Identifying Invasive Species in our Community

Prepared by:Danielle Ward519-661-2500 ext. 2844dward@london.cawww.london.ca/teacher

Before you Begin:

The City of London has various resources available to you throughout this lesson including informational videos and webpages. If you have any questions about the material before or after the lesson please do not hesitate to contact us. If you have an idea for another lesson, or have connected this lesson to curriculum we have not, please let us know. We are always looking for feedback, ideas for improvement and new lessons.

Please consider modifying the lesson, PowerPoint, and handouts to suit the needs of your students, before use.

Resources:

The resources required for this lesson are those provided in the resource section they include blank worksheets, instruction sheets, and additional information on the invasive species in the lessons case studies.

Field Trip Resources:

Jaffa Environmental Education Centre: Grade 4:

1. Survival of the Fittest: A high activity program where students learn about survival, adaptions, food chains, and food webs by becoming herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores. Human factors are introduced.

2. Citizen Scientist- How can we help: Full or Half-day program where students become citizen scientists by visiting different habitats where they collect, identify, and analyze their data. Projects discussed include; Feeder Watch, Nest Watch, Frog Watch, and Marsh monitoring.

3. Habitats and Communities: Students take part in hands-on activities to discover how plants and animals interact in their habitat and how they are affected by humans.

Grade 6: 1. Diversity of Wetlands: Students explore the diversity of a wetland habitat by dip

netting and classifying collected organisms. Human impact on the biodiversity of the habitat is discussed.

2. Carolinian Forest Festival- Full day programming: The Carolinian Forest Festival is a three day even that teaches grade 6 and 7 students the importance of the Carolinian Life Zone, forest ecosystems, and species at risk, stewardship, conservation, and climate change through hands-on, interactive activities.

3. Survival of the Fittest: A high activity program where students learn about survival, adaptions, food chains, and food webs by becoming herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores. Human factors are introduced.

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Vansittart Woods Environmental Education Centre: Grade 4:

1. Eco-Activities: An active program focusing on games and activities. To reveal ecological concepts: camouflage, food chains, producers, consumers, decomposers, adaptation, predator-prey relationships, and more.

2. No Place Like Home: Through a role playing activity, students understand firsthand the basic needs of living things and how/where they choose their habitats.

Grade 6: 1. L.O.S.T.: Losing our species today is the focus of this endangered species

program. The activity allows students to research and be actively involved in an activity that increases their understanding of how sensitive the species are.

London Environmental Education Centre: Grade 4:

1. Home and Habitats: Use specimens, hike, and take part in various other activities to study how plants and animals in various habitats affect, and are affected, by their natural surroundings and human impact.

Upper Thames River Conservation Authority Wildwood Outdoor Education CentreGrade 4

1. Habitats and Communities: Discover what every living thing ‘needs’. Create ‘hotel’ habitats for our forest friends. Discover the natural life cycle by looking at rotting logs.

2. Species at Risk: ‘Meet’ some of the many species at risk that live right here in our own ‘backyard’! Try not to become extinct throughout the hike. Help the ‘turtles’ get over their hurdles. Learn about ‘bioaccumulation’ and work some ‘mussels’.

Fanshawe Outdoor Education CentreGrade 6:

1. Biodiversity 911: Cooperative group dynamic activities will help foster awareness of how human impacts and pressures endanger our local environment. Themes are habitat loss and degradation, population growth, pollution, invasive species, and over consumption.

Feedback:

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Thank you for using The Teaching Toolkit and taking the time to help us continue to develop and improve the resources.

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Curriculum Connections

Grade 4: Science and Technology Understanding Life Systems: Habitats and Communities

Overall Expectations: 1. Analyze the effects of human activities on habitats and communities

1.1 analyze the positive and negative impacts of human interactions with natural habitats and communities

1.2 identify reasons for the depletion or extinction of a plant or animal species, evaluate the impacts on the rest of the natural community, and propose possible actions for preventing such depletions or extinctions from happening

2. Investigate the interdependence of plants and animals within specific habitats and communities 2.2 Build food chains consisting of different plants and animals, including humans 2.3 use scientific inquiry to investigate ways in which plants and animals in a community depend on features of their habitat to meet important needs2.5 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including habitat, population, and community, adaptation, and food chain in oral and written communication2.6 use a variety of forms to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes

3. Demonstrate and Understanding of habitats and communities and the relationships among the plants and animals that live in them3.3 Identify factors that affect the ability of plants and animals to survive in a specific habitat 3.8 explain why changes in the environment have a greater impact on specialized species than on generalized species

Grade 4: LiteracyWriting

Overall Expectations: 1. Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended

purpose and audience.2. Draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic

forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience 3. Use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of

language conventions to correct errors refine expression, and present their work effectively.

4. Reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

Media Literacy

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Overall Expectations: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts 2. Identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques

associated with them are used to create meaning 3. Create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences using

appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques4. Reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for

improvement, and the strategies they found to be most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.

Grade 4- The Arts Visual Arts

Overall ExpectationsD1. Creating and presenting: apply the creative process to produce a variet of two-and three dimensional art works, using elements, principles, and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings D2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analyzing: apply the critical analysis process to communicate, feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of art works and art experiences D3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of art forms, styles, and techniques from the past and present, and their sociocultural and historical contexts.

Grade 6- Understanding Life Systems Biodiversity

Overall Expectations 1. Assess human impacts on biodiversity, and identify ways of preserving biodiversity

1.1 analyze a local issue related to biodiversity 2. Investigate the characteristics of living things and classify diverse organisms

according to specific characteristics 3. Demonstrate and understanding of biodiversity, its contributions to the stability of

natural systems, and its benefits to humans3.7 Explain how invasive species reduce biodiversity in local environments

Language Oral Communication

Overall Expectations 1. Listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations

for a variety of purposes 2. Use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different

audiences for a variety of purposes

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3. Reflect on an identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found the most helpful in oral communication situations

Writing

Overall expectations 1. Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended

purpose and audience 2. Draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic

forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience3. Use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and their knowledge

of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively

4. Reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process

Media Literacy

Overall Expectations 1. Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts 2. Identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques

associated with them are used to create meaning 3. Create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using

appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques4. Reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for

improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.

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Resources:

TEACHER Resource 1: Group Work-Invasive Species in Southwestern Ontario

Case Study #1Please see Buckthorn pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #2Please see Asian Longhorned beetle pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #3Please See Zebra Mussels pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #4Please see Asian Carp pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #5 Please see European Green Crab pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #6Please see Purple Loosestrife pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #7Please see Sea Lamprey pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #8Please see Emerald Ash Borer pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #9Please see Didymo pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #10Please see Gypsy Moth pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources Case Study #11Please see Round Gody pdf located on USB key under Invasive Species Lesson Resources

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Resource 2: Group Work-Invasive Species in Southwestern Ontario

Between you and your group select one of the invasive species in the previous slide that interests you. Your teacher will give you a handout with some information about your chosen invasive species; you can use this sheet as a starting point to answer the following questions. At the bottom list 3 questions you are interested in investigating further. *If your provided sheet does not provide enough information you may use the Internet

1. Where did your invasive species originate?

2. How did your invasive species arrive in Canada?

3. What makes it an invasive species? (ex; growth rate, competitive)

4. What problems is the invasive species causing?

5. How can we stop the invasive species from spreading?

Identify 3 of your own questions that you are interested in finding out about your species

1.

2.

3.

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Resource 3: Group Work-Invasive Species in Southwestern Ontario

INVASIVE SPECIES ALERT!After learning about your chosen invasive species make a poster for the public to educate them about the importance of identifying and alerting the appropriate personnel about handling any invasive species. Be sure to keep it to a poster size with pictures, text, and interesting facts that the public might not know. Be sure to be creative!

1 2 3 4Relating an Environmental Issue to alternative issues(5)

Student does not relate invasive species to environmental or other issues

Student identifies the environmental impact of invasive species

Student draws relationships between invasive species the environment, and another aspect (economic, health)

Student draws multiple relationships between invasive species and their destruction in environmental, economic, health, and social spheres

Communicating an Issue Effectively to the Public(5)

Student does not effectively communicate or understand the issue of invasive species

Student understands and somewhat communicates the issue of invasive species

Student communicates the issue of the invasive species to the public

Student effectively and efficiently communicates the issue of invasive species to the public

Creatively Outlining Information about invasive species(10)

Student poster lacks creativity in outlining information about the invasive species

Student used some pictures and text to creatively outline information about the invasive species

Student used a variety of images and text to creatively outline information about the invasive species

Student thought “out of the box” and provided and extremely creative mechanism for outlining information about invasive species

Understanding and Communicating a Solution to the Issue

Student does not provide or acknowledge any solutions to their invasive species spread

Student provides a basic solution to their invasive species spread

Student provides an appropriate level of understanding to eradicate their invasive species

Student provides a knowledgeable insight into how to control their invasive species from spreading

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Resource 4: Become and Environmental Steward

/10

Below is a data set your neighbor collected from nearby areas in your community affected by the Emerald Ash Borer. You offered to help him calculate his data so he can send it in to the City of London’s Ecologist. Fill in the last three columns of data.

Also try and determine how many trees on average one beetle at each site affected.

Number of Emerald Ash Borers Present

Number of Trees on site

Number of Damaged/Dying Trees

Number of Healthy Trees

Contamination Rate. Percentage of trees infected by the Emerald Ash Borer.

Ranking of the contamination of sites(1 being the most infected)

Site A

50 500 350 ? ? ?

Site B

78 700 480 ? ? ?

Site C

90 1000 600 ? ? ?

Site D

32 450 201 ? ? ?

Site E

81 950 561 ? ? ?

Show your work (use back of sheet as well): Site A-

Site B-

Site C-

Site D-

Site E-

TEACHER RESOURCE-Resource 5: Become and Environmental Steward-ANSWERS

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Number of Emerald Ash Borers Present

Number of Trees on site

Number of Damaged/Dying Trees

Number of Healthy Trees

Contamination Rate

Ranking of the contamination of sites(1 being the most infected)

Site A

50 500 350 150 70% 1

Site B

78 700 480 220 69% 2

Site C

90 1000 600 400 60% 3

Site D

32 450 201 249 45% 5

Site E

81 950 561 389 59% 4

You may want to do site A as an example *Number of Healthy trees(TH)= Number of Trees on Site (TS)- Number of Damaged/Dying Trees(TD)*Contamination rate (CR)= Number of Damaged/Dying Trees(TD) ÷ Number of Trees on Site(TS) x 100 (PERCENTAGE)*Ranking of Site= contamination rate, 1 for the most contaminated area, 5 for the least contaminated area

You may want to do site A as an example Number of Damaged/Dying Trees (TD)÷ Number of Emerald Ash Borers Present (B)Site A-7Site B-6.2 Site C-6.7Site D-6.3Site E-6.9

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Resource 4:

How can we stop it from spreading? _____________________________________________

What problems is it causing? ___________________________________________________

What makes it a successful invasive species? ______________________________________

How did it get here?

____________________________________

____________________________________

Interesting Characteristics

Where is it from?

______________________________________

Species name:

Design your Own Invasive Species:

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Lesson Notes

Slide 1: Explain to the students that today’s lesson will revolve around identifying invasive species in SouthWestern Ontario. Explain to them that after this lesson they will be an expert in identifying and documenting invasive species.

Slide 2: Explain to students that there are scientists that dedicate their lives to identifying species, currently there are 8.7 million identified species on Earth, of those 8.7 million are ourselves, our dog, our cat, the birds in the sky and many other organisms. Explain to the students that there are new species that emerge everyday and it is difficult to estimate exactly how many species actually inhabit the various surfaces of the earth, especially those which we cannot see or are too far/deep for us to document.

Slide 3: NEW SPECIES ALERT Tell the students that the image on the screen is of a brand new species that was identified in August 2015, the species is an amphipod which is the same species as what we call “shrimp”. Lemarete is what the new species was named by the Oceanic Agency, the name translates to bold and excellent, which describes the shrimp perfectly. The new species is 3mm long and lives in the depths of the ocean up to 4500 meters deep. The Lemarete act in swarms to strip carcasses of dead marine animals such as whales, fish, and seabirds. During a study a group of Lemarete were able to strip a dead pig in under 5 hours. This species is essential in the decomposition and recycling of materials in the oceans.

Slide 4: What is a species anyway? Explain to students that a species is a distinct kind of animal, plant, fungus, or other organism. Refer to the image for examples. Explain that species can also be identified as groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated from other specie groups. For example a dog and a cat are individual species because they do not breed with one another and they each have distinct characteristics.

Slide 5: Why is studying species important? Explain that studying species is not just for scientists and that it is also for:**Ask the students why they think each profession below needs to study/know the difference between species

- Fisherman (need to know what species to catch ex; if he is fishing for tuna he needs to know the difference between tuna and salmon)

- Hunters (need to know what species to hunt ex; if it is deer hunting season and the hunter hunts a moose instead they are breaking the law)

- Birdwatchers (need to know what species of bird they are looking at)- Gardener’s (need to know what types of plants they are planting) - Or even a person in the grocery store (need to know the difference between veggie

and fruits to figure out what to eat)

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Explain to the students that the ability to distinguish one species from another based on its characteristics is extremely important in everyday life as well as when we are trying to protect and preserve a specific species. For example if we were trying to save the polar bear but did not recognize the species difference between a polar bear and a grizzly bear we may preserve and protect and animal that is not in need of our help. Species can also give us ideas or help us find solutions to issues we may have. Many species have existed alongside our own evolution; however some have been successful long before humans emerged. For example the Wright brothers, who created and flew the first airplane, studied the American Buzzards flight to determine whether humans could fly in a similar manner using mechanical assistance. We study a variety of species through biology and ecology for preservation as well as their ability to adapt and evolve to new environments.

Slide 6: Categorizing and Labeling Species During the study of these species they are often labeled as endangered (like the polar bear), at risk (like the grey wolf), or protected (like the Canadian Goose). There are also native and invasive species, which is what this lesson looks at in particular.

- An endangered species is a species of plant or animal that is seriously at risk of extinction ‘

- A species at risk is a species of special concern that is likely to go extinct if measures are not taken

- Protected species are those which are protected under the law from being hunted

Slide 7: Native Vs. Non Native Species Explain to the students that a native species is a species that naturally originated in its current location. For example the garter snake is native to North America, specifically South-Western Ontario, as this area is where populations of the species occur naturally. Similar to how when asked where you were born, that is your country of origin, a native species means that the species is living where it originated. A non-native species is different; a non-native species is a species, which has been brought to a new place or country by humans. These species may have been introduced accidentally or deliberately from all over the world. An example is the corn snake, a very common snake now in the Canadian wilderness, however it is not native to Southwestern Ontario, rather its natural native habitat of origin is the Southeastern United States and Florida. These snakes were introduced to our area through the movement of produce such as oranges as well they are believe to also have been released through the pet trade. These snakes however are not currently causing any issues or affecting any native species in Southwestern Ontario.

Slide 8: Are non-native species bad news? Explain to the students that not all non-native species are bad news, some like the corn snake are completely harmless, others such as the sheep are beneficial for things like agriculture. Some non-native species however have the ability to spread rapidly and cause damage to the environment or harm other native species. These harmful species are known as invasive species.

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Slide 9: What is an invasive species?Invasive species are alien species whose introduction to the environment does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm. Explain to students that alien refers to a species that is not native to a specific environment, which is why we call the green people in spaceships aliens, because they are not from Earth. Explain to students that invasive species are an environmental issue that we deal within on a daily basis, they cause many negative environmental effects by competing with native species in the area for food.

Slide 10: How did the “aliens” get here? Explain to students that invasive species have always been a problem however more recently the spread and rapid growth of invasive species has more recently become a bigger issue. Due to human activities such as travel, agriculture, transportation, and the pet industry many non-native invasive species have been released into the wild and have caused significant damage.

1. Transportation: The first issue is transportation, specifically the transportation of goods from one continent or country to another. A perfect example is transportation by water in cargo ships. Cargo ships draw in ballast water to maintain a balanced weight while at sea, however when they go into shallower areas or no longer need the ballast water they release it to wherever they have travelled. This is the issue that has caused the spread of the invasive Zebra Mussel. The zebra mussel originated in the freshwater lakes of Russia, however has been transported by ballast water into the Great Lakes.

2. Wind: Wind is not an issue caused by humans however wind has been known to transport the seeds of plants far distances and cause the spread of several plants in areas where they were not originally intended to be. For example purple loosestrife a southwestern Ontario invasive species was once a garden flower, but through the wind it was transferred to other parts of the area such as marshes and wetlands where it flourished and is now causing damage.

3. Birds: Birds also are not a human caused issue however birds, similar to the wind can transport the seeds of plants far away from their origin area. The annual migration of birds causes this affect in North America.

4. Travel: As we travel throughout the world we have the ability to bring back certain specimens with us, whether it be as a “souvenir” or as a unintentional latch on invasive species now have another avenue to travel themselves from place to place. An example of an invasive parasitic species is the common bed bug. The bed bug originated in the Middle East however it are now all over the world, as its main host (people) help bed bugs travel to new places in their luggage, hair, shoes, and clothes.

5. Agriculture: Agriculture has also introduced several invasive species; this is mainly due to improper studying of plants before they are released to grow as well as improper management of specimens. An example of improper agricultural management is the breeding of plants that are genetically modified with those plants that are naturally. Genetically modified plants are usually created to be drought tolerant, flood resistant, and also outcompete other plants such as weeds, if an agricultural plant such as corn were to interbreed or cross-pollinate with a natural strand of corn this corn could become more of a weed than a food producer.

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6. The pet trade: The pet trade is also a human driven invasive species pathway that increases the likelihood of an exotic species being released into a non-native environment. The corn snake is an example, however another example is the anaconda, which was originally from South America and now due to the release of these snakes from pet owners the anaconda is taking over the everglades.

Slide 11: What makes a successful invasive species? Ask the students what they think makes a successful invasive species. Invasive species are successful as they have the ability to grow quickly, spread rapidly, become highly adaptable, and are often tougher than native species.

Slide 12: What problems can invasive species cause? An invasive species can cause several environmental problems and issues.

1. The first issue with invasive species is that they have the ability to predate native species

2. The second issue is that they often compete for food and resources against native species, limiting native species ability to survive.

3. The third issue is that invasive species can spread disease, between themselves, other species and even humans. For example mosquitos can harbor and transmit WestNile.

4. The fourth issue is that invasive species can damage natural habitats for native species. An example of this is the emerald ash borer which destroys and in turn kills ash trees.

5. The fifth issue is the infrastructure damage on human pathways and structures, invasive species can block water intake valves such as the zebra mussel preventing water intake from the Great Lakes. Purple loosestrife and phragmites, two invasive plant species, are notorious for blocking waterways, which than cause flooding during high periods of rain.

Slide 13: What can we do to stop the spread?Ask the students what they think can stop the spread of invasive species; write their ideas on chart paper or on the board.

Slide 14: Become a bio-security agent Explain to students that they do not have to be an ecologist or biologist to prevent invasive species. Explain that if the students participate by reporting sightings, never releasing unwanted pets, choosing appropriate plants for gardens and ponds, properly dispose of non native plants, cleaning fishing equipment before and after entering different ponds. Clean boats and drain any ballast water before moving between waterways.

Slide 15: Invasive species in Southwestern Ontario Ask the students if they can identify any of the following images.

Slide 16: Group Work!Ask students to select one of the invasive species in the previous slide, while working with a partner or 2-3 partners they are to answer the questions on the following slides, (also on the provided handout,) using the information handout provided to them as well as the

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internet. Ask them to also develop 3 of their own questions that would like to investigate about their species. After you answer the questions on the provided handout give the students the poster board handout, and explain that they were to develop a poster board to help increase awareness for people that might not know about the dangers of invasive species. Use resource 2 and 3.

Slide 17-27 Case Files (use resource 1)

Slide 28: How invasive species are monitored and controlled Explain to students that usually invasive species can easily be noticed due to the amount of damage they leave behind. Biologists and ecologists monitor the populations of invasive species through what is called environmental stewardship. Environmental stewardship is where the public helps in identifying, counting, and controlling invasive species and relays their data to biologists, and ecologists. Explain to students that they can be environmental stewards too!

Slide 29: Become an Environmental Steward!Explain to students that on the slide are information an environmental steward/your neighbor collected from nearby areas in your community that have been negatively affected by the Emerald Ash Borer. Explain to students that he needs help calculating some data so that he can send it to the City of London’s Ecologist. Fill in the last three columns of data for your neighbor. Give each student resource 4 for them to fill out, and go over how to calculate the numbers for site A.

Slide 30: Your task Explain to the students that it is now their turn to use their knowledge of what makes a successful invasive species, and create their own. Their task is to design a brand new invasive species, think about where the species came from, how it got to Canada, what makes it so successful, what problems is it causing, and how can we stop it from spreading. Give each student resource 5 to complete the activity.

Slide 31: What did you think? Provide the students a minute to talk about what they thought about the lesson and its resources. Ask them what they would have done and how they would have done it, or if they found one part of the lesson to be more interesting than other parts. Through asking students what they think about the lesson the City of London can continue to make more appropriate and intriguing lessons for school groups.

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