In this program, you will first build a mammal by choosing its physical and behavioral characteristics. Then, you will test the ecological success of these characteristics in simulated environments.

1

Mammal Maker
Welcome to Make-a-Mammal!
Start
Size

• In this program, you will first build a mammal by
  choosing its physical and behavioral
  characteristics. Then, you will test the
  ecological success of these characteristics in
  simulated environments.
• Here is the basic body you will build on

Covering
Locomotion
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Start Building!
Finish
2

Mammal Maker
Choose a Size for your Mammal
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Small
Large
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
3

Mammal Maker
Choose a Size for your Mammal
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Small
Large
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
4

Mammal Maker
Choose a Covering
Start
Size
Covering
Blubbery Skin
Dark Fur
Light Fur
Locomotion
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
5

Mammal Maker
Choose a Covering
Start
Size
Covering
Blubbery Skin
Dark Fur
Light Fur
Locomotion
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
6

Mammal Maker
Choose a Mode of Locomotion
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Flippers
Hooves
Paws
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
7

Mammal Maker
Choose a Mode of Locomotion
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Paws
Flippers
Hooves
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
8

Mammal Maker
Choose a Type of Ear
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Ears
No ears
Big ears
Small ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
9

Mammal Maker
Choose a Type of Ear
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Big ears are useful for getting rid of excess
heat because they have a high surface area
volume ratio and are well-vascularized.
Ears
Big ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
10

Mammal Maker
Choose a Type of Ear
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Big ears
Ears
Small ears
No ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
11

Mammal Maker
Choose a Tail Type
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Tail fin
Prehensile Tail
Bushy Tail
No Tail
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
12

Mammal Maker
Choose a Tail Type
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Tail fin
Prehensile Tail
Bushy Tail
No Tail
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
13

Mammal Maker
Choose Your Animals Diet
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
plants
small mammals
large mammals
fish
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
14

Mammal Maker
Choose Your Animals Diet
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
plants
small mammals
large mammals
fish
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
15

Mammal Maker
Choose Your Animals Shelter
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
in the open
brush
den/burrow
tree
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
16

Mammal Maker
Choose Your Animals Shelter
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
den/burrow
in the open
brush
tree
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
17

Choose When Your Animal will Be Awake
Mammal Maker
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Ears
diurnal
nocturnal
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Next Feature
Prev. Feature
Finish
18

Choose When Your Animal will Be Awake
Mammal Maker
Start
Size
Covering
Locomotion
Ears
diurnal
nocturnal
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Finish
Prev. Feature
Finish
19

Mammal Maker
Finish Building Your Mammal
Start
Size
Great Job! Now that youve added the features to
your mammal, click Done to see your animal and
review your choices.
Covering
Locomotion
Ears
Tail
Diet
Shelter
Activity
Done
Finish
20

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to choose
an environment in which to place your animal,
click on Choose an Environment to continue.
Covering Light Fur
Locomotion Paws
Ears Big ears
Tail Prehensile
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Choose an Environment
21

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to choose
an environment in which to place your animal,
click on Choose an Environment to continue.
Covering Light Fur
Locomotion Editor
Locomotion Paws
Ears Big ears
Paws
Hooves
Save Change
Cancel
Tail Prehensile
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Choose an Environment
22

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to choose
an environment in which to place your animal,
click on Choose an Environment to continue.
Covering Light Fur
Locomotion Paws
Ears Big ears
Tail Prehensile
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Choose an Environment
23

Choose an Environment for Your Mammal
Click on a region of the map where youd like to
place your mammal.
24

Rainforests
Choose this Environment
Go back to Map
25

Rainforests

• Characteristics of Rainforests
• No seasons
• A large amount of precipitation per year
• An extremely high diversity of plants and
  animals
• The earths oldest living ecosystems

Choose this Environment
Go back to Map
26

Choose an Environment for Your Mammal
Click on a region of the map where youd like to
place your mammal.
27

Tundra
Choose this Environment
Go back to Map
28

Tundra

• Characteristics of Tundra
• Sparse plant and animal life
• Low yearly precipitation
• Extreme seasonal variation in
• day/night lengths
• Extreme yearly variation in
• temperature
• Coldest environment on earth

Choose this Environment
Go back to Map
29

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
30

Your Mammals Life in the Tundra
Survive-0-meter Score Your mammals survival
score is 5
Body Temperature Control- The big ears on your
mammal cause it to lose extra heat to the chilly
arctic environment. Predation- Good thinking!
Your mammals light colored fur helps it hide
from predators. Food- Your mammal is big so it
requires more energy to survive, especially in a
cold environment. It has a hard time finding
enough plants to eat. Shelter- Right on! Since
your animal lives in a den, it protects itself
from the cold.

Survive-o-meter
10- - - - - 5- - -
- - 0
See a real animal in this environment
Quit
Change Environment
Edit Your Mammal
31

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to retest
your mammal in its environment, click on Back to
Simulation to continue.
Covering Light Fur
Locomotion Paws
Ears Big ears
Tail Prehensile
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Back to Simulation
32

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to retest
your mammal in its environment, click on Back to
Simulationto continue.
Covering Light Fur
Ear Editor
Locomotion Paws
Ears Big ears
No Ears
Small Ears
Big Ears
Save Change
Cancel
Tail Prehensile
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Back to Simulation
33

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to retest
your mammal in its environment, click on Back to
Simulationto continue.
Covering Light Fur
Ear Editor
Locomotion Paws
Ears Big ears
No Ears
Small Ears
Big Ears
Save Change
Cancel
Tail Prehensile
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Back to Simulation
34

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to retest
your mammal in its environment, click on Back to
Simulationto continue.
Covering Light Fur
Locomotion Paws
Ears Small ears
Tail Prehensile
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Back to Simulation
35

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to retest
your mammal in its environment, click on Back to
Simulationto continue.
Covering Light Fur
Diet Editor
Locomotion Paws
Ears Small ears
small mammals
large mammals
plants
Tail Prehensile
Save Change
Cancel
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Back to Simulation
36

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to retest
your mammal in its environment, click on Back to
Simulationto continue.
Covering Light Fur
Diet Editor
Locomotion Paws
Ears Small ears
small mammals
large mammals
plants
Tail Prehensile
Save Change
Cancel
Diet Plants
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Back to Simulation
37

Mammal Features
Your Mammal
Size Large
Click on one of the feature icons on the left to
edit your mammal. When youre ready to retest
your mammal in its environment, click on Back to
Simulationto continue.
Covering Light Fur
Locomotion Paws
Ears Small ears
Tail Prehensile
Diet Small Mammals
Shelter Den/cave
Activity Diurnal
Back to Simulation
38

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
39

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
40

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
41

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
42

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
43

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
44

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
45

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
46

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
47

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
48

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
49

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
50

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
51

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
52

Life in the Tundra
Exit Simulation
53

Your Mammals Life in the Tundra
Body temperature control- Smaller ears expose
less surface area to the outside. This is very
important in the icy tundra climate! Predation-
Good thinking! Your mammals light colored fur
helps it hide from predators. Food- Great! Big
animals require lots of energy to survive,
especially in a cold environment. Eating small
mammals allows your mammal to gain more calories
each time it eats than it would by just living
off of arctic vegetation. Shelter- Right on!
Since your animal lives in a den, it protects
itself from the cold.

Survive-0-meter Your mammals survival score
is 9. Excellent job! Your changes allow it to
better adapt to living in the tundra.
Survive-o-meter
10- - - - - 5- - -
- - 0
See a real animal in this environment
Quit
Change Environment
Edit Your Mammal
54
Educational Goal For fourth to eighth grade
science students to become aware of animal
characteristics that affect an animals
suitability to a particular environment, and that
the same characteristics can have different
effects in different environments. The students
learn about the characteristics by constructing a
mammal with a set of characteristics of their
choosing, then putting this constructed mammal
into an environment of their choosing. The
computer program provides feedback regarding how
the animal survived in their environment, and how
the different characteristics of the mammal
contributed to its survival. We designed Make a
Mammal using a constructivist approach, with the
belief that knowledge should be constructed by
the student, rather than transmitted to the
student. We made MAM to allows the student to
explore the relationship between animal
characteristics and their environment and
actively construct their own mental model through
exploration, rather than making an application
that quizzes students on their recall of
characteristic and environment facts. We were
also heavily influenced by Lepper and Malones
work regarding intrinsic motivation and
instructional effectiveness in computer based
education. Lepper and Malone emphasize not
making feedback for error more interesting and
exciting than feedback for success as well as
feedback will prove more effective when there is
some inherent or intrinsic connection between the
feedback device and the instructional content of
the program in which it is being used. This
second principle is a component of a question we
continually asked ourselves as designers
Wheres the learning? We tried to make
feedback relevant to the program, and have the
feedback facilitate learning and thinking about
the concepts in our simulation. Our study of
competing products revealed programs where one
could piece together an animal, but the feedback
to the user was of the nature of that looks
bizarre and fun in watching an animal morph
features, but no emphasis on thinking about what
the user had created or why the animal had not
fared well.