Implementation of ‘Biodiversity’ (SOI-MK-150)

My name is Sonja Jankulovska, I am a teacher of Biology and Natural Sciences from North Macedonia. I implemented Semih Esendemir’s learning scenario ‘Biodiversity’ with my 12 – 14 years old students. The learning scenario was slightly modified to suit their knowledge and needs.

The purpose of this implementation is to make students understand that the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat depends on the biodiversity that is currently in crisis – and we are the cause of it. During the implementation of the activities, the students developed 21st-century skills, including creativity, cooperation and communication.

Part 1: exploring biodiversity

• At the beginning of the class, students discussed biodiversity to connect their knowledge and recall what they had already learned previously.
• Then, students watched an 8-minute video describing biodiversity in a particular environment.
• The video gave students a detailed description of what biodiversity is, depicting the importance and value of healthy biodiversity in the ecosystem and providing an explanation why biodiversity helps and contributes to the evolution of species, sustainability and importance to human society.
• In the next activity, the students were divided and worked in two groups, observing 2 different ecosystems (they investigated which plants and animals inhabit that ecosystem).
• Students collected and analysed the data observed.
• After analyzing the ecosystems, the students described the differences between the two ecosystem populations and identified which one was more diverse.
• Students mapped biodiversity in a particular ecosystem, using the free Map Marker application.

Part 2: using Europeana resources for making an е-book

The students used the Europeana web portal for research on endemic species in our country and made an e-Book about rare and endangered species of plants and animals in Macedonia. Below are a few examples of the search and findings, using specific keywords:

• “Endemic plant” keyword search on Europeana
• Another search on same keywords

Learning outcomes

• Students were introduced with nature’s intrinsic and instrumental values. They understood better why biological diversity is important.

• Students were introduced with the threats to biological diversity, that is, direct harvesting, habitat destruction, and introduction of non-native species, among others, and their interactions.

• Students were introduced with context-appropriate actions that are needed to protect and restore biological diversity, including endangered species recovery, designating ecological reserves, ecosystem restoration, population management, invasive species management, interfacing within the policy-making process, educating others, and combinations thereof.

Did you find this story of implementation interesting? Why don’t you read about the related learning scenario:

Biodiversity (EN-CUR-162) created by Semih ESENDEMİR