Resources

Live plants and animals are valuable teaching tools! However they can also become invasive species if they escape from the classroom. By integrating the concept of invasive species into your lessons and talking about why it is important not to release, you will be helping your students take good care of the classroom plants and animals while at the same time become stewards of their local environment and community. Here are some simple things you can do:

Never release live plants or animals!
Learn about invasive species (build scientific skills to meet standards).
Volunteer to remove or prevent invaders (build stewardship and community connections).

Lessons and Curriculum:
Stone Soup Cartooning and Invasive Species (Draft Lesson Plan) [pdf]
Nab the Aquatic Invader, a fun website with activities and resources about AIS, created by Illinois Indiana Sea Grant
Menace to the West Education Toolkit on Aquatic Invasive Species
Watershed and Invasive Species Education (WISE) program

Information and Resources:
“Dont let it loose poster” [pdf]
Research Project that looks at AIS in the classroom [pdf]
Classroom Pet Adoption Pledge
Aquatic Species Regulation Database
FOSS/Delta Policy Statement on Living Organisms in the Classroom
Information about invasive species from Canada
Ways you can prevent invasions through aquatic pathways
The Urban Ocean Program at Univeristy of Southern California Sea Grant
ANSTF guidlines on classroom plants and animals – to be posted after comment period on the Federal Register

News:
November 29, 2103. Comic Artist Brings Invasive Species to the Funny Pages
October 29th, 2013. Teachers, can they be eco-villians?
February 16, 2011. Oregon Public Broadcasting Video on Crayfish in the Classroom

Additional Resources:
The Silent Invasion
-“Watch The Silent Invasion on OPBTV then join with your friends and neighbors to Stop the Invasion and protect Oregon against invasive species.”

AIS Blog
– Teacher developed a blog to publicize her students work with Invasives, include links to news articles and information about ordering the “start to care” sweatshirts.

Web Resources on Invasive Species
– A list of online websites on invasive species for educators and students

Invasive Species Resources – Canada & US
– A list of online resources for educators and students

WISE Brochure
-Find out more about the Watershed and Invasive Species Education program and become a WISE teacher yourself!