"Invasive Species"
Lesson Plans created by -Melissa Pikul - for EVE 546 Spring 2009
Overview: Many
of the decorative plants in our gardens are non-native, introduced
species which, when allowed to propagate and spread un-tended, have
become unintentional invaders. These intentionally or accidentally
introduced plants and animals often flourish outside of their native
habitat due to a lack of natural predation or resource competition. No
U.S. state is immune to invasives and the following lesson helps
students to put a face on some of our more common introduced plants,
and gets them thinking about how and why they are now here.
Objectives:
Students will:
- Assemble and view all prior knowledge on the topic of invasive species.
- Generate a list of key vocabulary and questions for further research.
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Make comparisons between the way a plant, animal, and human enter a new environment.
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Plan and design a garden which optimizes the growth requirements of the plants they are given.
- Read and organize existing data, taken from the most current scientific research, surrounding the phenomena of invasive species.
- Compile notes and condense scientifically collected information from journal articles and begin to put these into their own notes.
- Search for, and research, specific invasive plants and animals that have been discovered and documented in their local area.
Key Concepts: Invasive
species and term variants ie; exotics, non-natives, introduced flora
and fauna,
etc.,
Plant living requirements,
Subjects: Biology, Ecology, Math
Duration: 1 week
Setting: Any classroom
Season: Any Season
Interdisciplinary Connections
Frameworks: See Standards
Matrix
Individual Lesson Titles:
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Click
here for a PDF version of this unit plan -
Click
here for a PDF version of the Standards Matrix -
Matrix of Lesson Standards
Other EE lessons that would engage learners in a variety of inquiry activities including the following:
- Cove River Historical Site - Creating a Historical Timeline
- Navigating the Landscape - Geocaching
- People and Cultures - Natie American Site Introduction - Approaching the land with reverence - smudging.
- Soils
- Native Flora - plants of the region and habitats of coastal CT
- Native Fauna - animals of the region - birds
- Invasite and non-Native sepcies - invasive plants
- All about Insects
- Native and Colonial Agriculture
- Water and its uses - water quality
Environmental Science Education @ Cove River
Other Environmental Science activities conducted at the Cove River Site include SCSU Graduate and Undergraduate as well as local West Haven High School Environmental Science students using the GLOBE Program field observation strategies to gather information and data. These field investigations follow an Earth Systems Science approach. For each of 4 earth "spheres" - Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere and Atmosphere - field data are collected for analysis and sharing with the broader GLOBE Program community, which includes students from over 110 different countries.
SCSU Science Educaton & Environmental Studies - Cove River Historical Site GLOBE Investigations... coming soon!
- Geoshere investigations
- Hydrosphere investigations
- Biosphere investigations
- Atmosphere investigations
- other investigations
Mr. Kevin Dickson's Environmental Science and Ecology Classes - West Haven High School... coming soon!
Student Investigations: Zizi Yu's Hydrology Investigations..... coming soon!
Archaeology Education @ Cove River
The
Archaeological education activities occuring at the Cove River Site
have been directed by local experts in partnership with researchers
from the Yale Peabody Museum. A separate section ofthis website is
devoted to educational material, lessons and activities connected to
the history of human habitation and the story of native american life
ways at the site.
- Cove River Site Archaeology
- Local Native American life ways in coastal Connecticut
No Child Left Inside!
A generation of children are growing up with little opportunities taken to explore nature. What ever happened to un-structured play in our own backyards and neighborhood parks and open spaces. Where's my tree fort?
More than any other generation, today's kids spend a great deal of time indoors. No Child Left Inside℠ is a promise, and a pledge... to help Connecticut's children live active, healthier lives while they enjoy the natural treasures of our state parks and forests - and discover the rewards of becoming environmentally conscious citizens.
- Connecticut State Department of Environmental Quality - No Child Left Inside website!
Nature Deficit Disorder!
The term “nature-deficit disorder” was coined by author Richard Louv in his book “Last Child in the Woods” to describe what happens to young people who become disconnected from their natural world. Louv links this lack of nature to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as the rises in obesity, attention disorders, and depression.
Green outdoor settings appear to reduce ADHD symptoms in children across a wide range of individual, residential, and case characteristics. - Kuo and Taylor, NIH article
- A National Coalition for Environmental Education - No Child Left Inside website!
