Invasive Species Prevention Science Lesson
Lesson Plan
1 hour 35 minutesGrades6, 7, 8Biology
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Written by Clarissa Torres
About this lesson
This lesson introduces how invasive species are detrimental to the ecosystem of native species.
Inquire: Students relate their knowledge about competition with competition among organisms within an ecosystem.
Investigate: Students learn how invasive species impact native species and biodiversity.
Inspire: Students develop a prevention poster describing how their invasive species was introduced into their community.
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Everything you need to teach it
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Suggestions
- This lesson aligns with Hawai’i’s Nā Hopena A'o HĀ-BREATH Framework.
- This lesson can be adapted to focus on invasive species in your own region to make learning more relevant and place-based. Students can search for invasive species by region using the USDA National Invasive Species Information Center.
- The Investigate and Inspire sections can each be extended to take one class period. Alternatively, the Inspire section can be shortened by changing the prevention poster activity to an infographic or a written response.
- Any part of the research or poster-making activity can be assigned for homework.
- This lesson can be used for extended research or to guide students in the research process.
Prerequisites
- For a local context, teachers should be aware of regional invasive species and prepare any local resources for students to use.
- Teachers can preview all videos and identify key places to pause at and ask prediction or observation questions.
- Teachers will need to assemble poster materials for students to use if they are designing paper posters.
- Teachers can print out or digitally assign the Student Document.
- Teachers can use an example poster as a visual model to guide student work or use the example near the end of the Teacher Slideshow.
Differentiation
- Students can watch this video for instructions on how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors, Rockstar.
- Students can work on their prevention poster projects individually or in pairs.
- Students can create their prevention poster projects digitally or on paper.
- Students can make an informative video to go with their posters.
- For an interdisciplinary connection to math, students can research percentages of invasive species introduced into each natural ecosystem, chart data on habitat loss due to invasive species, or calculate the costs of different solutions to address invasive species.
- Students can research how invasive species were introduced to the ecosystem (e.g., tourists, traveling, commercial imports, residential pets).
- Students can extend their learning by responding to the following writing prompt: “Do you think humans are an invasive species? Explain.”
- If students vote for the prevention poster contest, this can be done anonymously, on Google Classroom, or on Google Forms.
From the scientist review
The impact of invasive species on Hawaii's natural ecology is highlighted in this lesson, especially when they compete with native species for nutrients. Students will receive instruction on how to observe and recognize invasive species in an ecosystem and will present posters outlining ways that humans may stop the spread of invasive species in a particular ecosystem. This lesson passed our science review process after the contents underwent a thorough evaluation.
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About the teacher writer
Clarissa Torres
8th Grade Science Teacher
Clarissa Torres holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Arts in Teaching with a secondary education science focus from Chaminade University of Honolulu. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and holds a California Single Subject Teaching Credential with English Learner Authorization. Clarissa has been teaching since 2022 and currently serves as an online high school teacher and academic adviser, specializing in onboarding digital skills for grades 9–12.
