Using Science to Support Biodiversity

Teaching approach. This is an investigation^(ta) in a virtual field trip to Dartmoor National Park. It involves research, designing a scientific investigation and analysing the results.

Resource details
Title	Using Science to Support Biodiversity
Topic	[[Topics/Biodiversity|Biodiversity]]
Teaching approach	[[Teaching Approaches/Investigation|Investigation]] [[teaching approach::This resource supports a virtual investigation(i) based on a field trip to Dartmoor National Park through the following stages: Research: setting the scene and understanding the principles and dilemmas. Designing the scientific investigation. How to carry out the investigation. Handling and analysing the results. Using the results. How you can act – some wider thoughts and some ‘local’ action.| ]][[Category:This resource supports a virtual investigation(i) based on a field trip to Dartmoor National Park through the following stages: Research: setting the scene and understanding the principles and dilemmas. Designing the scientific investigation. How to carry out the investigation. Handling and analysing the results. Using the results. How you can act – some wider thoughts and some ‘local’ action.]]
Learning Objectives	Students will consider some of the issues that arise when scientists monitor the environment to detect changes in biodiversity. They will then have the experience and understanding to carry out their own work in their local area.
Subject	[[Resources/Biology|Biology]],  [[Resources/Science|Science]]
Age of students / grade	[[Resources/KS5|KS5]],  [[Resources/Secondary|Secondary]]
Files and resources to view and download	The BioEthics Education Project site: http://www.beep.ac.uk/content/592.0.html

Pedagogic Rationale

This online activity for A level Biology students comprises resources to support a virtual investigation based on a field trip to the Dartmoor National Park. It is intended to engage the students both in discussion about and investigation of the conflicting natural science issues such as biodiversity that have to be considered when managing a national park so that it is attractive to both wildlife and people. Background reading, photographs and interactive dioramas are used, together with word frames, scaffolds and open-ended questions, to stimulate students' ideas for a scientific investigation into the impact of national park visitors on its biodiversity.

The virtual investigation itself centres on ways of using transects to collect data on plant species in heavily visited areas of the park. Exemplar data is provided for students together with prompts suggesting ways of analysing it. A class teacher could therefore use the virtual investigation as homework to prepare students for the activities that will need to be planned for their own field trip or use it in class with small groups to replace a field trip. Once the analysis is completed students are reminded that the purpose of the investigation was to inform the National Park conservationists about any possible losses in biodiversity resulting from footpath erosion. A range of possible follow-up activities are suggested to stimulate further discussion and/or action. Finally, students are encouraged to identify ways in which they could conduct a similar investigation locally.