Activity

Measuring Biodiversity in Gorongosa

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Measuring Biodiversity in Gorongosa activity also includes:

Take your biology class' understanding of biodiversity to a whole new level! Ecology scholars use data to calculate three different diversity indices based on the organisms in the Gorongosa National Park. The four-part activity uses an interactive map to illustrate species data, spreadsheets to manage diversity indices, and discussion questions to determine understanding.

40 Views 33 Downloads NGSS: Designed
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Extend the lesson by asking the class to compare biodiversity in Gorongosa with local biodiversity data
  • Assign part four as homework to get a measure of individual learning
Classroom Considerations
  • Make sure the class has Internet access to use the interactive map required in the lesson
  • Set up an online account before beginning so you can email a link to students to use during the lesson
Pros
  • Helpful resources in the teacher's guide make introducing the calculations and spreadsheet work very manageable
  • The content is interesting and appropriate for many levels of biology learning
Cons
  • None