3B Biodiversity and Conservation

Individuals and societies: Environmental Systems &

Teacher(s) SUNITA NAIR Subject group and course
Societies

Course Part DP Year 1 or 2 DP1 Dates W3 January (2 weeks)

INQUIRY: establishing purpose of the unit

Group/Course Aims (from DP subject guide) Assessment Objectives (from DP subject guide)

• Acquire the knowledge and understandings of environmental systems at a Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant
variety of scales • facts and concepts
• Apply the knowledge, methodologies and skills to analyse environmental • values and attitudes
systems and issues at a variety of scales Apply this knowledge and understanding in the analysis of
• Appreciate the dynamic interconnectedness between environmental systems • explanations, concepts and theories
and societies • data and models
• Value the combination of personal, local and global perspectives in making • case studies in unfamiliar contexts
informed decisions and taking responsible actions on environmental issues • arguments and value systems
• Be critically aware that resources are finite, and that these could be inequitably Evaluate, justify and synthesize, as appropriate
distributed and exploited, and that management of these inequities is the key to • explanations, theories and models
sustainability • arguments and proposed solutions
• Develop awareness of the diversity of environmental value systems • methods of fieldwork and investigation
• Develop critical awareness that environmental problems are caused and solved • cultural viewpoints and value systems
by decisions made by individuals and societies that are based on different areas of Engage with investigations of environmental and societal issues at the
knowledge local and global level through
• Engage with the controversies that surround a variety of environmental issues • evaluating the political, economic and social contexts of issues
• selecting and applying the appropriate research and practical skills necessary
to carry out investigations
• suggesting collaborative and innovative solutions that demonstrate awareness
and respect for the cultural differences and value systems of others

Essential understandings

What are the threats to biodiversity and what are the conversational programmes?

Syllabus (from DP subject guide)

Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation

IB DP Environmental Systems & Societies SL (Grade 11) - SUNITA NAIR Page 1 of 6

 3.3 Threats to biodiversity
Significant idea:
• While global biodiversity is difficult to quantify, it is decreasing rapidly due to human activity. Classification of species conservation status can provide a useful
tool in the conservation of biodiversity.
Knowledge and understanding:
• Estimates of the total number of species on Earth vary considerably. They are based on mathematical models, which are influenced by classification issues
and a lack of finance for scientific research, resulting in many habitats and groups being significantly under-recorded.
• The current rates of species loss are far greater now than in the recent past, due to increased human influence. The human activities that cause species
extinctions include habitat destruction, introduction of invasive species, pollution, overharvesting and hunting.
• The International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) publishes data in the “Red List of Threatened Species” in several categories.
• Factors used to determine the conservation status of a species include: population size, degree of specialization, distribution, reproductive potential and
behaviour, geographic range and degree of fragmentation, quality of habitat, trophic level, and the probability of extinction.
• Tropical biomes contain some of the most globally biodiverse areas and their unsustainable exploitation results in massive losses in biodiversity and their
ability to perform globally important ecological services.
• Most tropical biomes occur in less economically developed countries (LEDCs) and therefore there is conflict between exploitation, sustainable development
and conservation.
Applications and skills:
• Discuss the case histories of three different species: one that has become extinct due to human activity, another that is critically endangered, and a third
species whose conservation status has been improved by intervention.
• Describe the threats to biodiversity from human activity in a given natural area of biological significance or conservation area.
• Evaluate the impact of human activity on the biodiversity of tropical biomes.
• Discuss the conflict between exploitation, sustainable development and conservation in tropical biomes.
3.4 Conservation of biodiversity
Significant ideas:
• The impact of losing biodiversity drives conservation efforts.
• The variety of arguments given for the conservation of biodiversity will depend on EVSs.
• There are various approaches to the conservation of biodiversity, each with associated strengths and limitations.
Knowledge and understanding:
• Arguments about species and habitat preservation can be based on aesthetic, ecological, economic, ethical and social justifications.
• International, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are involved in conserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity, with varying
levels of effectiveness due to their use of media, speed of response, diplomatic constraints, financial resources and political influence.
• Recent international conventions on biodiversity work to create collaboration between nations for biodiversity conservation.
• Conservation approaches include habitat conservation, species-based conservation and a mixed approach.
• Criteria for consideration when designing protected areas include size, shape, edge effects, corridors, and proximity to potential human influence.
Alternative approaches to the development of protected areas are species-based conservation strategies including:
• CITES
• captive breeding and reintroduction programmes, and zoos
• selection of “charismatic” species to help protect others in an area (flagship species)
• selection of keystone species to protect the integrity of the food web.
• Community support, adequate funding and proper research influence the success of conservation efforts.
• The location of a conservation area in a country is a significant factor in the success of the conservation effort. Surrounding land use for the conservation area
and distance from urban centres are important factors for consideration in conservation area design.

IB DP Environmental Systems & Societies SL (Grade 11) - SUNITA NAIR Page 2 of 6

 Applications and skills:
• Explain the criteria used to design and manage protected areas.
• Evaluate the success of a given protected area.
• Evaluate different approaches to protecting biodiversity.

Inquiry questions

Skills-based Explain the criteria used to design and manage protected areas.
Content-based Describe the threats to biodiversity from human activity in a given natural area of biological significance or conservation area
Content-based Discuss the case histories of three different species: one that has become extinct due to human activity, another that is critically endangered, and a third
species whose conservation status has been improved by intervention.
Debatable Evaluate the success of a given protected area. Evaluate different approaches to protecting biodiversity.

Approaches to learning (ATL)

Communication Research

ATL coverage details and notes:

reasearch in IUCN red list ,go through the categories and select the organisms that fall in the required categories and do a research on the case history of the organisms.

An effective classroom discussion is by by probing more questions among the students, paraphrasing the information received, using questions to develop critical thinking
with questions like "Can we take this one step further?;" "What solutions do you think might solve this problem?;" "How does this relate to what we have learned about..?;"
"What are the differences between ... ?;" "How does this relate to your own experience?;" "What do you think causes .... ?;" "What are the implications of .... ?" [7]

Language and learning ToK Connections CAS Connections

• Activating background knowledge • Areas of knowledge

• Scaffolding learning Details:
There may be long-term consequences when
biodiversity is lost—should people be held morally
responsible for the long-term consequences of their
actions?

IB DP Environmental Systems & Societies SL (Grade 11) - SUNITA NAIR Page 3 of 6

 There are various approaches to the conservation of
biodiversity—how can we determine when we should
be disposed to act on what we know?

Learner Profile International Mindedness

Inquirers Describe how this unit will enable students to engage with an issue of
a whole of research into the case history of organisms that have become global importance and/or analyse an issue from different cultural
extinct,endangered or vulnerable. perspectives.
research about wild life sanctuaries.. students should understand the conservation needs to work at the local grass
roots level to create meaningful change in the communities that live alongside
Knowledgeable conservation areas. International organizations are important for enforcing the
students develop a broad understanding and develop the content knowledge. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species(CITES) agreement,
Communicators assessing global status of species’ numbers and influencing governments.
students discuss,exchange their view points and ideas when dealing with topics of
conservation.

Assessments

External Assessment What summative assessment will be used in this unit?

Paper 1 exam type questions -usually taken from past papers.all three components can be
• Analysis and evaluation of data relating to a specific, previously unseen case used to assess them summatively
study
Paper 2 What formative assessment will be used in this unit?
• A: Short-answer and data-based questions conceptual understanding based on short data analysis;
• B: Two structured essay questions from a choice of four whether students are able to question and discuss about the concepts in the topic.
students present the topics according to their choice-- discussion method/power
point method/project method

How will students show understanding? And what will constitute

acceptable evidence of understanding?
if students are able to participate in class room discussion, students are able to
perform well in the test in formative and summative

Describe the process for standardization of marking and moderation?

the subject teachers follow the mark scheme given for the questions in the past ib
papers.
For practical work the subject teachers coordinate and standardize the rubric for
the practical work

Which assessment criteria will be used?

If it is their practical work then the IA assessment criteria will be followed.

IB DP Environmental Systems & Societies SL (Grade 11) - SUNITA NAIR Page 4 of 6

 If it is theory and if the questions are from the past papers then the MS is strictly
followed. if they are questions from text -books/reference books then rubrics are
set accordingly.

ACTION: teaching and learning through inquiry

Content Learning process

Students will know: Learning experiences and strategies/planning for self-supporting learning:
Students will know the causes/reasons for the threat in the biodiversity.Students • Small group/pair work
will broaden their knowledge about the governmental and non-governmental • PowerPoint lecture/notes
organisations. • Individual presentations

Students will be able to:

Explain the criteria used to design and manage protected areas.Evaluate the
success of a given protected area.
Evaluate different approaches to protecting biodiversity.

Learning Experiences Teaching Strategies

Do the students have enough prior knowledge? How will we know? What different teaching methodologies will be used to support different
Yes students would have prior knowledge.A sort of “debriefing” that revolve around learning styles?
the sharing and examining of information of the prior knowledge could be done. Demonstrating as it would to raise student interest and reinforce memory retention
because they provide connections between facts and real-world applications of
Through what activities will students acquire the knowledge and practice those facts.
the skills required? Collaborating- Group projects and discussions. Teachers may employ collaboration
• students will data analysis from ib past papers to assess student's abilities to work as a team,

How will formative assessment be used to give students feedback during

the unit?
Collaboration allows students to actively participate in the learning process by
talking with each other and listening to other points of view

How will information literacy and the use of ICT be developed?

students will be doing research in these topics so the use of desktop and laptop,
going through simulation programmes.

How will the idea of academic honesty be reinforced?

student will add a bibliography page at the end of a research work,at the end of the
pptAny text /idea taken from any reiable source should be cited/referenced/

IB DP Environmental Systems & Societies SL (Grade 11) - SUNITA NAIR Page 5 of 6

 Differentiation

Differentiation items in this unit

Details

Resources

http://http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Website
Added by SUNITA NAIR on May 22, 2016
Summary

REFLECTION: considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

Prior to studying the unit During the unit After the unit

IB DP Environmental Systems & Societies SL (Grade 11) - SUNITA NAIR Page 6 of 6