Pulling for Biodiversity

MANAGING INVASIVE SPECIES IN ONTARIO

Elementary, Middle

Description

Examples used in "Pulling for Biodiversity" are specific to Ontario.

It introduces the concept of invasive species, and explains in an interactive and engaging manner why they are destructive and what can done about them. 

Activities:

  • Activity 1. What Are Invasive Species? Through a matching exercise, students evaluate species’ similarities and differences, categorizing species as either native, introduced/non-invasive, and invasive.
  • Activity 2. Musical Mussels. Students role-play lake animals in a version of musical chairs to discover how and why invasive species spread so easily.
  • Activity 3. Crayfish Conundrum. Through an active simulation game, students experience the dynamics of invasive introductions and population fluctuations within a simple aquatic system, focusing on Rusty Crayfish.
  • Activity 4. Garlic Mustard Invasion. Students become plants and compete for resources with this specific forest invader, and discover why it is so successful.
  • Activity 5. Managing Invasive Species. Students will learn about either Garlic Mustard or Rusty Crayfish, and then come up with ways to remove them or limit their spread. If students will be engaged in IBD activities, a connection will be made to the actions that they will undertake in the field.

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General Assessment

Themes Addressed

Relevant Curriculum Units