Biodiversity and Humans Science Games

In this series of games, your students will learn about the importance of biodiversity and the impact of human activity on ecosystems. The Biodiversity and Humans learning objective
— based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts they drive home.

Concepts Covered

Biodiversity is the variety of living things that share a habitat. High biodiversity is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Without it, changes to the population of one species can have drastic consequences for the rest of the ecosystem.

Some human activities, like conservation efforts, can have a positive effect on biodiversity. Others, such as deforestation, pollution, and climate change, can have a negative effect. Natural phenomena, like plate tectonics and natural disasters, can also affect biodiversity.

Just like every other organism, humans rely on natural resources for survival. Animals and plants provide food and medicine, clean water keeps us hydrated, and materials like wood, clay, and rocks give us shelter. Decreased biodiversity leads to decreased availability of these resources.

Ecosystems also play a role in climate control. In photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂), controlling how much of it is in the air. Tall trees produce shade, which also controls temperature. When we chop down too many trees at once, it affects both short- and long-term climate patterns, which affects an area’s biodiversity.

This isn’t just true about trees. Any time humans overuse resources, it harms the biodiversity of ecosystems. To be able to use the resources we need in the long term, we must keep our ecosystems healthy and balanced.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.

You can access all of the games on Legends of Learning for free, forever, with a teacher account. A free teacher account also allows you to create playlists of games and assignments for students and track class progress. Sign up for free today!