What are Invasive Species? Activity Guide
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Provided by: The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)|Published on: March 4, 2026
Activity - ClassroomScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This activity guide introduces students to the differences between native and invasive plants through species descriptions and visual comparisons.
- The resource includes a worksheet where students identify plant types in illustrated scenes and analyze how invasive species affect biodiversity and ecosystem health.
Subjects: Biology
Authors: The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
Region: United States
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Students will enjoy coloring the images and determining the differences.
- This resource does a great job of explaining the difference between native and invasive species with simple images and examples.
Prerequisites
- Teachers may want to note that the links to additional resources at the bottom of the resource will not open in a new tab, and users will have to navigate back to the activity.
- Before students look at the two images, it may benefit them to understand biodiversity and its importance.
Differentiation & Implementation
- After this activity, students can select one species that is native to their region to research and one species that is invasive.
- To make connections to climate change, teachers can explain how warming temperatures can cause invasive species to become more prevalent and problematic. This resource uses species in Maine to explain the relationship between climate change and invasive species.
- Using the first page of the activity and other resources, students can try to identify the plants and animals in the images and label them on the picture.
This worksheet explains what native and invasive plants are and encourages students to consider how environments differ when each type of plant thrives. The worksheet does include the information needed to complete it, but depending on how this is incorporated into a class, additional information may be needed. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
National Environmental Education Foundation
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is the nation's leading organization in lifelong environmental learning, creating opportunities for people to experience and learn about the environment in ways that improve their lives and the health of the planet. NEEF is a non-partisan, non-advocacy organization working to make the environment more accessible, relatable, relevant, and connected to people's daily lives.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
