Climate Wisconsin is an educational multimedia collection featuring stories about the impact of climate change in Wisconsin.
LEARNING GOALS:
Expand understanding of how climate change impacts life in Wisconsin.
Connect personal observations to the study of climate and environmental science.
Identify actions that may impact changes to our climate.

The animal alphabet is a series of slides that introduces students to Wisconsin wildlife species and other basic ecology vocabulary. Each slide has a letter of the alphabet and associated animal or ecology term. Educators can use this as a daily activity, introducing one slide each day, or present all in one sitting. The activity utilizes photographs from Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras (except where noted) and can be used to assist in introducing the Snapshot Wisconsin program.

Students are introduced to the classification of animals and animal interactions. Students also learn why engineers need to know about animals and how they use that knowledge to design technologies that help other animals and/or humans. This lesson is part of a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.

Students explore the biosphere's environments and ecosystems, learning along the way about the plants, animals, resources and natural cycles of our planet. Over the course of lessons 2-6, students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems - exploring energy and nutrient flows, basic needs of plants and animals, and decomposers. Students learn about food chains and food webs. They are introduced to the roles of the water, carbon and nitrogen cycles. They test the effects of photosynthesis and transpiration. Students are introduced to animal classifications and interactions, including carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, predator and prey. They learn about biomimicry and how engineers often imitate nature in the design of new products. As everyday applications are interwoven into the lessons, students consider why a solid understanding of one's environment and the interdependence within ecosystems can inform the choices we make and the way we engineer our communities.

In this multi-day activity, students explore environments, ecosystems, energy flow and organism interactions by creating a scale model biodome, following the steps of the engineering design process. The Procedure section provides activity instructions for Biodomes unit, lessons 2-6, as students work through Parts 1-6 to develop their model biodome. Subjects include energy flow and food chains, basic needs of plants and animals, and the importance of decomposers. Students consider why a solid understanding of one's environment and the interdependence of an ecosystem can inform the choices we make and the way we engineer our own communities. This activity can be conducted as either a very structured or open-ended design.

Wisconsin's occupied bear range is expanding, which means residents can expect to see black bears in areas outside of the bear's traditional range. An abundant population and suitable bear habitat have facilitated the southerly movement of occupied bear range in Wisconsin. Wisconsin's black bear population is considerably higher than it was 30 years ago.

Wisconsin's bear population was estimated to be about 9,000 bears in 1989. The most recent data indicates the bear population is currently estimated to be a little over 24,000 bears. DNR manages bear population size through regulated hunting. The number of hunting permits have steadily increased following studies showing higher numbers of bears. In the near future, opportunities will be provided to the public to comment on the desired numbers of bears in each of the state's bear management regions as the DNR prepares a new bear management plan.

Wisconsin is not alone in its expanding bear range. The results from a 2008 survey of eastern United States and Canadian Provinces that actively manage black bear populations indicated that 75% of these jurisdictions report an increase in bear range. Only Vermont reported a contracting bear range.

Conservation organizations teamed up to document the climate vulnerability of mountain springs that support unique ecosystems. Now, the Alliance they formed facilitates restoration work to enhance habitats and improve resiliency.

Students investigate decomposers and the role of decomposers in maintaining the flow of nutrients in an environment. Students also learn how engineers use decomposers to help clean up wastes in a process known as bioremediation. This lesson concludes a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.

In this lesson, students find their location on a map using Latitude and Longitudinal coordinates. They determine where they should go to be rescued and how best to get there.

In this hands-on activity, students will identify producers and consumers their own state of Wisconsin. Using a set of “Snapshot cards,” they will then create a food chain to show the flow of energy in that system, introduce an ecological force or disturbance (e.g., flooding), and predict how that force would impact energy flow. Lastly, students will construct a more complex model of the flow of energy by depicting multiple relationships in a food web and again make a prediction about the impact of introducing an ecological force.

While the creation of a dam provides many benefits, it can have negative impacts on local ecosystems. Students learn about the major environmental impacts of dams and the engineering solutions used to address them.

Dane County's abundant surface water resources are monitored and assessed primarily by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). Major streams and lakes are classified into categories based on the aquatic organisms present. These classifications provide an indication of water quality and fishery conditions.

Agricultural and urban land uses contribute to nutrient rich runoff reaching surface waters. Impervious surfaces and removal of wetlands also increases the flow of stormwater to local waterways. Explore issues facing our surface water and see maps of degraded water resources.

Effective water quality planning depends on long-term assessment and monitoring. The Capital Area Regional Planning Commission uses long-term datasets to evaluate regional trends.

Learn about practices meant to protect the region's streams, shorelands, and lakes.

Dane County
Land and Water Resources Viewer: An interactive county map showing watershed boundaries, thermally sensitive areas, cold water communities and more.

Students discuss how they and other organisms adapt to survive in different environments. They discover the characteristics of deep sea extremophiles that help those organisms survive in several deep sea ecosystems.

This video segment from NOVA: A Desert Place describes the physical characteristics and organisms that define the desert biome.

Earth science is the study of our home planet and all of its components: its lands, waters, atmosphere, and interior. In this book, some chapters are devoted to the processes that shape the lands and impact people. Other chapters depict the processes of the atmosphere and its relationship to the planet’s surface and all our living creatures. For as long as people have been on the planet, humans have had to live within Earth’s boundaries. Now human life is having a profound effect on the planet. Several chapters are devoted to the effect people have on the planet. Chapters at the end of the book will explore the universe beyond Earth: planets and their satellites, stars, galaxies, and beyond.

Once widespread here and across North America, elk were eliminated from Wisconsin in the 1880s due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss. Over 130 years later, they once again live in our state's central and northern forest regions. From a population of 25 elk reintroduced in 1995, and with the help of the second reintroduction effort that started in 2015, the state's total elk population has now surpassed 400 animals.

Thanks to the support of multiple partners and the backing of Wisconsin citizens, the bugle of rutting September bulls is back and here to stay!

Elk (Cervus canadensis) is one of North America's most significant deer family members (Cervidae), second only to moose. Wisconsin's native elk (before European settlement) belonged to the Eastern elk subspecies (C. c. canadensis), believed to have gone extinct during the late 1800s. The Rocky Mountain sub-species (C. c. nelsoni) was later used in reintroduction efforts in Wisconsin and other eastern U.S. states.

Elk is one of three members of the deer family that lives in Wisconsin regularly, with the other two being white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and moose (Alces alces). Elk are approximately three times larger than deer and about two-thirds the size of moose. Adult elk are light tan-colored with a darker mane on their neck with a distinct buff-colored rump patch and stub tail.

Elk vary in size by sex. A mature cow stands approximately four and a half feet tall at the shoulder, six and a half feet in length from nose to tail and weighs 500-650 pounds. In contrast, a mature bull may stand five feet or more at the shoulder, stretch over eight feet long and weigh 600-900 pounds. Wisconsin elk calves typically weigh between 35-40 pounds at birth. Calves are born with white spots to help them blend into their surroundings during their first few months. Elk are also a herd-associated species that have many vocalizations and unique characteristics.

Students explore the biosphere and its associated environments and ecosystems in the context of creating a model ecosystem, learning along the way about the animals and resources. Students investigate different types of ecosystems, learn new vocabulary, and consider why a solid understanding of one's environment and the interdependence of an ecosystem can inform the choices we make and the way we engineer our communities. This lesson is part of a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.

Fish Species Commercially Harvested or Raised in Wisconsin for Food
Common names for fish can be different by region.

Florida is experiencing mass fish kills and disrupting Florida shoreline. The Red Tide has become more prevalent and hanging on longer.This is an inquiry-based 2018 video with questions to get the students to think about the worst red tides in years. The Red Tide is disrupting the Florida coastal ecosystem. Changes in the weather are making changes near the sea shore.

In this lesson, students simulate forest succession and disturbances by role-playing trees. Using calculations, students discover how forests are renewable resources.