Standards• 17.A.1a: Identify physical characteristics of places, both

local and global.• 17.A.2a: Compare the physical characteristics of places

including soils, land forms, vegetation, wildlife, climate, and natural hazards.

• 17.B.1b: Describe physical components of ecosystems.• 17.C.1a: Identify ways people depend on and interact with

the physical environment.• 17.C.2a: Describe how natural events in the physical

environment affect human activities.• 17.D.2a: Describe how physical characteristics of places

influence people’s perceptions and their roles in the world over time.

• 17.D.5: Analyze the historical development of a current issue involving the interaction of people and geographic factors.

• 17.D.3b: Explain how interactions of geographic factors have shaped present conditions.

6 Questions• Put in your own words the legend of the Loch Ness

monster.• How far does the legend go back? What is the first

reported sighting?• Based on the evidence you’ve seen, do you believe

that the Loch Ness Monster is real?• What is the Loch Ness Monster’s nickname and how

did it get its name?• How would you capture evidence of the Loch Ness

Monster?• How did the legend affect Scotland’s economy?

Resources

• http://www.loch-ness.org/• http://www.history.com/shows/monsterquest/interactives/monsterpedia-loch-ness#the-legend-of-loch-ness

• http://www.unmuseum.org/lochness.htm

• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lochness/

• http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/eur/eur-08.html

• http://www.skepdic.com/nessie.html

Introduction

You are on a dream vacation that is traveling around all of Europe. One of the stops is

Scotland to see the famous Loch Ness that is believed to some to be the home of the

mysterious Loch Ness Monster, “Nessie”. You prep a camera expecting to catch a photo of the evasive Nessie. Will you be the one that finally has a clear image of the monster? Can you find

Nessie?

First photo of Nessie 1933

Task

• The students will be split up into groups of 3.– Group 1: History of Nessie– Group 2: Affect of Legend

(Economic, other species, etc…)

– Group 3: Non-Fiction or Fiction? Display evidence to support either way.

#5—Process

• Alright legend seekers! Your expedition includes three teammates:1. Expedition Leader—Keeps everyone on task and helps their partners

in any way they can…whatever the costs.2. Historian—responsible for looking up all the history they can about

the beasty.http://www.history.com/shows/monsterquest/interactives/monsterpedia-loch-ness#the-legend-of-loch-nesshttp://www.unmuseum.org/lochness.htm

3. Information Recorder—in charge of organizing the information presented by you fellow teammates.

#6—Congratulations!

Excellent job explorers. You have gathered sufficient information to continue on with your expedition in search of the elusive and wily monster of the loch.

Extension Activities

• Now that you know a great deal about Nessie, create a story about how it came to be and create it’s origin story.

• On your own, invent a device and draw a blueprint that can without a doubt prove or disprove the existence of Nessie.

• Create a list of questions you would use to ask witnesses who claim they saw the Loch Ness Monster.

• What does a monster eat? Based on what you’ve learned create a food web of what Nessie is thought to eat.

• How big do you think Nessie is. Using string go to the gym/outside and lay out it’s dimensions.

#7—Debate Time

• Inform the rest of the class of what you have learned. The class will then split into two groups and a debate will ensue. Is the Loch Ness Monster real…or not real? It is up to each person to defend their thoughts in a respectable manner against a differing opinion.

For Your Enjoyment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzMOxaqyyoE

Additional Resources

• The Loch Ness Mystery: Solved-By Ronald Binns

• The Enigma of Loch Ness: Making Sense of a Mystery-By Henry H. Bauer

• In Search of Ogopogo: Sacred Creature of the Okanagan Waters-By Arlene B. Gaal

• Monster Quest, Season 1, Episode 1-3