This project was done in collaboration with the 6th grade Science department. Students were asked to create field guides for a local New York ecosystem. The research involved in the guides included:

• drawing, or locating a map of one ecosystem example
• creating a food web for the ecosystem to show how energy moves through it
• Identifying abiotic-biotic, competitive, and feeding interactions that occur in the ecosystem
• finding 10 species that live in the ecosystem

This research was completed with library resources, primarily with the use of a LibGuide put together by the school librarian. There was also a research component involved in learning the basics of image citations. Students were told to use a reliable image site (mostly Britannica ImageQuest) for their images, so that the basic data for each image could be found, and turned into a simple image credit.

The tech component of this project included using a 10-page Canva template that I created, which the students put their completed research into. In collaboration with the science teachers, I showed them in advance how to set up Canva for Education, and create classes for their students to join. This made the revision, feedback, and submission process much more simple. I taught one embedded Canva class for each section. In the class I introduced the template, modeled basic editing steps, and then provided 1-on-1 help to students as they populated the design with their own information.

Through this project, students learned the basics of navigating a Canva design (finding personalized Canva elements such as graphics), and simple design functions – inserting text, resizing elements, and changing colors. They also learned how to use Canva for Education as students – joining a class, and submitting projects.