1	Alien Invaders From the unit: Alien Invaders Science Grades 6-8
2	Standard/Curriculum Objective Grade 6 Science Competency Goal 4: The learner will investigate the cycling of matter. . 6th Grade Science Competency Goal 7: The learning will investigate population dynamics.
3	Main Menu Problem Statement for Students Blueprint for Teachers Materials List Rubric About CERTL
4	Problem Statement You are a new graduate that has been hired by the Nature Conservancy of NC to develop a list of the ten least wanted non-indigenous species. The qualification of a species for the dubious honor of a place on the least wanted list should be based on its effects on the state’s ecosystems and non-living portions of the environment
5	Teacher Blueprint Menu
6	Key Facts Nuisance species may be released or “introduced” into the environment intention-ally or unintentionally. If such species become established and thrive they will effect the local environment. Non-indigenous species may become aggressive competitors that alter native habitats by reproducing rapidly and depleting nutrients. These species have contributed to 42% of federally listed threatened or endangered species in the United States. There are thousands of non-indigenous species in the United States. Only a few of these (<100) result in billions of dollars in economic losses each year.
7	Viable Hypotheses Non-indigenous species may be destructive to the environment and food web. The prediction of a species interaction with a new environment is at best an imprecise art. Preventing the introduction of new non-indigenous species is a difficult if not impossible task in the modern world.
8	Learning Areas What food webs are? How species are interdependent on one another. How non-indigenous species are introduced into the environment? That species can interact adversely with non-living components of the environment. Methods of removing non-indigenous species may be costly and extremely difficult.
9	Problem Specifics Role: New graduate hired by Nature Conservancy of NC. Specialization is the effect of non-indigenous species on native NC ecology. Setting: the present Time Frame: Three weeks Challenge/Outcome: To assemble a “Ten Most Dangerous Alien Invaders to NC” with justification. To determine how this list would change if our geographical location were changed.
10	Presentation Flow / “Cycles” This Unit will take about 15 days to complete. Please see the General notes on the possible flow of the case.
11	Source of Facts During Presentation Books Internet Newspaper
12	General Notes Day 1: Assign role and define learning issues Day 2: Research and report information on the learning issues. Day 3: Play vocabulary games. Day 4: Make list of all known non-indigenous species (from student research.). Assign students their challenge and decide which species they will investigate. Days 5-8: Research species, gather facts, plan poster and presentation, and prepare presentation and visual aids. Day 9: Play ecological succession game. Days 10-11: Roundtable presentations Day 12: From roundtable notes, class chooses the top-ten worst offenders. Day 13: Change locale from NC to Hawaii, Maryland, California or Florida. Day14: Research the effects of the new locale on chosen species and prepare report. Day 15: Resume roundtable and discuss whether change in locale affects the original top-ten list.
13	Resources for Learning Issues Books (2 included, citation of others) Internet sources Newspaper and Magazine articles (3 included)
14	Lab/Activity Correlates Vocabulary Games Ecological Succession Game
15	Final Product (Graded) Grade derived from combination of their products and their participation in the various aspects of the problem. Products: Poster nominating a species for the 10 Least Wanted List and fact sheet supporting nomination. Presentation to the Roundtable Forum
16	Materials List
17	Rubric
18	About CERTL The Center of Excellence for Research, Teaching, and Learning at Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston-Salem, North Carolina (336) 713-7723 www.certl.org