Geography · 6th Class · Environmental Awareness and Care · Summer Term

Biodiversity and Its Importance

Learn what biodiversity means, why a wide variety of plants and animals is crucial for a healthy planet, and what threats like habitat loss mean for Irish wildlife.

TL;DR:Turn your pupils into nature detectives as they investigate the amazing variety of life all around them, from the smallest insect to the tallest tree.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• SESE Geography: Strand - Environmental Awareness and Care
• Strand Unit - Environmental awareness

About This Topic

This topic aligns directly with the 'Environmental Awareness and Care' strand of the SESE Geography and Science curriculum for 6th Class. It encourages pupils to develop a sense of responsibility for their local and wider environment. The lesson moves beyond simply identifying plants and animals, pushing pupils to understand the intricate connections within ecosystems, a key concept for developing scientific and geographical literacy. By focusing on the Irish context, such as the unique biodiversity of the Burren, the importance of our peatlands for carbon storage, and the threats posed by invasive species like the grey squirrel, the topic becomes tangible and relevant. It provides a foundation for understanding broader environmental issues like climate change and sustainability, empowering pupils to see themselves as custodians of Ireland's rich natural heritage.

Key Questions

1. Identify three endangered species in Ireland and explain the threats they face.
2. Explain the concept of a food web and how the loss of one species can affect many others.
3. Compare a habitat with high biodiversity, like a native woodland, to one with low biodiversity, like a commercial forestry plantation.

Learning Objectives

• Define biodiversity and explain its importance for a healthy planet.
• Describe the interdependence of organisms within a local Irish food web.
• Identify three significant threats to Irish biodiversity, such as habitat loss and invasive species.
• Compare a high-biodiversity habitat with a low-biodiversity habitat using Irish examples.
• Propose two actions that individuals or communities can take to protect local biodiversity.

Key Vocabulary

Biodiversity	The variety of all living things, including plants, animals, and micro-organisms, in a particular area.
Habitat	The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
Ecosystem	A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.
Endangered Species	A species of animal or plant that is at serious risk of becoming extinct.
Food Web	A system of interconnected food chains showing how energy is transferred through an ecosystem.
Invasive Species	A non-native plant or animal that spreads and causes damage to the local environment, economy, or human health.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Biodiversity is just about the number of different animals, especially the big, rare ones.

What to Teach Instead

Biodiversity includes all living things: plants, animals, fungi, and even tiny microbes. It also includes genetic diversity within a species and the variety of different ecosystems, like bogs, rivers, and woodlands.

Common Misconception

Losing one type of insect or plant doesn't really matter.

What to Teach Instead

Every species has a role to play. For example, losing bees would mean many of our food crops wouldn't get pollinated, and losing a specific plant could mean an insect that relies on it for food would also disappear, affecting the birds that eat that insect.

Common Misconception

All forests are equally good for wildlife.

What to Teach Instead

A native Irish woodland with a variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers supports a huge range of wildlife. A commercial plantation with only one type of tree, often non-native, planted in rows creates a dark, uniform habitat that supports far fewer species.

Active Learning Ideas

Concept Mapping

School Grounds BioBlitz

Pupils work in small groups to survey a designated area of the school grounds. They use identification sheets or apps to record every plant, insect, and animal sign they can find within a set time, creating a snapshot of the school's biodiversity.

60 min·Small Groups

Concept Mapping

Irish Food Web Collapse

Give each pupil a card with an Irish plant or animal on it. Pupils use string to connect themselves to what they eat and what eats them, forming a large web across the classroom. Then, simulate a species' extinction by having one pupil drop their strings, demonstrating the knock-on effect.

30 min·Whole Class

Concept Mapping

Habitat Debate: Native Woodland vs. Sitka Spruce Plantation

Divide the class into two teams to debate the pros and cons of a native Irish oak wood versus a commercial forestry plantation. Pupils must research and argue their case based on biodiversity, economic value, and recreational use.

45 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• The role of bees and other insects in pollinating the apples, strawberries, and other crops grown in Ireland.
• How healthy peatlands and bogs help prevent flooding in local areas and store carbon to fight climate change.
• Local Tidy Towns competitions, which now have special awards for projects that promote and protect local biodiversity.
• The connection between biodiversity in our rivers, like the presence of mayflies and salmon, and the quality of our drinking water.
• The importance of our coastal habitats for both tourism and protecting towns from storm surges.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Think-Pair-Share: Pupils individually think about one threat to an Irish species, discuss it with a partner, and then share with the class. This reveals their initial understanding.

Peer Assessment

Create an 'Endangered Irish Species' profile. Pupils research and create a one-page report or poster on a species like the red squirrel, barn owl, or basking shark, detailing its habitat, diet, and the threats it faces.

Quick Check

Pupils use a traffic light system (red, orange, green) to indicate their confidence in defining key vocabulary terms and explaining the concept of a food web.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most endangered animal in Ireland?

It's difficult to name just one, but species like the curlew are critically endangered, with very few breeding pairs left in Ireland. Other highly threatened species include the freshwater pearl mussel and certain types of bats and bees.

Are new species still being discovered in Ireland?

Yes, they are. While we're unlikely to find a new mammal, new species of insects, mosses, lichens, and fungi are discovered or identified in Ireland more often than you might think, showing how much we still have to learn.

What can I do in my own back garden to help biodiversity?

You can do lots! Letting a small patch of grass grow long, planting native wildflowers for pollinators, leaving a pile of logs for insects, and putting out a shallow dish of water are all simple things that make a big difference.