Explore Your World!

Biodiversity Month Backyard BioBlitz Educator’s Guide

Subject AT A GLANCE
Science Take a firsthand look at biodiversity in your community.
Enter the Biodiversity Month Backyard BioBlitz by registering with Biodiversity Month
and reporting the total number of different plants and animals your group was able to
Skills find, including any species you were able to positively identify. Results will be collated
gathering (collecting, with other groups across the country.
observing, researching),
citizenship (working in a OBJECTIVES
group) Design and carry out a biological inventory of a natural area.

You don’t have to travel to the rainforests of the Amazon or the coral reefs of Australia to
Vocabulary discover biodiversity. Just walk out the door and you’ll find an amazing diversity of life in
biodiversity, species, backyards, vacant lots, streams and ponds, fields, gardens, roadsides, and other natural
morphospecies, rapid and developed areas. In this activity, your students will have a chance to explore the
assessment, sampling diversity of life in their community. They’ll also get an introduction to how scientists size
up the biodiversity of an area—and why it’s so hard to count the species that live there.
Time
Two sessions BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Materials Pick a day in May 2002 to conduct your Backyard BioBlitz. Schedule one session
Biodiversity Month before that date for planning with the class and one session for the survey. Register
with Biodiversity Month using the online Biodiversity Month Registration Form.
Registration Form, You will need to gather field guides and other resources about your area. Your
Backyard BioBlitz state’s Department of Natural Resources or Fish and Game Department may have
Report, copies of brochures and other information about trees, other plants, and animals in your state.
Backyard BioBlitz Your state University Cooperative Extension Office may also have resources and may
Survey know of local scientists and
naturalists who would like to
help with your Backyard
OPTIONAL - plastic BioBlitz.
bags and plastic You will need to find a
containers with lids to nearby natural area where the
collect specimens; students can conduct their
Backyard BioBlitz Survey.
thermometers; School grounds, a nearby
magnifying glasses; and park, or the grounds around a
field guides neighborhood nature center
can all work. Just be sure that
your area is safe for your
students (no broken glass or
other hazards) and that you
have the permission of the
owners if needed. For
example, if you’re using your
own school grounds, you
probably don’t need permission, but if you’re using a nearby city park, you should check
with the city parks department first. You will also need to sketch a quick “site map” for
the students. This map should show the boundaries of the study area and a rough
delineation of different plant types. For example, areas with shrubs would look different
from grassy areas (see example). Be sure to have a copy of the Backyard BioBlitz
Survey form for each student (downloadable from the Biodiversity Month Backyard
BioBlitz website). You may also want optional plastic bags and plastic containers with
lids to collect specimens, thermometers, magnifying glasses, and field guides.

This Teacher’s Guide is part of a series produced for the US Biodiversity Month by the International Biodiversity Observation Year
(IBOY) 2001-2002. More information on IBOY is at http://www.nrel.colostate.edu. 1
Explore Your World! Biodiversity Month Backyard BioBlitz Educator’s Guide
Getting to Know Biodiversity
Scientists frequently use aerial photographs or satellite
images to decide where to do their sampling. If an area they
want to study is covered by both woodlands and grasslands,
The variety of life on Earth for example, scientists will take samples in both.
Biodiversity is the variety of life around us. It includes the
variety of genes, which are tiny structures inside every living Fast Fact-Finding
cell that makes each species and individual unique. In the race to save the world’s biodiversity, scientists have
Biodiversity also includes the variety of species. Scientists developed methods to find out as much information about a
categorize living things into groups called species. Members particular habitat as quickly as they can. In such rapid
of the same species usually have a unique set of assessments, teams of scientists work together. Each
characteristics (like body shape and behavior) that distinguish member of the team has a specialty, such as botany (plants),
them from other organisms, and are able to breed to produce entomology (insects), or ornithology (birds). The team
fertile offspring. For example, morel, preying mantis, corn and members travel to the study area together, collect as much
humans are all different species. Biodiversity also includes the information as they can in the short time allowed, including
variety of Earth’s ecosystems, such as savannas, rainforests, carefully collecting specimens of individual organisms, and
coral reefs, marshes and deserts. Biodiversity is then return to their laboratories or offices to sort out and
interconnected in a web of life. Genes affect how a species identify what they found. Rapid assessments can be
looks and behaves, and the different species and their particularly effective in assessing the biodiversity of remote
interactions make up the different ecosystems. areas where it would be too expensive to employ researchers
for more extended periods of time. However, rapid
When scientists want to know what lives in a particular area or assessments provide only snapshots of what’s found in
region, they rely on a number of tools and techniques. Here’s particular areas and usually can’t cover extensive geographic
a quick look at some of them. areas.

Bird’s-Eye View Identifying the plants and animals found

Aerial photographs and satellite images can give conservation To describe the biodiversity of an area, scientists have to
biologists, wildlife managers, and others a lot of information identify the species they find. Most species have at least one
about a region. For example, different cover types such as common name. For example a puma might be called a cougar
coniferous forests, deciduous forests, or grassy areas show or a mountain lion. This can be very confusing! Scientists use
up in these pictures as different colors or patterns. Scientists Latin words to give scientific names to species. Not only does
can use the photographs to delineate features on the ground this clear up the confusion over common names but it allows
before they ever visit an area. Knowing what grows on the scientists who speak different languages to share information.
ground can be useful for predicting where animals might be, When a scientist refers to a particular plant or animal by its
whether areas could sustain certain animal populations, and scientific name they are using a combination of its genus (the
for planning strategies to manage these populations. broad group of related organisms to which it belongs) and its
Scientists can also compare pictures taken at different times species (the smaller group of more closely related organisms
to look for changes in such things as forest cover and land- to which it belongs). For example, a coyote is referred to as
use patterns. Canis latrans (Canis is the genus name and latrans is the
species name). Grey wolves, a closely related species, are
See It for Themselves Canis lupis. The genus name is capitalized and the species
No matter how much aerial photographs or satellite images name is not. The genus and species names are always
tell us about a study area, scientists like to visit the area to italicized.
see for themselves if the information they gleaned from the If a species is well-known, or has very distinct
photos is accurate. The process of going to an area to verify characteristics, it can be quite easy for a scientist to find its
information is called ground-truthing. Ground-truthing gives name from an identification key. However, sometimes the
scientists a firsthand look at the areas they’re interested in scientist may know that a particular plant or animal is different
and can help guide further studies. from the other plants or animals found, but it may take days,
weeks or even months of research to find its correct name. In
Sampling fact, if the plant or animal has never been seen before it may
Scientists rarely have the time to identify every single plant not even have a name yet. So that the scientist can include
and animal that lives in a particular area. And even if they did the species in the rapid assessment, even though he or she
have the time, it would be extremely expensive for them to do doesn’t know its name, the scientist will give it a temporary or
so. For these reasons, scientists rely on statistics to get an ‘morphospecies’ name, for example, “morphospecies 1” might
idea of species diversity. The scientists look closely at only be a hard to identify black-eyed bug, “morphospecies 2” might
small portions—or samples—of the total area they’re be an elusive silver tongued toad.
interested in. Then they use mathematics to extrapolate their
findings to the larger whole. For example, an entomologist
might sample the insects in some individual trees in the rain
forest to get an idea of species diversity throughout it.

This Teacher’s Guide is part of a series produced for the US Biodiversity Month by the International Biodiversity Observation Year
(IBOY) 2001-2002. More information on IBOY is at http://www.nrel.colostate.edu. 2
Explore Your World! Biodiversity Month Backyard BioBlitz Educator’s Guide
WHAT TO DO Do’s and Don’ts of Field Work

Do’s
A Look at Biodiversity • Do be sure that you have all the materials you
In this part of the activity, your students will have a need before you head to the study site.
chance to go outside and take a firsthand look at • Do be a careful observer.
biodiversity in their own backyard. Observation is very • Do take careful notes about what you find,
important in science. This activity is a great opportunity including information about the locations and
for students to develop their observation skills. characteristics of plants and animals.
• Do handle animals with care—and handle them as
1. Set the stage little as possible.
Ask your students to imagine that the school board is • Do return animals you find to the places where
planning to add another building to their school. One you found them.
factor that’s important in the board’s decision to build is • Do replace logs and rocks to the position you
how biodiversity might be affected by the development. found them.
The board is planning to meet in just two days to decide • Do stay within the boundaries of your study area.
whether they should add the building to the school, and • Do try to identify unknown species while you’re in
it has asked the students for a list, or inventory, of all the the field.
species found on the site. (Rapid assessments are • Do wash your hands carefully as soon as you
usually conducted because a decision about land use return to the classroom.
must be made quickly, and the species living on the land
in question are being factored into the decision. If you’re Don’ts
in a non-formal setting or if you can’t use your • Don’t damage trees or other plants by digging
schoolyard for the Backyard BioBlitz, adjust the school them up, ripping off leaves, or tearing at the bark.
board scenario accordingly.) Be careful when collecting specimens.
What kinds of things would your students need to • Don’t put anything you find—such as berries,
consider as they inventory the biodiversity of this area? leaves, mushrooms, and bark—in your mouth.
List their ideas on the chalkboard. If the students don’t Also, don’t put your fingers in your mouth until
suggest anything, ask them if there might be differences after you have returned to the classroom and
depending on the time of year. Would they expect to find washed your hands thoroughly.
the same species in areas covered by grass as in areas • Don’t chase after, yell at, or throw things at
where trees grow? Do they think the relative numbers of animals you see.
individuals, or the population sizes, of each species • Don’t touch or collect animal droppings, dead
might be important? Stress that knowing what lives in an animals, mushrooms, or human refuse such as
area, knowing where different things live within the area, bandages, broken glass, rusty cans, or needles.
and having an idea of the size of the populations of • Don’t reach under logs or rocks, crevices, or other
different living things are all important pieces of spaces if you can’t see into them.
information that wildlife managers and conservation
biologists try to find out when they investigate the
biodiversity of different land areas. Save all the
questions the students generated for the wrap-up (step listed on the survey sheet and give some examples of
7). each.
Ask your students how they think scientists find Divide the students into groups of five to seven and
answers to questions like the ones they’ve generated. explain that the team members have to work together to
(Scientists may use aerial photographs, satellite photos, design a way to fill out their sheets as completely as
and special maps; they may interview knowledgeable possible in a relatively short time. Where are they going
people and consult historical records; and they usually to look? What are they going to look for? How will they
go to the areas of interest and look at the plants and record what they find? Are they going to draw sketches
animals firsthand.) of different species, collect specimens, or take very
detailed notes? How are they going to divide up the
2. Explain the task work?
Explain to the students where their study site is located Tell them they will have only 30 minutes to work at
and pass out copies of the “site map” you sketched the site, and let them know whether they’ll be able to
earlier. Also pass out copies of the Backyard BioBlitz bring samples back to identify. (Remind the groups that
Survey form. Explain each of the different categories correct identification of different species is not a
necessary goal of this activity. “Green needle bush” and

This Teacher’s Guide is part of a series produced for the US Biodiversity Month by the International Biodiversity Observation Year
(IBOY) 2001-2002. More information on IBOY is at http://www.nrel.colostate.edu. 3
Explore Your World! Biodiversity Month Backyard BioBlitz Educator’s Guide
“shiny black bug” are as correct as “juniper” and “patent 6. Share results and send in the Biodiversity Month
leather beetle.” However, depending on your group and Reporting Sheet
the time you have available, you can teach your students Have the groups report on their findings and discuss the
to use field guides and incorporate accurate species processes they used. How many different living things
identification into the survey. did they find? Where did they find different things? Did
Review the “Do’s and Don’ts of Field Work,” adding they find any native species? Non-native species? Were
any additional points needed for your particular area. species evenly distributed across the site or did the
Now give the students time to work in their teams to students find greater variety in particular areas? If there
come up with their study plans. were distribution differences, where did they find the
greatest diversity? Do they think that as a group they
3. Review the study plans found everything out there? What factors might have
Once the students have designed their study plans, affected the number of species they found? For
meet with each group independently and have the group example, would they have expected to find the same
explain its design. Make sure that each group has evenly number and types of species if they’d done their
divided the amount of work to be done among the group Backyard BioBlitz at a different time of year? Or with
members, will be getting to all areas of the study site, magnifying glasses? Did one team have a way to
and has accounted for inventorying the full range of complete the investigation that worked particularly well?
species types listed on its survey sheet. What was the hardest thing about conducting their
Backyard BioBlitz? Were they surprised by anything they
4. Conduct the Backyard BioBlitz found or didn’t find?
Take the students to the study area and give them Biodiversity Month would like to learn about the
approximately 30 minutes to conduct their surveys. If plants and animals you found in your Backyard
possible ensure that each group has an adult supervisor. BioBlitz. It doesn’t matter whether you were able to
Although identification to latin species name is not the identify them to species, or if you just knew that they
main goal of this activity, you might want to have field were different from any other plant or animal found and
guides available for students to use to help identify what gave them a morphospecies name e.g. “Morphospecies
they are seeing. 1, black eyed bug,” “Morphospecies 2, silver tongued
Students can collect specimens to take back to the toad.” Compile a list of the total number of different
classroom. Pass out plastic bags and small containers plants and animals found (include both species and
for use in specimen collection. Some things should not morphospecies). Check the list very carefully for
be collected: animals, delicate or rare flowers, duplicates, so that the same type of plant or animal isn’t
dangerous plants (poison ivy and poison oak), and counted twice. It’s likely that the different groups will
endangered plants. Have the students draw sketches of have found some of the same plants and animals, but
items that should not be collected or are hard to they may have called it different things! For example,
describe. (Again, refer to the “Do’s and Don’ts of Field one group may have listed “Morphospecies 1 = black
Work.”) and red bug,” another group may have listed
“Morphospecies 13 = red winged beetle,” a third group
may have known its common name “Box elder bug,”
Don’t forget to look everywhere, including: while another group may have even found out its
• on the ground scientific name Leptocoris trivittatus. By talking as a
• on tree trunks group and discussing what the species looked like and
• in tree branches where it was found, you can tell whether or not these
• in leaf litter different names in fact refer the same species.
• on plant stems and leaves When you have your final list of the different plants
• under and around logs and animals found, fill in and submit the on-line
• under rocks Backyard BioBlitz Report form. Please also send us any
digital photographs or pictures about your Backyard
BioBlitz.
5. Finalize findings Biodiversity Month will use the Backyard
Give the teams time to review and identify what they BioBlitz Report form to collect information from
found, and consolidate information. Have them make schools and youth groups across America to find
notes on the sketch of the area to indicate where certain out how many species were counted in backyards
things were found or where animals or plants were across America, which had the most species, and
concentrated. You may even have the students prepare which had the coolest and most unexpected or
a presentation around any specimens they collected to unusual species. Every school’s results will be
share with the class. posted on the Biodiversity Month webpage.

This Teacher’s Guide is part of a series produced for the US Biodiversity Month by the International Biodiversity Observation Year
(IBOY) 2001-2002. More information on IBOY is at http://www.nrel.colostate.edu. 4
Explore Your World! Biodiversity Month Backyard BioBlitz Educator’s Guide
7. Wrap up Resources
Do they think these kinds of rapid assessments are
useful? What kinds of organisms have they probably
missed? (It’s often difficult to find all the species in an
D Your state Department of Natural Resources or
Fish and Wildlife Department.
area in a short amount of time. Because animals tend to
come and go from different areas, they can be missed if D Your state University Extension Office.
the amount of time spent looking for them is too short.
Very small or microscopic organisms can be hard to find
D All the Birds of North America by Jack L. Griggs
(Harper Collins, 1997).
and identify. Also, there are often seasonal changes in
the organisms in an area, so an inventory conducted at D The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North
one time of year might be very different from an American Birds: Eastern Region by John
inventory of the same area at a different time of year. Bull(Knopf, 1995).
But despite their problems, rapid assessments are often
very useful because they are a way to quickly get a good
D The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North
American Birds: Western Region by John Farrand
idea of the diversity of species in an area. When time is (Knopf, 1994).
short, a BioBlitz may be the only way to go.)
D The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North
------------------------------ American Mammals by John Whitaker (Knopf,
Assessment 1996).
Have each student write a mystery movie review of the
“Backyard BioBlitz” that the class conducted. The
D The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North
American Trees: Eastern Region by Elbert L. Little
critique should identify which members of the teams (Knopf, 1998).
played what roles in the blitz, weaknesses in the “plot” or
in their study plans, how the blitz was organized D The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North
(directed), and so on. Encourage the students to use the American Trees: Western Region by Elbert L. Little
movie metaphor to look for strengths and weaknesses in (Knopf, 1998).
the Backyard BioBlitz as an assessment of diversity of D The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North
an area. American Wildflowers: Eastern Region by John
Thieret (Knopf, 2001).
Unsatisfactory—The student does not use the movie
metaphor, critique the Backyard BioBlitz, or complete the
D The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North
American Wildflowers: Western Region by Richard
activity. The student does not complete any part of the
Spellenberg (Knopf, 2001).
assessment requirements.
Satisfactory—The student uses the movie review to D Eco-Inquiry by Kathleen Hogan (Kendall/Hunt
identify both what happened in the Backyard BioBlitz Publishing Company, 1994).
and the different roles of individuals in conducting the
diversity measurement.
D Global Biodiversity: Status of the Earth’s Living
Resources edited by Brian Groombridge (Chapman
Excellent—The student uses the movie review to and Hall, 1992).
identify strengths and weaknesses in the Backyard
BioBlitz as it was conducted and the use of a Backyard D Yuck! A Big Book of Little Horrors by Robert
BioBlitz in general for measuring diversity. Snedden (Simon and Schuster, 1996).

Writing Idea
D The World Wildlife Fund WOW: Windows on the
Wild, a biodiversity magazine.
Have your students write an article explaining the http://www.worldwildlife.org/window/overv.html
process they used to collect their data, including any
conclusions they may have drawn during the activity. D American Museum of Natural History. Biodiversity:
It Takes All Kinds to Make a World
Extension http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/it_takes_all_kin
If you use a natural area for this activity, you can have ds/
students keep track of changes in it from season to This Educator's Guide has been adapted with
season and year-to-year by comparing their data with permission from Biodiversity Basics: An Educator’s
that collected by other groups in the past. You can also Guide to Exploring the Web of Life, pages 134-143,
do an urban blitz to identify the plants and animals that published by World Wildlife Fund, ©1999 , as part of
live in a city block. the Windows on the Wild environmental education
program .

This Teacher’s Guide is part of a series produced for the US Biodiversity Month by the International Biodiversity Observation Year
(IBOY) 2001-2002. More information on IBOY is at http://www.nrel.colostate.edu. 5
Explore Your World! Biodiversity Month Backyard BioBlitz Educator’s Guide

This Teacher’s Guide is part of a series produced for the US Biodiversity Month by the International Biodiversity Observation Year
(IBOY) 2001-2002. More information on IBOY is at http://www.nrel.colostate.edu. 6