ENDANGERED  SPECIES: 


                               Not Only Animals     
         

Objectives

• The student knows that if living things do not get food, water, shelter, and space, they will die.

• The student knows that the activities of humans affects plants and animals in many ways.

• The student describes environmental problems in the local community and collects information on and propose solutions to environmental problems.

• The student recognizes that maps and globes are utilized to provide directions as well as other types of information.

• The student examines the role of government and cite the ways in which it strives to meet the needs of the community by providing services and maintaining order.

Duration  

Two-three one-hour periods 

Advance Preparation

Display a bulletin board with a map of the world.  Students will place pins or flags on different continents as they find out more about endangered species to indicate the location of each species.  Bookmark the websites to be visited. Defenders  endangered species act  for teachers.  Look at the materials for the activities and get them before hand.

Materials FOR Activity #2

Books: The Great Kapok Tree  and  Will We Miss Them?, magazines, paper, pins, map flags,

Vocabulary 

Endangered, extinct, food chain,  population, pesticide,

EPA Glossary  from A-Z about the environment.  It can be used for all lessons. 

Procedure

1. Revisit the story The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry.  Ask the question, "What would have happened to the animals if the man would have cut the tree down?"  Have students write down a journal response to this question.

2. Share the students responses.  Ask what other animals do they know of or think may be endangered.  Why do they think that?

3. Read the Reading Rainbow book Will We Miss Them? Endangered Species by Alexandra Wright.  

4.  The student will then search for information about endangered species and create an endangered species booklet. They will choose 5 endangered species which will include at least one plant.  They will create a page for each containing the following information:

     a.  Name the endangered species along  with a picture.

     b.  Name the Continent in which the species is found.

     c.  Name and describe the biome it lives in.

     d.  Explain why the species is endangered.

      e.  If found, explain what is being done to protect it. Name Government agency or other.

5.  The student will visit the following sites to get information and create an Endangered Species Booklet. Sample Page

a. Print teachers Questionnaire and answer questions as you look at the following slide show. To be handed in with the presentation.

b. Review Slide Program  This slide show will give the student an idea on how to do their page plus get information to do their own.

c. After the student views the slide show they will take the Site Quiz and check the answers.  

NOTE TO TEACHERS:  After doing this lesson click on this site and fill out an evaluation on how the slide show helped your students.

d. EPA Save Our Species  Click on the pictures to learn more about these endangered species.

e. Get The Facts  This site gives information on many endangered animals: A picture of the animal, a description of it, the continent and habitat it lives in and the cause of being endangered.

f. FWS Endangered for Kids   Illustrations  of endangered animals that you can color for the booklet.

6. After the students finish their investigations they will pin flags on the bulletin board to show where in the world you can find endangered species. They may add a small picture of the species on the map.

7.  The student will write an expository paragraph explaining what they can do to help endangered species.

8. Activity# 2  Help the animals.  Make a bird feeder.

ExtensionS 

1. Invite a local National Park game warden or local environmentalist that can speak to the class about local endangered species and inform the students ways that they can help. Click here to get a  list of Ecological Organizations to get information on who can visit the classroom.

2. Go to this website and send an endangered species card to a friend or Epal. Tell them what you want to do to help endangered species. Blue Mountain Cards on Endangered Species  

Home learning

The student will visit this site Clipart for Kids and create an endangered species word puzzle using the names of animals that are endangered.

Assessment

1. The student will explain and describe student-created Endangered Species booklet describing and explaining five endangered species.   Rubric     

2. Questionnaire on Slide Show.

3. Locating a place on the map. Teacher Observation.

4. Expository essay explaining what the student can do to help endangered species.