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Aquatic Biodiversity in the Tennessee River and Tributaries

Objectives

  1. Students will understand that biodiversity decreases when species are lost.
  2. Students will understand how ecosystems can recover from human and/or natural disruptions and decreases in biodiversity can be reversed.
  3. Students will know that biodiversity and individual species within an ecosystem indicate the health of an ecosystem.

Standards

6.LS4.1 Explain how changes in biodiversity would impact ecosystem stability and natural resources.

6. SL.PKI.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Vocabulary

Biodiversity
the variety of life in a particular ecosystem, habitat, or the world (bio = life and diverse = variety)
Bioindicators
living organisms that are used to screen the health of the natural ecosystem in the environment
Ecosystem
a community of organisms that interact and their environment
Tributary
a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake

Prior Knowledge

3.LS4.3 Explain how changes to an environment's biodiversity influence human resources.

4.LS2.2 Develop models of terrestrial and aquatic food chains to describe the movement of energy among producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers.

4.LS2.3 Using information about the roles of organisms (producers, consumers, decomposers), evaluate how those roles in food chains are interconnected in a food web, and communicate how the organisms are continuously able to meet their needs in a stable food web.

Career Connections

Materials Needed

  1. Lesson slide deck
  2. Sequatchie Caddisfly video guide
  3. Research notes guide
  4. Research rubric

Overview

Activity One: Students learn about biodiversity and the impact of humans on aquatic biodiversity in Tennessee.

Activity Two: Students learn that humans can work together to save species that are part of the aquatic biodiversity in Tennessee.

Activity Three: Students will apply what they have learned in activities 1 and 2 to the complete research task.

Lesson Flow

Driving Question: How would changes in the biodiversity of the Tennessee River and its tributaries impact an ecosystem and its natural resources?

Activities

Activity One (15-20 minutes)

Focus Question: How have humans impacted Sequatchie Caddisfly’s role in Tennessee’s biodiversity?

Crosscutting Concept ( CCC): Cause and Effect

Science and Engineering Practice ( SEP): Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Sequence of Learning:

  • Students turn and share what they think biodiversity means.
  • Watch this video by the Nature Conservancy. *Optional text in place of video: Wonderopolis article
  • Students turn and talk to answer the question: Why is biodiversity important?

Introduce the focus question: How have humans impacted Sequatchie Caddisfly’s role in Tennessee’s biodiversity?

  • As students view this video clip by Wild SideTV, consider the role of the Sequatchie Caddisfly in its ecosystem.
  • Students answer viewing guide questions in this document during the video.

Answers to viewing guide questions:

  • What species is in danger? Sequatchie Caddisfly
  • Where is the Sequatchie Caddisfly located? Owens Branch
  • Why is it in danger? Human disruption and pollution
  • How can we protect it? Reduce runoff into the stream, stop the erosion of the bank, reduce invasive species and increase native species in the area, and reintroduce species through conservation efforts.
  • When we lose the Sequatchie Caddisfly, what will be the result? Loss of a pristine ecosystem
  • Who is impacted by the decrease of the Sequatchie Caddisfly population? Fisherman who use it as bait and biologists who study them

Check for Understanding

What is the cause-and-effect relationship between humans and the Sequatchie Caddisfly? Answers will vary. Possible responses:

  • Human runoff causes pollution in the water where the Sequatchie Caddisfly live, which results in an unhealthy ecosystem.
  • Humans have introduced non-native species and/or invasive species, which can be predatory species and reduce Sequatchie Caddisfly populations or causes competition for food for both species.
  • Due to the decline in the Sequatchie Caddisfly population, outdoor groups are trying to get rid of invasive species around the bank and push cars further back to reduce runoff and erosion.

Activity Two (10-15 Minutes)

Focus Question: How can we save the sicklefin redhorse?

Crosscutting Concept ( CCC): Stability and Change

Science and Engineering Practice ( SEP): Constructing explanations (for science)

Sequence of Learning:

Aquatic biodiversity stem lesson plan map<

Map source: Species Status Assessment Report for the Sicklefin Redhorse by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4 Asheville, North Carolina, 2016.

  • View this map to answer: What do you notice? What do you wonder?
  • Watch this video to learn how TVA works to save the Sicklefin Redhorse. *Optional text in place of video: TVA article
  • Construct a written explanation using evidence from the video to answer the focus question: How can we save the sicklefin redhorse?

Activity Three (30-60 minutes)

Focus Question: How can we, as TVA fisheries biologists, tell the stories of fish in the Tennessee River and its tributaries to explain how changes in biodiversity impact an ecosystem and its natural resources?

Crosscutting Concept ( CCC): Stability and Change

Science and Engineering Practice ( SEP): Constructing explanations (for science)

Sequence of Learning: Fish are an integral species in the aquatic biodiversity found in the Tennessee River and its tributaries. They are often bioindicator species communicating the health of an ecosystem.

Culminating task: Students will conduct research and present findings to answer the focus question: How can we, as TVA fisheries biologists, tell the stories of fish in the Tennessee River and its tributaries to explain how changes in biodiversity impact an ecosystem and its natural resources?

It may help to break down the focus question into task, role, and purpose.

Task: tell the stories of fish in the Tennessee River and its tributaries

Role: TVA fisheries biologist

Purpose: explain how changes in biodiversity impact an ecosystem and its natural resources

  • Students are randomly assigned a fish in Tennessee to tell its story. Use Angler’s Guide To Tennessee Fish by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (avoid selecting non-native and invasive species) to create options for fish to research. Teachers can print out fish species on paper and cut them into pieces for random physical selection. Teachers can also use a digital randomizer like wheelofnames.com/ to assign fish.
  • Students will research the fish to determine its role in the ecosystem, it's status as a species, the human impact on it, and how to support its survival as a species. Students may use the research notes guide to help them organize their findings.
  • Students will construct a presentation using evidence from research to answer the driving question: How can we, as TVA fisheries biologists, tell the stories of fish in the Tennessee River and its tributaries to explain how changes in biodiversity impact an ecosystem and natural resources?
    • Options for constructing a presentation: create a Google Slides or PowerPoint presentation, record a video response in Flip, Use Scratch to code a scene that includes information from your response, Sketchnote your response, interactive museum exhibit, Ted Talk style speech.
    • Here is a rubric for scoring work.