Biodiversity Series: Reptiles Survey

Grades6, 7, 8Biology, Mathematics

Provided by National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)

What it is

In this project, students research the relationship between the invasive Cuban brown anole and the native green anole in South Florida, then conduct their own repeated reptile surveys and analyze the results with basic statistics and graphs.
The background reading describes how non-native reptiles such as green iguanas, Argentine black and white tegus, and Burmese pythons have disrupted Florida's native ecosystems.

Preparation:

Students conduct their survey three times and need to keep conditions such as time of day, weather, and site consistent, so plan for repeated visits to the same location.
Ask students to wear closed-toe shoes and long pants for outdoor survey days.
If you plan on having students use electronic devices for species identification, make sure they download the iNaturalist app ahead of time.

Classroom Implementation:

The project is strongly quantitative and requires teachers to pre-teach mean, median, and range and to discuss which measure is most useful for understanding a population.
The provided Mosquito Lagoon counts of green and brown anoles across two years make a striking graphing exercise and a springboard for discussing how quickly an invasive species can displace a native one.
Incorporate the checklist to determine if a source is credible as a classroom routine and expectation.

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Standards alignment · CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.3 + 5 more

Common Core Math Standards (CCSS.MATH)

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.A.3Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.4Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.2Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of the same size to gauge the variation in estimates or predictions. For example, estimate the mean word length in a book by randomly sampling words from the book; predict the winner of a school election based on randomly sampled survey data. Gauge how far off the estimate or prediction might be.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

MS-LS2-1.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-4.Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
MS-ESS3-3.Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.