CHAPTER 10

Biodiversity

Kenneth Poczekaj

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Table of Contents Page
Standards 2

Main Objectives 2

Unit Summary 2

Misconceptions 3

Lesson 1 4-6

Lesson 2 7-9

Lesson 3 10-12

Lesson 4 13-15

Supplemental Materials Disclosure 16

Introduction to Biodiversity 17-18

Biodiversity Game 19-24

Instructor Lesson Reflection 25

Environmental Management Plan Example 26-27

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Chapter 10: Biodiversity
NGSS Standards:
HS-ESS3-3. Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among
management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and
biodiversity.

Main Objectives:
1. The student can describe the diversity of species types on Earth, relating the
difference between known numbers and estimated numbers.
2. The student can list and describe three levels of biodiversity.
3. The student can explain four ways in which biodiversity is important to ecosystems
and humans.
4. The student can analyze the potential value of a single species.
5. The student can define and give examples of endangered and threatened species.
6. The student can describe several ways that species are being threatened with
extinction globally.
7. The student can explain which types of threats are having the largest impact on
biodiversity.
8. The student can list areas of the world that have high levels of biodiversity and many
threats to species.
9. The student can compare the amount of biodiversity in the United States to that of the
rest of the world.

Summary:
This unit will cover the material found in Chapter 10 of the Environmental Science
textbook by Karen Arms. This unit plan will cover section 1 and parts of section 2 from this
chapter. Should the need arise, changes should be made to the lesson plan based on students’
needs and constant assessment of the students’ knowledge as this lesson progresses using various
formative assessment and summative assessment practices. The culmination of these lessons and
activities satisfies the NGSS standards listed above. Each lesson contains its own objectives
along with the main objectives seen above. At the end of this unit plan, a project will be used as
a summative assessment.
This unit plan is the first of two unit plans covering this chapter. The first lesson assesses
prior knowledge from the previous section and some of the content that will be covered in the
upcoming unit. The next two lessons deal entirely with content. The final lesson will focus on
students developing an environmental management plan to protect a particular environment and
the species within it. At the end of every lesson, the instructor will complete the Instructor
Lesson Reflection sheet. The next unit will cover information regarding areas of critical
biodiversity, and section 3: The Future of Biodiversity.

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Misconceptions:
1. Extinction is primarily caused by factors we cannot control.
2. Humans are the only cause of extinction.
3. Humans are not the cause of extinction.
4. A single species cannot have a large impact on a whole ecosystem.

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Lesson 1: Prior knowledge and Introduction to Biodiversity

Time: 1-2 days/1-2 class periods

Objectives:
1. The student can explain how biodiversity effects an ecosystem.
2. The student can recognize terms related to biodiversity.
Lesson overview:
Students will be completing a prior knowledge exercise using the Introduction to
Biodiversity worksheet. This worksheet contains all of the vocabulary words and definitions that
will be found in this chapter as well as a few from past chapters. Students have done worksheets
similar to this for previous chapters and understand what is expected of them. After this is
completed, we will participate in our daily Good News announcements where students share
good news with the classroom. Once Good News is completed, instructor will follow a script
covering the Biodiversity Game.

Setup:
Before class, the objectives listed above will be written on the whiteboard in the
Environmental Science Objectives section. A PowerPoint slide will be projected onto the board
containing the date, the objectives for the day, and an overview of the activities that will be done
during class. The Introduction to Biodiversity worksheet will be printed off single-sided and
placed on the table next to the door through which students enter the room. Students will be
greeted at the door and reminded to pick up the worksheet as they enter the room. Whiteboards
will be available at each table as well as dry erase markers and erasers. The game rules will be
printed out and read through by the instructor. Two Population Observation sheets and two
Score Cards will be printed off for each team (usually teams of two) for the Biodiversity Game.

Class time:
“Good morning everybody, today we will be beginning our study on biodiversity. This
worksheet should look somewhat familiar. As you have done before, just place a check mark
next to all of the words that you recognize or have seen before.” Allow students about 3 minutes
to complete this task while taking attendance.
“If you haven’t completed checking off the words, that is alright. Remember this is not
graded on completeness or correctness, but will be used as a tool to monitor your progress and
understanding throughout the chapter. Now, I would like for you all to work with your groups
(groups of 3-4 sitting at the same tables) and try to figure out what definitions go to which
vocabulary word. Make sure you make note of which words your group members do not
recognize. You will have about 7 minutes to do this.” Allow students about 7 minutes to
complete this activity. During this time, walk around the class and observe which words groups
seem to be having trouble with. Also, use this time to check for misconceptions about these
terms and their definitions.
After the designated time, ask “Which words did your groups struggle with the
most?” Listen to the responses but do not give any definitions or answers. Make a list of the
words on the whiteboard with a heading labeled ‘Unsure.’ “Awesome, now which words do we

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seem a little more confident with?” Again, listen to the responses but do not give any
corrections, and write these words on the whiteboard with a heading labeled ‘We may
know.’ “Alright, as we have done before, we will be exploring these terms, their meanings, and
how they affect us and our world.
“So, it’s time to take a little break and hear about some good news. Does anybody have
any good news to share?” Give students the time they need to express themselves and give
positive responses. Make sure other students are being respectful as a student is sharing by
reminding them of the social contract they made if necessary. If no news is forthcoming, think
of your own good news to share with the class to see if that can get them started.
Once Good News is completed, be sure to read to the students what the objectives are for
the day as listed on the PowerPoint slide then begin the brief lecture using the following script:
“The chapter we are about to cover includes a variety of topics about biodiversity. Before we
delve into this chapter, we are going to play a game. This game will require you to think about
what you have learned in other chapters and help you explore some of the concepts found in this
chapter as well. First, I would like for you to divide into teams of two people. Try to do this
quickly so we have more time for the game.” Allow for about a minute for students to pick their
teammates. Other options would be to preselect team member or select team members based on
numbers or seating arrangements. Once students have sat down with their partners, hand out the
two charts. In my class I will be grouping the teams by table which consists of 3-4 students.
“Each team will need a whiteboard in which you will be copying the population
observation sheet onto. Please take one minute to do this.” After a minute has finished: “It is
time to begin your journey as scientists. Several volcanic islands have appeared in the Pacific.
You and your research team received funding to conduct a biodiversity experiment on one of
these islands. Your team will be bringing different organisms to the island and observing how
they interact and how well they survive. Your goal is to generate a stable ecosystem with the
greatest amount of biodiversity possible. Keep in mind, there are other teams doing the same
research on the other islands with which you will share your research with.” At this time write
down the point values of the organisms or project the point values of the organisms on the board.
“Teams will be competing to score the greatest number of points during this game.
Different organisms are worth different points. As the game progresses, you learn new things
about the organisms that you placed on your island as well as what other teams have learned.
These observations will be added to the whiteboard so all of you can see what has been
discovered.”
“In this first round of the game you don’t know very much at all about the island or the
organisms you have the opportunity to bring to the island. What you do know is that you have a
budget of 10 points in which you can purchase organisms to bring to the island.” Point to the
values up on the board and give examples of what students would be able to purchase. “Take
this time to determine which organisms to bring to the island. Be sure to think about what
organisms need in order to survive and take a look at your population observation sheets to see
what might play a factor in the success or failure of your research. You have two minutes to
decide what you are bringing to the island.” After two minutes have the students share what
organisms they picked and write those up on the board. With each stage and each round, give
new rules according to the rule guidelines and proceed through the game following the
guidelines. The game can last up to eight rounds, but can be cut short if desired.
At the conclusion of the game, make sure there is time for discussion about what students
discovered during that game. Questions to ask should revolve around how biodiversity impacted

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the islands. For example: Was it more beneficial to introduce more populations quickly or
slowly to your island? What factors influenced how diverse your island could be? At the
conclusion of the class period decide whether more time should be spent on this game or not and
then complete the Instructor Lesson Reflection paper at the conclusion of the lesson.

Modeling:
The worksheet students are completing follows the same format as the introductory
worksheets in previous chapters. During the game, as new rules are revealed, the instructor will
give an example as to how students should apply those rules to their population observation
sheet. Each round, the instructor will go through each stage and explain how the current rules
affect populations and how new rules also affect populations using examples.

Assessments:
Assessments will be conducted as the instructor observes the students’ responses to the
worksheet. Students will also be assessed on how they are answering questions during class
discussion times before the game and after the game. These are all formative assessments.

Technology Integration:
A smart projector and computer will be used to project the PowerPoint slide containing
the objectives, date, and summary of class activities onto the whiteboard. Students will be using
small whiteboards at their tables. Students will be playing a game to introduce the concept of
biodiversity as well as incorporate ideas found in previous chapters.

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Lesson 2: What is Biodiversity

Time: 2 days/2 class periods

Objectives:
1. The student can describe the diversity of species types on Earth, relating the
difference between known numbers and estimated numbers.
2. The student can list and describe three levels of biodiversity.
3. The student can explain four ways in which biodiversity is important to ecosystems
and humans.
4. The student can analyze the potential value of a single species.

Lesson overview:
Students will be covering the information on the first section of the chapter. The class
will begin with an opener asking a question about information that was covered in an earlier
chapter. Once the opener is completed, the daily Good News announcements will be shared.
After Good News, the opener will be discussed briefly and the instructor will follow the scripts
for this lesson containing some reading, lecturing, and class discussions.

Setup:
Before class, the objectives listed above will be written on the whiteboard in the
Environmental Science Objectives section. A PowerPoint slide will be projected onto the board
containing the date, the objectives for the day, the opener, and an overview of the activities that
will be done during class. Students will be greeted at the door and reminded to begin working on
the opener as they enter the room. Print out the Chapter 10 packets for each student to be placed
on the desk by the door at the entrance of the classroom for students to pick up upon entering.
Create the opener on Google Classroom (Define the term species.). Be sure each table has a
whiteboard, dry erase markers, and eraser. On Google Classroom, assign the prompt “describe
four ways in which biodiversity is important to ecosystems and humans.” to be available near the
end of class time.

Class time:
“Good morning everybody, please complete the opener found on Google Classroom
about species while I take attendance. Your answer must be completed and turned in by 11:25 (7
minutes after the start of class) or you will not receive any credit for this opener.” At this time,
take attendance and answer students’ questions if there are any.
At 11:25, begin Good News. “Does anybody have any good news to share?” Give
students the time they need to express themselves and give positive responses. Make sure other
students are being respectful as a student is sharing by reminding them of the social contract they
made if necessary. If no news is forthcoming, think of your own good news to share with the
class to see if that can get them started.
Once Good News is completed, be sure to read to the students what the objectives are for the
day as listed on the PowerPoint slide then begin the discussion using the following script: “So,
who can tell me what a species is?” Give the students about 15 seconds and select a student who
raises their hand. Take preference on selecting a student who does not regularly participate or
answer questions if able. If students are not willing to participate, look through the submitted

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answers on Google Classroom and select a student to answer that has given a correct
response. “A species is a group of organisms that are closely related and that can mate to
produce fertile offspring. So, what does this have to do with biodiversity? To determine
biodiversity, we have to be able to identify the different species within a given area. How might
we be able to determine the biodiversity of our planet?” Pause and look around so students
actually think about this question. If nobody is willing to answer, begin selecting students.
Acknowledge every answer positively. “The real answer is that we can’t. We simply do not
have the resources or knowledge to determine our planets biodiversity. To do this we have to
collect and scientifically describe every species on this planet, from single-celled bacteria to the
giant redwood. With your groups, I want you to brainstorm and write on your whiteboards
reasons why this task is difficult.” Give students about 5-8 minutes to discuss this. At the end of
the allotted time, ask each group to share their answers with the class.
“Those are all great ideas. Now, I want you all to turn to page 241 in your text and look
at the graph at the bottom of the page.” Allow for students to get their packets out. “On this
graph, the dark color depicts the number of known species while the light color depicts the
number of additional estimated species for each category. Take a look at vertebrates on the
bottom. Notice that there are not many estimated unknown species. Now look at the bacteria.
The ratio of known to unknown is very different. With your groups, I want you to think about
reasons why some groups have more or less estimated unknown species.” Give the students
about 5-8 minutes to discuss this. At the end of the allotted time, ask each group to share their
answers with the class. “Awesome job, many organisms are simply too difficult to find and
discover. Larger organisms are easily found and easily categorized. Organisms like bacteria
can’t be seen by the naked eye so it can be very difficult to notice a new species of bacteria.
Other large factors are the remoteness of the habitat in which these organisms are found. An
organism living in a forest near a populated area are much easier to study than organisms found
on the deep ocean floor.
“We are able to describe biodiversity at three levels; species diversity, ecosystem
diversity, and genetic diversity. Species diversity refers to all the differences between
populations of species, as well as between different species. This could include the diversity of
organisms like different breeds of dogs, or the number of different species found in an area.
Ecosystem diversity represents the biotic and abiotic factors in an area. It refers to the variety of
habitats, communities, and ecological processes within and between ecosystems. Last semester
we mentioned some ecosystems like the Icicle River. Within that ecosystem we had rivers,
forests, mountains, and alpine lakes. The ecosystem diversity of this ecosystem is much
different than the Great Basin. Lastly, genetic diversity refers to all the different genes contained
within all members of a population. Genetic diversity is important to keeping populations stable.
When populations lack genetic diversity, the population becomes more susceptible to genetic
diseases as it becomes easier to pass on these traits.”
“As we found out during the Biodiversity game, we found that biodiversity is very
important to an ecosystem. All species are connected in some way, if a species disappears from
an ecosystem, a strand in the food web is removed. This usually effects every other organism in
that food web in some way. Some ecosystems can survive when some organisms leave, but
other organisms play a critical role in the functioning of an ecosystem. These are called
keystone species. On page 242, otters are seen as a keystone species because they were critical
in maintaining the kelp beds from urchin overpopulation.”

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 “At this point, I want you to read through section 1 of this chapter and annotate the
readings as you have done in the past. This will be homework and I will check for annotations at
the beginning of the next day/lesson. I also want you to describe four ways in which biodiversity
is important to ecosystems and humans. That prompt can be found on Google Classroom.”

Modeling:
The instructor will guide the students through interpreting a graph found in the textbook.
The instructor will use past examples to help supplement new material like that of the Icicle
River and the Great Basin.

Assessments:
Assessments will be conducted as the instructor observes the students’ responses to
different prompts throughout class. An opener will be used at the beginning of class. The
instructor will assess students’ reading comprehension using a homework assignment and
students’ text annotations.

Technology Integration:
A smart projector and computer will be used to project the PowerPoint slide containing
the objectives, date, and summary of class activities onto the whiteboard. Students will have
access to Chromebooks and are required to complete an opener on Google Classroom. Students
will be required to read through text and annotate the text. Students will be using small
whiteboards at their tables.

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Lesson 3: Extinction and Human Impacts

Time: 1 day/1 class period

Objectives:
1. The student can define and give examples of endangered and threatened species.
2. The student can describe several ways that species are being threatened with
extinction globally.
3. The student can explain which types of threats are having the largest impact on
biodiversity.

Lesson overview:
Students will be covering the information in section 2, Biodiversity at Risk through the
end of the subsection How Do Humans Cause Extinctions? The class will begin with an opener
asking a question about information that was covered earlier in the text. Once the opener is
completed, the daily Good News announcements will be shared. After Good News, the opener
will be discussed briefly and the instructor will follow the scripts for this lesson containing some
lecturing and the gallery walk presentations.

Setup:
Before class, the objectives listed above will be written on the whiteboard in the
Environmental Science Objectives section. A PowerPoint slide will be projected onto the board
containing the date, the objectives for the day, the opener, and an overview of the activities that
will be done during class. Students will be greeted at the door and reminded to begin working on
the opener they enter the room. Whiteboards, dry erase markers, and erasers will need to be
available to each group for this lesson. Create the opener on Google Classroom (What are the
three types of biodiversity). Create the homework question (describe how habitat destruction,
invasive species, and pollution may affect genetic diversity in organisms) in Google Classroom
to be available at the end of class.

Class time:
“Good morning everybody, please complete the opener found on Google Classroom
about the types of biodiversity while I take attendance. Also, please take out your annotations
for me to check. Your opener must be completed and turned in by 11:25 (7 minutes after the
start of class) or you will not receive any credit for this opener.” At this time, take attendance
and answer students’ questions if there are any.
At 11:25, begin Good News. “Does anybody have any good news to share?” Give
students the time they need to express themselves and give positive responses. Make sure other
students are being respectful as a student is sharing by reminding them of the social contract they
made if necessary. If no news is forthcoming, think of your own good news to share with the
class to see if that can get them started.
Once Good News is completed, be sure to read to the students what the objectives are for
the day as listed on the PowerPoint slide then begin the discussion using the following script:
“So, who can tell me what the three different types of biodiversity are?” Give the students about
15 seconds and select a student who raises their hand. Take preference on selecting a student
who does not regularly participate or answer questions if able. The answers are species

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diversity, ecosystem diversity, and genetic diversity. If students are unable to answer correctly
or are not willing to participate, look through the submitted answers on Google Classroom and
select a student to answer that has given a correct response.
“These three types of biodiversity are crucial to understanding species population trends.
We will focus first on species diversity. How do we lose species diversity?” Students may
answer with “species move out of the area,” “species die off,” “species become extinct.” Guide
the students to extinction. If they answer with “species die off,” then ask them if they know what
that is called. If they don’t know, explain that this process is referred to as extinction. “As
species become extinct, species diversity is lost. Does anybody know the term for an organism
that is near extinction?” Listen for somebody to answer endangered and/or threatened and define
both to the class.
“Extinctions can happen at many different levels. When we think of ecosystem diversity,
we think about the ecosystems in which species are found. We might think about lakes, deserts,
forests, rivers, oceans, or even cities. Throughout history, we have seen large changes in
ecosystems across the world. Can any of you think of some instances where this occurred?”
Listen for answers like the Ice Age or the dinosaur extinction. “I am going to use the example of
the Ice Ages. At the beginning and end of the Ice Age, the whole world changed and many
organisms died. This event is something that we refer to as a mass extinction, where many
organisms go extinct over a short period of time.”
“Currently, humans are the main cause of most extinctions over the last 200 years. As we
mentioned in the last chapters, the human population has grown quite rapidly. One of the
resulting effects is habitat destruction. Take this time to talk with your group and think about
what other things humans do to effect extinctions and reduce biodiversity. Write your top two
reasons on your whiteboards.” Allow for students to brainstorm for about 5-8 minutes. At this
time, walk around class and listen in on the discussions and give some help in pointing the
students towards invasive species, pollution, and overharvesting. This could be done by
mentioning things like Asian carp or zebra muscles for invasive species, ozone destruction for
pollution, and deforestation for overharvesting.
At this time have students share their groups thoughts and link things back to the three
factors mentioned, habitat destruction, or combinations of multiple factors. “These are all great
examples. Do these things tend to effect organisms as a species level or at an environmental
level?” Listen to answers. Answers will probably contain both. “These do effect organisms at
both of these levels. They push extinction on species as well as their ecosystems.”
“Finally, I want to talk about genetic diversity again and how that can be influenced by
habitat destruction, invasive species, overharvesting, and pollution. How many of you hunt
and/or fish?” Let students raise their hands. “Now I want you to all pretend like you are hunting
bison. You are on a prairie where you come across the herd. In your position you have the
opportunity to kill any one of the three following bison with the same amount of difficulty. One
bison looks skinny and has some patchy spots on its coat. The second one is very large and well
built. It seems to be larger than the rest of the bison in the herd and seems to be well built and
proportioned. The third looks like it is walking funny and its head seems oddly shaped. This
one also seems to be smaller in size. Now, most hunters, if they knew they had the same chance
of taking home these three bison would probably pick the second one that was large and healthy
right? Well, it turns out, that all three had differing genetics and were able to pass on the traits
that they had to their offspring. By taking the healthiest looking bison, you increased the
chances of the other two bison reproducing instead, thus reducing genetic diversity. When

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hunted on a large scale, the healthier and better-looking organisms tend to be the ones harvested
first. The same can be said for any organism whether animal, plant, or even bacteria.”
“At this time, please read and annotate your text from pages 245-247. Also, I want you
to describe how habitat destruction, invasive species, and pollution may affect genetic diversity
in organisms. This will be on Google Classroom and what you do not finish today will be
homework that is due tomorrow/in the next lesson.”

Modeling:
The instructor model an example of mass extinction using the Ice Age. This will also be
a model to demonstrate non-human factors effecting biodiversity. During the human impact
brainstorm, the instructor can model some ideas that are relevant to human impacts effecting
biodiversity. The instructor will also model an example of how overharvesting/hunting of a
species can lead to decreases in genetic diversity using bison hunting as an example.

Assessments:
Assessments will be conducted as the instructor observes the students’ responses to
different prompts throughout class. An opener will be used at the beginning of class. The
instructor will assess students’ reading comprehension using a homework assignment and
students’ text annotations.

Technology Integration:
A smart projector and computer will be used to project the PowerPoint slide containing
the objectives, date, and summary of class activities onto the whiteboard. Students will have
access to Chromebooks and are required to complete an opener on Google Classroom. Students
will be required to read through text and annotate the text. Students will be using small
whiteboards at their tables.

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Lesson 4: Environmental Management Plan

Time: 3 days/3 class periods

Objectives:
1. The student can create a plan to reduce negative human impact on an environment.
2. The student can work with a group to determine ways to improve the biodiversity in an
environment.
Lesson overview:
Students will be creating their own environmental management plans to aid in the
protection of a particular ecosystem and/or species. The class will begin with an opener asking a
question about information that was covered earlier in the text. Once the opener is completed,
the daily Good News announcements will be shared. After Good News, the opener will be
discussed briefly and the instructor will follow the scripts for this lesson containing some the
details for the Environmental Management Plan. The following two days will consist entirely on
students working on their plans. Good News may be completed on those days at the discretion
of the instructor.

Setup:
Before class, the objectives listed above will be written on the whiteboard in the
Environmental Science Objectives section. A PowerPoint slide will be projected onto the board
containing the date, the objectives for the day, the opener, and an overview of the activities that
will be done during class. Students will be greeted at the door and reminded to begin working on
the opener they enter the room. Create the opener on Google Classroom (How do invasive
species affect biodiversity?). Create the Environmental Management Plan assignment on Google
Classroom. This should contain an example plan and the following prompts: You and your
team are designing an environmental management plan to help with the recovery of a particular
organisms in a certain area. You and your group will select an endangered species and research
the ecosystems in which it lives. You must provide information as to what factors are causing
this organism to become listed as endangered. In your plan, you must make sure to specifically
address these problems, how these problems will be managed, and what organizations will be
working on what projects. The following is a link to the website in which you may find different
endangered species. https://www.iucnredlist.org/search

Class time:
“Good morning everybody, please complete the opener found on Google Classroom
about invasive species and biodiversity. Your answer must be completed and turned in by 11:25
(7 minutes after the start of class) or you will not receive any credit for this opener.” At this
time, take attendance and answer students’ questions if there are any.
At 11:25, begin Good News. “Does anybody have any good news to share?” Give
students the time they need to express themselves and give positive responses. Make sure other
students are being respectful as a student is sharing by reminding them of the social contract they

13
made if necessary. If no news is forthcoming, think of your own good news to share with the
class to see if that can get them started.
Once Good News is completed, be sure to read to the students what the objectives are for
the day as listed on the PowerPoint slide then begin the discussion using the following script:
“Who would like to share their answer to the question: how do invasive species affect
biodiversity?” Give the students about 15 seconds and select a student who raises their hand.
Take preference on selecting a student who does not regularly participate or answer questions if
able. If students are unable to answer correctly or are not willing to participate, look through the
submitted answers on Google Classroom and select a student to answer that has given a correct
response. “Invasive species can threaten native species in an area. Some invasive species may
not have a known predator which can allow them to reproduce rapidly and consume resources
that native species need. They also can physically inflict harm on other organisms which may
not have any form of defense against this invasive organism.”
“Invasive species control is a field revolving around the study, removal, and prevention
of invasive species. Invasive species are capable of decimating populations of native species
when not controlled. Hawaii is an area that has seen this process for a long time as its native
species are slowly dying away. One example is the mongoose. This animal was brought over to
the island by humans to predate on the rapidly growing rat population. Unfortunately, rats are
nocturnal and mongooses are diurnal (awake during the day). On top of this, rats are fast and
great escape artists. Native birds, their hatchlings, and their eggs on the other hand which
haven’t seen natural predators on the island turned out to be much easier prey for the mongoose.
So, instead of helping get rid of rats, the rat population continued to grow rapidly while the
native bird population began and continues to plummet. We mentioned previously a number of
different impacts on biodiversity, what were the other three?” Listen for overharvesting,
pollution, and habitat destruction. “All of these things effect species populations and
biodiversity. Starting today, you and your group are going to work together on creating an
environmental management plan to help protect an endangered species and its ecosystems. On
Google Classroom you will find a prompt, a website to get your research started, and an example
environmental plan. At the end of this project, you and your team will present your plan to the
rest of the class. You will have the next few days to work on this both inside and outside of
class. If you have any questions, feel free to ask myself or your classmates. This is project will
require a lot of work though, so I suggest you use your time wisely.” Allow for the remainder of
the class period and the next few class periods for students to work on this assignment.

Modeling:
The instructor will guide the students through the Hawaii example of invasive species
problems. Students will receive an example environmental management plan in which to
complete their assignment.

Assessments:
Assessments will be conducted through an opener that will be used at the beginning of
class. The students will complete a summative assessment which requires students to research
into creating environmental management plans using the knowledge they have gained from this
chapter so far.

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Technology Integration:
A smart projector and computer will be used to project the PowerPoint slide containing
the objectives, date, and summary of class activities onto the whiteboard. Students will have
access to Chromebooks and are required to complete an opener on Google Classroom. Students
will be required to conduct research online and give a presentation on their findings in front of
their class. The presentation may take the form of a verbal, PowerPoint, poster board, or mix of
these medias or some form of media not mentioned.

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Supplemental Materials Disclosure:

Found below are supplemental materials that will be used during this unit. These include
the Introduction to Biodiversity worksheet and the instructor reflection document to be filled out
after each lesson. This section also contains the information and materials needed for the
Biodiversity Game. This document does not contain the textbook due to its size, it will be added
as a separate attachment.

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 Introduction to Biodiversity
Match each term on the left with its correct definition by placing the number of the definition in
the blank next to the term.

10
___ Extinction 16
___ Population

6 Exotic Species 1
___ ___ Poaching

11 Gene
___ 8 Biodiversity
___

15
___ Germ Plasm 2 Mass Extinction
___

3 9
___ Ecotourism ___ Keystone Species

17 Captive-Breeding
___ 14 Endangered Species Act
___

13 Threatened Species
___ 7 Habitat Conservation Plan
___

4 Species
___ 18 Biodiversity Treaty
___

12 Endangered Species
___ 5 Endemic Species
___

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1. The illegal hunting, fishing, harvesting, and/or trading of wildlife.
2. The dying off of many species in a relatively short period of time.
3. A form of tourism that supports the conservation and sustainable development of
ecologically unique areas.
4. A group of organisms that are closely related and that can mate to produce fertile
offspring.
5. Species that are native to and found only within a limited area.
6. A species that is not native to a particular region.
7. A plan that attempts to protect on or more species across large areas of land through
trade-offs or cooperative agreements.
8. The number and variety of different species in a given area.
9. A species that is critical to the functioning of an ecosystem.
10. The process of a species or group of species completely dying off.
11. A piece of DNA that codes for a specific trait that can be inherited by an organism’s
offspring.
12. A species that is likely to become extinct if protective measures are not taken
immediately.
13. A species that has a declining population and that is likely to become endangered if it is
not protected.
14. A law passed in 1973 to protect plant and animal species in danger of extinction.
15. Any form of genetic material.
16. All of the members of the same species that live in the same place at the same time.
17. The breeding of species in captivity with the hope of reintroduction to their natural
habitat.
18. An international agreement resulting from the Earth Summit created to preserve
biodiversity and ensure the sustainable and fair use of genetic resources in all countries.

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 Biodiversity Game

Scenario: Several volcanic islands have appeared in the Pacific. You and your research team
received funding to conduct a biodiversity experiment on one of these islands. Your team will
be bringing different organisms to the island and observing how they interact and how well they
survive. Your goal is to generate a stable ecosystem with the greatest amount of biodiversity
possible. Keep in mind, there are other teams doing the same research on the other islands with
which you will share your research with.
Teams will be competing to score the greatest number of points during this game. Different
organisms are worth different points. As the game progresses, you learn new things about the
organisms that you placed on your island as well as what other teams have learned. These rules
will be added to the whiteboard at the front of the class for all scientists to see.
To start, here are some basic point values for different organisms:
Grass = 1
Fern = 2
Shrub = 2
Tree = 3

Ant = 1
Mouse = 2
Beaver = 3
Deer = 4

Hawk = 6
Snake = 6
Wolf = 8

The Population Observations sheet is a guide to copy onto whiteboards to use every round. This
will help keep track of the changing population numbers through the year.

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Population Observations

Grass Fern Shrub Tree Ant Mouse Beaver Deer Hawk Snake Wolf
Start
Event
Total after event
Added
Total after adding
Consumed
Starvation
Total after consumed
Reproduction
Total after reproduction
Extras
Extras
End

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Score Card
Grass Fern Shrub Tree Insect Mouse Beaver Deer Hawk Snake Wolf Total Points

Round 1 Start
Round 1 End

Round 2 Start
Round 2 End

Round 3 Start
Round 3 End

Round 4 Start
Round 4 End

Round 5 Start
Round 5 End

Round 6 Start
Round 6 End

Round 7 Start
Round 7 End

Round 8 Start
Round 8 End

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Rules for Biodiversity Game

1. Rules are not revealed until scientists are able to “observe the organism.”
a. For example: scientists will not know what an insect eats until grass or shrubs are
present.
b. Scientists will not know that insects increase shrub and grass reproduction until
grass and shrubs reproduce with insects present.
c. Scientists will not know that insects need at least two insects present in order to
reproduce.
d. Scientists will not know that hawks and snakes consume insects until hawks are
present with insects.
2. Rounds will be completed in stages in which observations are made: Events, Additions,
Consumption, Reproduction, Extras.
3. The main set of rules remains with the instructor of the class to be revealed as
observations are made during each stage of a round.
4. During the Event stage, the instructor will draw an event card and read how this event
effects the scientists’ islands.
a. The first round does not have an event.
b. Some event cards are blank. If this is drawn, no event takes place.
c. Volcanic Eruption: The volcano seems to still be active. Unfortunately, that
doesn’t bode well for the organisms on the island. Grass spreads fire the quickest,
but the fire still effects everything. Grass population gets divided by 4. All other
populations get reduced by half.
d. Research Funds Cut: Due to a late submission of your annual report, your
funding was cut for the year. You have no points to spend this year.
e. Cold Snap: The organisms that were brought to this island were adapted to
tropical conditions. Temperatures for a week reached freezing temperatures
causing half of every population to die off.
f. Predatory Introduction: Those funding your research decided that more predators
were required on the island for “scientific” purposes. Obtain a pair of any
predator for free this year.
5. During the Additions stage, the scientists will “purchase” organisms to add to their
island. These values are as follows unless an event card dictates otherwise.
a. Round 1 = 10 points
b. Rounds 2-5 = 8 points
c. Rounds 6-8 = 12 points

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6. During the Consumption stage, scientists will learn what organisms eat other organisms
and at what rate. Also, if organisms run out of food, those that are unable to eat will die
off.
a. Ant = Consumes 1 grass or 1 shrub for every 2 insects rounded up (if 3
ants are present, a combination of 2 grass/shrub will be consumed).
b. Mouse = Consumes 1 grass or 1 fern for every mouse.
c. Beaver = Consumes 2 shrubs or 1 tree for every beaver.
d. Deer = Consumes 2 grass, 2 fern, 2 shrub, or 1 tree for every deer.
e. Hawk = Consumes 4 ants, 1 mouse, or 1 snake for every hawk.
f. Snake = Consumes 3 insects or 1 mouse for every snake.
g. Wolf = Consumes 1 beaver for every wolf or 1 deer for every two wolves.
7. During the Reproduction stage, scientists will learn how organisms reproduce and at what
rate.
a. All animals require 2 in the population in order to reproduce.
b. All plants reproduce at a 1:1 rate.
c. Insects reproduce at a 1:4 rate (for every insect, 4 more are produced).
d. Mice reproduce at a 1:2 rate (for every mouse, 2 more are produced).
e. Beavers, Hawks, and Snakes reproduce at a 1:1 rate.
f. Deer and Wolves reproduce at a 2:1 rate (for every 2, 1 is produced).
8. During the extra stage, scientists learn what positive and negative impacts organisms
have on one another aside from simply food purposes as long as the organisms influenced
are present.
a. Trees are large and overshadow other plants. For every 2 trees, lose 1 grass. For
every 10 trees, lose 2 of every other plant.
b. Ants are great pollinators. If an insect is present on the island, double the grass
population. For every 2 shrubs, add 1 shrub.
c. Mice often times store seeds or carry seeds to different areas. Gain a tree or shrub
for every 2 mice present on your island rounded down. This only applies if a
shrub and/or tree is present on the island to begin with.
d. Beavers clear out larger plants which can allow smaller plants to grow quickly in
those areas. For every beaver present on the island gain 1 shrub or 1 grass as long
as one tree is consumed on the island to begin with.
e. Deer carry seeds to new locations through their fur and their feces. For every deer
present on the island, gain 1 tree or 1 shrub as long as these plants are present on
the island to begin with.

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Instructor Lesson Reflection

Did the students reach their learning goals (objectives), how do you know?

What went well during this lesson?

What did not go as planned?

What improvements would you make to this lesson?

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Environmental Management Plan Example

Species: Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus)

Current status: Threatened
Environment: Bull trout are found throughout the Pacific Northwest of the United States of
America. This migratory fish lives in colder waters in this area where it migrates from
headwater streams to larger bodies of water and then back to its place of birth to spawn. Some of
these fish live in the Icicle River found in Washington. This river is a tributary to the Wenatchee
River which happens to be a tributary of the Columbia River. In the Icicle River, a boundary of
rock falls is found which prevents migratory adults from moving to the head waters of the Icicle
River. The Bull trout travel throughout the Columbia River and its tributaries to grow and find
suitable spawning conditions. This management plan will cover areas from the Columbia River
mouth to the rock falls in the Icicle River.
Problems:
1. Bull trout are stigmatized as a garbage fish that preys on the juveniles of prized game fish
like Coho, Chinook, and Sockeye salmon as well as Steelhead and Rainbow trout.
Fisherman who catch these fish will often times kill the fish and throw it away to prevent
it from eating other game fish.
2. Humans have introduced Brook trout as a game fish to the area which hybridizes with
Bull trout producing sterile offspring.
3. Dams have been built along the migratory pathway of these fish making certain areas
difficult for Bull trout to pass or making it completely impassable.
4. The Columbia River passes through many desert areas. This promotes population along
and near the river which increases pollution in the rivers.
Management Practices:
• To prevent the killing of Bull trout by anglers, the fish is already listed as threatened and
carries a federal offense for the harvesting/killing of these fish in certain areas. However,
many people do not know this. To deal with this problem, federal and state offices
conducting Bull trout research will be required to post signs depicting a picture of the
Bull trout, its defining characteristics, and the penalty of harvesting/killing this fish. An
example of offices that may post these signs would be the Mid-Columbia Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Office and the Wenatchee District Office of the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife. Enforcement officers from the WDFW will be in
charge of monitoring fishing grounds and conducting Creel census.
• No-limit fishing will be implemented on Brook trout fishing. In conjunction with the
signs mentioned above, the signs will also include a picture of Brook trout and their
defining characteristics as they are similar to Bull trout in appearance. The US Fish and
Wildlife Service, the WDFW, and any other agency conducting field research requiring
fish capture will be requested to euthanize any Brook trout taken/caught.

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• The WDFW and USFWS will work with the Bureau of Land Management and other
agencies in charge of dam maintenance and operation to conduct Bull trout passage
studies on each dam found in the Bull trout migratory path. These studies will assess the
need to add or improve fish ladders at each dam. These monitoring projects should be
conducted over the course of a minimum of five years to monitor progress.
• The BLM will work with home owners and county departments to monitor pollution
from agricultural runoff and roadway pollution entering the Columbia River systems.
Based on these monitoring practices, a standard maximum pollution input will be
established for each area. It will then fall on the counties and home owners to develop a
means to prevent excessive pollution runoff.
• The USFWS and WDFW will conduct educational outreach programs to better educate
the public about the condition of Bull trout in the area and the current research efforts
being undertaken to monitor and protect this species.

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