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Grades 6–8 · Invasives & conservation

The New Neighbor: is an invasive species moving into our water?

One composite water sample helps the class hunt for evidence of an unwanted newcomer.

Students research invasive species known in their region, target up to five species with a single composite water sample, and use the class Field Journal results to argue whether their water source shows early warning signs of an invasion.

Start a Starter Kit quote

Grade band

Grades 6–8

Time required

4 class periods

Class size

20–32 students, one kit

Sample type

Water, one vial

Standards and outcomes

  • MS-LS2-4 — Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence for how changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations
  • MS-LS2-5 — Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services
  • MS-ESS3-3 — Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment
  • Science & Engineering Practices — asking questions, planning investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations, engaging in argument from evidence

How one kit serves a whole class

The $200 Classroom Starter Kit holds ONE collection vial and targets up to FIVE species. The class picks a mix of invasive suspects and the native species they might be pushing out, then builds a single composite sample by pooling sub-samples from several spots around the water source. Results return in 7–10 days in the class Field Journal, showing detections and relative signal strength for every target.

Choose one

Research tracks

Track A — Most Wanted List

Screening for known regional invaders

Driving question. Is there evidence that any of our region's most-watched invasive species has reached this water source?

Species to pick. Three to four invasive species from a state or regional watch list (invasive fish, crayfish, mussel, or plant) paired with one or two natives that would be most directly affected if the invader is present.

What students take away. Students build an early-warning style report similar to what conservation agencies use to track new invasions.

Track B — Who's Losing Ground

Native species displacement

Driving question. If an invasive species is here, which native species seems to be losing out?

Species to pick. One or two invasive species paired with three native species in the same ecological role (same food source or habitat niche) to see which ones still show up despite the invader.

What students take away. Students compare native detection strength before making a claim about competitive pressure.

Track C — Not Yet, But Watch This Spot

Prevention and monitoring

Driving question. Even if we don't detect an invader today, what should we keep watching for and why?

Species to pick. Five invasive species not yet confirmed in the immediate area but present in nearby regions or waterways, chosen from a watch list, to establish a baseline 'not detected yet' record.

What students take away. Students build a monitoring plan and understand why a clean result today still matters for tomorrow.

The lesson sequence

Step by step, with teacher notes

  1. 01

    Building our invasive species watch list

    45 minutes

    Students research invasive species known to affect local or regional waterways and pitch which five species (invasives and/or natives at risk) the class should target with the kit. Every pitch needs a reason tied to how the species spreads and what damage it causes. Predictions are recorded before sampling.

    Teacher notes

    • Say: "We only get five species slots — make the case for why your pick belongs on this list."
    • Project a state or regional invasive species watch list so students research real, local threats rather than random species.
    • Require each pitch to end with a prediction: 'I predict we will/won't detect this because...' — collect these before the vote.
    • Run the vote as a class so the final five reflect real research, not just the most dramatic-sounding species.
    • Watch for species picks beyond the kit's five-species limit and redirect the conversation before the vote closes.

    Materials

    • State or regional invasive species watch list
    • Poster or board for voting
    • Prediction sheet
    • Map of the water source

    Student prompts

    • How does this invasive species usually spread from one waterway to another?
    • What native species or habitat feature would this invader most likely affect?
    • What would it mean for our site if we detect it? If we don't?
    • Why is it useful to test for a species even if we don't expect to find it?
  2. 02

    Collecting one composite sample

    45–55 minutes

    The whole class produces exactly one sample. Crews collect small sub-samples from several different spots around the water source and combine them into the single vial. Gloves go on before anyone touches equipment, and sampling happens upstream of where students stand.

    Teacher notes

    • Say before gloves come off the shelf: "Gloves on first. If a glove touches the ground, your face, or the inside of the cap, swap it for a new one."
    • Walk the site ahead of time and mark three or four distinct spots (near plants, open water, shaded area, inflow point) with flags.
    • Rotate roles — sampling, note-taking, measuring, sealing — so every student has a real job in producing the one sample.
    • Demonstrate the pooling step yourself first: swirl gently, never shake, before the sealing crew caps and labels it.
    • Keep a backup collection day ready in case of unsafe water conditions like flooding or ice.

    Materials

    • 1 eDNA collection vial and prepaid mailer
    • Nitrile gloves (one pair per student, minimum)
    • 3–4 small sample cups
    • Thermometer
    • Clipboard with field data sheet

    Student prompts

    • Sampling crew — collect small sub-samples from three or four different spots around the site.
    • Note-taking crew — record time, weather, water temperature, and any unusual organisms spotted.
    • Measuring crew — check water temperature and clarity.
    • Sealing crew — pool the sub-samples gently, seal the vial, and prep the mailer.
  3. 03

    What happens to our sample in the lab

    40–45 minutes, during the 7–10 day wait

    While the sample travels to the lab, students learn the basic steps: DNA is extracted from the water, copied, read, and matched against a library of known species. Students also discuss why a detection doesn't automatically mean a large invasive population.

    Teacher notes

    • Treat the wait as an active content lesson, not downtime.
    • Sketch the pipeline on the board: pull DNA out of water → copy it → read it → match against known species.
    • Say: "A detection tells us the species' DNA was in the water — it doesn't tell us if it's one animal or a hundred."
    • Introduce 'false negative' and connect it to why the class sampled from several spots instead of just one.
    • Show a sample Field Journal report if time allows so students recognize the format before the real reveal.

    Materials

    • Simple diagram of the DNA lab process
    • Sample Field Journal report
    • Vocabulary handout (DNA, invasive, native, detection, signal)

    Student prompts

    • Why does DNA break down in water after a couple of days, and why does that affect timing?
    • Why might a detection today not mean the species has been here for years?
    • What is a false negative, and how did sampling from several spots help reduce that risk?
  4. 04

    Reveal day and building our recommendation

    45 minutes

    The class Field Journal results are revealed together. Students compare predictions to detections, investigate any surprises, and write a claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph recommending whether the site needs monitoring, action, or is currently clear of the invaders tested.

    Teacher notes

    • Reveal the results live and let students react before moving into analysis.
    • Have students sort predictions into 'matched' and 'did not match' on the board.
    • Ask: "If we did detect an invader, what would you recommend doing next? If we didn't, does that mean we're safe forever?"
    • Require every claim to cite a specific detection or signal value from the Field Journal, not just a guess.
    • Close by asking each student to write one new question this data raised for a future monitoring round.

    Materials

    • Class Field Journal report (projected)
    • Claim-evidence-reasoning worksheet
    • Sticky notes for sorting predictions

    Student prompts

    • Claim — is there evidence of an invasive species at this site, based on our results?
    • Evidence — which species were detected, and how strong was each signal?
    • Reasoning — connect what we know about how this invader spreads to what we did or didn't find.

Student handout

For every student

Thinking prompts

  • Write your prediction for each of the five target species before results are revealed.
  • Explain why your crew picked these five species for this watch list.
  • Describe, in order, exactly what your crew did to collect and combine the sample.
  • In your own words, explain why the sample needs to be collected and shipped quickly.
  • Predict one species you think will NOT be detected, and explain your reasoning.
  • After the reveal, list which predictions were correct and which were not.
  • Describe one thing your class should monitor for next time, and why.

Data sheet

  • Date and time of collection:
  • Site name or description:
  • Water temperature and clarity:
  • Weather conditions that day:
  • Number of spots sampled and where:
  • Any unusual organisms or signs observed directly:
  • Target species list with pre-reveal predictions:

Discussion questions

  • Why is testing for a species we don't expect to find still useful?
  • What does 'relative signal' mean, and why isn't it the same as counting animals?
  • How might recent weather or human activity have introduced an invasive species here?
  • What should our class do differently if we test this site again next year?

Field checklist

  • Gloves on before anyone touches sampling equipment.
  • Water collected upstream of where students are standing.
  • Sub-samples taken from at least three different spots at the site.
  • Time, temperature, and weather recorded on the data sheet.
  • Sample mixed gently and sealed without touching the inside of the vial or cap.
  • Any signs of invasive species written down on the data sheet.

Analysis

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: is there an invasive species here?

  1. 1.Claim — write one sentence saying whether the evidence points to an invasive species being present.
  2. 2.Evidence — list the specific detections and signal strengths, plus conditions recorded (temperature, weather, location).
  3. 3.Reasoning — explain, using what you know about how this invasive species spreads, why the evidence supports your claim.
  4. 4.Counter-evidence — name one result that doesn't fit your claim neatly, and explain how you handle it.
  5. 5.Revise — describe one change you'd make to strengthen this investigation next time.

Assessment

20-point rubric

Watch list research and predictions

5 pts

Each of the five chosen species has a clear, research-based justification tied to invasion risk.

Field procedure and safety

5 pts

Gloves, upstream sampling, and accurate data recording are all followed correctly.

Reading the results

5 pts

Detections and relative signal strengths from the Field Journal are described accurately.

Claim, evidence, reasoning

5 pts

The written recommendation is clearly supported by specific evidence and sound reasoning about invasion risk.

Go further

Extensions

  • Report a confirmed detection to a local watershed or invasive species monitoring group.
  • Have students design a next-round species list based on this round's most surprising result.
  • Compare results with a nearby class testing a different water source for the same invasive species.
  • Invite a local conservation officer or extension agent to review the class's recommendation.

For the teacher

Answer key and misconceptions

  • Expected: most classes detect zero or one invasive species out of five targets; a clean result is a genuinely useful finding, not a failed experiment — frame it as good news worth reporting.
  • Common misconception: 'we didn't detect it, so it will never show up here.' Correct framing: a clean result reflects conditions at the time of sampling and supports ongoing monitoring, not permanent safety.
  • Common misconception: 'a detection means a huge population is already established.' Correct framing: signal strength reflects DNA shed into the water, which could come from a single recent individual.
  • Expected: students should connect quick DNA breakdown to why the sample must be shipped the same day it's collected.
  • Common misconception: contamination is only a lab issue. Correct framing: gloves and upstream sampling are student-side controls that protect the trustworthiness of the lab's results.

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