Overview
Key Considerations
Lessons
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the impacts of mitten crabs to freshwater ecosystems
- Carry out protocols accurately and with confidence
- Contribute accurate and meaningful data to support invasive species monitoring
Time Estimate
4 to 10 class periods
Audience
3-4 ·
5-8
Learning Space
Classroom ·
Outdoor
Timing and Location for Fieldwork:
This project should be conducted in either fall or spring, as the crabs are migrating. Mitten crabs spend approximately 90% of their life in freshwater and are most likely to be found along the banks of rivers and streams. During the fall, look for adult crabs at the mouth of rivers and streams or in estuaries. In the spring, look for juveniles in the banks of freshwater rivers and streams. Juveniles tend to congregate around barriers in river systems, such as dams or weirs. It is difficult to spot crabs in the winter, as they burrow in the muck.
The only materials needed for fieldwork are a device for taking photos, a small bucket for any found crabs, and the mitten crab identification resources and protocol.
Lesson 1: Crab Invasion!!
Introduce learners to the problem of invasive mitten crabs with a short video introduction, exploring the project website, and a modeling game.
Estimated time: 45 to 60 minutes
Learning objectives: Students will be able to...
- Describe how invasive mitten crabs threaten freshwater ecosystems
- Explain the relevance of their work beyond the classroom
Facilitator Guide | Student Pages | Slides | Project Mitten Crabs Page
Lesson 2: Get ready for fieldwork
Learners practice their identification skills at interactive stations. If time permits, they can reinforce their identification and knowledge of the protocol with the online quiz game, Kahoot! and by going over the protocol in fieldwork teams.
Estimated time: 45 to 75 minute / one to two class periods (depending on whether you decide to do the additional practice)
Learning objectives: Students will be able to…
- Carry out protocols accurately and with confidence
- Identify mitten crabs
Facilitator Guide | Student Pages | Slides | Protocol and Identification Resources| Fieldwork Skills Stations | Mitten Crabs Kahoot!
Lesson 3: Collect Data
Fieldwork teams go out and look for mitten crabs and record data on what they do or do not find.
Estimated time: 60 to 90 minutes
Learning objectives: Students will be able to…
- Use information they gathered to determine whether they found or did not find mitten crabs
- Record accurate data
Lesson 4: Share what you found (or did not find)
Teams submit their data to the Ecosystem Investigation Network and share observations from the field.
Estimated time: 45 to 60 minutes
Learning objectives: Students will be able to contribute accurate and meaningful data to support invasive species monitoring.
Facilitator Guide | Student Pages | Slides | Data Entry Page | Screencast: set up a trip | Screencast: find passphrases | Discussion Forum