In this task, students will play the role of a team hired to work for a non-profit environmental company, Invasion Free, to investigate an invasive species introduced locally. Students will learn about different types of invasive species and the distribution of these species in their local region. In teams, students will research the potential impact of these invasive species on the environment, health, and economy. Teams will then investigate one specific invasive species and learn everything they can about the characteristics of the species, its interaction with the native organisms and ecosystems, and the potential impacts. Students will also research the different options that might be used to remove or reduce the impacts of the invasive species. After researching and evaluating each option, the students will construct an argument. They will write a claim as to which option or combination of options they think will be the most effective at removing/reducing the impacts. Students will need to support their claim with evidence from multiple, credible sources. They will also need to justify their claim and use evidence to explain why the other options (counterclaims) would not be as effective. Then each team will develop a plan to effectively remove and/or minimize the impact of the species. Teams will make an oral presentation to the Invasion Free board describing their plan and what they’ve learned. Each student will prepare a research paper detailing his or her findings and recommendations. They will share what they learned about a specific invasive species, the potential impacts, possible options for controlling the impacts, their argument with evidence for the most effective option or options, the limitations of their argument, and their plan for removing or reducing the invasive species.
