Students will launch the invasive species investigation by examining real community evidence, building beginning ecosystem understanding, making first field observations, and recording initial questions and claims that set up their investigation plan.

Students will turn early observations into focused investigable questions, build simple hypotheses about ecosystem change, and design a practical evidence plan for fieldwork and partner-supported source gathering. They will compare methods, collect initial information from maps, photos, and community expertise, and revise their plans through peer and teacher feedback before moving into systematic evidence collection.

Students will collect organized, traceable evidence about how invasive species affect biodiversity, food webs, and habitat health through models, field observations, and a supervised cleanup/habitat check. They will document evidence in shared records, compare source quality, and use feedback to revise their data set before moving into analysis.

Students will analyze field notes, photos, maps, and cleanup evidence to identify patterns and anomalies, test their interpretations with peers and community feedback, and turn their findings into clear explanations, revised exhibit pieces, and a stronger PSA for the public showcase.

Students will present their final invasive species findings to families and community partners, demonstrate one management strategy with evidence, revise in response to authentic feedback, and complete a final reflection-based performance checkpoint grounded in their field observations, models, posters, and PSA messages.