Yakima WATERS Mini Lesson
Shrub Steppe Ecological Investigation
Targets and Assessment
WA Science GLEs Addressed:
 Science LS2C
 Science LS2D
 Science LS2E
Lesson Parameters
Content Area: Biology
Overview: Investigate the Shrub Steppe ecosystem with a
focus on native and invasive plant species
Grade Level: 9-11
Assessments:
 Identify and estimate composition of native and
invasive species
 Analyze and graph results
Suggested Time: 1 hour
Special Materials: Sampling equipment
 Precut 4 m strings
 Yard sticks
 Science journals
 Plant ID guides
 Colored construction shapes
Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge: Plant species presence and composition can be used to evaluate the health of a terrestrial
system and analyze degree of shrub step degradation.
Skill: Identify native and invasive species common to White Swan in order to
 Compare native and non-native percent cover
 Compare plant type percent cover of
o Shrub
o Grass
o Forbs
o Cryptogenic soil
Science Concept Background:
Composition of plant types (biodiversity) and percent native species are reliable indicators of
environmental quality because they are highly adapted and slow growing making them sensitive to habitat
disturbance and invasive species. These organisms often live in association with other particular organisms
and their presence or absence can indicate habitat degradation problems.
Materials:
 Field equipment
 Weeds of the West, Whitson
 Northwest Arid Lands: an introduction to the Columbia Basin Shrub Steppe, O’Connor and Weida
 Singing grass, burning sage- Discovering Washington’s Shrub Steppe, Nisbet
Procedure:
Key questions: What are the dominant species? What signs of disturbance exist?
Once in the shrub steppe, divide students into groups of three and provide each group with materials (meter
stick, string, and plant identification guide). In an open area of the site set up a quadrat using pre-cut 4m
strings and scatter colored paper pieces within the quadrat. Guide the entire class through estimating the
percent of the quadrat covered by each color, which represents a different plant species, by imagining the
quadrat in four quarters and then in 1/8 if necessary. Students should then break into groups and estimate
percent cover for each species and cryptogamic soil within four separate, random plots. Upon returning to the
classroom, students should be directed to enter their data into an Excel spreadsheet and graph their results by
species and then by in combined categories of native and invasive species.
Extension(s):
Write a research proposal designed to answer a specific question about the shrub steppe.
Teaching Tips:
Try to oversee at least one of each groups’ quadrat samples.
Supplements:
Copies of pages from plant ID guides that contain all species present at shrub steppe site (one per
group).
Author: Michelle Lester, Yakima WATERS Project, CWU, 2009-2010