Kristin+Price-Endangered+Animals

Project 2: Endangered Animals

I chose endangered animals for my inquiry topic. The two grade levels that will be participating in this inquiry project are second grade and fifith grade. Second grade students will have more difficulty in identifying an endangered animal, identifying in-depth questions, and accessing appropriate information from various sources. Therefore, the process with be very controlled with limited choices. A list of endangered animals will be provoided as well as a graphic organizer to help them focus their questions. Students will also be provided with sources in order to control the research process. The fifth grade group will have much more freedom in this process. Although they also will be provided with a list of endangered animals to choose from, they will create their own list of questions, and will search for their own information.

2.4.1 Observe and identify different external features of plants and animals and describe how these features help them live in different environments. 2.4.2 Observe that and describe how animals may use plants, or even other animals, for shelter and nesting. 2.4.3 Observe and explain that plants and animals both need to take in water, animals need to take in food, and plants need light. 2.4.4 Recognize and explain that living things are found almost everywhere in the world and that there are somewhat different kinds in different places.
 * Second Grade Standards:**

Information Standard: 1.1.3 Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding. (Stripling & Hughes-Hassell pg. 50: “students are not only problem-solvers but problem-posers. They develop a sense of ownership for the knowledge they are acquiring and are responsible for their own and others’ learning. The skills they demonstrate go far beyond recitation and regurgitation. Students listen and question, visualize and connect, examine and challenge. They collaborate and support others. They are teachers as well as learners.”) Day 1: Read aloud __V is for Vanishing: An Alphabet of Endangered Animals__ by Patricia Mullins. Discuss the meaning of endangered, general reasons for animals being endangered, and what animals are considered endangered. Have students fill out the K & W sections of their KWL. Day 2: Discuss the meaning of the words: environment, needs, and dangers. In small groups brainstorm questions that would help us gather more information about an endangered animal’s environment. Have each student choose 1 question for their chart. Repeat this process for needs and dangers. Day 3: Have students choose a book source for their research. Have students use the information found in a book to answer their 3 questions, and write down the information on their chart. Day 4: Have students log onto the computers and use the list of township approved research sites to find information that answers their 3 questions, and write down the information on their chart. Day 5: Have students use the information they found about their animal to create a poster about that animal. Have students fill out the L section on their KLW. Day 6: Have students take turns sharing their posters.

Student Materials: 

** 5.4.2 Observe and describe that some living things consist of a single cell that needs food, water, air, a way to dispose of waste, and an environment in which to live. 5.4.4 Explain that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some do not survive as well, and some cannot survive at all. 5.4.5 Explain how changes in an organism’s habitat are sometimes beneficial and sometimes harmful
 * Fifth Grade Standards:

Information Standard: 1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions. (Callison & Preddy page 179: "Children are naturally curious, but as humans they need help organizing, making selections, prioritizing, and eventually gaining focus on what is meaningful to both themselves and their likely audiences.”) Day 1: Read aloud __Gone Wild__ by David McLimans. Discuss the meaning of endangered and the possible reasons for animals being endangered. Discuss why it is important for us to know why animals are endangered and do something to help them. Day 2: Brainstorm questions that will need to be answered in order to have a true understanding of the animal and why it is endangered. Day 3: Make a chart as a group defining important vs. unimportant information. Discuss how to identify when a source is good and informative or when it contains unnecessary information. Brainstorm a list of possible appropriate research sources (i.e. encyclopedia, nonfiction book, etc) <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Day 4: Allow students to research their information and fill out the note pages. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Day 5: Continue research. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Day 6: Walk students through how to create a basic PowerPoint presentation: creating a new presentation, changing slide setup, changing background, font, etc. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Day 7: Allow students to work on PowerPoint presentations. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Day 8: Allow students to work on PowerPoint presentations. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Day 9: Have students take turns presenting their information. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Day 10: Have students take turns presenting their information. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> Student Materials:

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Lesson Comparison: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Although both of these lessons focused on endangered animals, both lessons were different in expectations. Second grade students will be limited in their abilities to create questions, seek out, and evaluate sources of information. Therefore, I focused their inquiry skill on the ability to create questions and choose questions to best fit their inquiry project. In groups, the students would brainstorm questions to go with categories, but they ultimately would be responsible for choosing one question for each category for their projects. They then would be required to use two sources to find information about their topic. However, I limited them to one book source and one online source as to limit the choices of information sources. I felt this was best for controlling the focus and course for the second grade students. The fifth grade students would also be brainstorming questions, but in broader terms. The students would then be required to choose more inquiry questions. The fifth grade students would be focusing on choosing the sources that best fit their needs. Their skill would be to evaluate sources as they’re seeking information. They then would create a technology based outcome for their projects. Both groups would ultimately be required to present their projects to the rest of the group. Tamara Stevenson Additional Plans for Grade 7

1. Introduce students to the IUCN Red List (World Conservation Union) Conservation Status and the US Endangered Species Conservation Status. Compare and contrast the rankings which include extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vunerable, threatened, conservation dependent, near threatened, and least concern (IUCN Red List), with the terms extinct, endangered, threatened, delisted (US). 2. Each student should choose a species that falls into one of these categories, that has over time, moved from one ranking to another. (Example:Siberian Tiger which has over the years has been categorized in many ranks and is now considered critically endangered) 3. Student will research this species' history guided by their inquiry questions that they have formulated according to their own thoughts and curiosities on this topic. Consider information that may address the reason as to why they have moved among the ranks, (natural and /or man-made occurrances that have affected this movement), and present day activity that is being conducted to save or destruct their numbers. 4. Students will compile their newly found information in the form of a powerpoint, detailed brochure, videotaped newsbrief, or a comparable product. A timeline of the species and its rankings must be included.

IUCN/World Conservation List http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species#IUCN_Red_List_Endangered_species http://www.iucnredlist.org/ US Endangered Conservation Status http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species#United_States http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/statusus

Additional Lesson Plan for High School students**
 * April Pickett

Lesson Plan: 1. Begin by having the students explore this Thinkquest: http://library.thinkquest.org/25014/ 2. Once they have explored have the students break into groups and discuss what they have learned, how the material is used, and what makes this is good/bad website. 3. Tell the students that they will be creating their own website based on an endangered animal of their choice. 4. Have them brainstorm and discuss the aspects of a website and what information it should include. a. A home page that discusses the species and interesting facts about the species. b. A page for each facts listed on the home page (3-5 facts) c. Additional pages that are needed for the student to go into more detail (2-3 pages) 5. Have the students use a planning sheet in order to organize their thoughts. This is one example of a graphic organizer that they can use: http://www.edhelperclipart.com/clipart/teachers/org-mainidea3details.pdf 6. Once the students have completed their website and it has been proofread by the teacher and peers, then the lesson could be extended to a fundraising activity where the students present their endangered animal and how their parents, community, etc. can help save the species!

Additional Lesson Plan for Grade 6** Objectives:
 * Shelly Smith
 * Understand the threat to endangered species-specifically the causes, problems, possible solutions, effects on the world if the species become extinct
 * Select specific animal species to research
 * Create persuasive poster to be used in publicity campaign or create comic life presentation to be sent to the wildlife organization for use in campaign
 * Work with team members for group project
 * Present poster or comic life presentation to class

Keywords: endangered, extinct, protection, mammals, ecosystem, endangered species act, wildlife

Materials: Internet connected computers Links to the following preselected websites: Indiana wildlife mammals http://www.indianawildlife.org/lifeMammals.htm Indiana Wildlife Watch http://www.nwf.org/wildlifewatch/index.cfm?page=stateview&state=IN National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org/ Endangered Threatened Indiana Animals http://animals.about.com/od/onlinecourses/a/esa_indiana.htm World’s Rarest Mammals http://www.animalinfo.org/rarest.htm Thinkquest http://library.thinkquest.org/25014/english.index.shtml Especies Fact Sheet <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html Posterboard Pencils Markers Tape Endangered Animals Sheet Comic Life Software

Procedures: Profiler-gathers research information on the animal Ad Executive-becomes familiar with advertising strategies and persuasive techniques Publicist-creates the final product from the information gathered from two partners 8. View comic life presentation that was created as an example. [|Page_1.jpg]
 * 1) Introduce project to the class by sharing that this class has been chosen to help with a wildlife federation campaign to promote awareness of the endangered species.
 * 2) Have students view the preselected websites to become familiar with animals that are currently endangered or are facing extinction.
 * 3) Give students the animal profile sheet.
 * 4) Discuss advertising-how to make a poster or presentation interesting, persuasive, and effective.
 * 5) Brainstorm ways to make the final product appealing to the consumer. (Include statistics and facts but also how to appeal to the emotions of the audience)
 * 6) Divide into small groups of 3.
 * 7) Select jobs within the group-some examples could be:

Standards Addressed: Science: 6.2.7 Locate information in reference books, back issues of newspapers and magazines, CD-ROMs, and computer databases 6.3.16 Explain that human activities, such as reducing the amount of forest cover, increasing the amount and variety of chemicals released into the atmosphere, and farming intensively, have changed the capacity of the environment to support some life forms. Language Arts: 6.4.5 Use note-taking skills when completing research for writing. 6.5.3 Write or deliver a research report that has been developed using a systematic research process (defines the topic, gathers information, determines credibility, reports findings) and that: • uses information from a variety of sources (books, technology, multimedia) and documents sources independently by using a consistent format for citations. • demonstrates that information that has been gathered has been summarized. • demonstrates that sources have been evaluated for accuracy, bias, and credibility. • organizes information by categorizing and sequencing, and demonstrates the distinction between one’s own ideas from the ideas of others, and includes a bibliography (Works Cited). Information Literacy: Standard 1 The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively. = Standard 3 The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively. = = Standard 6 The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation. = Standard 9 The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.