Class 1: What is Biodiversity?
Introduction:

• Elicit prior knowledge from students about what biodiversity is and why it is important, by asking students to individually come up with a definition and reasons. Have students share their definitions and reasons with the class and work as a class to identify three top reasons and the best definition to biodiversity.
• Watch the TED-ED video, Why is Biodiversity so Important, and then have students add to their list of reasons of why biodiversity is important. Discuss and define terms related such as: ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity.
• Guiding Questions for students:
  • What is an ecosystem?
  • Why is biodiversity important in an ecosystem?
  • What factors limit or inhibit a species growth?
  • What are the animals, plants and topographic features that might be present in your chosen ecosystem?
  • What possible natural/man-made changes could alter your ecosystem?
• Tell students for the next few days, they will be creating and designing their ideal ecofriendly city, taking into account the biodiversity and the resident’s well-being. They will need to choose an ecosystem in their state and research the flora and fauna of the environment, to ensure the natural systems needs are met. They will then sketch and design their ecofriendly city and write an essay explaining their design. At the end of the project, they will present their city to the class and need to answer questions and explain their design to their peers. They should use the Designing an Ecofriendly City rubric to guide the creation and designing of their city.

Research

• Divide class into groups, having students choose a geographical neighborhood in their state, such as a coastal plain or grassland. For example, in Florida students will look at marine, freshwater, mangrove, pine rockland, hardwood hammocks ecosystems. Students in each group will research and identify plants, animals, and limiting factors to growth of each species and collect information on the “Existing Ecosystems” worksheet in groups.
• Provide students with a list of pre-determined websites that will help each group determine their chosen location’s ecosystem and provide time for students to complete worksheet in groups. Provide each student a copy of the Designing an Ecofriendly City rubric, which they will keep until the end of the project

Class 2: Comparing Eco-Friendly Cities & Neighborhoods
Introduction:

• Introduce concept of eco-friendly communities. Show students examples of communities that are considered as such looking at the various qualities and features they highlight. Discuss why many cities encourage its citizens to reduce reliance on cars, provide walking and biking paths, provide more trees and canopy for buildings/sidewalks and have a large variety of plants for animals to eat and use for shelter, as well as include stocked ponds or other bodies of water. Provide opportunity for students to identify examples of what various cities and communities are currently putting in place to create either more walkable communities, eco-districts, or “green” neighborhoods.
• Guiding Questions for Students:
  • What building features/techniques have been created to minimize the use of resources and make the structures “green”/”eco-friendly”?
  • What should the role of community groups and local government in mitigating the impact of over-development in state chosen?
  • What are some ways to counteract these changes so as not to upset the balance of your ecosystem?

Scale Drawing Activity:

• In groups, students research and identify buildings, roads, and topographical features that they will include in their scale drawing. Then, following “How to Build a Scale Drawing” worksheet and viewing video tutorial, students design their sketch and create their scale drawing.

Class 3: Living in Eco-Friendly Communities & Supporting Biodiversity
Essay:

• In groups, students write essays explaining the design concepts of changing or improving the city/neighborhood’s natural and man-made features have taken into account the organisms that live there and applying their knowledge of various habitats and the needs of the organisms living in it to preserve its biodiversity while making room for human inhabitants.

Final Presentations & Wrap-Up:

• Each group presents their sketch and answers questions from peers on design qualities and ideas.