Biodiversity Protection: The Individual's Role in Ecosystem Health

Biology Grades High School 10:08 Video
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Lesson Description

This lesson explores the crucial role individuals play in protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainable practices. It emphasizes informed consumer choices, resourcefulness, community involvement, and citizen science.

Video Resource

Protecting biodiversity: the power of the individual

California Academy of Sciences

Duration: 10:08
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Biodiversity and its importance
  • Ecosystem services and human impact
  • Sustainable consumption and resource management
  • The power of individual action and collective impact
  • Citizen science and ecological monitoring

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to explain the concept of biodiversity and its significance for ecosystem health.
  • Students will be able to analyze the impact of consumer choices on biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
  • Students will be able to identify and apply practical strategies for reducing their ecological footprint.
  • Students will be able to evaluate the role of citizen science in biodiversity monitoring and conservation efforts.
  • Students will be able to describe actions an individual can take to support biodiversity and influence others to do the same.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students what biodiversity means to them and why it is important. Briefly introduce the concept of ecosystem services and how human activities impact them.
  • Video Viewing (10 mins)
    Show the YouTube video 'Protecting biodiversity: the power of the individual' by the California Academy of Sciences. Instruct students to take notes on key points and examples discussed in the video.
  • Discussion (15 mins)
    Facilitate a class discussion using the provided discussion questions. Encourage students to share their thoughts, insights, and personal experiences related to the video's themes.
  • Interactive Exercise (20 mins)
    Engage students in the 'Sustainable Living Audit' activity, where they assess their daily habits and identify areas for improvement. Then discuss their findings as a class.
  • Wrap-up and Action Planning (10 mins)
    Summarize the key takeaways from the lesson and encourage students to commit to specific actions they will take to protect biodiversity. Have students write these down and share if they are comfortable.

Interactive Exercises

  • Sustainable Living Audit
    Students will complete a personal 'Sustainable Living Audit' where they assess their habits related to consumption, waste, and energy use. They will then identify specific changes they can make to reduce their environmental impact. Examples of categories to consider: Food (where do you purchase, organic vs non-organic, local vs. non-local), Waste (recycling habits, composting), Consumption (how often do you purchase new items, do you buy used), Transportation (walk, bike, public transit, car).
  • Biodiversity Impact Analysis
    Students will research a common consumer product (e.g., a smartphone, a t-shirt, a cup of coffee) and analyze its impact on biodiversity throughout its lifecycle – from raw material extraction to manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal. They will present their findings to the class.

Discussion Questions

  • What are some of the ways that biodiversity directly affects your life?
  • How can consumer choices impact ecosystems and biodiversity?
  • What are some practical steps you can take to reduce your ecological footprint?
  • How can you encourage others to become more involved in biodiversity conservation?
  • What are some citizen science projects that you find interesting, and how can they contribute to scientific knowledge?

Skills Developed

  • Critical thinking and analysis
  • Problem-solving and decision-making
  • Communication and collaboration
  • Environmental awareness and responsibility
  • Data gathering and interpretation

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the video as a way individuals can help protect biodiversity?

Correct Answer: Ignoring environmental regulations

Question 2:

The video emphasizes the importance of understanding the connection between biodiversity and:

Correct Answer: Food sources

Question 3:

What is one step mentioned in the video that is emphasized before recycling?

Correct Answer: Reusing

Question 4:

According to the video, what are biodiversity gardens aimed at feeding?

Correct Answer: Local populations of birds and butterflies

Question 5:

Citizen science projects are described in the video as a way to:

Correct Answer: Gather data through research

Question 6:

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is an example of:

Correct Answer: A citizen science project with a long history

Question 7:

The roadkill project mentioned in the video aims to:

Correct Answer: Monitor wildlife movements

Question 8:

What do BioBlitzes, which are often held by institutions like the California Academy of Sciences, consist of?

Correct Answer: Mass surveys of targeted areas

Question 9:

What metaphor does the video use to describe an individual's influence in protecting biodiversity?

Correct Answer: A stone in the pond

Question 10:

The video argues that by making sustainable choices, consumers can influence companies to:

Correct Answer: Offer more sustainable products

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The video highlights the importance of individuals learning about ___________ to understand its significance.

Correct Answer: biodiversity

Question 2:

Companies want to sell stuff that people want to __________.

Correct Answer: buy

Question 3:

___________ involves repairing or repurposing items instead of throwing them away.

Correct Answer: Reusing

Question 4:

Almost everything is ___________, including batteries, electronics, and plastics.

Correct Answer: recyclable

Question 5:

___________ science is a way to get involved through the avenues of research and data gathering.

Correct Answer: Citizen

Question 6:

The California Academy of Sciences' ___________ programs aims globally.

Correct Answer: iNaturalist

Question 7:

Christmas ___________ Counts have established an incredible baseline of data for decades.

Correct Answer: Bird

Question 8:

The ___________ project uses roadkills to monitor wildlife movements and inform conservation efforts.

Correct Answer: roadkill

Question 9:

The presenter uses a metaphor involving a ___________ in a pond to explain how individual actions can create widespread change.

Correct Answer: stone

Question 10:

Biodiversity ___________ specifically feed local populations of birds, butterflies, and other animals.

Correct Answer: gardens

Educational Standards

B.LS2.2:Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. B.LS2.6:Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. B.LS4.5:Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.

Teaching Materials

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