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Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem & Art
Yellowstone: Seasons of the Wild
Lesson Plan
Welcome to the National Museum of Wildlife Art's lesson "Exploring the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem through Art."
Lesson: Discussion
Using the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) as a geographical framework and wildlife art as representations of ecosystems, students will look at the complex interaction of the elements that are present in a natural ecosystem. Through a class discussion, students will examine some of the factors that can cause changes in an ecosystem. Further, they will compare and contrast the elements of their own ecosystem with that of an intact ecosystem, such as the GYE.
Activity 1: Mapping
Students will locate the GYE on a United States map. They will examine how topography and climate determine the plant and animal life which inhabit a region.
Activity 2: Examining Ecosystems through Art
Students will examine images from the on-line exhibition, Yellowstone: Seasons of the Wild, then select two animals to use as subjects for the "Animal Observation Chart." A variety of field guides and resources will be used to learn about elements of the GYE.
Activity 3: Class Field Guide
Students will create and produce a Class Field Guide that will examine landforms, climate and animal habitats. Students use their research findings from Activities 1 and 2 to create this field guide. Published field guides may be used as models for creating a Class Field Guide.
Online Exhibit: Yellowstone: Seasons of the Wild