In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of an invasive species, the Burmese python, and its impact on other animal populations in an ecosystem. Students will explore the impact that competition and predation have on native populations due to the introduction of an invasive species.
In this lesson, students will learn the impact that wildlife has on society and the impact that society has on wildlife. Students will learn the relationship between wildlife and economics and society and how this is in the form of conflict and resolution.
This video discusses invasive species and nutrient pollution as two major issues threatening the health of the oceans. A set of discussion questions and post-viewing activities are provided.
In this activity, students will read quotes concerning invasive species from a variety of sources. They will identify the position of the writer, choose sides in a debate, and defend a position that might not be their own.
Students identify stresses that threaten the health of ocean ecosystems, explain natural and human-caused processes that contribute to these stresses, and discuss actions that may be taken to reduce these stresses.
Students analyze data and maps to understand how increased population growth impacts the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay. Then they explore how the health of the Bay affects its animals.
Students explain the environmental and economic impacts of preserving local green spaces and collect evidence to prepare to debate the advantages and disadvantages of local green spaces.
This video shows the connection between climate change, an increase in beetles, and a decline of grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park.
Students explore the methods scientists use to survey elephants and learn about the current state of the elephant population in Africa. The story of African elephants is a powerful case study of how science can inform conservation. It is important to track how many elephants are left and where they live to help protect them.
This brief video lesson describes the miraculous journey of infant sea turtles as these tiny animals run the gauntlet of predators and harsh conditions. Then, in numbers, see how human behavior has made their tough lives even more challenging. Discussion/assessment questions and suggested supplemental resources are also included.
This video discusses sustainable fishing practices and how we can support it through our seafood choices. A set of discussion questions and post-viewing activities are provided.
In this problem-based learning activity, students are asked to research and make recommendations that balance the benefits of a healthy forest with the economic needs of the people who log it. Students use NIH Image software to analyze satellite imagery from Landsat. This activity is from Exploring the Environment.
This brief video lesson discusses invasive species. Discussion/assessment questions and suggested supplemental resources are also included.
Students research three aspects of biodiversity loss - direct species loss, habitat loss and pests and weeds.
This activity accompanies the Scientists at Work video Genetically Modified Mosquitoes. The video describes how scientists at the company Oxitec produced a line of genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes that, when released into the wild, would reduce local mosquito populations. In this activity, students are challenged to provide their own questions and ideas for experiments they could conduct to investigate the impact of releasing GM mosquitoes into the wild. The students then learn the approaches that scientists at Oxitec have used to conduct such experiments, and use math, descriptive statistics, and line and bar graphs to analyze their data from treatment and control areas. As an option, students may also use spreadsheets to analyze and graph the data.
In this problem-based learning activity, students will examine opposing views on the Amazon Rainforest and will take a position on land-use and species conservation in one of the last areas of biodiversity on Earth. This activity is part of Exploring the Environment.
This lab-based course covers the foundational principles of modern life science as outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). It also includes approximately a third of the Earth and Space Science standards, primarily those connected to environmental science and ecology. The course emphasizes all three dimensions of the NGSS, with special attention to the crosscutting concepts of Patterns and Energy and Matter. Additionally, scientific inquiry and engineering design practices are emphasized throughout the course. The course is designed to follow a chemistry course and so builds on student understandings of molecules as they explore the biomolecular underpinnings of life's functions, the evolution of life, and the interactions of life in ecosystems. Technological, historical, political, and environmental aspects of biology will also be addressed. Critical thinking, data analysis, and argumentation from evidence are also emphasized.
In this high school unit on ecosystems, students investigate the case of the rapid increase and decline of the buffalo population in the Serengeti. It motivates students to ask questions and develop initial hypotheses for what could have changed in the ecosystem to create such drastic population changes. Students analyze data from many populations of organisms in the Serengeti to figure out how disease eradication in the 1960s led to the major changes we see in the Serengeti today. In Bend 2, students evaluate the claim that trees store carbon and can reduce the impact of climate change. Students figure out how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are key mechanisms to explaining the role of trees in climate mitigation. Finally, students explore and compare climate change mitigation solutions.
In this activity, students will research invasive forest plants and design "wanted posters" that illustrate the plants' shady characteristics and crimes.
In this project, students identify an invasive species and its impact on local ecosystems by doing research and performing a quadrant study. Once students have assessed the health of their local ecosystem, they will work with environmentalists to devise a plan that will alleviate the invasive species problem in their area.