Directions: 1. Using the Invasive Species Journal worksheet, have stu- dents write an entry to one of the following prompts:
a. Do the benefits of invasive species ever outweigh the risks? Give examples from the lesson to support your argument.
b. Why is it important for managers to take a social-ecolog- ical approach to conservation? What can happen if man- agers only focus on the science behind conservation and ignore the social aspects that influence conservation?
c. What role can education play in limiting conflict among social groups with regard to invasive species?
Modifications To add an additional challenge, this lesson plan could be
altered so that students receive new information each day about their case study. This would require students’ prac- ticing revising management plans as new information is discovered. This modification replicates how information is constantly evolving and how conservationists and scientists must adapt their models as knowledge changes. To adjust this lesson to fit younger grade levels (elemen-
Presentations (75 minutes*) *Time will vary depending on class size/number of groups. Purpose: Students share their management plans with the class and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their classmates’ plans.
Materials: • Management Plan Evaluation Form • PollEverwhere
Directions: 1. Each group will present their management plan to the class.
2. For each case study, students will choose one group’s management plan to evaluate using the Management Plan Evaluation Form. Within the evaluation, students will identify the social value attached to the invasive species and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the management plan.
3. After each presentation, pause to allow students to write their evaluations and share out the strengths of each management plan. Facilitate discussions on suggestions or concerns.
4. Create an identical copy of the PollEverwhere question used at the beginning of the unit. Post the code on the board and ask students to submit at least one word they associate with invasive species. Once the word cloud is generated, project it onto the board. Ask students to com- pare the new word cloud to the original word cloud. Have students reflect on what they learned through the case studies and management plans.
Journal (20 minutes) Purpose: Students reflect on what they learned during the unit by writing a journal entry in response to one of three prompts.
Materials: • Invasive Species Journal
tary), modified case studies could be read aloud to students or the case studies could be turned into videos. Students could create picture maps about the feelings of different social groups toward the invasive species. For middle school educators, the lesson could be used as a whole-class consen- sus plan or discussion. The presentation aspect of the les- son can also be eliminated if there are time constraints. An informal or formal debate can also be used in place of the presentation. If students do not have access to smart devices (laptops,
tablets, cell phones, etc.), this lesson can be modified to exclude digital technology. For the word cloud activity, the prompt could be written on the board or on a large poster. If the lesson is taking place outside, the prompt could also be written on the ground using sidewalk chalk. Students could add their responses using markers or chalk. Instead of using smart devices to research their invasive
species and management plan ideas, consider using text- books, books from the library, or printing out hard copies of research materials for students to utilize. For presentations, students could use poster boards, sidewalk chalk, or a 3D model to visually represent their management plan. Students could also write a poem or create a live commercial to share their management plan ideas with the class.
Annie Zaremba is a Physics and Biology teacher at GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio, USA. She completed this project as a part of her graduate work with Project Dragonfly at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA.
References
1. Montserrat Vilà, José Espinar, Martin Hejda, Philip E. Hulme, Vojtěk Jarošík, John L. Maron, Jan Pergl, Urs Schaffner, Yan Sun, and Petr Pyšek, “Ecological impacts of invasive alien plants: a meta-analysis of their effects on species, communities and ecosystems,” Ecology Letters 14, no. 7 (2011): 702–708,
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01628.x.
2. Liba Pejchar and Harold A. Mooney, “Invasive species, ecosystem services, and human well-being,” Trends in Ecology & Evolution 24, no. 9 (2009): 497– 504,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2009.03.016.
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