Biodiversity Farm Proposal

Overview

In this final lesson of the unit, students synthesise their learning about biodiversity, measurement, pests, pollinators, native species and farm management. Working individually or in pairs, they communicate an evidence-based proposal to improve biodiversity in a New Zealand farm, orchard or other primary production system, then respond to peer feedback and reflect on their scientific decision-making.

Learning intentions

• WALT communicate an evidence-based biodiversity improvement proposal.
• WALT justify management actions using scientific evidence.
• WALT identify a valid way to measure whether biodiversity is improving.
• WALT communicate scientific ideas clearly to a chosen audience.

Success criteria

• I can accurately explain a biodiversity issue in a primary production system.
• I can recommend actions and justify them with relevant evidence.
• I can include a practical method for measuring progress.
• I can communicate clearly and use feedback to improve my proposal.

Curriculum links

• Biological Science — Organism Diversity: classification, life cycles and reproductive strategies.
• Biological Science — Organism Diversity: inheritance, variation and natural selection.
• Biological Science — Ecosystems: human activity can alter environments faster than some species can adapt, leading to biodiversity loss.
• Biological Science — Ecosystems: interpreting data to evaluate how human activity influences ecosystem stability and biodiversity.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Reconnect and focus. Open with the hook and unit recap slides and display the WALT and success criteria. Show a before-and-after image idea of a simplified farm landscape beside a biodiverse farm margin, then ask: “How could a farm produce food while also supporting more species?” Students briefly recall one biodiversity issue, one management practice and one measurement method from the unit.

2. 5–10 min · Unpack the task. Use the proposal brief and quality checklist slides to explain that students will propose an improvement for a real or imagined New Zealand farm, orchard or primary production system. Model a concise example: planting native shelterbelts may provide habitat and reduce wind exposure, while progress could be measured through seasonal bird or insect counts. Students choose a format—poster, short report, labelled model or two-minute presentation—and identify their intended audience, such as a farm owner, whānau, school board or local community.

3. 10–25 min · Create the proposal. Distribute the biodiversity farm proposal planner and have students work independently or in pairs. They complete the sections for context, biodiversity issue, evidence, recommended actions, expected benefits, possible trade-offs and a measurement plan. Students may draw, write, record ideas orally or prepare presentation notes. Circulate and conference with groups, checking that claims are evidence-based rather than simply “good for nature”. Prompt with: “Which organisms are affected?”, “How might the action change the ecosystem?”, and “What data would show whether it worked?”

4. 25–34 min · Refine and rehearse. Refer again to the evidence, measurement and communication reminder slides. Students use the worksheet checklist to test whether their proposal explains the issue, justifies actions, identifies indicators and suits its audience. They add at least one specific measurement, such as species counts, pollinator visits, pest damage, plant survival or water-quality observations. Students rehearse a spoken explanation or complete a final edit of their poster, report or model.

5. 34–41 min · Peer feedback carousel. Display the peer-feedback prompts and pair students with another individual or group. Each reviewer gives one strength and one actionable suggestion, using the prompts: “The evidence is convincing because…”, “The measurement could be improved by…”, and “One possible unintended effect is…”. Presenters record the feedback and make one immediate improvement. If presentations are used, limit each share to two minutes.

6. 41–45 min · Reflection and exit check. Use the plenary and reflection slide to return to the WALT. Students complete the final section of the biodiversity farm proposal planner: one change they made after feedback, one piece of evidence they used, and one question they still have about managing biodiversity. Invite two students to share how their proposals balance production needs with ecosystem stability.

Resources

• the Biodiversity Farm Proposal teaching deck
• the biodiversity farm proposal planner
• Prior unit notes, investigation results and class data
• Devices or recording tools, if available
• A3 paper, pens, coloured pencils and sticky notes
• Timer
• Optional display space for proposals

Assessment

• During planning, check that students connect a biodiversity issue to a justified management action and distinguish evidence from opinion.
• Conference with students about whether their proposed indicator and data-collection method could show change over time.
• Assess the completed proposal and reflection against the four success criteria, noting scientific accuracy, evidence use, measurement quality and clarity for the chosen audience.

Differentiation

• Provide the worksheet checklist, a completed exemplar and sentence starters such as “The main issue is…”, “This action is supported by…”, and “Progress could be measured by…”.
• Offer presentation choices, peer scaffolding, teacher conferencing and flexible individual or paired working. Provide a word bank with terms such as biodiversity, habitat, pollinator, pest, native species, indicator and unintended effect.
• Support dyslexic learners with speech-to-text, audio recording, visual presentation, supported reading of evidence and reduced copying demands. Read instructions aloud and allow oral responses.
• Extend advanced learners by requiring a data visualisation, estimated cost or feasibility comparison, and evaluation of possible unintended effects, such as attracting pests, reducing productive land or changing one species’ habitat at the expense of another.