“How Wolves Change Rivers:

Wolves' effect on
Yellowstone National Park”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q&t=70s

A Before watching the video:

A. Oral discussion:
. Look at the title and the picture:
1. What do you know about wolves and the Yellowstone National Park?
(You can use your mobile phones to look for info.)
2. What do you think the video might be about?
3. What can you say about these concepts? biodiversity, ecosystem
stability and food chain
4. How can a single species affect a whole environment? Can you think
of any examples?
5. How can human activity affect biodiversity? Think about endangered
species, causes and consequences.
After watching the video:
B. Can you name these animals? You have them in the box below (not in
order)

BEAVER - CALVES – HAWK – WEASEL – MUSKRATS –

BALD EAGLE- OTTERS - BADGER- RAVEN
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________________ __________________ ___________________

__________________ ___________________
______________________

_________________ _____________________
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C. Answer these questions
1. What has been one of the most important scientific findings of the
past half century?
2. Which are the main characteristics of a trophic cascade?
3. For how long have wolves been absent? When were they
introduced?
 D. Choose the correct options

1. Deer population
a. increased vegetation b. reduced vegetation c. had no impact on
vegetation
2. The Deer started to avoid certain parts of the park where
a. they could be easily trapped b. they could be hunted by humans c. they
couldn´t find food
3. Beavers, like wolves, are ecosystem engineers as they
a. cut out different tree species b. build up niches for other animals
species c. eat trees and small animals like fish and reptiles
4. Ravens, bald eagles and bears started to feed on
a. the wolves´ leftovers b. wolf pups c. berries

E. Try to define these words or look for synonyms (in English  )

E.G: Carrion: leftovers that belong to carnivores or dead animals flesh
1. Cascade (noun):
2. Graze away (phrasal verb):
3. Remarkable (adj.):
4. Migratory bird:
5. Niche (noun):
6. Dams (noun):
7. Habitat (noun):
8. To feed on X (phr. Verb):
9. Erosion (noun)
F. Some of these species changed or differently affected the park before and
after wolves
were introduced. Complete the chart:
Before After

Deers

Valleys, gorges
And trees

Birds and
beavers
Ducks, reptiles
and
amphibians

Coyotes,
rabbits and
mice

Bears

G. 1 How wolves changed the behaviour of the river? Complete with the
words from the box below.
less meanders narrow channels new riffle sections less erosion
new river pools

# We will discuss the meaning of the words that you don´t know (yet)
together
 2 How did the changes in the river affect the vegetation? Explain briefly
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Project: “Debate”
H. The class will be divided into 4 groups. Two groups will have to work
with topic 1 and the other groups with topic 2. The idea is that one group
has to be for and the other against introducing foreign species into a new
habitat.

1. Exotic deer species have been introduced in many parts of the world like
La Pampa,
Argentina. They continuingly affect native vegetation an animal population.

2. Beavers that were introduced in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina became an

invasive species.
They’ve established in the forest and are currently destroying native trees
and landscape.

LET´S DO IT!
1. Do some research on your topic. Remember to focus on your
perspective (for or against) and consider: historical background,
reasons for introducing the species as well as species´ main
characteristics/ behaviour, landscape changes etc.
2. We will discuss and organize the most important contents of the
obtained information in class. Make a mind map or chart
3. Make a digital presentation: Power Point, Prezi, Issuu etc. (If
students do not have the necessary tools, they can make paper
 posters). Include a final conclusion to reinforce your position for or
against the issue.
4. Present all the information to your classmates. Let the debate begin
