What Is Biodiversity?

Overview

In this first lesson of the nine-lesson unit Biodiversity on New Zealand Farms, students build a shared understanding of biodiversity and why it matters in Aotearoa New Zealand primary production. Using examples from the Farming with Native Biodiversity Kete, they connect plants, animals, habitats and ecosystem relationships to agricultural and horticultural settings.

Learning intentions

• WALT define biodiversity using examples from farm and horticultural ecosystems.
• WALT identify plants, animals and habitats that contribute to biodiversity.
• WALT explain why biodiversity matters for healthy ecosystems and primary production.
• WALT use evidence and discussion to communicate a scientific explanation.

Success criteria

• I can define biodiversity in my own words.
• I can identify examples of biodiversity in an agricultural or horticultural setting.
• I can describe a relationship between a plant, animal or habitat.
• I can explain at least one reason biodiversity is important in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Curriculum links

• Biological Science — interpreting data and information to evaluate how human activity influences ecosystem stability and biodiversity.
• Biological Science — explaining how agriculture and other human activities can cause habitat destruction, pollution and climate change that threaten biodiversity.
• Biological Science — explaining how environmental change can happen faster than some species can adapt.
• Biological Science — recognising that sustainable agricultural practices can reduce or offset environmental impacts.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: “What belongs on a farm?” Teacher displays a contrasting image of a simplified field and a biodiverse farm landscape using the opening farm comparison slide and asks, “Which farm is more likely to support life, and what evidence can you see?” Students complete a think-pair-share, naming as many living things and habitats as possible.

2. 5–12 min · Build the concept. Teacher introduces the word biodiversity with the biodiversity definition and visual slide, explicitly unpacking “bio” (life) and “diversity” (variety). Students co-construct a definition: biodiversity is the variety of living things, the habitats they live in, and the relationships between them. Record key ideas on the board.

3. 12–22 min · Explore the Kete examples. Teacher presents selected examples from the Farming with Native Biodiversity Kete through the plants, animals and habitats slides, including native plants, insects, birds, soil organisms, waterways, shelter belts and wetland areas. Students work in pairs to classify examples on the biodiversity sorting and relationship worksheet as plant, animal, habitat or relationship, then identify one connection between two examples.

4. 22–33 min · Farm ecosystem investigation. Teacher gives each pair a farm or horticultural scenario on the worksheet, such as a shelter belt beside crops, a stream near grazing land or a wetland on a farm. Students use the visual prompts and sentence starters to answer: “What biodiversity is present?”, “What might depend on it?”, and “How could it support primary production?” Pairs discuss their answers before writing a short explanation.

5. 33–40 min · Why biodiversity matters. Teacher facilitates feedback using the ecosystem relationships and importance discussion slides. Guide students towards reasons including pollination, pest control, soil health, nutrient cycling, water quality, resilience and cultural or intrinsic value. Students share one evidence-based reason biodiversity matters and respond to one other pair’s idea.

6. 40–45 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher displays the final reflection prompt and asks students to complete the final section of the biodiversity reflection and exit response: define biodiversity, give one farm example, and explain one reason it matters. Invite two or three students to share responses and collect the worksheets.

Resources

• the biodiversity lesson slide deck
• the biodiversity sorting and relationship worksheet
• Farming with Native Biodiversity Kete examples or teacher-selected images
• Board or projector
• Bilingual English/te reo Māori vocabulary cards
• Headphones or teacher-read version of the worksheet text
• Coloured pens or highlighters

Assessment

• Listen to pair discussions and check whether students distinguish individual organisms, habitats and relationships.
• Question students during feedback: “What is the evidence for that relationship?” and “How might this support a farm?”
• Use the exit response to assess the definition, agricultural or horticultural example, and explanation of importance. Note students needing reteaching before Lesson 2.

Differentiation

• Provide visual examples, bilingual vocabulary cards and oral rehearsal before writing. Useful terms include biodiversity, mātauranga, mahinga kai, taiao, nohoanga (habitat), whanaungatanga (relationships) and hauora (wellbeing).
• Offer sentence starters: “Biodiversity means…”, “An example on a farm is…”, “This relationship matters because…”. Allow students to explain orally, draw labelled connections, or use speech-to-text.
• Provide a simplified reading pathway for dyslexic learners: short chunks, clear headings, large readable font, reduced text, audio or teacher-read instructions, and a partner reader.
• Support EAL learners with images, word banks, mixed-language pairing where appropriate, and opportunities to rehearse ideas with a partner before contributing.
• Extend confident learners by investigating a local native species and explaining its role in a farm ecosystem, including what could happen if its habitat or food source changed.

Extension

• Research or observe a local native species and create a brief “species profile” identifying its habitat, relationships and contribution to a farm ecosystem.
• Explain one sustainable farming practice that could protect or increase biodiversity, and predict one benefit and one possible trade-off.