Teaching students about biodiversity, or the variety of life on Earth, is a daunting yet exciting task. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity wants to support you in guiding students through a fascinating and exciting exploration of biodiversity issues.

For our first project, we’ve designed an educational module on biodiversity and agriculture. It comprises of an online educational web portal for primary school students and five accompanying lesson plans for educators. Educators can also download the children’s web portal in a booklet format below. The resources are aimed at students in upper primary school (grades four to six), but could be adapted for other levels.

Educational booklet (teacher’s edition)

Download the biodiversity and farming booklet (teacher's edition) (pdf) HERE

Lesson plans

1. What is biological diversity?
   
2. What does biodiversity have to do with the food we eat?
   
3. How do farmers grow food around the world?
   
4. Can farming affect biodiversity?
   
5. So what do you think and feel?
   

Appendices

1. Tools for charting learning progression and for learning new vocabulary
2. Sample letter to parents
3. Sample rubrics for assessment

Glossary

Download all biodiversity and farming lesson plans (pdf) HERE.

We hope you enjoy using these lesson plans, and that your students enjoy their exploration of biodiversity and agriculture. Please write or email us with your stories, suggestions and critiques. We’d love to hear how you use the resources, and how your students respond.

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

413, Saint Jacques Street, suite 800
Montreal, QC, H2Y 1N9
Canada
Tel: +1 514 288 2220
Fax: +1 514 288 6588
E-Mail: secretariat@cbd.int