Bio-What?
If you said the word “Bioblitz” a few years ago to a group of people, young or old, most would not have known what it was. Nowadays, there are a small number of people throughout the world who have participated in or have heard of a BioBlitz. This activity is becoming more popular and with good reason.
The definition of a Bioblitz is a 24-hour count of all living species in a selected area. These species include ground cover, trees, birds, mammals, microorganisms, etc. It is not the tally of each and every living species but how many different species are found in that area.
This idea, originating at the University of Connecticut, was started for a few reasons: to raise public awareness about the array of life that exists in an immediate area, to excite students about science, to collect data, and to celebrate biodiversity. The overall reason for the University of Connecticut’s Bioblitz was so that scientists and people alike can begin to understand biodiversity and how urban parks are able to sustain this diversity.
Why do a Bioblitz with Students?
We usually hear "biodiversity" associated with the species in tropical rainforests however the diversity of life in our own schoolyard or at a local park is remarkable! All of the things that people take for granted (such as clean water, fertile soil, air to breathe, etc.) are results of different species doing a particular task that is their role in life. This biodiversity is also known as the “web of life” because it supports every living thing on the earth. By doing a BioBlitz with students, they begin to see the importance of all living species. Many students do not get a chance to do much outdoor discovery these days so the Bioblitz is a way for students to explore the outdoors, to learn about the environment and to become “experts” in identifying different species all while interacting with authentic experts and scientists.
The Searchers
Local experts, hobbyists, students, teachers and university scientists are among the searchers for the BioBlitz. Students become “experts” in the identification and categorization of specific species within a group. Several nocturnal species are counted early in the evening while traps are set to catch the others that come out later during the night. The bird experts set out early in the morning to count this species.
Base Camp
Base Camp is a set of tents where species that cannot be identified by the experts in the field are brought for others to examine using microscopes and other specialist equipment. It is also where microscopic organisms are discovered and classified, where all information is recorded in a database and where the total number of species is updated and tallied.
Timing
The BioBlitz begins on a weekday afternoon. This is when traps are being made and set for the nocturnal animals. A select group of students are invited back at dusk and stay until around 11pm to record the night-time species that are found. The following morning, around 6am, the birding group arrives to count birds while the property is still relatively quiet. During the school day, students are assigned a specific area (zone) where they count all the living species they discover.
An Interdisciplinary Unit
There are many reasons to do a BioBlitz but one is that it is a real-world application of numerous academic subjects. Research has shown that when academics are tied to the real world and to students’ interests, it is more meaningful and therefore students are more engaged.
The science connection to the Bioblitz is that students are examining a variety of species, learning about the value of biodiversity and the interdependence of life forms. They develop an awareness of biological issues and begin to appreciate the biodiversity they see everyday. After the BioBlitz it is not unusual to hear students say “Watch out, don’t step on that ant!” or “Don’t kill that spider!”
The mathematics piece of the BioBlitz involves not only data collecting, but also graphing, fractions/percents, classification, categorizing and hypothesizing based on the data collected. We are hoping that students will also be able to describe any environmental/biological trends that they may see using previous BioBlitz data.
The reading link is that students learn how to extrapolate factual information from field guides and other sources such as websites. Students then apply this information to their homemade field guides that they create and utilize for the big day.
In social studies, students learn about the relationship between people, geography and the environment. They also learn how to read maps since they have to find their zone on the property in which they will be counting species.
For art, a select group of students make Audubon-style drawings of the species found. These drawings are displayed at Base Camp and then throughout the building after BioBlitz has concluded.
In technology, a group of students interview “experts” in the field, take digital pictures to document the day, and create and maintain the BioBlitz website.
All students write reflections about the BioBlitz for language arts class. Many of the students express how this event was the best part of their middle school experience. Numerous students ask if they can come back the following year to participate again.
There are many other reasons for doing a BioBlitz. These reasons include getting students more excited and involved with science, having students experience more of the outdoors, making school more applicable to students’ interests, showing how science can included all of the academic subjects, letting students interact with an assortment of occupations from the community, etc. All of these can be accomplished by doing one activity, a BioBlitz.