Summary
In this lesson, students develop a GIS (Geographic Information System) map that reflects spatial and temporal responses of bison to prescribed fires that have occurred on The Nature Conservancy's Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Students will use their maps to draw conclusions about bison’s response to fire.
Essential Question(s)
How can GIS help us better understand the effects prescribed fires have on bison?
Snapshot
Engage
Students review the history of bison on the plains.
Explore
Students explore basic elements of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) by developing their own Google maps using authentic sample data.
Explain
Students will define key vocabulary within the field of GIS and environmental science by completing a Frayer Model.
Extend
Students will manipulate and analyze the layers of data on their GIS map.
Evaluate
Students will reflect on their learning with an exit ticket.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Mapping Bison handout (attached; one per student)
Map Analysis Teacher Key (attached)
Caption This Google Slides (linked)
Frayer Model handout (optional; attached; one per student)
Chart paper (one per group)
Marker sets (one per group)
Chromebook or laptop
Preparation for the Lesson
For the Engage activity, you will use Google Slides. You will need to set them up in advance. Before you begin, select the provided link:
English version: http://k20.ou.edu/bison
Spanish version: http://k20.ou.edu/spanish-bison
This will create a copy of the Google Slides on your drive. You will need to share the link with your students. Add your new URL as a link (either in full or by using a link shortener) and/or a QR code to slide 6. If you need help making a short link or QR code, use our Shortened URL Links or QR Code tech tool to find instructions. We suggest making one copy per class period since students will be editing the slides during the lesson. Also, make sure there are enough blank slides based on the number of small groups your class will have. To make additional slides, right click on any blank slide in the left sidebar and select “Duplicate Slide.”
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Begin the lesson by showing slides 2-4 of the attached Lesson Slides, which introduce the title of the lesson, the essential question, and the learning objectives. Emphasize that the essential question will be addressed throughout the lesson.
Move to slide 5 and play the Bison & Humans: A Shared Story video (stop at 3:37). Next, display slide 6 and explain to students that they will be participating in a Caption This activity. Arrange your students into small groups and assign each group a slide number. Have students type in your shortened URL address or scan your QR code to access the “Caption This” slides. Once students have accessed the activity and their assigned slide, minimize the Lesson Slides and pull up the “Caption This” slides. Before students begin the activity, make sure to spend a couple of minutes going over slides 1-2 of the “Caption This” slides to review the expectations for the activity as well as an example.
As students begin the activity, feel free to move back to slide 1 of the “Caption This” slides so that students can consult the directions as they discuss the image. Let students know that they need to choose a speaker who will share their ideas with the class. Give students about 10 minutes for discussing and writing their captions into the slides and responding to other captions by copy/pasting emojis.
Have students reconvene as a whole, and as you proceed through the “Caption This” slides, ask a representative from each group to explain their group’s image to the class and their reasoning behind their caption. After all groups have presented, ask students if they have learned anything new about bison after participating in this activity. Minimize/close the “Caption This” slide deck and resume using the Lesson Slides.
Explore
45 Minute(s)
Display slide 7 and ask students about one of the preceding images from the “Caption This” activity pictured on the slide. Discuss the following questions: What did you notice about the bison? Why is the biologist putting a collar on the bison?
Explain to students that the next activity uses the data from research conducted at The Nature Conservancy’s Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Use slide 8 to review the following information about the Prairie Preserve in as much detail as you find necessary. Explain to students that this 39,650-acre preserve located within the Osage Nation north of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is the largest expanse of protected tallgrass prairie on earth. Around 2,500 bison are allowed to roam and graze freely over most of the 62-square mile preserve. In 2009, many bison were fitted with global positioning system [GPS] collars to study their movement. The data collected from the collars provides much valuable information.
One factor affecting the movement of the free-range bison is the fire disturbance occurring there. Fast forward to today. The data is still being collected from bison wearing “bling” on the same tall grass prairie. Ask students the following question: Can you think of other species with GPS collars? Some sample responses may be lions, elephants, and even personal pets if you consider air tags/microchips.
Tell students that they will be using some of the 2009 GPS data from tracking the three bison in order to develop a GIS map that shows how bison responded to fires. Display slide 9 and have students scan the QR codes to download and prepare the data files for March, April, and May. Click on the links below and make copies for yourself.
After students have their files saved to their Google drives, pass out the attached Mapping Bison handout and transition to slide 10. Using the instructions in the “Student Guide” section of the handout, have students create their GIS map of bison activity. Slide 11 is a video tutorial that demonstrates each step as well as a direct link to this video at http://k20.ou.edu/6y
Remind students that they will repeat the process outlined in their “Student Guide” for the other two remaining months. Allow students time to complete their maps, helping with issues as needed.
Explain
30 Minute(s)
Transition to slide 12 and have students watch the “What is GIS?” video.
Break students into small groups (ideally 7 groups total). Give each group one page of chart paper and one set of markers. Display slide 13 and explain the modified Frayer Model strategy where students should draw and label their models on their chart paper as exemplified on the slide. Then, assign each group one of the following vocabulary terms: prescribed fire, spatial, temporal, GPS, GIS, ecoregion, or Tallgrass prairie. Give students time to complete their models based on their assigned term.
Once groups complete their Frayer Model, have students take turns explaining their model while the others take notes on their own notebook paper. If needed, unhide slides 14-16 to clear up any misconceptions over the definitions.
Extend
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 17. Now that students understand the terminology, have them go back to the Google maps they created. Ask students to flip over their Mapping Bison handout and complete the “Map Analysis” side. Explain that students should manipulate the layers of the GIS map they created and respond to the questions on the Map Analysis handout. Once everyone has finished, use the attached Map Analysis Teacher’s Key handout to facilitate a discussion of the answers.
Evaluate
10 Minute(s)
Transition to slide 19 and have students use the Exit Ticket strategy to reflect on what they learned.
Resources
Burns, K. (2023, December 19). Bison and humans: A shared story. The American Buffalo: Ecosystem engineers. PBS Learning Media. https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/american-buffalo-ecosystem-engineers-video-gallery/the-american-buffalo/kenburnsclassroom/
Calvin, D. (n.d.). Catalina Island bison GPS collars. Wildlife detections. https://wildlifedetections.com/catalina-island-bison-gps-collars/
Esri. (2024). What is GIS? YouTube. https://youtu.be/WpoSofhf9Y0
K20 Center. (n.d.). Bell ringers and exit tickets. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/125
K20 Center. (n.d.). Caption this. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/82
K20 Center. (n.d.). Frayer Model. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/126
K20 Center. (2024, December 2). K20 ICAP - Is GIS for me? with Daniela Spade [Video]. YouTube.
McCoy, D. (2013). Bull bison with herd in the distance [Photograph]. National Park Service, National Parks Gallery. https://npgallery.nps.gov/
Peaco, J. (2015, March). Bison wallowing in dry mud [Photograph]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/yellowstonenps/
Pixabay. (2012, November 11). Sky blue grass skyline summer [Photograph]. Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/photos/sky-blue-grass-skyline-summer-65672/
The Nature Conservancy. (2024). Joseph H. Williams tallgrass prairie preserve. https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/tallgrass-prairie-preserve/
Yokers, B. (n.d.). Response of bison to fire. JenksFERST. https://sites.google.com/view/jenksferst/lessons/gis-lessons/response-of-bison-to-fire?authuser=0