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Willy Smiths: How to Restore a Rain Forest 

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Willy Smiths: How to Restore a Rain Forest 

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Willie Smits: How to restore a rainforest | TED Talk

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By piecing together a complex ecological puzzle, biologist Willie Smits believes he has found a way to re-grow clearcut rainforest in Borneo, saving local orangutans — and creating a thrilling blueprint for restoring fragile ecosystems. NOTE: The core content of this talk has been challenged on a number of grounds. For details, and Willie Smits’ response, please see “A challenge to Willie Smits’ talk” below.

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CW 10, NOS 6-8 and NOS 10

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Including Key Skills and Wellbeing Indicators

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Copy of Science Collaborative Planning Document - interactive

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Ballydangan Bog Red Grouse Project | County Roscommon, Ireland

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Reflection: Creating Equality of Opportunity for your Science Students 

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Reflection: Creating Equality of Opportunity for your Science Students 

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a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

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Virtual Tours in Biology

Want to explore the world of biology, but don't have time to take a field trip? Check out our biology virtual reality tours. Whether you want to teleport to locations around the world, travel through time between seasons, or shrink down to take a tour inside a bee hive, our virtual field trips are a great place to take a virtual trip with your computer or mobile device.

Biomes 2.0

For those who have been exploring our biomes, we have a new version of the tours, or version 2.0. These tours now include our tour guide, Bella, who can read the text in our collection of new galleries and videos. We also released the first of our marine biomes complete with sharks, coral reefs, and a shipwreck. Please send us your feedback and suggestions.

There is a new portal circling Earth that you can use to teleport to entirely different biomes around the world.

How To Explore the Virtual Tours

Our 2.0 tours include the icon information and tips. If you are using the older 1.0 version tours we have included information below in the expandable sections.

On a computer, smart phone, or tablet you can click or touch the Location icon to move to the new area. When using goggles, you place the pointer on top of the Location Icon to move to a new area. Below are the other icons you will find in the different tours. Review the list below before you jump into these virtual worlds.

These new tours have been made possible by the work of the following people. Without them we could not have brought you the new interface and new tours.

Tony Redhead - VR interface designer extraordinaire.

Andrew James Ferris - Freediver, VR photographer, and your guide to the Pacific ocean tour stops.

Captain Seawolf - Our trusty captain for the Bahama marine tour stops.

Dimensions.com - Animal dimensions and illustrations used with permission.

Additional funding by ASU Learning Enterprise

Desert summers may seem too hot and dry to support much life, but plenty of plants and creatures can be found in the desert, if you just look and listen closely. Visit the Sonoran desert of Arizona (without breaking a sweat) to see what animals you find, then visit Delving into Deserts for more information. Looking for the older version 1.0?

Grasslands may sound like they don't have much more than grass to explore, but all grasslands are very diverse places. Visit the United States prairie grasslands to get a peek at some of the plant and animal life found there. Then, visit Grasping Grasslands for more information. Looking for the older version 1.0?

Marine - 1 is our first marine virtual tour and it focuses on the intertidal zone. There is a lot to see in this tour including sharks, jellyfish, sea turtles, barracuda, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and a whole lot more. Be sure to dive into this biome. If you haven't already, you should visit the Marveling at the Marine Biome story. This tour is only available in the 2.0 version.

Savannas seem dry, but they are filled with many plants and animals that live in this biome. Join biologist Beth Pringle and her research team as they travel in the savanna of Kenya Africa. Be sure to find Beth and click on her to listen to her talk about her research and animals they see on this virtual tour. Looking for more? Try our Searching the Savanna story. Looking for the older version 1.0?

Tropical rainforests are packed with life, whether it is up above you in the canopy, hiding behind a leaf, or marching alongside your feet. Though you won't be able to feel the humid air surrounding you, this virtual tour takes you deep into the rainforests of Panama. After you've explored all this biome has to offer, visit Revealing the Rainforest for more information. Looking for the older version 1.0?

Temperate forests are known for their warm summers, chilly autumns, and freezing winters. Explore this forest across time and seasons to see the colors of the leaves change. If you don't get lost in all that this tour has to offer, make sure to visit Taking in the Temperate Forest for more information. Looking for the older version 1.0?

Tundras are cold, wind-swept areas where low-growing bushes, grasses, and mosses seem to rule the land. Travel around the country of Iceland to check out many faces of the tundra, but without the biting cold. This tour has some extra stops, so make sure to check the thumbnail menu so you don't miss any locations. Want to learn about life in the tundra? Visit Trekking Through Tundra for more information. Looking for the older version 1.0?

Universities do more than teach students. They have ongoing research programs that help us better understand how things work. They are also the incubators for many future discoveries that are used in products such as medicine for treating sick patients. University laboratories also provide opportunities for students to get hands-on experience doing research. This virtual 360 tour takes you inside the Varsani laboratory in the ASU Biodesign Institute. Here you get to learn a little about this team of scientists who are hunting for viruses. This tour is only available as version 1.0.

Taking a discovery and developing it into a usable product is often the work of new startup companies. This virtual 360 tour takes you inside a startup company called OncoMyx. Here the scientists are working with a virus that is being transformed into a tool for treating some cancers. Along with the scientists, there are non-science focused people who make sure all the things needed to run a company are in place. Jump into this tour and you will be able to meet a wide variety of people who help this company run. This tour is only available as version 1.0.

Watch Animal Behavior Virtually

What's all the buzz about in this bee colony? This tour takes you to a spot you'd never be able to visit physically... inside of an active bee hive. Learn about bees in this virtual tour and make sure to visit our paired bee story, Bee Bonanza. This tour is only available as version 1.0.

Learn about the hummingbirds that had to fight for their spot on this feeder. The hummingbird feeder tour gets you up-close and personal with a bird that's usually too fast to offer you a good look. Learn more about hummingbirds in our paired story, Hummingbirds. This tour is only available as version 1.0.

Additional images via Wikimedia Commons. Frozen wetland by Famartin.

You may need to edit author's name to meet the style formats, which are in most cases "Last name, First name."

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/VR-tours

Bibliographic details:

Article: Virtual Reality Tours of Biology

Author(s): Dr. Biology

Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist

Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist

Date published: 19 Jan, 2018

Date accessed:

Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/VR-tours

APA Style

Dr. Biology. (Fri, 01/19/2018 - 11:24). Virtual Reality Tours of Biology. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/VR-tours

Chicago Manual of Style

Dr. Biology. "Virtual Reality Tours of Biology". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 19 Jan 2018. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/VR-tours

MLA 2017 Style

Dr. Biology. "Virtual Reality Tours of Biology". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 19 Jan 2018. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/VR-tours

Already explored all of our virtual tours? Make sure to check back soon, when we will be adding more virtual biology tours, including a tour of the freshwater biome.

Be Part of
Ask A Biologist

By volunteering, or simply sending us feedback on the site. Scientists, teachers, writers, illustrators, and translators are all important to the program. If you are interested in helping with the website we have a Volunteers page to get the process started.

Contribute

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Biology Virtual Reality | Ask A Biologist

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Explore our Virtual Tours. See the world of biology through virtual tours. Visit different environments, travel through time, take a look inside a bee colony, or observe feeding hummingbirds.

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Do you know where the red-eyed tree frog calls home? Play this game based on animal habitats to learn! Explore the desert, coral reef, jungle, and marsh to discover where many animals live by matching each animal to their correct habitat!

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World Map Highlighting Different Ecosystems 

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World Map Highlighting Different Ecosystems 

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Importance of Biodiversity in an Ecosystem Game 

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Importance of Biodiversity in an Ecosystem Game 

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The emphasis on peatlands, the field trip, and the exploration of diverse habitats all tie back to the TSL framework's principles:

Making It Matter: By focusing on a locally relevant ecosystem like Ballydangan Bog and connecting it to global issues like climate change, the unit makes the science personally meaningful and shows its real-world impact.

Supporting Sense-Making: Students engage in hands-on activities, observations, and research, constructing their understanding of ecological concepts through direct experience and investigation.

Attending to Race, Language, and Identities: While not explicitly addressed in the ecological aspects, the broader unit encourages personal reflection and storytelling, potentially allowing students to connect ecological issues to their own cultural backgrounds and experiences.

By integrating these ecological concepts and linking them to the TSL framework, my unit plan aims to create an engaging and empowering learning experience that fosters environmental awareness and understanding.

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Transforming Science Learning Framework  Translating an Equity Commitment into Action through Co-Design

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My unit plan incorporates several elements that foster epistemic agency, empowering students to take ownership of their learning and contribute to the collective knowledge construction in the classroom. Here's a breakdown of how the unit supports epistemic agency:

Student-Driven Inquiry: The unit encourages students to ask questions, investigate, and make their own discoveries about ecosystems. This approach is evident in activities like:

-Terrarium Design: Students are challenged to design self-sustaining terrariums, prompting them to consider factors like layering, material choices, and placement to ensure the ecosystem thrives. This activity encourages experimentation, observation, and problem-solving.

-Habitat Research and Poster Presentation: Students choose an ecosystem, conduct research, and create a poster showcasing its features, biodiversity, benefits to humans, and conservation strategies. This task necessitates information gathering, synthesis, and communication of scientific understanding.

-Field Trip Worksheet: During the Ballydangan Bog field trip, students complete a worksheet, likely prompting them to make observations, gather data, and connect their learning to the real-world context of a restoration project.

-Collaborative Knowledge Construction: The unit provides multiple opportunities for students to share their ideas, build upon each other's thinking, and co-construct knowledge through discussions and debates.

-Class Discussions: From brainstorming ways to enhance native woodlands to debating the importance of different ecosystems, discussions provide a platform for students to voice their perspectives, listen to others, and refine their understanding.

-Think-Pair-Share: This collaborative learning strategy, mentioned as part of the assessment checks, encourages students to share their initial thoughts with a partner, refine their ideas, and then contribute to a larger class discussion.

-Group Activities: Tasks like designing the terrarium and creating posters in groups promote teamwork, negotiation, and the integration of diverse perspectives.

Justification and Reasoning: I emphasise the importance of students justifying their claims and explaining their reasoning, promoting critical thinking and the development of evidence-based arguments. This is evident in:

-Assertive Questioning: My plan includes using assertive questioning to challenge students to elaborate on their points, justify their design choices, and explain the benefits of their ideas to society.

-Debate Preparation: Students engage in a debate where they must persuade their peers about the importance of their chosen ecosystem, backing up their arguments with research papers. This activity requires them to construct logical arguments, evaluate evidence, and communicate their reasoning persuasively.

Real-World Application and Problem-Solving: Connecting learning to real-world issues and encouraging problem-solving empowers students to see themselves as capable agents of change. Examples include:

-Native Woodland Enhancement: Students develop plans for enhancing native woodlands in Ireland, applying their knowledge of ecosystems to a local conservation challenge.

-Ballydangan Bog Field Trip: The field trip provides a concrete example of ecosystem restoration, allowing students to see the practical application of scientific knowledge and potentially inspiring them to get involved in similar efforts.

-Ecosystem Conservation Brainstorming: Students brainstorm everyday actions they can take to support ecosystems, translating their understanding into tangible, personal commitments.

By incorporating these elements, my unit plan positions students as active participants in the learning process, capable of shaping their own knowledge and contributing meaningfully to the classroom community's understanding of ecosystems. It fosters a learning environment where student voices are valued, and their contributions shape the direction of inquiry and discovery.

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My unit plan demonstrates a thoughtful consideration of SRL principles, integrating activities and approaches that encourage students to take an active role in their learning. Here's how the unit incorporates SRL:

-Prior Knowledge Assessment: The unit starts with an assessment of prior knowledge through word cloud creation, which helps students recognise existing understanding and identify areas needing further exploration. This awareness is a key aspect of SRL, enabling students to set appropriate learning goals.

-Class discussions and debates: These encourage verbalization of understanding, critical thinking, and argumentation.

-Think-pair-share: This strategy promotes collaboration, peer learning, and articulation of ideas.

-Group projects (terrarium, poster): This foster teamwork, negotiation, and the application of knowledge in a creative context.

-Field trip: The Ballydangan Bog trip offers real-world application, observation, and data collection.

-Ted Talk Analysis: Students watch and analyse a Ted Talk, requiring active listening, critical thinking, and reflection.

In the unit I highlight the importance of research skills, particularly evaluating sources and understanding bias, as indicated in NOS 6. I also implement means of assessment that require SRL.

-Observations of collaborative learning: This allows me to gauge student participation, teamwork, and communication skills.

-Assertive questioning: This prompts students to clarify their thinking, justify their ideas, and connect their learning to broader contexts.

-Literacy assessments (e.g., word searches): These check for understanding of key terminology and concepts.

-Hinge points (traffic light system, quizzes, white board responses): These quick checks gauge understanding at key moments, allowing for adjustments to instruction.

Concept Map Development: As a summative assessment, students create a concept map at the end of the unit, demonstrating their overall understanding of the interconnectedness of concepts and their ability to organize knowledge. This encourages reflection on learning progress.

Student Self-Assessment: Although not explicitly mentioned, the emphasis on assertive questioning and justification suggests that I encourage students to reflect on their own thinking, identify areas of confusion, and seek clarification. This self-reflection is a critical component of SRL.

Fostering Motivation and Engagement

-Real-world Relevance: I connect the learning to real-world issues, particularly through the focus on peatlands, their role in climate change, and the Ballydangan Bog restoration project. This "making it matter" approach enhances motivation by demonstrating the practical implications of scientific understanding.

-Student Choice and Ownership: The unit offers choices, such as selecting a habitat for the poster presentation or brainstorming conservation actions, allowing students to tailor their learning to their interests and take ownership of their work.

-Collaborative Learning Environment: The emphasis on group work, discussions, and debates fosters a sense of community and shared responsibility for learning. This social interaction can increase motivation and engagement.