The United States is a huge country with an enormous amount of natural resources. Abundant wildlife, fertile lands, and the promise these resources held attracted early immigrants to America from Europe and elsewhere. The richness of American ecosystems opened the door to settlement. Settlement has now altered, and in many places threatens, those ecosystems. Development through farming, industry, and construction and overuse of our land contributes to the fragmentation of the land and opens the door to new settlers—invasive plant species. Literally thousands of invasive plant species have been introduced to the United States , intentionally and unintentionally. Land owners and land managers seeking to protect the unique ecosystems in the United States now face the challenge of halting the destruction caused by invasive plant species. Invasive plant species rank second to habitat destruction in causing disruption to our ecosystems.

This curriculum is designed for teachers who want to integrate the topic of invasive weeds in the classroom, develop weed awareness, and provide students in grades K to 12 with an understanding of the serious problem of invasive weeds.

Invasive weeds are a problem that affects all communities, regardless of whether invasive weeds exist in your community. Invasive weeds are the single most serious threat to biodiversity that our country faces today. As invasive weeds out-compete native plants, wildlife habitat is destroyed and degraded, soil erodes, and the aesthetic value of land decreases. Invasive weeds are also an economic burden, costing landowners and government agencies billions of dollars annually to control weeds and in the loss of crops and forage.

Students need to understand invasive plant issues within their community, be aware of the environment’s level of health, and recognize factors that influence the environment’s health. This knowledge will allow students to make informed decisions regarding development, pollution, land management, and other factors that affect the quality of our life and our environment.

Teachers are often constrained by time, the need to introduce other curricular topics, and limited resources. All of the lessons in this curriculum fit within existing mandated National Science Education Standards (NSES). Many of the activities integrate social studies, art, language arts, and math components. Combine the regularly scheduled curriculum with the topic of invasive weeds. For example, teach the topic of classification in the context of invasive plant species to satisfy the regularly scheduled curriculum, while introducing the problem of invasive weeds.

The lessons in this curriculum are designed to raise awareness and educate students about the invasive weed problem. By participating in handson activities, students will learn why invasive weeds are a problem, how to identify weeds, methods to prevent or minimize the introduction of weeds, how to conduct a weed inventory, and methods of controlling weeds. Students will have the opportunity to meet local land managers to learn about weed problems in their community and how they can help. Teaching students about the invasive weed problem in a classroom setting helps students learn important skills and concepts while developing a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the environment.

Millions of acres of public lands in our western states are threatened by invasive weeds. Weeds are also a serious problem for ranchers, farmers, homeowners, and government agencies throughout the country. This curriculum is adaptable to any area of the country and any community. If you live in a city, urban area, or remote town, the weed problem affects you, your students, and everyone’s future. Adapt these lessons to suit your situation.

The curriculum organizes lessons into the seven units listed below. Each unit contains lesson plans designed for elementary, middle, and high school students. To begin using this curriculum immediately, see the lessons for the desired grade level within each unit.

Provides students with a comprehensive introduction to invasive plants. Students learn how to define invasive plants, where to find invasive plants, where invasive plants originated and how they got here, what their adaptive characteristics are, why invasive plants continue to spread, the impact of invasive plants on desirable plants, and the broader consequences invasive plants have for the environment.

Introduces the foundation of typical classification systems. Students learn the vocabulary used by classification systems, and they learn how scientists group organisms by similar characteristics as an aid to identifying organisms in the field.

Teaches students how to minimize risk situations for invasive weed infestation. Lessons focus on the importance of preventing or minimizing the introduction of weed seeds into an area, minimizing disturbance to desirable vegetation, revegetating disturbed sites with desirable plants, monitoring high risk corridors, and detecting and eradicating invasive weeds.

Teaches students how to inventory the extent of invasive plant species within a particular ecosystem and map the invasion.

Activities range from an introduction to basic schoolyard mapping to more sophisticated Global Positioning System (GPS) mapping techniques, including an introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the role GIS plays in data management.

Focuses on the methods available to remove alien species to restore healthy, functioning landscapes, and the difficulties involved in removal. Students investigate how to control alien species through Integrated Weed Management (IWM), which includes chemical, mechanical, cultural, and biological control.

Provides suggestions for how students may apply lessons learned in each unit to action-oriented problem-solving opportunities in their communities.

In an ideal situation, a school system would implement this entire curriculum, beginning with lessons designed for kindergarten and elementary school students and ending with lessons designed for high school students. For various reasons, many students will not receive the benefit of learning all the lessons in the entire curriculum. Use this curriculum even if your school system is unable to implement the curriculum in its entirety. Within each unit, teach lessons that are appropriate for your students’ grade level. If students need background information to better understand a lesson, adapt a lesson designed for younger students to your grade level. Most of all, use the information within this curriculum to teach students about weeds!

Each lesson plan within the curriculum includes introductory and background information to prepare the teacher, a step-by-step guide to exercises, lists of materials, suggestions for concluding lessons and evaluating students, a list of additional resources, and National Science Education Standards that are met by the lesson. Activities within each lesson support the learning objectives for the lesson.

Lessons are adaptable to the age and ability of students and the weed situation in your area. For example, add a math component or writing assignment to challenge students. Whenever possible, use weeds that are common to your area.

If students need more information to prepare them for a lesson, first teach a similar lesson for an earlier grade level.

Many lessons have students record information in a student Weed Journal. The Weed Journal is a record of a student’s journey on his or her way to understanding weeds. It allows students to share their knowledge with others and track their progress and accomplishments. In addition to the items mentioned in the lessons, students may include data collected in the field, reports, artwork, and creative writing. Students can add their personal touch to their journal. Students should keep the journal for use throughout the year and year-toyear.

Each lesson includes the following sections:

Some lesson plans include one or more Teacher Tips pages. These pages include additional information to help you complete the lesson plan.

Many lesson plans include a Weed Warrior Worksheet. These pages are designed for students. The worksheets include exercises, forms, additional information, or quizzes for students. Every lesson plan does not have a worksheet.