7th Grade  Project 6 weeks

Invasive Invasion: Taming Nature's Intruders!

Ivy C
Updated
7.MS-LS2-5
7.MS-LS2-6(MA)
7.MS-LS2-4
Build models, prototypes, or action plans
1-pager

The Challenge

Japanese knotweed's aggressive growth threatens ecosystems by damaging infrastructure and displacing native flora, leading to diminished biodiversity. Understanding effective management plans requires researching successful strategies, learning how to identify invasive species with field guides, and collaborating with local environmental groups like Native Habitat Restoration to mitigate these impacts.

Challenge Question

How can we investigate and devise a management plan for Japanese knotweed, while learning to identify other invasive species by creating detailed field pages, and collaborate with local environmental groups, to effectively communicate our findings and strategies to stakeholders?

Standards
  • [Massachusetts] 7.MS-LS2-5 - Evaluate competing design solutions for protecting an ecosystem. Discuss benefits and limitations of each design.
  • [Massachusetts] 7.MS-LS2-6(MA) - Explain how changes to the biodiversity of an ecosystem—the variety of species found in the ecosystem—may limit the availability of resources humans use.
  • [Massachusetts] 7.MS-LS2-4 - Analyze data to provide evidence that disruptions (natural or human-made) to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.
Competencies
  • Engage In Inquiry - Gather and organize original data (EI.4)

Learning Partners and Clients

Native Habitat Restoration offers expertise in preserving local ecosystems and managing invasive species like Japanese knotweed. Through consultations with this organization, students will gather critical insights into effective management plans. Students will also learn techniques for identifying and documenting invasive species in their field pages, enriching their research with practical skills. Engaging with Native Habitat Restoration ensures students' research and proposed solutions are informed by experienced environmental practitioners, fostering comprehensive and practical student-led initiatives.

Phase Outcomes

Phase Learning Outcome
Discover
I can identify the impact of Japanese knotweed and other invasive species by conducting a field survey around the school grounds, recognizing signs of ecosystem imbalance through hands-on exploration, and drawing field pages for the three major invasive species.
Examine
I can explore effective management plans by researching online resources and engaging with local groups like Native Habitat Restoration to understand existing strategies, while learning about the biology and response patterns of invasive species such as Japanese knotweed.
Engineer
I can develop a strategic management plan to present to school stakeholders, using research and expert input to outline effective strategies to potentially mitigate the spread of Japanese knotweed.
Do
I can present our management strategies to school stakeholders, incorporating feedback to refine our approach and demonstrate the plan’s potential impact on mitigating the invasive species issue.
Share
I can share reflections on our learning process, challenges faced, and personal growth by engaging with our school community, showcasing our journey and how our insights may contribute to long-term environmental stewardship.