K-12 Resources

Provides general educational resources for students K-12 for invasive species. Refer to Outreach Tools for resources created to assist in increasing awareness of invasive species issues. See other sections for species specific information:

• Aquatic Species
• Plants
• Animals
• Microbes

General

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• Organizations

Federal Government

ARS Launches Redesigned Kids Site (Jun 7, 2010)
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
Sci4Kids, an educational website operated by the Agricultural Research Service now has a new look and "feel." The website, which is primarily geared to youngsters aged 8-13, offers a "Teachers' Desk" loaded with classroom resources and activities designed to stimulate kids' learning about agricultural research. New features include: Images of Ag Research," a captioned slideshow depicting science in action, from a dive-bombing fly that's forcing fire ants to take cover, to parasitic tapeworms "pickled" in a jar.

Natural Inquirer / Invasive Species Edition
USDA. FS. Conservation Education.
The Natural Inquirer is a science education resource journal to be used with learners from grade 5 and up. The Natural Inquirer contains articles describing environmental and
natural resource research conducted by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service scientists and their cooperators. These are scientific journal articles that have been reformatted to meet the needs of middle school students. The articles are easy to understand, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, contain glossaries, and include hands-on activities.
The goal of the Natural Inquirer is to stimulate critical reading and thinking about scientific inquiry and investigation while learning about ecology, the natural environment, and natural resources.

Invasive Species Kit
Please contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington Office Conservation Education Program at 202-205-5681.

Invasive Species Knowledge Center - Teacher Resource Center
DOI. NPS. Biological Resource Management Division, Natural Resource Information Division.

West Nile Virus - Education: Training and Materials
DHHS. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Invasive Species - BLM Learning Landscapes
DOI. Bureau of Land Management.

Don't Let It Loose
DOI. NPS. Evergaldes National Park.
Aimed primarily at 7th and 8th grades, this activity guide encourages teachers to explore the role of introduced species in our natural ecosystems. Interactive games and classroom activities instill students with the importance of responsible pet selection and ownership.

State Government

Florida Agriculture and Non-native Species (PDF | 812 KB)
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Division of Aquaculture.

Nonindigenous Species Educational Programs and Resource Materials
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Invasive Species Educational Resources
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

University/Academic

Integrated Pest Management Curriculum for Connecticut
University of Connecticut. Integrated Pest Management.
Includes separate curriculum for Grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8.
These curricula are intended to illustrate the application of the science, math and language arts taught in our schools to solving the environmental and human health problems facing society and to introduce the concepts of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to the younger generation.

Interactive Learning Module
University of Arizona. Office of Arid Lands Studies.
Why are invasives a problem? This learning module focuses on the information needs of non-professionals. Developed by the University of Arizona, School of Natural Resources and the Environment (formerly the Office of Arid Lands Studies) in cooperation with and support of NISIC.

Invasion Ecology National Science Teachers Association Press (Oct 2002) and Invasive Species
Cornell University. Environmental Inquiry.

Exotic Species Compendium of Activities to Protect the Ecosystem (ESCAPE)
Illinios-Indiana College Sea Grant Program.
Includes a collection of activities developed from the Exotic Species Day Camp Project for Educators. This package includes 36 user-friendly sets of lessons that incorporate experiments, art, music and games.

Nonindigenous Species Education
Louisiana Sea Grant.

Elementary Urban IPM Curriculum
Michigan State University. Pesticide Education.

Non-Indigenous Species: Activities for Youth
Mississippi State University Extension Center. Coastal Research and Extension Center.

School IPM for Educators and Invasive Species Video and Lesson Plan - BugMobile vs. The Invasive Species
Pennsylvania State University; Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; Pennsylvania IPM Program.
Geared toward lower and upper secondary students, the video addresses the several categories of the state's new Academic Standards: 4.1 - Watersheds and Wetlands, 4.3 - Environmental Health, and 4.5 - Integrated Pest Management

Organizations

Real-life Aliens: Introduced Species (May 2002; PDF | 79 KB)
Actionbioscience.org.
Includes two original lessons for the high school to undergraduate level. Both lessons examine issues stemming from introduced and invasive species. Activities include gathering statistical information about local invasives and interviewing animal and plant inspection personnel at an international airport.

General Educational Materials (including Reports, Fact sheets, Posters, CD-ROM)
Illinios-Indiana College Sea Grant Program. Exotics on the Move.

Strange Days on Planet Earth - For Educators
Public Broadcasting Service; National Geographic Society.
Provides learning resources for environmental educators, at locations such as environmental education camps, zoos and aquariums, parks and wildlife refuges, as well as middle-school classrooms. Services will be available for free online and will include an in-depth educators' guide, video clips, a glossary, interviews, printable educational materials, episode summaries, and weblinks. All of the activities are peer reviewed, correlated to national education standards and conform to the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Excellence in Environmental Education - Guidelines for Learning (K-12).

Global Environmental Change: Introduced Species
National Science Teachers Association.
This book is the fourth installment in the Global Environmental Change series created by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The information and activities are written for grades 9-12. The book can be ordered online through NSTA.

Pushy Plants and Alien Animals: Invasive Species in North Carolina
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Alien Invasion: Teaching Guide
Public Broadcasting Service. Scientific American Frontiers.

K-12 Teaching and Learning Center (requires subscription)
K-12 Teaching and Learning Center.