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This 5-day unit covers topics in biodiversity, biogeography, and conservation biology. Initially designed for Advanced Placement Environmental Science high school students, the overall concept can also be easily adapted to non-AP courses. The goal of the activity is for students to learn about biomes, biodiversity and biological conservation. Students will gain knowledge by using computer skill-exercises, collaborative learning, hands-on laboratory activities, current research, and group debates. Students will learn about specific topics such as why biodiversity is important and why conserving biodiversity and biogeography is so essential to preserving the environment. To strengthen the students understanding of the material additional topics in biodiversity, Earth’s major biomes and their importance, the effects of historical and modern fishing techniques, and the importance of conservation and difficulties of managing natural resources. As a final objective students will work in groups. Students will then use the information learned in a group activity and debate to determine the “value” of organisms and have a debate about which are the most important to us and why.
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- The goal of the activity is for students to learn about biomes, biodiversity, and biological conservation. To strengthen their understanding of the material students will be introduced to additional topics such as fisheries and natural resource management.
- Students will learn about the difficulties associated with managing natural resources, especially when those resources are shared between multiple parties or users.
- Many do not realize the cause and effect relationship we have with our environment. That a simple action such as driving your car may have an indirect effect on the lives of coral species living in the ocean 1000’s of miles away. That recycling is only a small part of conservation, which addresses other issues such as changing personal lifestyles and attitudes towards our natural resources. Moreover, that our oceans are not limitless and their size is not indicative of the amount of seafood available.
- Five separate lessons are provided to aid in the understanding of the material.
- In addition to PowerPoint presentations, daily lab activities may also include pre-lab activities and interactive labs which use either descriptive images, live material, and/or a computer/online resource.
- Day 1: Introduction to Biodiversity/Dichotomous Key.
- Day 2: Introduction to Biomes/Online Search.
- Day 3: Kelp Holdfast.
- Day 4: Introduction to Fisheries/Fishing Techniques.
- Day 5: Conservation Biology.
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- The daily objective introduces students to the concept of biodiversity- what it is, why we should care and how we classify and identify the organisms around us. A PowerPoint presentation is provided to aid the teacher in introducing the concept of biodiversity. Students will then be provided a dichotomous key help sheet that will explain how they are created and used. A dichotomous key pre-lab with then be administered to the students to assess what they have learned prior to laboratory activity. Once the prerequisites are completed, students will then be given a set of organisms to observe and develop a dichotomous key. After completing the activity the class will discuss what they have learned and the challenges associated.
- The daily objective introduces students to the concepts of biomes/biogeography- what they are, why we should care and how we classify them. A PowerPoint presentation is provided to aid the teacher in introducing the concept of biomes and biogeography. Students will then be provided with a biomes computer laboratory activity and accompanying handout. Due to differences in period length teachers will decide the amount of material that must be completed prior to the end of class. Additional unfinished work may be given as homework. After completing the activity the class will discuss what they have learned and the challenges associated.
- The daily objective introduces kelp forests and why they are important. A PowerPoint presentation is provided to aid the teacher in introducing what a kelp forest is and why they are considered by many to be an important ecosystem. Students will then be provided the kelp laboratory activity and live material. Students will dissect the kelp holdfast and collect organisms found within. During the dissection students will take detailed notes/drawings of a few organisms and describe what they have found. After completing the activity the class will discuss what they have learned and the challenges associated, emphasizing what they believe to be the importance of kelp forests.
- The daily objective introduces students to global fisheries and the techniques used. A PowerPoint presentation is provided to aid the teacher in discussing the methods used for collecting large amounts of fish, the damage these methods can cause to our ocean ecosystem, and how our demand for seafood can and has led to the collapse of fisheries worldwide. After completing the activity the class will discuss what they have learned and the challenges associated.
- The daily objective combines all of what they have learned about biodiversity into an activity that introduces the difficulties associated with natural resource management. Organisms will be discussed and presented according to their perceived importance and economic value. Students will then be placed into groups and provided with a conservation lab activity. During this activity student groups will be asked to first determine the importance of organisms presented by dividing up conservation funds. After completing their initial valuation student groups will be assigned an organism to research and determine its perceived value using online resources. After the allotted time, determined by the teacher, students will discuss their findings and compile an argument as to why their organism is important and warrants conservation. After all of the groups have presented their findings a final poll will be taken to see if any groups were persuaded to change their initial disbursement of conservation funds, emphasizing what they have learned and why they have changed their minds.
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Boreal also known as Taiga
Ice
Tundra
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- Grade Level: 9-11
- Time Frame: 1 week
- California State Standard - Biology BIIE1.a.: "Students will select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer-linked probes, spreadsheets, and graphing calculators) to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships and display data."
- California State Standard - Biology BIIE1.d.: "Students will formulate explanations by using logic and evidence."
- California State Standard - Biology BIIE1.f.: "Students will distinguish between hypothesis and theory as scientific terms."
- California State Standard - Biology BIIE1.l.: "Students will analyze situation and solve problems that require combining and applying concepts from more than one area of science."
- California State Standard - Biology BIIE1.m.: "Students will investigate a science-based societal issues by researching the literature, analyzing data, and communicating the findings."
- California State Standard - Biology B16: "Students know stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects."
- California State Standard - Biology B16a: "Students know biodiversity is the sum total of different kinds of organisms and is affected by alterations of habitats."
- California State Standard - Biology B16b: "Students know how to analyze change in an ecosystem resulting from changes in climate, human activity, introduction of nonnative species, or changes in population size."
- California State Standard - Biology B16e: "Students know a vital part of an ecosystem is the stability of its producers and decomposers."
- California State Standard - Biology B17d: "Students know variation within a species increases the likelihood that at least some members of a species will survive under changed environmental conditions."
- California State Standard - Biology B18b: "Students know a great diversity of species increases the chance that at least some organisms survive major changes in the environment."
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Scripps Pier
Melville
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Design EarthRef.org
Sponsored by NSF and NSDL
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