Central Idea:
Maintenance of animal habitats is essential for their sustainability
Lines of Inquiry:
- Ways animals can be classified
- Our responsibility to ensure sustainability
- The impact of introduced species
Concepts:
Responsibility – What is our responsibility?
Change – How has it changed?
Causation – Why is it the way it is?
Duration: Wk#7 Term 3 – Wk#1 Term 4
Summative Task
There are two options. Both options involve small groups and recording your research on the prepared A3, two-sided sheet. The 2nd option is an extension task and includes completing Option #1.
Option #1
Choose an animal and look at the threats to its habitat.
Describe what is causing the changes.
Describe the effects on your chosen animal.
Option #2 Action Plan (an extension to Option #1)(action component)
Complete Option #1 and then create an action plan to either:
- work towards saving an endangered animal, or,
- encourage people to take action to prevent an animal becoming endangered.
The presentation sheet includes the following questions:
Who – Who is the species?
Where – Where does this species live?
What – What is the threat?
When – When is this likely to happen?
Why – Why is this species important to protect? Why is this threat happening?
How – How can people work together to protect this species?
These questions will cover the unit’s three concepts: connection, causation, change.
Resources
National Geographic for Kids http://www.ngkids.com.au/animals – videos on endangered animals – humpback whales, great white sharks, polar bears, puffins, “Turtles Return” http://www.ngkids.com.au/places/turtles-return
Feral animals and weeds – http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/edresources/FeralAnimalsAndWeeds.htm
Invaders – Feral Animals & Pests in Australia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmYld25z-JU
Feral cat and fox control http://www.australianwildlife.org/field-programs/feral-cats-and-foxes.aspx
Threats to Australian wildlife extinction http://www.australianwildlife.org/wildlife.aspx
Classes of animals – http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/animal_classes.htm
Whales (StudyLadder) pack of information. Whales are endangered and are protected around the world except for Japan and Iceland.