Invasive Species Travel Trunk

Zebra Mussels

NPS/kdgonzalez

Want to learn about invasive, non-native species, and what you can do to stop the spread?
Then you have come to the right place. These five lessons, with a pre and post activity, and props, will teach students about the ecology and biology of invasive and native species of the Great Lakes Region; the impacts of invasives on natural areas in this region; and the role humans play in the spread and management of invasives.

The trunk is free-of charge. All we ask, is the institute receiving the trunk pay for the postage back to the park. All trunks align with the most current Minnesota State Academic Standards. For a brief summary of each lesson see the descriptions below.

Pre-Curriculum Activity: Nature’s Balancing Act
Activity: Students share their baseline knowledge about invasive species and the Great Lakes through a class discussion and pre-assessment quiz.

Lesson 1: Who lives in the Great Lakes Region?
Activity: Students discover native species who inhabit the Great Lakes Region and play a food web board game to simulate how those species interact in a healthy ecosystem.

Lesson 2: Who doesn’t belong in the Great Lakes Region?
Activity 1: Students are introduced to invasive, exotic species threatening the Great Lakes Region by visiting various laboratory stations with fact cards, pictures, or samples of each species.

Activity 2: Students play the food web board game again, this time adding in the invasive species game cards.

Lesson 3: Invasive Species Bingo
Activity: Students play invasive species bingo to reinforce the facts learned during the laboratory activity in Lesson 2.

Lesson 4: Invasive Species in Your Backyard
Activity: During an outdoor excursion, students will use mobile device apps to discover both native and exotic plants growing near their school or nearby natural area.

Lesson 5: Stewardship – Our role in keeping nature balanced
Activity: Students will design educational techniques for informing their communities about invasive species issues.

Post-Curriculum Activity and Evaluation
Activity: Students will watch a series of video clips addressing current invasive issues facing the Great Lakes. Students will also complete an invasive species evaluation.