BioBlitz – Discovering Biodiversity

Duration: 60-90 minutes
Subjects: Science, Language Arts, Visual Arts, Technology

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify and describe different species within a local ecosystem.
• Recognize how plants, animals, and fungi form an interconnected community.
• Record and share biodiversity observations using tools like iNaturalist or nature journals.
• Explain how biodiversity supports a healthy environment.

Materials

• Scavenger Hunt Checklist (provided below)
• Student BioBlitz journals or clipboards with paper
• Pencils or markers
• Identification tools: local field guides, class iPads, or phones with iNaturalist app
• Optional: binoculars or magnifying glasses
• Chart paper for group reflection

Curriculum Connections

Science:

• Habitats and Communities: Interdependence of living things and their environments.
• Understanding Life Systems: Observing and classifying organisms.
• Scientific Inquiry Skills: Making detailed observations, recording, and interpreting data.

Visual Arts:

• Drawing and diagramming natural features and organisms.

Language Arts:

• Oral Communication: Sharing discoveries and reflections.
• Writing: Descriptive notes and journal reflections on species and roles.

Technology:

• Using digital tools (like iNaturalist) to record and identify species responsibly.

Terms

• Biodiversity: The variety of living things in an ecosystem.
• Ecosystem: A community of plants, animals, and their environment working together.
• Habitat: The place where an organism lives and meets its needs.
• Interdependence: The way living things rely on each other to survive.
• Observation: Using your senses and tools to carefully study nature.

Instructions

Introduction

Begin with a short discussion: An animal’s home is part of a whole community of living things.

Ask: Who might live near the animal feature in our BioKit? (students might name hares, birds, insects, trees, or even people).

Explain that today they’ll be scientists conducting a BioBlitz, which is a fun challenge to find and record as many living things as possible in a set area. Note that it also helps scientists by contributing citizen science to a national database of observations.

Review safety and respect guidelines: Stay with a buddy, don’t touch animals or plants, and take photos or draw instead of collecting.

Outdoor Exploration – BioBlitz Scavenger Hunt

Head outside to a nearby green space or park, using the BioKit activity.

Give each student or pair a Scavenger Hunt Checklist or blank journal.

Encourage students to look for signs of life using all senses – sight, sound, smell, and touch (when safe).

Optional: Use iNaturalist to photograph and identify species.

Ask guiding questions:

• What role might this plant or animal play in this community?
• Is this something our animal might eat, hide under, or share space with?

Remind students to document findings in their BioBlitz journal (see template below).

Sharing

Back in class (or gathered outside), invite students to share one or two favorite discoveries.

On chart paper, create a food web which connects species with arrows showing who eats or depends on whom (e.g., bee → flower → berry bush → hare → fox).

Discuss:

• What surprised you about what you found?
• Why do you think biodiversity is important?

Emphasize that like any community, natural communities depend on many living things working together.

Reflection

Reflect as a class: What could we do to help support biodiversity where we live?

Ideas might include:

• Planting native flowers
• Protecting local habitats
• Sharing observations on iNaturalits to help scientists

Extensions

Science: Create a food web mural showing relationships among local species.

Language Arts: Write a short story from the perspective of one community member.

Technology: Continue using iNaturalist over time to build a class biodiversity map of the schoolyard.

Art: Turn sketches into a field guide, with student illustrations and captions.

Math: Graph or tally the number of plant vs. animal species found, and discuss patterns.

BioBlitz Scavenger Hunt Checklist

Animals:

• Snowshoe hare or rabbit
• Songbirds (e.g., chickadees, sparrows)
• Wild bees or pollinators
• Coyote or fox tracks
• Beaver lodge or gnawed trees
• Mice or small rodents
• Woodpecker holes or drumming sounds

Plants & Trees:

• Red maple or other local trees
• Wildflowers (e.g., goldenrod, asters)
• Berry bushes (blueberry, raspberry)
• Grass species or ferns

Signs of Life:

• Animal tracks in soil or snow
• Feathers or fur
• Nests, burrows, or dens
• Insect activity (bees, ants, caterpillars)
• Mushrooms or fungi near trees

BioBlitz Journal Template