Human Impact Survey

Place—Human Impact Survey

Summary: The field-based “Human Impact Survey” lesson plan from Alaska Sea Grant is one part of a larger curriculum unit that focuses on the relationship between humans and the ocean. In this lesson, students construct knowledge about aquatic pollution through firsthand exploration of the local environment..

Concepts to teach: Pollution, marine debris, biodegradable, decomposition

Goals: Students develop a common definition of the term ‘pollution’, and identify some sources of pollution. Students increase their awareness of pollution in their local environment (school, neighborhood) and feel empowered to devise and carry out solutions.

Standards:
S3.3S.1, S3.3S.2
S4.3S.1, S4.3S.2
SS.05.GE.07

Specific Objectives:

  1. Define what makes something a pollutant, and identify several common types and sources of pollution at a local field site.
  2. Describe how local pollutants make their way into aquatic and marine environments.
  3. Determine what actions or changes are needed to reduce pollution at the local field site.

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Human Impact Survey—This lesson plan is from the Alaska Sea Grant’s K-8 Alaska Seas and Rivers Curriculum. Includes survey data sheets. This activity can be conducted on a beach or riverbank, or it may be adapted to apply to a park or schoolyard.
  • Consider combining the survey with a SOLVE (or similar) beach or river cleanup effort.
  • If you don’t have access to a marine beach, explore the following Beach Debris topic guide for classroom activities.
  • Map pollutants and their pathways. Use local maps from the Land and Water Use focus area to identify areas where pollution is found, pollutant pathways, and storm drains. Relate these findings to land use and natural features.

Assessment:

  • Use pre- and post- activity concept maps to explore learner’s understanding of the term “pollution” and local types and sources of pollution.
  • Worksheet included in the Human Impact Survey curriculum
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Human Impact Survey

Place—Human Impact Survey

Summary: The field-based “Human Impact Survey” lesson plan from Alaska Sea Grant is one part of a larger curriculum unit that focuses on the relationship between humans and the ocean. In this lesson, students construct knowledge about aquatic pollution through firsthand exploration of the local environment.

Concepts to teach: Pollution, marine debris, biodegradable, decomposition

Goals: Students develop a common definition of the term ‘pollution’, and identify some sources of pollution. Students increase their awareness of pollution in their local environment (school, neighborhood) and feel empowered to devise and carry out solutions.

Standards:
S6.3S1, S6.3S2
S7.3S1, S7.3S2
S8.3S1, S8.3S2, SS.08.GE.07

Specific Objectives:

  1. Define what makes something a pollutant, and identify several common types and sources of pollution at a local field site.
  2. Describe how local pollutants make their way into aquatic and marine environments.
  3. Determine what actions or changes are needed to reduce pollution at the local field site.

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Human Impact Survey—This lesson plan is from the Alaska Sea Grant’s K-8 Alaska Seas and Rivers Curriculum. Includes survey data sheets (ASG Human Impact Survey). This activity can be conducted on a beach or riverbank, or it may be adapted to apply to a park or schoolyard.
  • Consider combining the survey with a SOLVE (or similar) beach or river cleanup effort.
  • Map pollutants and their pathways. Use local maps from the Land and Water Use focus area to identify pollutant pathways, storm drains, and nearby streams and rivers.
  • Use the human impact survey to design and carry out a stewardship project.

Assessment:

  • Use pre- and post-activity concept maps to explore learner’s understanding of the term “pollution” and local types and sources of pollution.
  • Worksheet included in the Human Impact Survey curriculum.
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Huntington Beach Case Study

Human Impacts—Huntington Beach Case Study

Summary: When bacterial concentration measurements in coastal waters exceed levels considered safe for recreation, beaches may be closed to protect the public. In this case study, students follow the story of a bacterial contamination problem in Huntington Beach, California

Concepts to teach: Bacterial contamination, sewage treatment outflow, water quality regulation

Goals: Students recognize that determining the entity responsible for causing a real life water quality problem can be confusing and complex. Scientific evidence is used to better understand the problem and come up with management solutions.

Standards:
H.4D.3, H.4D.6
SS.HS.SA.01, SS.HS.SA.02, SS.HS.SA.03, SS.HS.SA.04, SS.HS.SA.05, SS.HS.SA.06

Specific Objectives:

  1. Identify multiple potential sources for the bacteria found on Huntington Beach.
  2. Use scientific data to describe why or why not a given potential source is responsible for the contamination.
  3. Describe what resource managers need to know in order to make effective decisions.

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Bacterial Contamination on Beaches—These detailed lesson plans from independent oceanographer Cynthia Cudaback tells the story of bacterial contamination in Huntington Beach, California. Students progressively analyze data to try to figure out the source of contamination and possible remedies.
    • Teachers or students may use this model as a framework for telling similar local story.
    • Debate/discussion/role play: Students play the role of a given stakeholder, and must use available scientific evidence to make recommendations to the sanitation district Board of Control.
  • Testing the Waters—NRDC report on the status of Oregon’s recreational water testing program, released June 2011
  • Caffeinated Coastal Waters —Portland State University reports on a NOAA funded study that found elevated levels of caffeine in Oregon coastal waters, although not necessarily where expected
  • See the Real Time Data topic guide for ways to collect data about bacterial counts on Oregon beaches

Assessment:

  • Assessments included in the Bacterial Contamination on Beaches lesson plans.
  • Identify and characterize a local water quality issue that, like the Huntington Beach example, involves a variety of stakeholders and decision points.
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Hypoxia

Impacts—Hypoxia

Summary: How are oxygen levels in the ocean changing as a result of climate change? In the waters off the Pacific Northwest of the U.S., seasonal upwelling brings nutrient-dense, oxygen-poor water to the surface, and the strength and duration of upwelling occasionally forms hypoxic (low oxygen) zones in on the sea floor along the outer and middle portions of the continental shelf. Recently, scientists have observed hypoxia (dissolved oxygen concentrations less then 1.4 ml/L) in shallow waters of the inner continental shelf, where low oxygen conditions have not historically occurred. This hypoxia led to the death of many coastal organisms. In this topic guide, students will read about the conditions that lead to coastal hypoxia in the Pacific Northwest, and use online data to determine current dissolved oxygen levels in coastal areas.

Concepts to teach:

Goals:

  1. Oxygen levels in the ocean are changing due to the effects of global climate change
  2. Because of climate change, upwelled waters in the Pacific Northwest have lower pH levels and lower oxygen levels than waters that have upwelled in previous years
  3. Coastal marine organisms are negatively affected by hypoxia
  4. Scientists use a variety of indicators to describe phenomena, identify patterns and make predictions

Standards: NGSS Performance Expectations

  • MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:

  1. Define coastal hypoxia and the conditions that lead to its occurrence
  2. Describe relationships between global climate change, upwelling and hypoxia events off the Pacific Northwest coast
  3. Describe the effects of hypoxia on marine organisms
  4. Use online data to explore near-time or real-time dissolved oxygen levels off the coast

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Review the Upwelling and Ocean Acidification topic guides
  • Readings:
    • Article: C. Welch, 2015 National Geographic article Oceans are losing oxygen
      • Note the distinction between deep-water “oxygen-minimum zones” driven by temperature, and “hypoxic coastal dead zones” like that which occurs in the Gulf of Mexico and is driven by an influx of nitrogen and other nutrients from land. Which process underlies the low-oxygen events in coastal waters off the Pacific Northwest coast?
    • Article: F. Schubert, 2013 article from The Dalles Chronicle—Ocean dead zones in Oregon
    • PISCO Hypoxia pages—These pages from the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) include definitions about hypoxia in the Pacific Northwest, including handouts, videos, research and FAQ
    • NOAA-Northwest Fisheries Science Center pages—See data images that show when and where hypoxic conditions occur in the Pacific Northwest
  • Activity: Use the NANOOS NVS Data Explorer to explore oxygen conditions off the Pacific NW coast right now. Filter for observing stations that measure Dissolved Oxygen (DO).
    • A detailed description of how to use the NVS Data Explorer is included in the Well, Well, Well lesson plan from NANOOS (Gr. 6-12)
  • Activity: Water Properties: Dissolved Oxygen—This USGS Water Science School page describes how students can collect their own dissolved oxygen (DO) data in the field. Visit a marine or aquatic area in your watershed and measure the DO of the water. What equipment will you use? What DO levels do you expect to find?
    • StreamWebs is a student stewardship online network that provides tutorials and data sheets for measuring DO, access to Vernier equipment, and a platform for sharing and obtaining data throughout the state.

Assessment:

  • How does climate change affect oxygen levels in the ocean?
  • What role does upwelling play in coastal hypoxia in the Pacific Northwest?
  • Students compare and contrast the causes of “dead zones” in the Pacific NW to those found in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Using NVS Data Explorer or other products from NANOOS, what can be said about oxygen conditions in the ocean right now?
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Hypoxia

Impacts—Hypoxia

Summary: How are oxygen levels in the ocean changing as a result of climate change? In the waters off the Pacific Northwest of the U.S., seasonal upwelling brings nutrient-dense, oxygen-poor water to the surface, and the strength and duration of upwelling occasionally forms hypoxic (low oxygen) zones in on the sea floor along the outer and middle portions of the continental shelf. Recently, scientists have observed hypoxia (dissolved oxygen concentrations less then 1.4 ml/L) in shallow waters of the inner continental shelf, where low oxygen conditions have not historically occurred. This hypoxia led to the death of many coastal organisms. In this topic guide, students will read about the conditions that lead to coastal hypoxia in the Pacific Northwest, and use online data to determine current dissolved oxygen levels in coastal areas.

Concepts to teach:

Goals:

  1. Oxygen levels in the ocean are changing due to the effects of global climate change
  2. Because of climate change, upwelled waters in the Pacific Northwest have lower pH levels and lower oxygen levels than waters that have upwelled in previous years
  3. Coastal marine organisms are negatively affected by hypoxia
  4. Scientists use a variety of indicators to describe phenomena, identify patterns and make predictions

Standards: NGSS Performance Expectations

  • HS-ESS2-2. Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.

Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:

  1. Define coastal hypoxia and the conditions that lead to its occurrence
  2. Describe relationships between global climate change, upwelling and hypoxia events off the Pacific Northwest coast
  3. Describe the effects of hypoxia on marine organisms
  4. Use online data to explore near-time or real-time dissolved oxygen levels off the coast

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Review the Upwelling and Ocean Acidification topic guides
  • On June 10, 2019, the Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia (OAH) released the Oregon’s DRAFT Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Action Plan
  • Readings:
    • Article: C. Welch, 2015 National Geographic article Oceans are losing oxygen
      • Note the distinction between deep-water “oxygen-minimum zones” driven by temperature, and “hypoxic coastal dead zones” like that which occurs in the Gulf of Mexico and is driven by an influx of nitrogen and other nutrients from land. Which process underlies the low-oxygen events in coastal waters off the Pacific Northwest coast?
    • Article: F. Schubert, 2013 article from The Dalles Chronicle—Ocean dead zones in Oregon
    • PISCO Hypoxia pages—These pages from the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) include definitions about hypoxia in the Pacific Northwest, including handouts, videos, research and FAQ
    • NOAA-Northwest Fisheries Science Center pages—See data images that show when and where hypoxic conditions occur in the Pacific Northwest
  • Activity: Use the NANOOS NVS Data Explorer to explore oxygen conditions off the Pacific NW coast right now. Filter for observing stations that measure Dissolved Oxygen (DO).
    • A detailed description of how to use the NVS Data Explorer is included in the Well, Well, Well lesson plan from NANOOS (Gr. 6-12)

Assessment:

  • How does climate change affect oxygen levels in the ocean?
  • What role does upwelling play in coastal hypoxia in the Pacific Northwest?
  • Students compare and contrast the causes of “dead zones” in the Pacific NW to those found in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Using NVS Data Explorer or other products from NANOOS, what can be said about oxygen conditions in the ocean right now?
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Inland Glaciers

Impacts—Inland Glaciers

Summary: As we have seen in other topic guides, the ocean stores solar radiation and its currents distribute heat to shape climate zones throughout the globe. Ocean processes affect not just coastal climates, but also temperature and precipitation far inland. In this topic guide, students learn about how changes in temperature and precipitation affect the ice mass of Cascade Range glaciers. They use data-based graphic representations of ice mass balance in the Cascade Range to see how glaciers are changing over time, and learn what impacts these changes have on inland environments.

Concepts to teach:

Goals:

  1. Ecosystems far from the coastline are affected by ocean processes
  2. Oregon’s topography produces very different climate zones
  3. Increased temperatures result in loss of glacier ice mass
  4. Loss of glacier ice mass reduces water availability inland

Standards:

Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:

  1. Describe how prevailing air mass movement from the Pacific Ocean impacts weather and climate in Oregon’s interior regions
  2. Use models, graphs and visual representations from long term data sets to describe climate change trends

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Pre-reading:
    • G.R. Miller and H.M. Mogil, 2011. Weatherwise article. Oregon’s Weather and Climate: Wet, dry, hot and cold—Prevailing air mass movement from the Pacific Ocean impacts weather and climate in Oregon’s interior regions. This article explains how Oregon’s latitude, topography, and proximity to the ocean shape its diverse climate zones.
  • Visualization Tools:
    How have glaciers in the Pacific Northwest changed over past decades? Graphic visualizations of glacier extent in the Cascade Range show changes in glacier mass.

  • Readings:
    • Articles about Oregon Glaciers. Although increased water from glacial melt may be beneficial in the short term, the retreat of glaciers could ultimately result in a decline in streamflow.
      • OSU Research on Collier’s Glacier: Oregon’s largest glacier in continued decline.
      • A.W. Nolan, et. al, 2010 article: Present-day and future contributions of glacier runoff to summertime flows in a Pacific Northwest watershed: Implications for water resources
      • M. Milstein, 2008 Waterwatch article: A region’s vitality melting away. This article explores the impacts of Mt. Hood glacial melt on agriculture
    • Water Resources—impacts from climate change, summarized by the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute
    • The Oregon Climate Change Adaptation Framework, 2010—Assessment of Very Likely and Likely risks associated with climate change, and short-term Action Items for addressing these risks
      • Extreme heat events (p. 15-19) Very likely
      • Reduced water availability (p. 20-25) Very likely
      • Wildfire (p. 26 -31)
      • Drought (p. 39-43)
      • Change in species distribution (p. 49-54)
      • Loss of wetland ecosystems (p. 62-69)
  • Climate Change Indicators Data:
    • EPA Climate Change Indicators in the US.—Observed long-term data trends related to the causes and effects of climate change, including:
    • U.S. Drought Monitor website—view national, regional, and state reports

Assessment:

  • How do studies of glacier mass balance help researchers understand climate change?
  • What climate conditions produce glacier mass loss? Create and interpret a drawing or chart that shows what glacier mass levels could be given predicted future climate conditions.
  • How is glacier mass loss connected to ocean processes?
  • How is glacier mass loss expected to impact inland environments?
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Inland Glaciers

Impacts—Inland Glaciers

Summary: As we have seen in other topic guides, the ocean stores solar radiation and its currents distribute heat to shape climate zones throughout the globe. Ocean processes affect not just coastal climates, but also temperature and precipitation far inland. In this topic guide, students learn about how changes in temperature and precipitation affect the ice mass of Cascade Range glaciers. They use data-based graphic representations of ice mass balance in the Cascade Range to see how glaciers are changing over time, and learn what impacts these changes have on inland environments.

Concepts to teach:

Goals:

  1. Ecosystems far from the coastline are affected by ocean processes
  2. Oregon’s topography produces very different climate zones
  3. Increased temperatures result in loss of glacier ice mass
  4. Loss of glacier ice mass reduces water availability inland

Standards:

  • NGSS Performance Expectations
    • HS-LS2-6. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
    • HS-ESS2-2. Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
  • Ocean Literacy Principle 3: The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate

Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:

  1. Describe how prevailing air mass movement from the Pacific Ocean impacts weather and climate in Oregon’s interior regions
  2. Use graphs and visual representations from long term data sets to describe climate change trends

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Pre-reading:
    • G.R. Miller and H.M. Mogil, 2011. Weatherwise article. Oregon’s Weather and Climate: Wet, dry, hot and cold—Prevailing air mass movement from the Pacific Ocean impacts weather and climate in Oregon’s interior regions. This article explains how Oregon’s latitude, topography, and proximity to the ocean shape its diverse climate zones.
  • Visualization Tools:
    • How have glaciers in the Pacific Northwest changed over past decades? Graphic visualizations of glacier extent in the Cascade Range show changes in glacier mass.
      • Climate and Glacier Change—from Module 4 of The Virtual Glacier, Portland State University—Use this online simulation to see how a real glacier responds to variations in climate.
      • Glacier Rephotography of the American West—from Portland State University – Explore photographs that show glaciers changing over time at Oregon’s Mt. Hood and Sisters.
      • Timeline of Glacier Change from Mt. Rainier National Park—Explore changes over time at Washington’s Mt. Rainier.
  • Readings:
    • Articles about Oregon Glaciers. Although increased water from glacial melt may be beneficial in the short term, the retreat of glaciers could ultimately result in a decline in streamflow.
      • OSU Research on Collier’s Glacier: Oregon’s largest glacier in continued decline.
      • A.W. Nolan, et. al, 2010 article: Present-day and future contributions of glacier runoff to summertime flows in a Pacific Northwest watershed: Implications for water resources
      • M. Milstein, 2008 Waterwatch article: A region’s vitality melting away. This article explores the impacts of Mt. Hood glacial melt on agriculture
    • Water Resources—impacts from climate change, summarized by the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute
    • The Oregon Climate Change Adaptation Framework, 2010—Assessment of Very Likely and Likely risks associated with climate change, and short-term Action Items for addressing these risks
      • Extreme heat events (p. 15-19) Very likely
      • Reduced water availability (p. 20-25) Very likely
      • Wildfire (p. 26 -31)
      • Drought (p. 39-43)
      • Change in species distribution (p. 49-54)
      • Loss of wetland ecosystems (p. 62-69)
  • Climate Change Indicators Data:
    • EPA Climate Change Indicators in the US.—Observed long-term data trends related to the causes and effects of climate change, including:
    • U.S. Drought Monitor website—view national, regional, and state reports

Assessment:

  • How do studies of glacier mass balance help researchers understand climate change?
  • What climate conditions produce glacier mass loss?
  • How is glacier mass loss connected to ocean processes?
  • How is glacier mass loss expected to impact inland environments?
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Inland Planning

Planning—Inland Planning

Summary: Connections between inland and ocean ecosystems are embodied by the life cycle and geographic distribution of salmon. These anadromous species depend on inland freshwater streams and rivers for spawning, but they also depend on the ocean for their adult existence. Natural resource managers in the Pacific Northwest have spent a lot of time and resources managing and restoring inland habitat for salmon in order to preserve, recover, and enhance salmon populations. Today’s managers must examine how climate change will affect inland salmon habitats, and identify how to adapt restoration and management practices accordingly.

Concepts to teach:

Goals:

  1. Climate change causes reduced summer stream flow, increased winter peak flow and increased stream temperatures in Pacific Northwest freshwater ecosystems.
  2. These characteristics negatively impact salmon.
  3. To promote resilient salmon ecosystems, managers identify include climate change impacts into habitat restoration actions

Standards: NGSS Performance Expectations

  • HS-LS2-6. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:

  1. Identify effects of climate change that negatively impact salmon freshwater ecosystems
  2. Identify habitat restoration actions that may address climate change impacts on salmon freshwater ecosystems

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Review the Salmon Studies topic guide in Module One
  • Readings:
    • Restoring salmon in a changing climate—PowerPoint slides from the January 2013 WRIA Climate Change Workshop
    • Salmon Research and Climate Change—from USFWS, describes how ‘in the Pacific Northwest, the effects of climate change will probably alter the timing of stream flows, reduce summer flows, increase stream temperatures, raise sea level, and change shorelines and ocean current patterns. A critical challenge …is to increase our understanding of how climate affects ecosystems that support salmon and to develop long-term strategies for maintaining ecological health.”
    • A. Card, 2014 FishSens magazine article – Salmon shift migration timing to cope with a changing climate
  • See the Citizen Biomonitoring topic guide in Module Two—Explore local water quality and determine to what degree the habitat is suitable for salmon

Assessment:

  • Assign students to prepare a report based on their readings and/or field data to address one or more of the following topics:
    • What climate change effects are likely to impact salmon in freshwater areas? (Ex. reduced summer stream flows, increased peak flows, increased stream temperatures, etc)
    • Describe a habitat restoration action that would improve population resilience (Ex. preserving shade trees in riparian areas, restoring floodplains to increase habitat diversity, etc)
    • What do local water quality data indicate about the suitability of local freshwater salmon habitat?
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Inland Planning for Salmon

Planning—Inland Planning for Salmon

Summary: Connections between inland and ocean ecosystems are embodied by the life cycle and geographic distribution of salmon. These anadromous species depend on inland freshwater streams and rivers for spawning, but they also depend on the ocean for their adult existence. Natural resource managers in the Pacific Northwest have spent a lot of time and resources managing and restoring inland habitat for salmon in order to preserve, recover, and enhance salmon populations. Today’s managers must examine how climate change will affect inland salmon habitats, and identify how to adapt restoration and management practices accordingly.

Concepts to teach:

Goals:

  1. Climate change causes reduced summer stream flow, increased winter peak flow and increased stream temperatures in Pacific Northwest freshwater ecosystems.
  2. These characteristics negatively impact salmon.
  3. To promote resilient salmon ecosystems, managers identify include climate change impacts into habitat restoration actions

Standards: NGSS Performance Expectations

  • MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:

  1. Identify effects of climate change that negatively impact salmon freshwater ecosystems
  2. Identify habitat restoration actions that may address climate change impacts on salmon freshwater ecosystems

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Review the Salmon Studies topic guide in Module One
  • Readings:
    • Restoring salmon in a changing climate—PowerPoint slides from the January 2013 WRIA Climate Change Workshop
    • Salmon Research and Climate Change—from USFWS, describes how “in the Pacific Northwest, the effects of climate change will probably alter the timing of stream flows, reduce summer flows, increase stream temperatures, raise sea level, and change shorelines and ocean current patterns. A critical challenge …is to increase our understanding of how climate affects ecosystems that support salmon and to develop long-term strategies for maintaining ecological health.”
    • A. Card, 2014 FishSens magazine article—Salmon shift migration timing to cope with a changing climate
  • See the Citizen Biomonitoring topic guide in Module Two—Explore local water quality and determine to what degree the habitat is suitable for salmon

Assessment:

  • Assign students to prepare a report based on their readings and/or field data to address one or more of the following topics:
    • What climate change effects are likely to impact salmon in freshwater areas? (Ex. reduced summer stream flows, increased peak flows, increased stream temperatures, etc)
    • Describe a habitat restoration action that would improve population resilience (Ex. preserving shade trees in riparian areas, restoring floodplains to increase habitat diversity, etc)
    • What do local water quality data indicate about the suitability of local freshwater salmon habitat?
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Invasive Species Impacts

Human Impacts—Invasive Species Impacts

Summary: The Oregon Sea Grant Extension WISE Program (Watershed and Invasive Species Education) provides teacher resources for teaching about invasive species in Oregon. WISE teachers have created, tested and posted their lesson plans online, and we highlight some of those projects in this focus area.

Concepts to teach: Invasive species

Goals: Students learn to recognize examples of aquatic invasive species and understand the impact these invaders have on the health of the environment.

Standards:
S6.2L.2

Specific Objectives:

  1. Identify several invasive species in the local community.
  2. Explain the ecological and financial impact invasive species have in Oregon.

Activity Links and Resources:

Assessment:

  • Use or develop formative assessment probes to gauge student understanding about the water cycle. The following probes from Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, vol. 2 could be applied or modified (to obtain Uncovering Student Ideas in Science publications or access sample chapters, visit the NSTA website):
    • Habitat Change—explores student understanding of how animal populations are affected when habitats are changed. Consider modifying this instrument to address student understanding of how competition from invasive species can affect native populations.
  • Example of assessment questions prior to a field trip: Field Trip Preassessment
  • Research and describe the impact an invasive species has on the local environment.
  • Search for examples of student work samples on the right side of the Invasive Species 101 website.
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