be given a role and responsibility in research. The roles are:

Botanist:  You will research the life of plants, also known as producers..

Zoologist:  You will research the life of animals, also known as consumers.

Rotologist:  (Yes, I made this one up.)  You will research what happens after life - decomposing things.

2.  Click on your role to read a more detailed description of your responsibilities.

3.  Begin your research using the links on your role page.  Make sure you answer all the questions listed under your role.  Take notes using the journal page you can print here.  NOTE:  Be sure to PARAPHRASE the information and cite your references.

4.  When all three members of your team are finished researching, get back together and share your findings.  Look for ways that each group (producers, consumers, and decomposers)  depend on each other.  Sketch a plan of your Circle of Life mural.

5.  Make your Circle of Life mural.  Your teacher will give you the necessary art supplies or you may use a Paint program.

6.  Share with the class.

Research

Click on your role below to find research links.

Botanist       Zoologist       Rotologist

Evaluation

Your work will be evaluated using this scoring guide.

Teacher Page

Attention all teachers:  Before you begin, read this information.