Classroom Plants and Animals

Live plants and animals are valuable teaching tools! However they can also become invasive species if they escape from the classroom. By integrating the concept of invasive species into your lessons and talking about why it is important not to release, you will be helping your students take good care of the classroom plants and animals while at the same time become stewards of their local environment and community. Here are some simple things you can do:

• Never release live plants or animals!
• Learn about invasive species (build scientific skills to meet standards).
• Volunteer to remove or prevent invaders (build stewardship and community connections).

More information

"Don't Let It Loose" Poster
http://www.iiseagrant.org/Don'tLetItLoosePoster.pdf

Classroom Pet Adoption Pledge
http://www.iiseagrant.org/ClassroomPetAdoptionPledge.pdf

Aquatic Species Regulation Database
http://www.iiseagrant.org/speciesregs/

Oregon Public Broadcasting Video on Crayfish in the Classroom
http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/episodes/view/2210

Education Toolkit on Aquatic Invasive Species
http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/themes/invasives/toolkit/index.html

Research Project that looks at AIS in the classroom
http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/themes/invasives/AIS-in-the-classroom.html

FOSS/Delta Policy Statement on Living Organisms in the Classroom
http://www.lhsfoss.org/fossweb/teachers/materials/plantanimal/ethics.html

Information about invasive species from Canada
http://www.invadingspecies.com/

Ways you can prevent invasions
http://www.protectyourwaters.net/prevention/

The Urban Ocean Program at Univeristy of Southern California Sea Grant
http://www.usc.edu/org/seagrant/