Calling all cars!!! Be on the Lookout for Invasive Species
By Beth Thomason, Brenda Scott Academy
Email: beth.thomason@detroitk12.org
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By Beth Thomason, Brenda Scott Academy
Email: beth.thomason@detroitk12.org
To download a printable version of this lesson plan in DPSCD lesson plan format, click on the image
We would greatly appreciate your feedback! Click here to complete a short survey telling us about your experience with this lesson plan.
Lesson Overview
Students will read about invasive species and what they cost us, and then play a card game of cops and robbers. Students will have to know if they have good cards (native species—the cops) or bad cards (invasive species—the robbers).
Target Grade & Subject: Gr. 5 Science
Duration: One 50-minute class period
Instructional Setting: Classroom and/or computer lab with Internet
Advance Preparation:
- A stack of "Creature Cards" that have both native species and invasive species. The card set with this lesson is from the Alliance for the Great Lakes
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Identify various invasive species.
- Suggest reasons why they may cost us so much.
Michigan Science (or Social Studies) Performance Expectation Addressed:
5-LS2-1 – Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. Emphasis is on the idea that matter is not food (air, water, decomposed materials in soil) but is changed by plants into matter that is food.
5-LS2-1 – Science explanations describe the mechanisms for natural events.
SEP: Science and Engineering Practices
Asking questions and defining problems.
Developing and using models.
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.
DCI: Disciplinary Core Ideas
Matter and its interactions.
Ecosystems: interactions, energy, and dynamics.
Engineering design
CCC: Cross-Cutting Concepts
Systems and system models.
Stability and Change
Small changes in one part of a system might cause large changes in another part. (MS-LS2-5)
Materials & Quantities Needed per class and per student group
- Creature Cards (with asterisks) including both native ("cops") and invasive species ("robbers")
- Pencils, pens, markers and/or other writing utensils
- Books on invasive species
- Directions to play
Guiding Questions:
- What organisms are invasive species?
- How much do invasive species cost us?
5E Model
ENGAGE:
Invasive species are like criminals: Invasive species rob environmental value from people just as surely as outlaws in the Wild West robbed banks. Some estimates put the costs of invasive species at more than $100 billion per year due to effects on the health and diet of fish and people, interference with recreation, damage to water users, and competition with native species. For example, zebra mussels attach to and clog pipes. It is costly to clean them out every year.
Use the information on the invasive species cards and invasive species books to discuss with the class other ways that invasive species can cost us. What can be done to stop these invasions? (another big cost)
EXPLORE:
Students will read about invasive species from selected books. Afterwards, they will play a game utilizing what they’ve learned.
Students will learn about native and invasive species of Michigan. They will be able to determine which species are native and which are invasive. Students will create groups to continue with the next phase in the lesson. This part will show whether students remember or know how to identify which animals are which and how they cost us money.
Supporting students during exploration: Questions that the teacher could ask to guide the exploration.
- How does an invasive species impact native species?
- How will the effect that invasive species have on fishing, boating, or the appearance of the environment cost us money?
- What solutions can you design that would address those impacts? Will your solutions cost us money?
EXPLAIN:
Students should draw pictures in journals of what animals they have observed, and then write one or two sentences about each invasive species. Students will discuss the importance of knowing the difference between native and invasive species. Students will discuss how an invasive species could cost you extra money (a good example is the emerald ash borer, which kills beautiful ash trees.)
ELABORATE:
Cops and robbers game:
Each student will have a set of invasive and native species cards. The cards attached to this lesson are obtained from the Alliance for the Great Lakes (https://greatlakes.org/ ). [Alternatively, you could have students create the cards based on the reading about invasive species they do for the “EXPLAIN” section above. Some students would also need to make “native species” cards so you have both types of cards.] In the game that the students will do the native species are the cops and the invasive species are the criminals. Students will place cards in front of them and take turns turning over the cards. If a native card is chosen, the students can collect a card from the three other students in their group. If an invasive species card is chosen, students are to give one card to each student in the group. Before giving or taking cards, students should read at least one interesting fact to other students about the species on the card. The game ends with the student who has the most cards (more native=cop, more invasive=robber).
EVALUATE:
Student journals will be assessed:
Students will identify various invasive species in their journals.
Students will have ideas about how invasive species cost us money.
New Vocabulary
Invasive species
Food chain
Ecosystem
Environment
Learning extensions (Learning beyond the classroom):
Read more books about invasive species. Visit local, state, or national parks and find out if they have any invasive species. Find out how much it costs to remove them.
Supporting Materials:
Creature cards.(click on highlighted text to download)
Books on invasive species
New lesson plan ideas are welcome and will be uploaded as they are received and approved.
We especially encourage lesson plans about:
Invasive species,
Science and science careers
For information about submitting new lesson plans, please contact jchadde(at)mtu.edu
Lesson plan ideas from other web sites:
From Pennsylvania Sea Grant: 10 lesson plans about interactions of invasive species, biodiversity, and climate change
Creation of the above page of educational resources was funded in part by the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program through the Departments of Natural Resources, Environmental Quality, and Agricultural and Rural Development.
This material is also based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1614187.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
We especially encourage lesson plans about:
Invasive species,
Science and science careers
For information about submitting new lesson plans, please contact jchadde(at)mtu.edu
Lesson plan ideas from other web sites:
From Pennsylvania Sea Grant: 10 lesson plans about interactions of invasive species, biodiversity, and climate change
Creation of the above page of educational resources was funded in part by the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program through the Departments of Natural Resources, Environmental Quality, and Agricultural and Rural Development.
This material is also based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1614187.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.