Sustaining Biodiversity & Conservation Real-World Case Study | Life Science | Grades 6–8

This Real-World Case Study asks grades 6–8 Middle School Life Science students to weigh a real decision about Sustaining Biodiversity & Conservation and defend a solution with evidence.

Scenario: Along the Gulf Coast, the fictitiously named Port Celeste Estuary supports a $90 million commercial shrimp, crab, and oyster fishery alongside 18,000 acres of coastal salt marshes and mangrove islands that serve as critical nesting habitat for roseate spoonbills, Kemp's ridley sea turtles, and juvenile red snapper. However,… Key question: "Using an engineering trade-off analysis, recommend either Proposal 1, Proposal 2, or a specific hybrid design that stays within the $25 million budget constraint."

What's inside: the scenario, 5 questions to consider, an answer key, arguments for and against for the teacher, and teacher notes.

Resource type: Case Study (.docx). Format: editable Microsoft Word handout with approximately 990 words (~6 pages).

Classroom use: independent response, small-group comparison, and a whole-class debate 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.