Creation Field Guide
Creation Field Guide (CFG) is a sub-project of the CDP Biodiversity Project developed by Mágoulo’s School for the Spiritually Gifted. Participants identify and describe species that can be found on the Camp Deerpark grounds and surrounding area to promote Biodiversity Education. The project promotes STEM skills in terms of Biology and life sciences including Anatomy, Identification, Classification, Natural History, and Ecology. Also, the project promotes skills in descriptive non-fiction writing as part of LA (Language Arts).
Participant Activities
Activities and associated objectives are adjusted according to The Learning Levels which are based on [4] Human Growth. Level 4 learners support levels 1-3 according to [4] Growth by Doing.
| LEVEL 1 | LEVEL 2 | LEVEL 3 | LEVEL 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth Objective | Self Expression: Be motivated to describe something verbally you see. Learn and remember descriptive words and syntax. | Accuracy: Enjoy selecting the most important and accurate terms for description. Increase vocabulary and selection ability. | Efficiency: Connect with what the audience should understand and convey meaning. Build descriptive power. | Mastery: Engage self and audience in community of practice through artful writing. Hone skills and optimize process. |
| Core Activities | Look at the organism. Choose and speak descriptive words. Watch as Level 2-4 writes down these words. | Select facts and descriptors for writing from source material. Write with Level 3-4 partner making suggestions and copying their work. | Research source material, select descriptors and identify distinctive and important information. Write entry with active editing advice from Level 4 partner. | Research and write page without assistance complying with exemplary standard. Support Level 1-3 in research, writing, and editing. Submit work for editing with other Level 3 & 4. |
| Bonus Activities | Create or play with something related to descriptors. Mimic writing or making (with manipulatives) words. Draw or color a picture. | Label a drawing or photo with distinctive characteristics. |
Steps
- Each Level 3 and 4 participant should select a unique organism for description, preferably not currently in the field guide (click and browse to confirm). Level 1 and 2 will work with partners, so should either choose a partner or an organism of interest.
- Start by making observations of the organism from live specimen or photo(s) and writing down descriptive words and phrases. Can you make a basic classification of the organism (i.e. is it a tree, flower, salamander, or beetle?). Allow lower levels to go first with Levels 3 & 4 recording words. Level 2s should copy down the words written by Level 3 & 4. You can start by asking the question: “What did I first notice about the organism?” (list words and phrases). Next, ask: “What is different, unique, distinctive, or remarkable about this organism as opposed to others like it?”.
- Identify the organism. Use the descriptive words look up the organism in a field guide OR craft a query and search online. A complete identification will include both the “common name” and at least the Latin scientific Genus name — and, if possible species name.
- Research source material for your description of the organism using the “common name” or “scientific name” for the organism. Try to find two or more authoritative sources. Level 3 & 4 will lead this process and, when necessary, read and/or explain content to Level 1 & 2. Continue to record descriptive words and phrases — important facts about characteristics, behaviors, natural history, ecology, and importance of the organism — to use in the field guide entry.
- Write your entry starting with a description of your organism’s characteristics that are most helpful for identification — typically related to appearance. Think of the characteristics that you used. Remember the field guide is for non-experts, so it should avoid technical terms. After these characteristics, explain anything distinctive that differentiates this organism from similar ones in the same ecology. Finally, explain any important and interesting facts about biology, behavior, natural history, or ecology.
Add reference to your source material at the bottom of the page in the _ section. Link online sources. Chicago manual of style (Turabian) citations are preferred (see this citation generator).
Include an original photo or one from a public domain or creative commons source like Wikimedia Commons.
When done as a MagSchool activity, entries can be posted to the school forum and tagged “CDP-BP, CDP-CFG’. When not done as a MagSchool activity, entries can be emailed with pictures as attachments to. - If you’re participating in the Life Tree project, working on an entry at your level counts as “describing an organism” for the Life Tree. Add the organism now, along with any branches required in the classification. Wikipedia often has complete classification for organisms on their articles.