Endangered+species

The Social Science Aspects of Endangered Species

Last year for Nature/Society, I explored the effects that our culture and other cultures have on endangered species. While I am not sure that younger children would be able to fully understand culture, differences in culture, and the effects that this has on how we view and treat nature, I think that middle and high school students would be able to grasp at least some of the basic concepts. I remember that before I did that project, I felt like people who didn't care about endangered species and such were selfish and uneducated. This workshop would probably be very discussion-based than hands-on. Since this workshop is more geared to older kids, that format would probably work.


 * Possible Ideas:**
 * evolution (species death is natural)
 * ecology (what happens if a species becomes extinct?)

First, we would watch a short video about mass extinctions. Then, there would be a group discussion about endangered species that would last about ten minutes. Why should people even be concerned that some species are becoming endangered and even extinct? What species are endangered? Why do people know more about the larger, "charismatic" species than other species that might be just as important? Each student would be given a worksheet with the discussion questions (sample:) and space to fill in their answers and take notes. The participants would get to keep their worksheet to help them remember what they learned. The worksheet would also have useful information in it.
 * Workshop:**

Next, we would screen several quick videos about endangered species (see below for links). After each video, there would be discussions. Depending on the size of the group, some discussions might be done in smaller groups, while others would involve all the workshop participants. The order would probably be: The Loneliest Animals (1st chapter), Rare Frogs and Endangered Species, Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Controversy, and Channel Island Foxes Saved from Extinction.

[|Watch Know Learn videos about endangered species] (this whole site has a lot of educational videos):
 * Possible Videos and Possible Questions**
 * Educating people in South America about their endangered species (3-4 min.)
 * Not everyone there knows that some species are endangered
 * Why are people not aware of local endangered species? What species are endangered in your area that you might not be aware of?
 * [|Ivory-Billed Woodpecker controversy](6-7 min.)
 * Originally thought extinct, maybe not
 * Why did Ivory Bill Woodpeckers become extinct/thought to be extinct?
 * Do you think people are just hopeful that the birds didn't go extinct? (Because humans are pretty responsible)
 * How good is it for the environment to go searching for these birds? Would it be better for us to assume that they are extinct and leave them alone if they aren't?
 * [|Channel Island foxes saved from extinction] (2-3 min.)
 * lived on Channel Islands near CA
 * good conclusive video about what we can do to save endangered species
 * captive breeding saved them
 * What about species that don't breed well in captivity? How can we save them?
 * [|The Loneliest Animals](50-60 min. long, several chapters, though) 1st episode--9 min.
 * Animals that are the last of their kind
 * Galapagos turtle
 * goes into social science aspects
 * Difficulties of saving endangered species
 * [|Mass Extinction]
 * What is a mass extinction?
 * Have mass extinctions happened in the past? (//yes.//)
 * What is believed to be the cause of the mass extinction that we are in the middle of right now? (//humans.//)
 * [|Rare Frogs and Endangered Species]
 * What is causing the frog population to decline?
 * Why are frogs so important?

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