Environmental Science Biodiversity Unit Project

Project Due date: Friday, October 10 Submissions in class or via email: mjohnson@leedsk12.org

Scenario:
You are the owner of a local Environmental Consultancy Group. The state of Alabama has called you to assess
report and create a solution to a local bio-diversity issue. The ecosystem surrounding the high school in Leeds,
AL is in an unhealthy state. The issue has been brought to the attention of state officials by a strange science
teacher from the high school.
The state needs you to do following:
1. Assess the ecosystem surrounding Leeds High School.
2. Create a solution which increases the biodiversity and improves the health of the ecosystem.
3. Develop a plan to get the local community on board and involved.
4. Develop a plan to have local city officials, and school officials accept plus approve your plan.
5. Create an assessment which will prove your idea has worked.
Your information will be presented in 2 manners:
A. Poster Board, Prezi, or Power Point
1. Draw a map of the area surrounding LHS
a. aerial view
b. school building, parking lot, and the land surrounding the high school (label areas)
c. Designate the areas you have assessed
d. Highlight 3 species found with brief descriptions (name of species, height, number in plot) and note
any keystone species
e. Designate your plan for increasing biodiversity (draw on your map, what you plan to do to increase
the biodiversity and the health of the ecosystem.)
B. Report
1. Report should be 2 pages, double spaced in 12 pt Times New Roman font with 1 inch margins.
2. Your report should detail the 5 steps to solving an environmental issue.
a. Scientific Assessment - What did you do in order to measure the biodiversity and health of the
ecosystem? List the species inventoried plus the individuals in the population. Highlight any keystone species
and explain why the species is a keystone. Lastly, explain why the ecosystem is in such an unhealthy state.
b. Risk Analysis - Describe your plan to improve the health of the ecosystem. If you are going to
introduce new species into the area, then explain why and what species. Explain how you plan to attract other
secondary and tertiary consumers into the ecosystem.
c. Public Education - Explain your plan in order to get the local community on board. How will you get
the students to see the good and importance behind your plan? How will you get the students to help in
rebuilding the ecosystem?
d. Political Action - Do you need money or laws in order for your plan to be completed? If you so you
will need the help of local city officials. Describe the money, man power, and laws you may need in order to
support your plan.
e. Evaluation - How do you intend to prove your plan worked? Come up with an idea that will show you
have improved the ecosystem.

C. Key Terms: You must 7 of the 9 terms listed below. The terms maybe used in the poster board and the
report. The terms must be used correctly, logically and meaningfully.
Biodiversity
Ecosystem
Keystone species
Habitat Fragmentation
Pollution
Genetic Diversity
Species Diversity
Invasive species
Habitat Conservation Plan
Rubric for Poster Board/Prezi/Power Point and Report
Organization Information is very
organized with well-
constructed paragraphs
and subheadings.
Information is
organized with well-
constructed
paragraphs.
Information is
organized, but
paragraphs are not
well-constructed.
The information
appears to be
disorganized. 8)
Amount of
Information
All topics are
addressed and all
questions answered
with at least 2
sentences about each.
All topics are
addressed and most
questions answered
with at least 2
sentences about each.
All topics are
addressed, and most
questions answered
with 1 sentence about
each.
One or more
topics were not
addressed.
Quality of
Information
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. It includes
several supporting
details and/or
examples.
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. It provides 1-2
supporting details
and/or examples.
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. No details
and/or examples are
given.
Information has
little or nothing to
do with the main
topic.
Paragraph
Construction
All paragraphs include
introductory sentence,
explanations or details,
and concluding
sentence.
Most paragraphs
include introductory
sentence, explanations
or details, and
concluding sentence.
Paragraphs included
related information but
were typically not
constructed well.
Paragraphing
structure was not
clear and
sentences were
not typically
related.
CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Required Elements The
poster/prezi/power
point includes all
required elements as
well as additional
information.
All required elements
are included on the
poster/prezi/power
point.
All but 1 of the
required elements are
included on the
poster/prezi/power
point.
Several required
elements were
missing.
Labels All items of
importance on the
poster/prezi/power
point are clearly
labeled with labels
that can be read from
at least 3 ft. away.
Almost all items of
importance on the
poster/prezi/power
point are clearly
labeled with labels
that can be read from
at least 3 ft. away.
Several items of
importance on the
poster/prezi/power
point are clearly
labeled with labels
that can be read from
at least 3 ft. away.
Labels are too
small to view OR
no important
items were
labeled.
Graphics -Clarity Graphics are all in
focus and the content
easily viewed and
identified from 3 ft.
away.
Most graphics are in
focus and the content
easily viewed and
identified from 3 ft.
away.
Most graphics are in
focus and the content
is easily viewed and
identified from 1 ft.
away.
Many graphics are
not clear or are
too small.
Attractiveness The
poster/prezi/power
point is exceptionally
attractive in terms of
design, layout, and
neatness.
The
poster/prezi/power
point is attractive in
terms of design, layout
and neatness.
The
poster/prezi/power
point is acceptably
attractive though it
may be a bit messy.
The poster is
distractingly
messy or very
poorly designed.
It is not attractive.