A Balancing Act

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There are five major causes of animal extinction. Students will learn about these causes and the animals that are, and have been, affected by them. Students are always interested in endangered and extinct animals.

OBJECTIVE

Students will:

1. Access prior knowledge about threatened, endangered, and extinct species.
2. Categorize photos of living things onto a continuum with the main points (extinct, endangered, threatened, and safe) for use as a formative assessment.
3. Generate a list of questions about endangered species.
4. Sort various scenarios into categories.
5. Develop a list of the five possible reasons why animals become extinct.
6. Learn the acronym HIPPO as a way of remembering causes of extinction.
7. Inquire about a specific endangered animal and how human choices play a role in their sustainability.
8. Utilize the Internet and books to learn about an endangered animal.
9. Create a presentation on an endangered animal.

LESSONS FOR THIS UNIT
Lesson 1: Launching an Inquiry into Endangered Animals
Lesson 2: Learning the Causes of Extinction
Lesson 3: Enriching Student Inquiry into Endangered Animals

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Have students prepare a poster about the animals they studied to go along with their endangered animal presentation. Hang these posters in a hallway and invite other classes to do a "gallery walk" of the posters.

SUPPORTING BOOKS

Books for Teaching about Endangered Animals

ARTICLE	Why We Care An animal's extinction can interfere with nature's order and eventually harm people.
LESSON PLAN	Learning the Causes of Extinction Students will create a list of reasons why animals can become extinct.
ONLINE ACTIVITY	Soar with Bats Watch and learn about bats and the mysteries surrounding these flying mammals with expert Dr. Nancy Simmons from the American Museum of Natural...