This lesson provides students with an overview of some endangered species and of the ways that human activities contribute to species endangerment. When studying these topics, it is important to provide students with a sense of optimism and to help them figure out ways they can help protect species. Students will be asked to devise their own species protection plans.

Geography, current events, biology, zoology

Standard 8: "The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface"
Standard 14: "How human actions modify the physical environment"

Three to four hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Endangered Species Chart (provided)
• Writing materials

Students will

• complete the Preserving Biodiversity family activity;
• describe reasons why biodiversity is important;
• research and take notes on five endangered species;
• discuss the ways that human activities contribute to declining biodiversity; and
• devise plans to help protect endangered species.

Have students go through the Preserving Biodiversity activity to learn about some endangered animals. They should see how many animals they can match with the correct ecoregion.

Define the terms "biodiversity," "threatened," and "extinct." Definitions are available at the Bagheera Web site glossary. Ask students to describe some of the reasons why they think biodiversity is important, and list their ideas on the board.

Have each student or pair of students go to the Bagheera site and choose five vanishing species to read about. On the chart provided, have them list the species and take notes on each species' geographical range, habitat, and reasons for endangerment.

Discuss as a class the ways that human activities contribute to declining biodiversity. What reasons did they write in the right-hand column of their charts? What human impacts have students read about in this lesson? What human impacts were they already aware of? What human impacts do they think occur close to their homes? Can these impacts be curtailed, or do people need to continue these activities?

Have students get into groups of three or four, and ask the groups to brainstorm about things they can do to help protect endangered species. They should list as many ideas as they can think of.

Have each group choose one of its ideas and write a plan for how the class could carry the idea out. The plan may focus on one species or may be relevant to endangered species in general. It must consist of

• an explanation of why the plan is a good one and what it will accomplish;
• a list of the steps that would need to be taken;
• a list of the species that will benefit from the plan; and
• a description of the difficulties that might be associated with this plan (e.g. in what ways might this plan be difficult to carry out?).

Have the groups present their plans to the class, and discuss as a class the benefits and feasibility of implementing each plan. As an option, have the class vote on one of the plans to actually implement over the next few weeks or months.

• Have students research Internet or print resources to find out about things that kids are already doing to help save endangered species. Which of these activities are similar to the ones your students devised? Which activities do they think would be the most effective in helping the animals they have learned about?
  
  
• Have students use the Internet, print resources, or a local conservation organization to find out about an endangered species near their home. Ask them to research the animal's range, habitat, and food sources and to find out about the human activities that are contributing to its endangerment. Have them write editorials for their local newspaper in which they describe this animal's situation and explain how people can modify their activities to help the animal.

Bagheera: A Web Site for Endangered Species
Environmental Protection Agency
National Geographic: Xpeditions Activity—Preserving Biodiversity
World Wildlife Fund