Invasive Species Student Lab
Provided by: The Climate Initiative|Published on: October 2, 2023|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Type: Articles/Websites
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: The Climate Initiative
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This interactive learning module provides several opportunities for students to learn about invasive plants and animals.
- Students can explore a variety of linked resources, go through guided information with images and videos, and view maps and graphs.
- A comprehensive teacher guide (Learning Lab) can be used with the student lab to create an entire unit for your class.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This learning lab has enough linked and included information to fill an entire unit on invasive species.
- The information is presented in a visually appealing manner, helping educators to quickly locate videos and lessons.
Prerequisites
- Teachers may wish to have an initial class discussion about the definitions of invasive species and native species.
- Teachers and/or students need Internet access and devices to use this resource on their own.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Connections can be made in social studies classes when students study geography, especially for the types of plants and animals found in different regions.
- This learning lab can be utilized for a cross-curriculuar unit on habitats and ecosystems.
- There is enough information for a class of students to work on individual or small-group research projects and then present their findings to the class.
- Biology classes can use portions of this learning lab to support lessons about keystone species, predator-prey interactions, population dynamics, climate change, and habitat loss.
This resource from The Climate Initiative is an interactive web-based lab that gives students a broad understanding of invasive species. Five separate interactive panels educate students and there is an invasive species geography quiz. The linked iMapInvasives tool is a great way to help students think about the geographic distribution of invasive species and the time series figure from the San Francisco Estuary provides a good opportunity to familiarize students with figures and trend spotting. The resource is wide-ranging and exceptionally well-sourced. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
