Invaded! A Story about Chloroplasts…
Oh no! A chloroplast invasion has occurred! Those tiny organelles are on the loose again and they have gotten inside an animal!
Directions:
Create a story about the organelles and their host that shows your understanding of what chloroplasts do and how an organism invaded by chloroplasts will be affected.
Begin by choosing one of the following formats:
Fairy Tale
Biography
Mock Interview
Mobile
Newspaper Article
Poem/Song/Rap
Magazine Advertisement
Comic Strip
Powerpoint Slideshow
Any other method?
Whatever format you choose, you must meet the following FIVE criteria in your presentation:
Introduce your character and its surroundings: What type of animal is it? Pick your favorite animal. Where is your animal found? Describe the habitat where your animal lives including the weather, plants, and other critters.
Describe what a chloroplast is and what it does: What is a chloroplast? Where are they usually found? What does a chloroplast look like? How was your animal “infected” or “invaded” by the chloroplasts? Was it by accident (eating or drinking something)? Or maybe the chloroplasts have a plan?
Use your knowledge of chloroplasts to describe what the chloroplast would do to the animal now that it is infected with them: Be scientific! What is the resulting effect of having chloroplasts inside your animal’s body? What are the negative and/or positive outcomes of this invasion?
Conclusion: How does your story end? What is the outcome of your animal being invaded by chloroplasts? Do they live happily ever after or are there further complications?
Whichever format you choose, you must have a picture to accompany your story: YOU must create a picture - draw, create it on the computer, or make a collage. If you chose a comic strip, your pictures should be included. Show your animal invaded by chloroplasts in the surroundings you described. Illustrate a part of your story that you find most interesting.
Grading Rubric:
Content for the elements 1-4 are included
3 points
Show understanding of chloroplasts
3 points
Show understanding of how animal would be affected
3 points
Picture is included
3 points
Picture is neat and colorful; elements 1-4 are neatly typed/handwritten
4 points
Finished?
Upload files or pictures of your work to the Dropbox in Unit 7 Lesson 5.
Title: "The Tale of Chloro the Chameleon"
Format: Fairy Tale
Once upon a time, in the lush tropical rainforest of the Amazon, there lived a remarkable creature known as Chloro the Chameleon. Chloro was a brightly colored chameleon with scales that changed color to match the vibrant environment around him. He lived amidst the dense foliage of the rainforest, surrounded by tall trees, exotic plants, and a chorus of chirping birds and buzzing insects.
One fateful day, as Chloro was basking under the warm rays of the sun, he unknowingly ingested a magical fruit that had fallen from a nearby tree. Little did Chloro know that this fruit contained an army of mischievous chloroplasts, the tiny green organelles responsible for photosynthesis in plants.
As the chloroplasts made their way into Chloro's body, they immediately began to multiply. They found a perfect home within Chloro's specialized skin cells, settling in the pigment-containing organelles called chromatophores. The once dormant chloroplasts were now alive and thriving inside Chloro, ready to carry out photosynthesis within an animal!
As Chloro went about his daily activities, the chloroplasts started to harness sunlight and convert it into energy-rich molecules, just like they would do in a plant. This unexpected invasion had intriguing consequences for Chloro. Suddenly, he found himself able to produce energy from sunlight like a plant while still maintaining his chameleon-like lifestyle of capturing prey and adapting to his surroundings. The chloroplasts extended Chloro's lifespan as he no longer needed to solely rely on the limited energy obtained from food.
However, as the chloroplast population continued to grow, something unexpected happened. Chloro's scales, which were once renowned for their brilliant colors, started to fade. The chloroplasts, needing more surface area to carry out photosynthesis, began to cover the pigmented cells of Chloro's skin, making his scales appear pale and dull. The once vibrant chameleon now looked like a ghost of his former self.
Despite this unforeseen consequence, Chloro found solace in the fact that he was contributing to the balance of the rainforest ecosystem. By harnessing solar energy, he became a tremendous source of oxygen, releasing it into the environment with every breath. The chloroplast invasion had inadvertently turned Chloro into a walking oxygen-generator! The animals around him benefited from this surplus of oxygen, making the rainforest an even more vibrant place to live.
In the end, Chloro was content with his newfound abilities and the positive impact he had on his habitat. He lived harmoniously with the chloroplasts inside him, continuing to adapt and survive. Chloro's scales may have lost their vibrant hues, but his spirit remained bright and resilient, making him a legend among the rainforest creatures.
And so, Chloro the Chameleon continued his life as a walking, photosynthesizing marvel, bringing light and energy to the depths of the Amazon rainforest.
(Picture included: A colorful illustration of Chloro the Chameleon, with dull scales covered by chloroplasts, perched on a branch in the lush rainforest.)