WANTED!
Invasive Species Profile Poster or Commercial Summative Assignment
The Situation
Invasive species of all types have been an environmental concern in Canada since early European exploration.
These species threaten the stability and health of Canada’s aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and thus, they must
be caught and serve time for their crimes! You will conduct research on an invasive specie of your choice to learn
about its origins, pathways, effects on the ecosystem in which it lives and what is being done to stop it’s ecological
destruction.
Your Task
You work for Natural Resources Canada and your job is to become an expert on your invasive specie so that you
can do your best to catch the offender. You will either create a WANTED! Profile poster of your invasive specie or a
short 1-2 minute tv commercial. See the format example below and talk to you teacher if you would like to do the
commercial. You can choose your invasive specie from the list below. If you would like to do a different invasive
specie in Canada, see your teacher before you begin.
Aquatic Species
*Round Goby
*Grass Carp
*Zebra Mussels
*Asian Carp
*Fish Hook Water Flea
*Tubenose Goby
*Rusty Crayfish
*Alewife
*Quagga Mussel
*Spiney Water Flea
*Sea Lamprey
*Rudd
Insects
*Asian long horn beetle *Mountain Pine Beetle *Pine Shoot Beetle
*Sirex Woodwasp
Plants
*Eurasian water - milfoil *Purple loosestrife
*Dames rocket
*Garlic mustard
*Common buckthorn
*Phragmities
*European frogbit
*Flowering rush
*Reed canary grass
*Fanwort
*Norway Maple
*Dog Strangling Vine
*Tartarian honeysuckle
Poster Instructions (Front)
Create a professional 8 ½ x 11 poster (digitally or by hand) that includes the following information on the front:
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A mug shot photograph (centre) in addition to two other smaller photographs
Scientific name
Aliases (if any)
Physical description
Place of origin
Pathway into Canada/Ontario and means of arrival
Current habitat location(s)
Place in the food web
Victims: what species does it directly and/or indirectly affect in the ecosystem? (ie. what does it compete with, hunt
etc. 2-3 sentences)
Caution: Impacts on the aquatic and or terrestrial ecosystem (2 paragraphs min.)
Poster Instructions (Back)
On the back of your poster, you will identify what is currently being done to address the spread and destruction of
the invasive specie in Canada and by whom. You will also evaluate the effectiveness of the actions being taken by
rating the plans/policies/actions’ success out of 10 (1=very ineffective, 10= extremely effective) and providing a
rationale for your rating. You should identify 1-2 actions that should or could be done to improve the
plans/policies/actions in order to protect the biodiversity in our ecosystems. Your suggestions must be realistic and
sustainable.
* Your evaluation of what is being done should be written using proper paragraph structure and be at least 3
paragraphs in length.
* Include a properly formatted APA or MLA bibliography with a minimum of three (3) different sources. Place your
bibliography on the back of the poster. You do not need embedded citations for this assignment.
Resources:
Natural Resources Canada
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
WANTED! Invasive Specie Poster/Commercial Assignment
Category
Level 1
(50-59)
Level 2
(60-69)
Poster/commercial
content demonstrates
limited degree of k/u
about the invasive specie
characteristics
Poster/commercial
content demonstrates
some degree of k/u
about the invasive specie
characteristics
Poster/commercial
content demonstrates
considerable degree of
k/u about the invasive
specie characteristics
Poster/commercial
content demonstrates
extremely high degree of
k/u about the invasive
specie characteristics
Direct and indirect
impacts on ecosystems
are not identified and/or
accurate. Further
research needed.
Direct and indirect
impacts on ecosystems
are not accurate. Further
research needed.
Direct and indirect
impacts on ecosystems
are somewhat accurate.
Further research needed.
Direct and indirect
impacts on ecosystems
are accurate
Direct and indirect
impacts on ecosystems
are thorough and
extremely accurate
Actions currently being
taken are not identified,or
are not fully explained or
understood. Limited to no
evidence of critical
thought in evaluation of
these actions.
Suggestions for
improvement are not
included.
Actions currently being
taken are identified,but
not fully explained or
understood. Limited
critical thought evident in
evaluation of these
actions. Suggestions for
improvement are
unrealistic and/or
unsustainable.
Actions currently being
taken are identified, and
somewhat accurate.
Some critical thought
evident in evaluation of
these actions.
Suggestions for
improvement are realistic
in parts.
Actions currently being
taken are identified, and
accurate. Critical thought
evident in evaluation of
these actions.
Suggestions for
improvement are realistic
and sustainable.
Actions currently being
taken are identified, and
extremely accurate. High
degree of critical thought
evident in evaluation of
these actions.
Suggestions for
improvement are realistic
and sustainable.
Application
Proper MLA or APA
bibliography of at least 3
sources.
/5
Bibliography is not
included or does not
meet the expectations.
Bibliography is included
but does not conform to
APA or MLA format.
More sources and/or
variety of sources
required. Many sources
are unreliable.
Bibliography is included
but does not fully
conform to APA or MLA
format. More sources
and/or variety of sources
required. Not all sources
are reliable.
Bibliography is formatted
using APA or MLA format
and includes a variety of
reliable sources.
Bibliography is properly
formatted using APA or
MLA format and includes
a wide variety of reliable
sources.
Communication
Organization, clarity,
image selection, and
appeal/presentation
/10
Poster/commercial does
not follow the expected
format.
Poster/commercial is
lacking clear organization
and structure. Visuals
are difficult to discern or
irrelevant.
Poster/commercial is
somewhat organized,
professional and
appealing incorporating
some relevant visuals.
Poster/commercial is
well organized,
professional and
appealing incorporating
relevant visuals/images.
Poster/commercial is
extremely well organized,
professional and
appealing incorporating
relevant visuals/images.
Mechanics (spelling,
grammar, sentence
structure, tense shifts)
/5
Spelling and /or
grammatical errors
detract from
poster/commercial script
content. Poster needs to
be reviewed for
mechanical errors.
Spelling and /or
grammatical errors
detract from
poster/commercial script
content. Poster needs to
be reviewed for
mechanical errors.
Poster/commercial script
includes several spelling
and /or grammatical
errors. Report needs to
be reviewed for
mechanical errors.
Poster/commercial script
includes a few spelling
and /or grammatical
errors. Report has been
edited for mechanical
errors.
Poster/commercial script
is free from spelling and
grammatical errors.
Report has been edited
for mechanical errors.
Knowledge and
Understanding
Content about invasive
specie characteristics
/7
Direct and indirect
impacts, effects on
ecosystems
/8
/15
Thinking
Identification and
evaluation of
actions/policies/plans
Suggestion for
improvement
/10
TOTAL:
Does not meet
standard
Poster/commercial
content does not meet
the minimum
requirements.
Level 3
(70-79)
Level 4
(80-100)
/45
* If you are doing a commercial, you must submit your written script that includes all of the information identified in the
rubric above.
See the example of the WANTED poster in class or on our handouts page.