Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
Guide for Educators
About this Guide:
National Wildlife Federation is proud
to be the education partner for
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.
Young adventurer Sean Anderson, in this exciting follow-up to
“Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D,” receives a coded
distress signal from a mysterious island where no island
should exist – a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold,
deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret.
Unable to stop him from going, Sean’s new stepfather joins
the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful,
strong-willed daughter, they set out to find the island, rescue
its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves
force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.
National Wildlife Federation has teamed up with the film to
inspire families to get outdoors, to explore nature and to learn
about the incredible wildlife in their own backyard.
This guide will help you explore
themes of Journey 2: The
Mysterious Island in an educational
setting. The activities are designed
for grades 3-5, with extensions for
younger and older children. These
activities meet national standards
for English/Language Arts, Science,
Social Studies, and Visual Arts.
Table of Contents
Activity One: Wildlife Where you Live......3
Activity Two: Habitat Hunt........................5
Activity Three: Super Pollinators..............8
Activity Four: Make a Map......................10
IMAX® is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation
Activity Five: Writers Corner...................11
Take Action
Activity Six: What You Can Do................12
National Education Standards................14
Credits:
About National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Federation inspires Americans to protect
wildlife for our children’s future. For more than 70 years,
NWF has been connecting people of all
ages with nature through award-winning
education programs and resources,
including the children’s magazines
Wild Animal Baby ®, Your Big Backyard ®,
and Ranger Rick ®.
2
This guide was developed by National Wildlife Federation. “Wildlife
Where You Live,” “Habitat Hunt,” and
“Make A Map” were adapted from
National Wildlife Federation’s How-To
Guide for Schoolyard Habitats.
National Wildlife Federation.
Written by: Carey Stanton,
Shell Rumohr and Kate Hofmann
Review by: Kevin Coyle
Art design by: Joe Warwick
© 2012 National Wildlife Federation. Permission
granted for non-commercial educational uses only.
All other rights reserved.
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Activity O ne
Wildlife Where You Live
Subjects: Biology, Natural Science, Environmental Science
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Observe animals and plants in the schoolyard or nearby park
Conduct a population study in a plot on the school grounds
Compare the plant and animal life found in different plots on the school grounds
MATERIALS:
Field guides
Pens, pencils and art supplies
BACKGROUND:
When Sean reaches the mysterious island, he is amazed by all of the incredible plants and animals
he sees. Explain to students that they are going on an adventure to discover the mysteries of nature in their
own backyard, schoolyard or nearby park.
WHAT YOU DO:
Provide the following instructions to help guide your students in their observations:
1. Search for animals big and small. Look for small animals (ants, butterflies, beetles, snails) on plants
and under rocks, logs, and leaves. Look for large animals (birds, squirrels, frogs, toads) in
the air, the trees, near shrubs or in the open.
2. Heed the signs. Tracks, holes, nests, scat, chewed plants, insect sounds, birdcalls, and other
signs are all clues about the presence of wildlife.
3. Do not disturb. Be a good steward of your local environment. Move slowly and quietly.
4. Remove any trash you find and always leave an area as you found it—or better.
5. Look it up. Borrow a field guide and bring it along with you to help you identify animals.
6. Create your own field notebook to write or draw what you see. Make copies of the
Student Page that follows for your students to complete. Then you can look up plants
and animals you observed when you go back inside.
ADAPTATIONS:
For younger students. Go outside as a group and lead a nature hike around the
school grounds. Help students learn to look for signs of wildlife. Then make a list
on the board as a class of all the unique insects, plants and animals that you saw.
For older students. Ask students to research and write a short paragraph about
an animal or plant they observed. Ask them to explain why this species is so
incredible giving an example of a trait or characteristic that they just learned.
USEFUL LINKS:
Help the National Wildlife Federation track wildlife sightings in your area
through NWF’s Wildlife Watch at www.nwf.org/wildlifewatch. Ask students to
write about or draw animals they see and submit sightings through the website.
3
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Student Page-Field Notebook
Place:
Date:
Time:
Weather:
Wildlife I Found
Description of the animal:
4
What is the animal doing?
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Activity T wo
HABITAT HUNT
Subjects: Biology, Natural Science, Environmental Science
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Define the term habitat: the place where an animal lives and meets all its basic needs for survival
Differentiate between kinds of wildlife habitats
Apply understanding of habitats to real life experience
MATERIALS:
Copies of the Habitat Hunt worksheet
Pens, pencils and art supplies
Field guides, access to internet, good dictionary or other references for researching species
BACKGROUND:
Now that you know more about the amazing plants and animals where you live, let’s find out what it takes to
help them thrive. Explain to students that they are going on an adventure to discover the mysteries of nature
in their own backyard, schoolyard or nearby park.
Habitat is where a species finds all of its requirements for life. These four requirements are: FOOD, WATER,
COVER – a shelter that provides protection from weather and predators, and SPACE –including places to
raise young.
WHAT YOU DO:
Provide the following instructions to help guide your students in their observations:
1. Ask participants to review the four basic elements of habitat and the importance of each for an animal’s
survival.
2. Give participants the Student Page-Habitat Hunt to be completed outside. Assign or let them choose a
particular regional animal, and review the following directions:
5
You are a ____________________, and in order to survive you need food, water, cover and places to raise
your young. Take a look around you. Do you see all the necessary habitat elements for you to survive here?
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Spend some time exploring this area. Look for all the characteristics of habitat that meet your specific
needs. Describe what you find for each of the four elements of habitat (food, water, cover, and a place
to raise young). Based on what you find, you will decide to stay and call this area “home” or continue to
look for a new place to call home.
Will you stay and set up home for you and your family here? Why or why not? What other habitat
elements would you like to see here?
3. It will be necessary for participants to identify the habitat needs of their individual animals prior to going
outside to complete the worksheet. If time permits, set up a research station with field guides and other
resource materials where they can investigate these needs. If desired, this could be done ahead of time as
a research project. If time is short, provide basic information on individual animal needs to the participants.
4. Before sending participants outside, be sure to review appropriate safety considerations. Consider
setting up “boundary lines” if participants have a large area to explore.
5. When participants return, wrap up by allowing them to share what they found on the hunt. Have the
group identify which animals would be best suited to their habitat.
ADAPTATIONS:
For younger students.
1. Introduce activity as in Step 1, above. Instead of handing out the worksheet, break participants into
groups of 6-10, and have a volunteer oversee small groups. Give each group a minute or so to choose
an animal that may or may not live in the area (if they can’t decide, choose one for them). Each volunteer
should have a field guide or other resource material appropriate to the animal chosen.
2. Tell groups that they will first look for the right kind of food for their animal. The volunteer with the group
should allow participants to try to guess what the animals eat, but they should help out with one or two
suggestions if necessary. After a few minutes of searching, they should look for water, then cover, and
finally, places to raise young.
3. After the group has searched for these elements, they should vote as to whether or not their animal would
live in their area.
For older students. Ask each participant to research a particular animal’s needs, beginning with food, water,
cover, and places to raise young. On the back of the worksheet, ask them to include other elements, such as
weather, geographical location, the amount of room they need, the amount of sunlight, the type of terrain they
prefer, and so on. Ask participants if their animal spends all its time in one area or if it moves around.
Questions:
What sort of food, water, cover, and places to raise young do local animals require?
Where in this area do these four elements of habitat exist?
What elements are missing?
USEFUL LINKS:
A Schoolyard Habitats® project found at (www.nwf.org/schoolyard), is a great opportunity for students
to spearhead a wildlife habitat effort for the entire school community. The result will be a wonderful outdoor
classroom where students may practice many cognitive skills by studying, researching and documenting
wildlife in the area.
6
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
You are a ___________________________ , and in order to survive you need food, water, cover, and places to
raise your young. Take a look around you. Record the following information and decide whether or not you
will stay and set up home here. Good luck and have fun!
Food Source:
Water Source:
Cover:
Places to Raise Young:
Questions:
1. Will you stay and set up home here?
2. Why or why not?
3. What other habitat elements would you like to see here?
7
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Activity Three
Super Pollinators!
Subjects: Biology, Natural Science, Environmental Science
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
List four animals that pollinate flowers
Describe the relationship between pollinators and the plants they pollinate
Name three environmental threats facing pollinators today
State one way that people can help protect pollinators
MATERIALS:
Field guides, access to internet, good dictionary or other references for research
Pens, pencils and art supplies
BACKGROUND:
In Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Sean and his family get some help
from some “super bees.” But tiny bees help us everyday. There are many
native bees in this country. These are species of bees that have lived in
North America for hundreds of years. Some people call these bees
“super pollinators.” That’s because they can often pollinate specific
crops much more easily than honey bees (non-native bees that were
brought here from Europe centuries ago).
For instance, in a small apple orchard, 250 female
blue orchard bees (a kind of native bee) can do the
work of 35,000 honey bees.
As you may know, honey bees in this country
are in trouble. Tiny bugs called mites and other
problems are killing them. So farmers who have
relied on honey bees to pollinate their crops are
turning more and more to native bees. The good
news is: native bees seem pretty tough and aren’t
being harmed by the problems that are killing off the
honey bees. Now native bees are helping
farmers in this country earn billions of dollars
from sales of bee-pollinated crops. No
wonder they’re called super pollinators!
8
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
WHAT YOU DO:
1. Go out to your schoolyard and look for pollinators during different seasons of the year. What pollinators can the students find? What can they do to support them? Have them investigate the habitat
requirements of these local pollinators and plant species that they need to survive.
2.
Research local pollinators, their habitat requirements, and threats that face them. Create a bulletin
board with the facts students have discovered about the threats facing pollinators today. See if the
class can post it in an area of the school where many students can see it.
ADAPTATIONS:
For younger students. After leading a classroom discussion on pollinators and native bees, have you
students bring in examples or draw pictures of products that are made from plants pollinated by bees. Use
these products to create a bulletin board celebrating the role of “super bees” in our daily lives.
For older students. The loss of domesticated honey bees would heavily impact humans, have your students
do research and prepare a report, a skit, a PSA or poster on the relationship of the well-being of bees and humans. They should answer questions such as: What crops rely on bee pollination? How many bees have been
lost in recent years? Why? What are farmers doing in response? What can consumers do to help bees?
USEFUL LINKS:
The following Help the Honey Bee campaign website www.helpthehoneybees.com has fun videos and
activities to inspire learners of any age to better communicate the reasons pollinators are so important.
9
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Activity Four
MAKE A MAP
Subjects: Math, Geography, Art, Science
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Use standard map features such as a key and scale bar to convey information symbolically
Consider how existing living and non-living landscape characteristics interact in a habitat or ecosystem
MATERIALS:
Field guides, access to internet, good dictionary or other references for research
Pens, pencils and art supplies
Graph paper
BACKGROUND:
The map to the Mysterious Island pointed the way to a wild adventure. In this activity, you will be instructing
your students in the creation and use of maps and map symbols. An added bonus of making a base map
of part or all of your school grounds is that you will have completed a critical step toward creating a
Schoolyard Habitat certified by the National Wildlife Federation!
WHAT YOU DO:
Tell your students they will work in teams to map features of the area that are important to wildlife. Show
sample maps and drawings to your students.
Begin by selecting an area to map. Give students clear boundaries and a scale for the map. For instance,
you might use the school courtyard or an athletic field. Then ask student to represent major features on the
map such as walls, buildings, sidewalks, fences, roads and parking lots.
Each group’s findings should be added to the base map created to generate a total picture of the current
uses and features of your site. Findings can be written directly on the base map or on transparencies that
can be placed over the base map.
Topography - hills, slopes, direction of rain water flow, drains, etc.
Vegetation - types and sizes of trees, shrubs, grass, flowers, etc.
Other Characteristics - traffic patterns, areas of sun and shade, wind, etc.
Habitat Features - existing features provide wildlife with food, water, cover and places to raise young.
When all groups have finished conducting their research, they will assemble everything together to create
one very detailed map.
ADAPTATIONS:
For younger students. Take students outside to a courtyard or quiet space on your school grounds and
mark the boundaries of the area you would like them to map. Have them sketch the features they observe.
Return to the classroom and ask students to share their sketches with each other.
USEFUL LINKS:
This and many other lesson plans are available at www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There/Educators/
Lesson-Plans.aspx
10
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Activity Five
WRITER’S CORNER
Subjects: Language Arts, Visual Arts, Social Studies
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Reflect on some of the major themes in the film
Communicate thoughts and opinions effectively using a variety of media
MATERIALS:
Writing supplies or computer access
Optional: audio or video recording equipment, art supplies
WHAT YOU DO:
1.
Encourage students to choose one of the topics below or an idea of their own to reflect upon.
In Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, when Sean and his fellow adventurers find the mysterious island
they encounter giant bees and tiny elephants, huge reptile eggs and strange plants which could easily
be described as incredible. Are they so incredible because of their reverse sizes? Stop to think about
what really exists: tiny bees and giant elephants in the real world. Aren’t these real animals at least as
incredible and awe-inspiring as the creatures in the film?
How could we help people of all ages see the wonder of plants and animals in their own neighborhood?
Could you design a persuasive campaign to convince others to “discover the incredible” in the plants
and animals around them? What would it take to change their mindset from just seeing the ordinary to
seeing the extraordinary in nature around them?
Another theme in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is “believe the impossible” or faith. What does this
mean to you in the context of the story? What does it mean to you in the context of your family and friends?
Finally Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is all about adventure. What type of adventure in the
natural world would you like to have? Would you choose an existing place for your adventure or
would you create an imaginary one?
2.
Ask students to share their thoughts in writing, or give them a choice from among a variety of media.
For instance, they may write a song or rap, or perhaps they’d like to make an audio or video recording,
a blog post, or a collage or drawing with captions.
3.
Provide an opportunity for students to share and discuss their work with each other.
USEFUL LINKS:
Every month, NWF’s Ranger Rick® has a photo contest for kids (ages 13 and under). Using the themes
above as inspiration, your students could submit photos or read about amazing animals with Ranger Rick.
www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick/Photo-Contests.aspx
11
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Activity S ix
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
When Sean reaches the mysterious island, he is amazed by all of the incredible plants and
animals he sees. You can help wildlife and be adventurous too!
Get involved! Start an environmental club at your school or join an organization that works to protect
wildlife, such as the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) or a local group.
Green your school! NWF’s Eco-Schools USA helps you form an Eco-Action team and make a plan to
green your school building, grounds and curriculum. Students and teachers choose to focus on one or
more pathways, which include school grounds, water and healthy schools. This is a great way to help
your local environment.
Plant a garden! Discover the mysteries of nature right in your own backyard or schoolyard. Go to
www.nwf.org/habitat for a wide range of ideas and resources to create a garden that attracts
incredible wildlife. Help provide proper habitat for those creatures by following the steps below, and
then go to www.nwf.org/habitat to register your garden as an NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat®.
12
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Step 1: Provide Food for Wildlife
Everyone needs to eat! Planting native plants, shrubs and trees is the easiest way to provide the foliage,
nectar, pollen, berries, seeds and nuts that many animal species require. You also can incorporate
supplemental feeders and food sources into your garden.
Step 2: Supply Water
Clean water for drinking, bathing and reproduction are supplied from nearby natural areas such as ponds,
lakes, rivers, springs, oceans and wetlands. On your property, you can augment those nearby features
with such water sources as bird baths, puddling areas for butterflies, installed ponds or rain gardens.
Step 3: Create Cover
Wild animals require places to hide in order to feel safe from people and predators. They also require
thermal cover to protect them from extreme temperatures and bad weather. To provide cover, use native
vegetation, shrubs, thickets, brush piles or even dead trees.
Step 4: Give Wildlife a Place to Raise Their Young
Without sheltered places to raise their young, wildlife cannot successfully produce offspring. Many
features that provide cover can double as locations for nesting and reproduction, from wildflowers and
bushes where butterflies and moths lay their eggs to boxes where bats roost and form colonies or birds
build nests.
Step 5: Certify!
Once you have provided these essential elements to make a healthy and sustainable wildlife habitat, join
the thousands of schools and individuals across the country who have earned the distinction of being part
of NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program. Go to www.nwf.org/habitat for a wide range of ideas, tips,
articles and other resources to help you build your own backyard wildlife habitat or Schoolyard Habitat®.
Let Your Garden Go Green - How you maintain your garden or landscape can have an
important effect on the health of the soil, air, water and habitat for native wildlife—as well as
for the human community nearby. Reducing chemical use, composting, mulching and reducing
turf grass in your yard are important steps to greener gardening.
13
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
National Education Standards
ACTIVITY ONE
Wildlife Where You Live
Science: NSES
Grades K-4 Standard C: Life Science
Characteristics of organisms, Organisms and
environments
Grades 5-8 Standard C: Life Science
Populations and ecosystems, Diversity and
adaptations
English/Language Arts: NCTE/IRA
Standard 4: Communications skills
Standard 5: Communication strategies
ACTIVITY TWO
HABITAT HUNT
Science: NSES
Grades K-4 Standard C: Life Science
Characteristics of organisms, Life cycles of
organisms,
Organisms and environments
Grades 5-8 Standard C: Life Science
Regulation and behavior, Diversity and adaptations, Populations and ecosystems
Grades K-8: Standard A: Science as inquiry
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
ACTIVITY THREE
SUPER POLLINATORS
Science: NSES
Grades K-4 Standard C: Life Science
Characteristics of organisms, Life cycles of organisms, Organisms and environments
Grades 5-8 Standard C: Life Science
Regulation and behavior, Diversity and
adaptations, Populations and ecosystems
English/Language Arts: NCTE/IRA
Standard 4: Communication skills
Standard 7: Evaluating data
Standard 8: Developing research skills
ACTIVITY FOUR
Map your Schoolyard
Science: NSES
Grades K-4 Standard C: Life Science
Characteristics of organisms, Life cycles of organisms, Organisms and environments
14
Grades 5-8 Standard C: Life Science
Regulation and behavior, Diversity and adaptations, Populations and ecosystems
English/Language Arts: NCTE/IRA
Standard
Standard
Standard
Standard
4: Communication skills
5: Communication strategies
6: Applying knowledge
7: Conducting research
Social Studies: NCSS
Standard X: Civic Ideals and practices
ACTIVITY FIVE
WRITER’S CORNER
Science: NSES
Grades K-4 Standard C: Life Science
Characteristics of organisms, Life cycles of organisms, Organisms and environments
Grades 5-8 Standard C: Life Science
Regulation and behavior, Diversity and adaptations, Populations and ecosystems
Grades K-8: Standard A: Science as inquiry
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
English/Language Arts: NCTE/IRA
Standard
Standard
Standard
Standard
1: Reading for perspective
4: Communication skills
5: Communication strategies
6: Applying knowledge
Social Studies: NCSS
Standard IV: Individual development and identity
ACTIVITY SIX
Take Action – What You Can Do
Science: NSES
Grades K-4 Standard C: Life Science
Characteristics of organisms, Life cycles of organisms, Organisms and environments
Grades 5-8 Standard C: Life Science
Regulation and behavior, Diversity and adaptations, Populations and ecosystems
English/Language Arts: NCTE/IRA
Standard 4: Communication skills
Standard 5: Communication strategies
Standard 6: Applying knowledge
Standard 7: Conducting research
Social Studies: NCSS
Standard X: Civic Ideals and practices
TM & © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. All Rights Reserved.