Importance of Biodiversity Lesson
Lesson Plan
1 hour 30 minutesGradesK, 1, 2Biology
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Written by Emily Townsend
About this lesson
In this lesson, students learn about habitats and how plants, prey, and predators interact based on their needs. Students see how factors like warming temperatures and human interactions can alter habitats and affect wildlife.
Inquire: Students watch trail camera clips to note the biodiversity in a habitat.
Investigate: Students play the Biodiversity Game to simulate the interactions between living things.
Inspire: Students sketch a picture showing an interaction they had during the game and explain it using cause and effect language.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Suggestions
- Use this lesson for movement. It features kinesthetic learning to activate interest in the topic, with students illustrating the interactions of living things through their movements.
- This lesson teaches the art of giving and receiving feedback. Students receive feedback from peers, reflect on their work, and make changes to their work based on feedback and personal reflection.
- Use this lesson for speaking and writing practice using academic language.
- This lesson may be split into two days. Teach the Inquire section and introduce and play a round of the game on Day 1.
Prerequisites
- This lesson is 1 in 3 in our Number Sense & Biodiversity unit.
- A large area is needed for the game. If the classroom is used, you may want to move the desks to one side of the room.
Differentiation
- During the Inquire section, students could be given a list of animal names or pictures to check off as they appear in the video.
- You can show a video of biodiversity in your community to use instead of the trail cam footage in the Inquire section. This allows students to make personal connections to plants and animals they recognize.
- Species cards include pictures of animals for students who have more difficulty reading.
- Cause and effect language frames are differentiated. Students may also focus on drawing, then share their ideas orally.
- Teacher may wish to play a “fishbowl” version of the game and have students watch a few students play to see the interactions.
- Read about the animals in the game before the lesson in fiction or nonfiction texts. Discuss words like vertebrate, exoskeleton, etc.
From the scientist review
This lesson clearly demonstrates the interrelationships existing in an ecosystem. It allows students to identify species and analyze what they need to survive in a given habitat, accounting for the impact of human-caused climate change on biodiversity. The games, activities, and all materials featured in the lesson have been reviewed and are suitable to improve students' understanding of the topic. On that account, this lesson has passed our science credibility process and is recommended for teaching.
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About the teacher writer
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Emily Townsend
K-8 ELL Teacher
Emily Townsend is an educator with 15 years of teaching experience as both a general education teacher and an English Language Learner (ELL) specialist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Drake University and a Master of Arts in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency from the University of Iowa.
