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7th grade · Science · Unit 12 of 14

Protecting Biodiversity

Why variety matters, and how we protect it.

What your child practices

Practices evaluating solutions that maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as restoring oyster reefs in New York Harbor, controlling zebra mussels in the Great Lakes and the bald eagle's return to New York.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: MS-LS2-5 · evaluating solutions that maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Ecosystems with more biodiversity are usually more stable.
  2. Invasive species, such as zebra mussels, are non-native and cause harm.
  3. Native plants, restored reefs and protected habitat help species recover.

Example: How do native plants along a stream help biodiversity? Local animals evolved with these plants. They use them for food and shelter. Answer: they give local animals food and shelter

Protecting Biodiversity in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 12 of 14 in 7th grade Science, after Resources & Hazards and before Synthetic Materials.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Why do fewer salmon harm orcas?

    • Orcas eat only plants
    • Salmon hunt orcas
    • Orcas have less food
    • Orcas like empty water

  2. Question 2

    A keystone species is one that…

    • lives alone
    • is the largest animal
    • is always a plant
    • has a large effect on its ecosystem compared to its numbers

  3. Question 3

    Planting native plants along a stream bank helps biodiversity by…

    • blocking the water
    • removing all insects
    • giving local animals food and shelter
    • warming the stream

  4. Question 4

    When evaluating a solution, scientists consider…

    • costs, benefits and effects on ecosystems
    • only speed
    • only color
    • only cost

  5. Question 5

    Protecting Adirondack forests helps keep…

    • dry rivers
    • fewer kinds of animals
    • clean water and habitat for many species
    • more pollution

  6. Question 6

    Culverts that block fish are being replaced with…

    • solid walls
    • smaller pipes
    • nothing
    • wider culverts or bridges fish can pass

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