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:
H.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:

• Teachers as Watershed Educators Curriculum Map—WISE teacher Brian Vollmer-Buhl outlines the lessons he used to help his 6-8th graders learn about an invasive brackish water snail and other local invasive species.
• Oregon State University’s Marine Bioinvasion Lab—Lessons and background material for studies of estuarine burrowing mud shrimp and the invasive marine isopod species that parasitizes them. Guided field and lab experiences are offered by Oregon Sea Grant’s Marine Education programs at Hatfield Marine Science Center.
• Resources from Oregon Sea Grant’s Watershed Invasive Species Education (WISE) Program
  • Professional development and curriculum focused on aquatic invasive species in Oregon
  • Invasive Species 101—Classroom projects conducted by WISE teachers and students
    • For example: Teachers as Watershed Educators Curriculum Map—WISE teacher Brian Vollmer-Buhl outlines the lessons he used to help his 6-8th graders learn about an invasive brackish water snail and other local invasive species.
• Nab the Aquatic Invader—Website for invasive species learning
• Early Detection & Distribution mapping system—Lists invasive species by state and county, lots of information about plants
• Oregon Coast Quests
  • Students can make a Quest or other interpretive guide that features local invasive species.  For example, the D River Invasive Species Quest (now retired) is an example of a self-guided place-based activity that tells the story of aquatic invasive species found at Devils Lake in Lincoln City.

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.