| Lesson Plan |
| Grade: Year 12 |
Date: 25/02/2026 |
| Subject: Biology |
| Lesson Topic: explain that biodiversity can be assessed at different levels, including: the number and range of different ecosystems and habitats, the number of species and their relative abundance, the genetic variation within each species |
Learning Objective/s:
- Describe the three hierarchical levels at which biodiversity is assessed.
- Explain the main indicators and methods used for ecosystem, species, and genetic diversity.
- Calculate basic biodiversity indices (species richness, Shannon–Wiener) from sample data.
- Evaluate why integrating multiple levels gives a fuller picture of ecosystem health.
- Design a brief assessment plan that combines habitat mapping and genetic sampling.
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Materials Needed:
- Projector and screen
- Laptop with internet access
- Printed worksheets with data tables
- GIS software demo (e.g., QGIS)
- Allele‑frequency cards or sample DNA excerpts
- Whiteboard and markers
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Introduction:
Begin with a quick “biodiversity scavenger hunt” where students note living things they see around school. Connect these observations to prior lessons on ecosystems and ask how we might measure such variety. State that today they will learn three concrete ways to assess biodiversity and how these inform conservation decisions.
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Lesson Structure:
- Do‑now (5′): Students list local examples of biodiversity; share a few aloud.
- Mini‑lecture (10′): Introduce the three assessment levels with a pyramid diagram.
- Data activity (15′): In groups, calculate species richness and Shannon–Wiener index from a short dataset.
- GIS demonstration (10′): Show habitat mapping and fragmentation metrics using QGIS.
- Genetic station (10′): Use allele cards to compute heterozygosity and discuss molecular markers.
- Whole‑class discussion (5′): Why must we look at all three levels? Link to real‑world conservation.
- Exit ticket (5′): Each student writes one key takeaway and one lingering question.
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Conclusion:
Summarise how ecosystem, species, and genetic data together reveal ecosystem health. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding and assign a short homework: students locate a local area on a map and propose which two biodiversity levels they would assess first and why.
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