Are Hawaiis Wetlands Changing

Students first discuss and brainstorm how changes in the land can impact the wetland environment and food chains. Then students read about the introduction of non-native organisms to the islands, and the effect these organisms have on the fragile ecosystems of Hawai‘i. Students learn to identify several organisms that have altered the food chain of Hawai‘i’s coastal marshes. The class, together, diagrams the resulting food chain on the board. Students then compare the food chain they made in previous lessons with the current food chain. Lastly, students play a Wetland Predator and Prey game in which they take on the roles of native and non-native organisms.