Invasive Species Council of British Columbia

For Educators

Unit: Student Land Stewards – Activity 3: Superspreader POV

Grade: 7 to 9

Duration: 2 hours

Setting: Indoor

Subjects: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies

Physical Activity: No

Students research an invasive species and present their findings by creating original social media posts from that species’ point of view.

This is the third activity in the Grade 7-9 Learning Resource, Student Land Stewards in Action. Please see the Overview for this resource for more information, including the lesson sequence.

This resource was created through the financial support of the Provincial Intermediate and Middle Years Teachers’ Association (myPITA).

Learning Objectives

By participating in this activity, students will:

  • Synthesize information from multiple sources to learn in depth about an invasive species.
  • Succinctly share their research and understanding using written and visual modes of communication.
  • Understand an environmental issue from multiple perspectives, including the invasive species’ perspective.
Inquiry Questions
  • What are some invasive species in British Columbia, and what are their impacts?
  • What would an invasive species say if it could communicate with us?
BC Curriculum Links

Science Big Ideas and Content

  • Evolution by natural selection provides an explanation for the diversity and survival of living things (Grade 7)
  • Characteristics of life (Grade 8, Content)
  • First Peoples knowledge of interconnectedness and sustainability (Grade 9, Content)
  • Sustainability of systems (Grade 9, Content)

Science Curricular Competencies

  • Demonstrate a sustained intellectual curiosity about a scientific topic or problem of personal interest (Grades 7-9)
  • Express and reflect on a variety of experiences and perspectives (and worldviews) of place (Grades 7-8; 9)

Social Studies Curricular Competencies

  • Use Social Studies inquiry processes and skills to ask questions; gather, interpret, and analyze ideas; and communicate findings and decisions. (Curricular Competencies, Grades 7-9)
  • Explain different perspectives on past or present people, places, issues, or events, and compare the values, worldviews, and beliefs of human cultures and societies in different times and places (Grades 7-8)

English Language Arts

  • Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy (Big Ideas, Grades 7-9)
  • Exploring and sharing multiple perspectives extends our thinking (Big Ideas, Grade 7)
  • Transform ideas and information to create original texts (Curricular Competencies, Grades 7-9)

Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies

  • Media arts: Influences of digital media for the purposes of communication and self-expression (Content, Grades 6-8)
Materials
  • Computers

Documents to Download

Background Information

Invasive species in British Columbia are living organisms that, when introduced to BC, spread and take over, causing harm to the environment, the economy, and society. Invasive species can be beautiful plants or cute animals. Within their native range, they have predators and diseases that keep their populations in check. As a result, within their native range they do not cause the problems that they do where they were introduced in BC. Most invasive species are introduced to new areas by people, whether on purpose or by accident. Although invasive species cause harm, it isn’t their fault! They are just doing what they do—and they’re incredibly good at it, because of their adaptations that help them to survive and take over in new environments.

In this activity, students research an invasive species and then share their learning in new ways, from the perspective of the invasive species.

Preparation
Procedure

Introduction

Part 1: Research

  • Students select an invasive species to research; preferably one found in your region or one that could potentially become invasive there. Refer to the Invasive Species for Student Research List for a list of species for which there is information on the ISCBC website. The Additional Resources section also has other sources of information for student research on invasive species in BC.
  • Provide students with the Invasive Species Research Datasheet to help guide information gathering.

Part 2: Social Media Posts

Using their research, students will create three social media posts. Use the template provided (see Materials section) and share the example (which was made by a teenager) or make up your own.

  • The posts should be from the imagined point of view of the individual invasive species and other species (plants, animals, possibly including humans) impacted by the invasives. Students should consider what the “personality” of the invasive species might be like and how it would communicate. Remember that invasive species aren’t inherently bad, they just have adaptations that help them to thrive, and most of the time it’s humans’ fault that the invasive organisms have been introduced here and are spreading.
  • Posts can be entertaining and use slang, but no offensive language, and should be informative and based on student research.
  • Each of the three posts should include the following:
    • The date and location. This could show how the invasive species is spreading or being controlled/managed.
    • A photo.
    • A post written from the point of view of the invasive species.
    • Comments from other organisms impacted by the invasive species.
    • #Hashtags and @tags from the invasive species or those commenting on the post. Hashtags can relay the personality and opinions of the invasive species or other creatures who are impacted by the invasive.
  • Share the posts in small groups or with the whole class in a slide show to learn from each other’s research.
Reflections and Assessment
  • How did taking on the persona of an invasive species affect your perspective of that organism? Consider framing the reflection using the Step In – Step Out – Step Back thinking routine to consider other perspectives. (Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education).
  • What are three things you learned about the invasive species that you researched?
  • What are three things you learned about an invasive species that someone else shared?
Accessibility and Adaptations
  • This activity is not intended to promote social media use among students, especially to those who do not already use social media! If it is not appropriate for your group, use an alternative means to communicate from the invasive’s point of view in modern “teen speak” instead of using the social media template, such as in a news flash interview, text conversations, or in videos or skits that are written or acted out.
Extensions
  • Create a class field guide using one post from each person. Go outdoors and see if you can find any of the researched species.
  • Share your learning with the community! Send samples of your social media posts to education@bcinvasives.ca, and we will share them with our networks!
Connections to First Peoples’ Perspectives

Invasive species harm Indigenous ways of life. Elders share how the introduction and spread of invasive species have changed their ability to access traditional harvesting sites compared to when they were young.

“I remember hearing stories from my dad about how there were not as many bass and carp in the lakes when he was a kid. Now we have issues with carp and bass eating our trout and salmon and even their eggs, which impacts our lakes today.” – Sage Flett Kruger, Indigenous Engagement Manager of the Trails Society of BC and Penticton Indian Band Member.

By helping to remove invasive species from the land, we can help native species and habitats thrive again and restore balance and connection with Indigenous traditions on the land.

Read more at We Are Caretakers of Mother Earth: Nurturing Indigenous Wisdom in Land Stewardship.

Additional Resources