A challenge for introductory students in conservation biology is to understand how different environmental and human factors – in particular, density-dependent and density-independent factors – can interact to increase extinction risk in species. To enhance students' processing of sometimes dry and challenging material, we use a kinetic exercise in which students become an endangered animal, move around their environment, and act out a series of scenarios that highlight how species can be driven down a path toward extinction.

A challenge for introductory students in conservation biology is to understand how different environmental and human factors – in particular, density-dependent and density-independent factors – can interact to increase extinction risk in species. To enhance students' processing of sometimes dry and challenging material, we use a kinetic exercise in which students become an endangered animal, move around their environment, and act out a series of scenarios that highlight how species can be driven down a path toward extinction.

Conservation employers have long valued the in-depth, highly technical training provided by graduate and undergraduate environmental science curricula. However, employers also highly value communication and critical-thinking skills beyond research science, especially the ability to make management decisions within sociopolitical, financial, and ecological contexts. I developed and implemented a budgeted management plan assignment in lower- and upper-level courses in biology and environmental studies programs at an undergraduate liberal arts college. Students must develop specific, assessable conservation objectives to manage a population within a budget that limits available money, time, and sociopolitical will. Students must conduct extensive scientific literature reviews, then decide which of 89 actions will be most cost-effective. Instructors and students responded positively to the assignment, particularly noting difficulty, realism, and interdisciplinarity as defining features, especially in comparison to more traditional field lab reports. The resulting writing assignment involves little class time and instructor supervision, can be customized for both advanced undergraduate and secondary education curricula, and involves high critical-thinking skills in all four cognitive dimensions of learning as described by Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) .

Biodiversity encompasses the variety within and between species in an environment. Native communities host a diverse array of species and interactions among members. Invasions by non-native species reduce biodiversity and a community's ability to support diverse assemblages, and are among the largest drivers of modern species extinctions. The Keep It Native Demonstration (KIND) Garden demonstrates the differences between invaded and intact plant communities. Utilizing this resource, we developed an inquiry-based activity for grades 5–7 that focused on observational data. Student groups recorded the number of animal and plant species in multiple habitat types. We then compiled data from the separate groups and averaged the number of species observed in each habitat type. The results were graphed to enable students to visualize the differences in species diversity among habitats. This exercise illustrated differences in species richness and diversity between invaded and native plant dominated areas, and allowed students to begin initial data interpretation. We provide methods for this activity, strategies for implementing the activity on other sites, and adaptations to accommodate different grade levels and the associated Next Generation Science Standards.

Children today do not spend as much time outside as they did in previous generations; consequently, they are not building connectedness to nature and are less likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviors. Environmental education is one way to ameliorate this problem. However, teachers are limited by their access to natural habitats, time, and field expertise. To address both of these issues, I present an inquiry-based activity for both Advanced Placement and general high school biology that requires students to spend time in nature, use authentic field methods for collecting data, and apply their findings to pertinent conservation issues. This four-day activity uses a simplified approach, called the meter stick random sampling method, to measure plant biodiversity of different local habitats. Time-efficient and not reliant on species identification, this method is designed so students can repeat this procedure in their backyards or at a local nature preserve. The data can be used to discuss how human disturbance of habitat affects biodiversity, the importance of biodiversity for the stability of ecosystems, and how to restore biodiversity locally.

The academic fields of conservation biology and wildlife management have become highly interdisciplinary. The political, economic, sociological, and ethical dimensions within these fields must be studied and considered by students as conservationists put their management plans into practice. This paper presents a semester-long project for undergraduates in which they design a comprehensive interdisciplinary management plan that will enhance their understanding of conservation and wildlife management.

Undergraduates in ecology and conservation biology courses often lack a clear understanding of how to do fieldwork and utilize data analysis to answer complex questions. This is unfortunate, because with proper training these students could identify and address some of today's most pressing environmental issues. I present a simple, problem-based learning activity that provides students a new approach to understanding two important topics in the environmental sciences – how biodiversity is distributed across landscapes and how habitat loss can affect this biodiversity. This activity helps students explore foundational concepts in biology, enables them to collect data in a simplistic field setting, and introduces them to statistical analyses and modeling. In addition, it also teaches students how to ask questions, synthesize data, and address an issue using the same approaches that conservation practitioners utilize in the real world.

Invasive species, defined as exotic species that reach pest status, are major threats to global biodiversity. Although invasive species can belong to any taxonomic group, general characteristics such as rapid growth and reproduction are shared by many invasive species. “Invented Invaders” is a collaborative activity in which students invent and draw the “perfect” invasive species, made up of a combination of characteristics of actual invasive species in their geographic region. Students then list sustainable ways to control or manage the invented invader. This activity engages students and educates them about a continuing global problem while encouraging creativity and advocacy for the environment.

The opportunities for meaningful classroom learning activities are everywhere. In this article, we explain some of the little known, widespread, horrific issues associated with one aspect of the pet trade. By the time they reach high school age, many students have personally experienced the end result of the deplorable business practices on which the commercial exploitation of pet turtles has developed. We provide suggestions for student-based activities that will draw local attention and provide solutions to the issues. These, in turn, could lead to broader resolution of the problem.

Students discover the factors contributing to species losses worldwide by conducting a project about endangered species as a component of a larger classroom theme of biodiversity. Groups conduct research using online endangered- species databases and present results to the class using PowerPoint. Students will improve computer research abilities as well as develop organizational, writing, and public-speaking skills. This topic can be used for most educational levels by adjusting the difficulty of the content.

Students observe a tree bud from late winter until it sprouts. They learn to use dichotomous keys to identify their tree. The activity is inquiry-based; students predict when their bud will open and what it will become. Student drawings, quotes, and data are included to exemplify the process. The activity can be used to teach plant vocabulary and differentiation as well. It can be adapted to any grade level –– from elementary school to college.