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Course, Subject

Biology/Living Environment, Math, Science & Technology, Science (NYS P-12)

Materials

Click on the link below for the teacher packet that includes the activity sheets, discussion questions, and resource page.

Teacher Packet

Content Provider

ActionBioscience.org
ActionBioscience.org a non-commercial, educational web site created to promote bioscience literacy.

Duration

Five 45-minute classes

Objective(s)

• apply economic principals to conservation
• demonstrate an understanding of speciation, extinction, and their relationship to biodiversity
• demonstrate the complexity of environmental problem solving
• research and discuss the characteristics of global biodiversity hotspots.
• demonstrate an awareness of the effects of human activity on biodiversity
• propose solutions for sustaining biodiversity

Procedure

Teacher Notes:

• Students should have a prior knowledge of genetics, including mutations and recombination; sexual & asexual reproduction; primary & secondary succession; food webs; and ecosystems.
• Students should read the interview with E. O. Wilson, "Speciation and Biodiversity ," which can be printed from www.actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/wilson.html
• Discussion questions may be answered during a class discussion following the reading or may be reviewed in class after individually answering the questions as a homework assignment. Questions are provided on page 3.
• There is also information about how to do this activity in the AP Biology classroom.

1. Have students read the article from above. Once they are finished reading, you can start the classroom discussion with the questions provided by the above link.
2. Students will begin research based on the student handout. Students will be in groups, and all groups will have to cover the material so the whole class is able to fill the mural.
3. Students should be allowed at least 2 days of library research for this project.
4. On the 4th and 5th days, students should have time to set up their information on the mural so it is ready to be presented.
5. All groups will present the information they have found based on the handout for this activity. (Handout can be viewed by click the above link)

Description

This lesson examines the economic and ecological implications of biodiversity loss. Students can analyze maps of hot spots, project the economic value of biodiversity, give a soapbox talk on thinking environmentally... and more!

Website(s)

Action BioScience

Assessment

Assessment will be based on the teachers graded policy. Groups should be graded together and individually.

Related Academic Standards

New York State

S.HS.LS.2.2 Students who demonstrate understanding can use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.

S.HS.LS.2.7 Students who demonstrate understanding can design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

S.HS.LS.2.8 Students who demonstrate understanding can evaluate the evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species’ chances to survive and reproduce.

MST4.C.LE.LE.1.1 Students explain how diversity of populations within ecosystems relates to the stability of ecosystems.

MST4.C.LE.LE.6.1 Students explain factors that limit growth of individuals and populations.

MST4.C.LE.LE.6.2 Students explain the importance of preserving diversity of species and habitats.