Students investigate how invasive species reduce biodiversity, disrupt food webs, and increase erosion, flooding, wildfire risk, and water quality problems, then use that learning to explain how communities can protect local ecosystems. Through work with a wildlife rehabilitator, parks staff, or community volunteers, they study native species relationships, practice safe habitat care, and gather evidence from models, observations, and cleanup experiences. They apply science ideas by creating posters, models, and a short PSA that teach families and neighbors why native species matter and what actions help prevent and manage invasive species. The experience builds communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and self-direction as students revise their work with feedback and prepare for a public exposition.

Students will explain how invasive species disrupt food webs, reduce biodiversity, and affect natural resources by increasing erosion, flooding, wildfire risk, and poor water quality. They will compare and communicate solutions communities use to prevent or manage invasive species, including safe removal and habitat care, and show how these actions protect land, water, and wildlife. Students will collaborate with community partners to collect observations, revise posters, models, food web displays, and a short PSA using feedback, and present clear evidence-based messages to families and neighbors. Students will reflect through circle shares and class journal voice notes or drawings to track what they learned, how they solved problems, and how their teamwork supported the project.

Students will create food web display pieces, observation notes with voice recordings or drawings, before-and-after cleanup photo captions, and early drafts of posters, models, and PSA scripts as they investigate how invasive species affect biodiversity, erosion, flooding, wildfire risk, and water quality. During the project, teams will also build handmade maps, species sorting visuals, and labeled habitat-care examples that document evidence from field observations and supervised cleanup work with community partners. By the end, students will produce a short PSA video or audio message, a neighborhood action poster set, and an interactive demonstration table with safe cleanup tools, models, and a live explanation of one invasive species management strategy. These products will come together in a student-led exposition with food web displays, voice-note listening stations, before-and-after visuals, and clear family actions for protecting native species in the community.

Begin with “Protect Our Place Preview Day,” where a parks department guest or community volunteer brings safe cleanup tools, before-and-after photos, and a simple map of a local area affected by invasive species. Students rotate through hands-on stations to sort native and invasive species cards, build a quick food web with a wildlife rehabilitator or environmental nonprofit partner, and examine how changes in plants can affect animals, soil, water, flooding, and wildfire risk. Then take students outside for a short schoolyard habitat check or mini-cleanup to record first observations with drawings or voice notes about land, water, and wildlife health. Close with a circle discussion using the questions, “Why does losing native species make ecosystems less healthy and less balanced?” and “How can we show our community why preventing and managing invasive species matters?”

Host a “Neighbors for Native Species Night” where students lead interactive booths for families, neighbors, parks staff, volunteers, and a wildlife rehabilitator. Each team shares a food web display, before-and-after cleanup photos, handmade maps, posters or models explaining one invasive species management strategy, and a short live or recorded PSA with voice-note listening stations. Add a demonstration table with safe cleanup tools and labeled habitat-care examples so students can explain how invasive species affect biodiversity, erosion, flooding, wildfire risk, and water quality. Invite community partners to give final feedback and ask questions while students practice clear speaking, teamwork, and community action by offering one simple step guests can take to protect native species.