Sustaining Biodiversity & Conservation 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 Sustaining Biodiversity & Conservation.

Driving question: "How can engineers use a quantitative decision matrix and physical runoff models to evaluate competing conservation designs for maintaining biodiversity and water-filtration ecosystem services?" Objective: Students will define quantitative criteria and budget constraints for a polluted, fragmented watershed, test three physical conservation buffer models for sediment and nutrient filtration, and evaluate the competing designs using a weighted engineering decisio

What's inside: objective and background, a materials list (3 Inclined Watershed Tray Models: Tray…; Simulated Agricultural Runoff Solution…; 3 Graduated collection beakers (250…; Project Cost & Biodiversity Reference…), 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 880 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.