There are unlimited possibilities in the home school setting for having fun learning about aquatic invasive species. By learning the species that are of concern to you locally and their effects on the local environement, economy and human health, your child can gain a connection between learning scientific concepts and their real-world applications. We suggest you get started by watching our Introductory PowerPoint, then reviewing the species guides to find out what is of interest to your child. Follow that interest by working with your child to learn more about that species, and then do a hands-on project in science and/or art.

Here are some lessons from the Menace to the West Curriculum you might want to try:

  • Design the Ultimate Invader
  • Create a Poster
  • On the Trail of a Snail - Students pretend to be “invasion investigators” and investigate the appearance of a mysterious new snail in their local creek. Students research the identity and ecology of this new, mysterious snail, and then design experiments to understand its impact.
  • Become a Responder! - Learn to identify some of the invasive species that are issues where you live, then have a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood or local park to see how many you can find.

Take action by volunteering for your local watershed council or county or city government to help them remove invasive species or restore native habitat.