Ecosystem Disruptions & Biodiversity Interactive Simulation | Life Science | Grades 6–8

This Interactive Simulation has grades 6–8 Middle School Life Science students run a hands-on classroom model of Ecosystem Disruptions & Biodiversity.

Driving question: "How does species biodiversity affect ecosystem resilience against disease disruptions, and how can we evaluate competing engineering designs for filtering polluted runoff?" Objective: Students will conduct a two-part simulation: first modeling pathogen spread in a low-biodiversity monoculture versus a high-biodiversity forest community, and second testing and scoring three competing watershed buffer designs on water filtration clarity, flow

What's inside: objective and background, a materials list (36 organism cards per group: 18 'Pine…; 3 clear plastic filter columns (cut 500…; Filter media representing competing…; 450 mL of simulated 'Polluted Runoff…), an 8-step protocol, a data table, 4 analysis questions, and teacher notes.

Resource type: Interactive Simulation (.docx). Format: editable Microsoft Word lab handout with approximately 1,050 words (~5 pages).

Classroom use: a team investigation in a Middle School Life Science course. Grades 6–8.

Format note: These files are delivered in Microsoft Office formats (Word and/or PowerPoint). If you open a worksheet that includes tables in Apple Pages or another non-Microsoft app, table formatting may not display correctly. For best results, use Microsoft Word or PowerPoint (or upload the file to Google Docs). If you run into any formatting issues, contact us and we can send a PDF version.