Fire

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Explore the fascinating - and critical - world of California wildfire. Learn how native plants adapt to natural wildfires and how fire has a positive effect on the landscape.
After reviewing historical methods of fire control used by California Indians and Spanish vaqueros, move on to the fire simulator. Decide how you'll clear a fire break, whether you'll build a fence, and how you'll landscape, all to protect a state park building positioned on the edge of the urban/wildlife interface. Success is measured by the level of biodiversity, the degree of erosion, and whether the building is likely to survive the burn. The fate of the building - and the surrounding ecosystem - is in your hands!

Teachers: Introduce your students to fire ecology through the lens of basic genetics and California coastal ecosystems. Standards

Other topics covered include:

• Plant adaptation
• Plant reproduction
• Dichotomous keys
• Dominant and recessive alleles
• Punnett squares

Water

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Offshore oil rigs line many parts of the California coast - but what happens when it's time to decommission a rig? Follow the story of Platform Gail, an oil rig off the coast of Southern California, as a town faces just this dilemma.
In order to make your recommendation to Congresswomen Quickvote, you'll need to thoroughly investigate the history of rigs, the opinions of the local residents, and even whether an oil rig can become integrated into a local ecosystem. Platform Gail has an entire community of organisms living on and around it - how will the decision to remove, top, or leave the rig alone affect these populations?

Teachers: Bring real-world coastal California issues into your classroom and lets your students research and defend their solutions! Standards

Other topics covered include:

• Marine food chains, food webs, and energy transfer
• Photic, aphotic, and benthic zones
• Marine interactions and artificial reefs