Hawaiian Mountain Zones

Exploring Hawaiian Mountain Zones
Claudia Kaneyuki
Grade 4
June 2000

Purpose: People have divided the earth into smaller units to make it easier to understand. Historically, the two fundamental ways to make these divisions are political or natural. World maps and globes illustrate these well - some show political divisions between countries, while others focus on natural relief, such as deserts, cold areas, and wet areas. Such divisions work at almost any scale. They type of map used in this lesson will show natural areass referred to as zones. The zonation map shows natural boundaries such as elevation, climate, vegetation and native animals.

Focus Questions:

1. What is a microclimate?

2. How does altitude affect temperature?

3. How does the physical environment (temperature, rainfall, soil) affect how and where natural communities form?

National Geographic Standards: National Standard - The components of ecosystems are 1) identify and compare communities of plants and animals and the physical environments in which they live.

National Standard - identify and explain the distribution and patterns of ecosystems by 1) drawing pictures of different vegetation regions or zones and 2) use sketch maps of student's region or zones to show locations of different associations of plants and animals.

Hawaii Content Performance Standards and Benchmarks:

Geography Content Standard: PYSHICAL SYSTEMS - Students understand how physical processes shape the Earth's surface, and create, sustain, and modify the ecosystems by 1) explaining how physical processes affect formation and distribution of climates, natural resources, and ecosystems.

Essential Element/Theme: Hawaiian Mountain Zones

Knowledge: The student knows and understands the following key concepts:

1. Variation in temperature and moisture results in the zonation of natural communities.

2. Role of elevation in formation of natural communities.

3. Effect of temperature and rainfall on formation of natural communities.

4. Definition of a microclimate.

Objectives: The students will be able to:

1. Compare and contrast early Hawaiian and modern systems of describing vegetation zones in Hawai`i.

2. Describe the different physical conditions that create vegetation zones from the sea to the mountains.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of Hawaiian mountain zones by creating their own Hawaiian Zonation map.

Asking Geographic Questions:

1. "When you travel from the sea to the mountaintop, which two environmental factors change the most?" (temperature and moisture)

2. "How might differences in these two factors influence the kinds of plants and animals that tolerate life in the different zones?" (e.g. Those that tolerate intense sunlight, cold and dry conditions live on the mountaintops)

3. "Describe differences in vegetation at the beach, in the mountains, in dry areas and wet areas". (e.g. wet areas have lots of ferns and dry areas do not)

4. "Why don't beach plants and animals live in mountain forests?" (vice versa)

5. "How do the differences in temperature, rainfall and soil type influence where plants and animals live?" (e.g. on the top of Mauna Loa at 13,796 feet, it can be freezing cold; therefore few plants and animals can survive the cold, dry conditions at such a high elevation)

Vocabulary: zonation, elevation, formation temperature, microclimate, natural, coastal, savanna, forest, desert, alpine

Skills:

1) Uses maps and globes to locate places and gather data for locational decisions.

2) Make simple comparisons showing similarities and differences between places.

3) Participate effectively in collaborative learning situations.

Materials: vegetation zonation sheet, Hawaiian zonation sheet, 'Remaining Native Ecosystems Today' map, In the 'Middle of the Sea' map, construction paper, colored markers, colored pencils, regular pencils, glue, scissors, natural materials (e.g. twigs, sand, grass), dictionaries, Atlas of Hawaii, videos ('In the Middle of The Sea' and 'Exploring Islands: Exploring Hawaiian Vegetation Zones')

Activities and Procedures:

1. Read aloud to the class the book titled "Call of Kolea". Moanalua Garderns Foundation, 1992. The book includes watercolor illustrations of different island environments and a Hawaiian translation of the text. Discuss the content of the book focusing on the characteristics of the different Hawaiian mountain zones.

2. Watch the video "In the Middle of the Sea". Moanalua Gardens Foundation, 1992, 18 min. video. It compliments the book titled "Call of the Kolea" because the children in the video visit the different Hawaiian mountain zones. A boy and a girl take a magical journey to the different vegetation zones where they discover why there are so many unique plants and animals in the islands; includes beautiful footage of the Hawaiian Honeycreeper birds.

Discuss the video and how it compares with the book with particular emphasis on the Hawaiian mountain zones. Also, how the children follow the call of the Kolea as it travels up and down the mountain zones.

3. Have students examine Hawaiian Island maps that identify and show divisions based on geographic features including land use and elevation. Focus on the Big Island due to the fact that it includes all the different vegetation zones from the Coastal Strand to the Alpine Desert Zone.

4. Distribute copies of the Vegetation Zonation sheet and the Hawaiian Zonation sheet. As the students compare the two sheets, ask how they are similar and different form each other. Ask the students to describe how the conditions change as one goes up the mountain, which are generally drier on the leeward than on the windward side of the islands.

5. View Exploring the Islands video titled "Exploring Hawaiian Mountain Zones" (45 min.) Mounalua Garderns Foundation, D.O.E. Teleschool Branch. Examine the Vegetation Zonation sheet to follow the different mountain zones in the video. Discuss the change in climate, elevation, and vegetation and possible native animals found while traveling up and down the Hawaiian mountain zones. Go over the names of the zones.

6. Share with the students the following resource books titled: "Peter Panini's Children's Guide, The Living Treasures of the Hawaiian Islands - The story of Hawaii's Plants and Animals" written by Stacey Kaopuiki. Also "Hawaii's Natural Forests" by Katherine Orr and David Boynton.

After reading the above books, discuss how elevation affects the temperature, plants, and animals in each vegetation zone. Explore the meaning of hte word microclimate and the general types of climate in each zone. Then discuss how it affects the types of plants and animals that survive in those zones.

7. Pass out The Middle of the Sea (Hawaiian Mountain Zones) worksheet or have the students make their own basic zonation map following a sample map. Have the students fill-in the names of the zones. Next, write on the side of the mountain the elevations. Then students will color in the zones and draw some different types of vegetation and animals that live in the zones.

Divide the students into small groups to make a zonation map poster (larger version of the above map) adding natural materials.

8. Have the students look up the definitions of the vocabulary words listed in this unit under Vocabulary. Have the students write the meaning of the words down and keep in their Hawaiian Studies folder for reference.

9. Distribute the colored copies of the Terrestrial Ecosystems map of the Big Island from the Atlas of Hawaii Third Edition. Edited by Sonia P. Juvik and James O. Juvik Chief Cartographer: Thomas T. Paradise.

Pass out black and white copies of the same map. Ask the students to color the black and white map including the color coded key following along with the same colors on their color map. Compare and contrast this vegetation map with the Hawaiian Zonation map. Discuss how the two maps are the same and how are they different to each other.

Assessment:

A. Acquiring, Organizing Information

1. Given labels (cards), students place the card name on the zonation sheet in the correct location on the zonation sheet.

2. Matching Worksheet - students match the definitions from their vocabulary words with the definitions from the dictionary compiled and typed on the worksheet by the teacher.

B. Acquring, Organizing, Analyzing

3. Evaluate the poster zonation map for degree of understanding. Use the following Rubrics:

a. Exceeding - Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the names and proper locations of the different Hawaiian zones according to elevation and climate.

b. At Standard - Demonstrates a substantial understanding of the names and proper locations of the different Hawaiian zones according to elevation and climate.

c. Minimal - Information on zonation map is incomplete.

d. Inadequate - The zonation map does not resemble the actual map.

4. Evaluate and compare the two terrestrial colored ecosystem maps ("Native Ecosystems before Human Settlement" and "Ecosystems Today") of the Big Island for degrees of understanding. After coloring in the vegetation zones and map key on "Ecosystems Today" map, check the application of the vegetation map. Give students the following oral questions: What are the physical differences between the two maps? Why are the two maps different? What are some causes for the differences? What can be done to save the remaining Big Island ecosystems?

5. Writing assignment for degree of understanding: Students will write down ways that man can help save and protect the remaining Hawaiian ecosystems. Students write at least five ways down in paragraphs with examples for a passing grade.

Main References:

1999-2000 Teacher's Guide: Distance Learning Television "Exploring the Islands and Let's Go Voyaging". Moanalua Gardens Foundation & Hawai`i State Department of Education with the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

Ohi`a Project: An Environmental Education Guidebook for Hawai`i. Grades 4-6. Second Edition. Produced by Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and Moanalua Gardens Foundation in cooperation with the Hawai`i Stae Department of Education. Copyright 1998.