Endangered Species Curricula*

Grades K-4

Ecology and Endangered Species
Students will research a chosen ecosystem and produce a PowerPoint presentation or booklet entitled: My Ecosystem and Its Endangered Species.  This lesson is best suited for grade 4 and adheres to Florida Sunshine State Standards.

Elementary Ecosystems
This lesson teaches students the basics of species interdependency within an ecosystem or habitat.  Students will perform a simple simulation to see how one species can affect many others, and gain a basic understanding of the importance of biodiversity.  For older students, you may want to define and use the word "ecosystem" in the lesson.  This lesson is best suited for grades K-2 and adheres to National Geography Education Standards.

Endangered Animals Collaborative Reports
In this lesson 2nd graders will gather information about an endangered species, the panda.  After making a research web as a class, the class will work together to organize and write a research report about Pandas.  This research report will then be posted on the website Project: TESAN - The Endangered Species and Nature, a collaborative project that posts and collects student work about endangered species from all over the world.  This lesson is best suited for Grade 2 and adheres to National Education Standards.

Endangered Species
Students investigate endangered species to discover reasons for their extinction.  Students examine resources to determine preventive measures for the endangerment of these species.  The unit contains 4 lessons.  This unit is designed for grade 4 and adheres to California Science Content Standards.

Noah's Ark, Revisited
To become familiar with endangered species' habitats and characteristics, students design, present, and evaluate a visual presentation (kiosk or website) for a specific endangered species.  This lesson is designed for grade 4 and adheres to Florida Sunshine State Standards.

Endangered Species / Especies en peligro de extinción
This lesson will explore the concept of endangered species and teach the names of selected endangered species in Spanish and English.  The position of selected cat species as "endangered" or not "endangered" will be developed in a short reading in Spanish and in English.  A selection of vocabulary related to the concept of endangered species will be given in Spanish with definitions in English.  This lesson is best suited for grades 3-5 and adheres to Louisiana Content Standards.

ABCs of Endangered Species
Students create an ABC Book of Endangered Animals that includes locator maps, "fast facts," and explanations about why those animals are endangered.  This lesson is best suited for grades K-8 and adheres to National Education Standards.

People and Endangered Species
This lesson provides students with an overview of some endangered species and the ways that human activities contribute to species endangerment.  This lesson is designed 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.  This lesson is best suited for grades 3-5 and adheres to National Geography Education Standards.

Grades 5-8

People and Endangered Species
This lesson provides students with an overview of some endangered species and the ways that human activities contribute to species endangerment.  This lesson is designed 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.  This lesson is best suited for grades 3-5 and adheres to National Geography Education Standards.

Postcards from the Edge
In this lesson, students will learn about endangered species in the United States, some of the reasons they are endangered (e.g. habitat destruction or the introduction of invasive species), and what is being done to protect them.  Students will choose one species to focus on and examine the reasons it is endangered and why it is important to make an effort to save it.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-8 and adheres to National Geography Education Standards.

Endangered Species: What are they and how can we help them?
The purpose of this lesson is to educate students on endangered species and to provide them with basic knowledge of the causes of extinction.  This lesson is best suited for grades 5-9 and adheres to Alabama State Learning Standards.

No Place Like Home?
In this lesson, students investigate the impact of the physical environment on an endangered species.  They then create a plan for the ideal care of the species and develop an advertisement to promote awareness about the need for its protection.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

Return of the Living Dead?
In this lesson, students research endangered animal species that have 'beaten the odds' as they continue to survive longer than scientists had expected.  Students write individual pages for a class book about endangered species.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

See You Later, Alligator
In this lesson, students explore the historical and social significance of animals as cultural symbols in various countries around the world, as well as the impact that humans have made on the population and natural habitats of these animals.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

Species for Sale
Students explore wildlife conservation by investigating animal species that are near extinction due to their value as commodities.  Students defend the protection of an endangered species researched in class by creating an informational poster and by writing a position paper that explains the importance of preserving this species.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

The Disappearing Fish
In this lesson, students examine the theories behind the drastic decline of the wild salmon population and the ecological ramifications of this decline.  Students will work in groups, each focusing on one theory, to create a 'campaign' to persuade the public to help end this destruction of the salmon population.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

Who's Afraid of the Reintroduced Wolf?
In this lesson, students investigate the impacts of the reintroduction of animal species on the animals' natural habitats, the animals themselves and humans.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

Grades 9-12

Crane Cam: Intended and Unintended Effects of Conservation Efforts
In this lesson, students will examine the intended and unintended consequences of human environmental intervention by studying crane activity in the Platte River Valley.  They will research the effects of human intervention on bird populations-and the effects of bird populations on humans.  This lesson is best suited for grades 9-12 and adheres to National Geography Standards. 

Focus on an Endangered Species
Students develop an integrated project through the comprehensive study of a species, a region, or both.  This long-term project requires students to explore fiction, history, cultural attitudes, and government.  The scientific data students can collect and analyze may include GIS information, climate and weather, satellite tracking/mapping, and observations from research scientists' journals.  This lesson is best suited for grades 5-9 and adheres to National Science Education Standards.

Endangered Species: What are they and how can we help them?
The purpose of this lesson is to educate students on endangered species and to provide them with basic knowledge of the causes of extinction.  This lesson is best suited for grades 5-9 and adheres to Alabama State Learning Standards.

No Place Like Home?
In this lesson, students investigate the impact of the physical environment on an endangered species.  They then create a plan for the ideal care of the species and develop an advertisement to promote awareness about the need for its protection.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

Return of the Living Dead?
In this lesson, students research endangered animal species that have 'beaten the odds' as they continue to survive longer than scientists had expected.  Students write individual pages for a class book about endangered species.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

See You Later, Alligator
In this lesson, students explore the historical and social significance of animals as cultural symbols in various countries around the world, as well as the impact that humans have made on the population and natural habitats of these animals.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

Species for Sale
Students explore wildlife conservation by investigating animal species that are near extinction due to their value as commodities.  Students defend the protection of an endangered species researched in class by creating an informational poster and by writing a position paper that explains the importance of preserving this species.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

The Disappearing Fish
In this lesson, students examine the theories behind the drastic decline of the wild salmon population and the ecological ramifications of this decline.  Students will work in groups, each focusing on one theory, to create a 'campaign' to persuade the public to help end this destruction of the salmon population.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

Who's Afraid of the Reintroduced Wolf?
In this lesson, students investigate the impacts of the reintroduction of animal species on the animals' natural habitats, the animals themselves and humans.  This lesson is best suited for grades 6-12 and adheres to McRel Academic Content Standards.

Do you have endangered species curricula you'd like to share?  Email them to us!

*The curricula listed on this webpage have been selected in light of their adherence to state, national, and/or NAAEE educational standards and are thus suitable for classroom use.