EXPLORING BIODIVERSITY: A Guide for Educators Around the World

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do not need to ask the class all the guiding questions, and the students do not need to discuss each of the numbered questions in turn. During the course of the discussion, make sure that the students confront the issues highlighted by each numbered question and that they explain why they feel the way they do. Have them give examples whenever they can, and be sure to challenge their ideas—especially when the students reach answers quickly or all of them seem to be agreeing with each other. Allow enough time for the students to fully discuss their points of view. Also give them an opportunity to research issues that come up. carefully consider everything they’ve learned about biodiversity as well as all of the points made during their discussion to make a well-reasoned and well-supported statement. Encourage the students to consider medical, economic, and ecological implications of biodiversity protection, as well as recreational activities, artistic inspiration, and any obligations of present generations to future ones. Tell them to use examples to illustrate their points. 2. Have the students write a dialogue between two people who have different viewpoints on protecting biodiversity. FINISHING UP Let the students choose between the following two writing activities: 1. Have the students write a personal statement about the importance of protecting biodiversity. Explain that there is no right or wrong answer to this assignment—and that they don’t even have to think protecting biodiversity is important at all. However, they should Every September in Papua New Guinea, students and community members celebrate International Coastal Cleanup day by picking up trash along the beaches of Milne Bay. Milne Bay has some of the world’s richest coral reefs, but trash and pollution washing onto beaches, reefs, and waterways are harming biodiversity. By cleaning up their beaches, kids show pride in their environment and community as they work to improve habitat for marine life. 32
ACTIVITY 5: BIODIVERSITY PERFORMS OBJECTIVES: Work in teams to act out different ecosystem services. Describe several “free” services that biodiversity provides to humans and explain how these services make life on Earth possible. SUBJECTS: Science, Art (Drama), Language Arts SKILLS: gathering (reading comprehension), analysing (identifying patterns), applying (creating), presenting (acting) AGES: 11+ TIME: one session MATERIALS: paper and pen to make “Biodiversity Performs!” cards BACKGROUND Whether you realise it or not, ecosystems and the species within them perform many jobs that help make human life possible and more liveable. Much of what ecosystems do is difficult to watch or see, so it’s easy to take these “secret services” for granted. Just remember, while you’re eating, sleeping, working, studying, or playing, forests are helping to clean the air, oceans are regulating the climate, and wetlands are helping to purify water, minimise storm damage, and perform flood control. In this activity, your students can learn about some of the secret services that ecosystems and the species within them provide by creating charade-like performances for their peers. Activity adapted with permission from Biodiversity Basics, published by World Wildlife Fund as part of Windows on the Wild,an international biodiversity education program. ©1999. 33
Page 1 and 2: EXPLORING BIODIVERSITY: A Guide for
Page 3 and 4: Exploring Biodiversity is a joint p
Page 5 and 6: TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION .
Page 7 and 8: Exploring Biodiversity is packed wi
Page 9 and 10: of selecting activities to do with
Page 11 and 12: p SECTION 1 WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY? 1
Page 13 and 14: p Where Is the Diversity? Some area
Page 15 and 16: Malaria once infected nine out of t
Page 17 and 18: p WHAT TO DO 1. As a group, create
Page 19 and 20: ACTIVITY 2: THE WEB OF LIFE BACKGRO
Page 21 and 22: Encourage students to think creativ
Page 23 and 24: ACTIVITY 3: BIOBLITZ OBJECTIVES: Na
Page 25 and 26: 6. Set the stage. Ask your students
Page 27 and 28: SECTION 2 BIODIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
Page 29 and 30: Intensive agricultural production o
Page 31 and 32: The Nature Connection The desire of
Page 33 and 34: 3. Put up the statements and read e
Page 35: • Will photographs and films that
Page 39 and 40: Plants convert the sun’s energy i
Page 41 and 42: q SECTION 3 THE STATE OF BIODIVERSI
Page 43 and 44: q important differences, however, b
Page 45 and 46: chemical fertilisers to remain prod
Page 47 and 48: Ironically, this “greenhouse effe
Page 49 and 50: Aliens Are Among Us! Another contri
Page 51 and 52: q WHAT TO DO 1. Explain what “thr
Page 53 and 54: q teristics that might make species
Page 55 and 56: q clothing) to mark the boundaries.
Page 57 and 58: q Ask the students why animals need
Page 59 and 60: 7. Discuss protected area design: M
Page 61 and 62: SECTION 4 BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Page 63 and 64: a creating conservation corridors,
Page 65 and 66: a often boosts local economies by c
Page 67 and 68: ACTIVITY 8: THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW
Page 69 and 70: a WHAT TO DO 1. Create student grou
Page 71 and 72: a next round, but this time introdu
Page 73 and 74: ACTIVITY 9: COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS O
Page 75 and 76: a Tips for Interviewing • Careful
Page 77 and 78: a WHAT TO DO 1. Explore project top
Page 79 and 80: a decision-making process as possib
Page 81 and 82: SECTION 5 APPENDICES Appendix A: Ex
Page 83 and 84: organic garden or compost pile; imp
Page 85 and 86: extinct: refers to a species that n
Page 87 and 88:
pollination: the process by which p
Page 89:
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