SPECIES BULLETIN-Saving One Species At a Time
MOVIE MAKER (Windows live)
Center # 4
Developed by: SURESH B. CHIRUGURU
VINTON HIGH SCHOOL
Next Generation Science Standards:
HS.LS-IRE: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Students who demonstrate understanding can:
 E. Use evidence to construct explanations and design solutions for the impact of human activities on
the environment and ways to sustain biodiversity and maintain the planet’s natural capital.
Introduction:
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Biodiversity usually refers to the number of different species in a given area. Humanity benefits from
biodiversity in several ways and perhaps in some unknown ways.
Many scientists are now concerned that loss of biodiversity is the most challenging environmental issue
we face. The most common cause of extinction today is the destruction of habitats by humans.
In the past 2 centuries, human population growth has accelerated and so has the rate of extinctions.
The numbers of worldwide species known to be threatened, endangered, or recently extinct are listed
in the table below.
Types of species
Mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Amphibians
Fishes
Insects
Other crustaceans
Mollusks and worms
Plants
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Species known to be threatened or Extinct Worldwide
Number threatened
Number extinct
Percent of species
(all categories of risk)
(since-1800)
that may be threatened
1,130
87
26
1,183
131
12
296
22
3.3
146
5
3.1
751
92
3.7
555
73
0.054
555
73
1.03
944
303
1.3
30,827
400
0.054
The major human causes of extinction today are the destruction of habitats, the introduction of
nonnative species, pollution, and the overharvesting of species.
 Certain areas of the world contain a greater diversity of species than other areas. An important feature
of such areas is that they have a large portion of endemic species
 The United States has a very important role in preserving biodiversity.
Big Question:
 How do humans cause extinctions?
Guiding Question:
 Describe several ways that species are being threatened with extinction globally?
 Explain which types of threats are having the largest impact on biodiversity.
Task:
You are a member of the Public Affairs Team for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Your assignment is to
develop a campaign to educate the general public about the laws surrounding the capture, trade, or use of
threatened species and endangered species.
Your objective is to present a public service announcement in the form of a short TV documentary (using
Windows Movie Maker) about saving the endangered species.
Process:
To accomplish this task, you and your team will work collaboratively using the following steps:
1. You will be working as a member for the Public Affairs team for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
make a short TV documentary (3-5 minutes) to educate the general public about the biodiversity at risk
and the ways to save the endangered species.
2. Before making your documentary, you will collaborate with your team to design a survey to assess
whether or not the general public feels that the growing rate of species extinction is a serious problem.
The survey will include at least five questions. All team members will help come up with the questions
for the survey. First, you may want to familiarize yourself with threatened and endangered species in
Louisiana and around the United States: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/
3. To make your documentary, you and your team members will choose one of the following individual
jobs:
 Interviewer- You will interview the general public using the survey that your team compiled.
Your job is to gather public perceptions about species extinction. You may video record while
receiving public perceptions if the person gives permission. If the people do not give you
permission to interview, then you will need to record their responses on a sheet of paper. As
the interviewer, you will compile and analyze the results of the survey and include this
information as part of the documentary.
 Case Specialist- You will conduct research and analyze the current state of any endangered
animal in North America (e.g. the Florida Panther). You will want to take notes on your
endangered animal, and you will save pictures of your endangered animal into a folder on your
computer. You will need these images and facts when you begin creating your part of the
documentary. As the case specialist, you will include the information about your case study in
the documentary.
 Researcher- You will research the laws and regulations of wildlife using the following websites
as a resource to assist with understanding of the laws and regulations of protecting wild life and
endangered species. Be sure to take notes so that you will have this information to incorporate
into the documentary.
a) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/
b) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Laws and Regulations: http://www.fws.gov/le/lawsregulations.html
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Cinematographer- You will begin to familiarize yourself with the MovieMaker software which is
what your group will use to produce the documentary. After you have done this, you should
work with each of the other members of your group so that you are familiar with the type of
information that they are finding.
4. After you have completed your individual research, you will come back together as a group and you will
plan out the 3-5 minute documentary as a group using a storyboard template; there are two from
which to choose:
storyboard template 1 or storyboard template 2
As your group begins to plan the documentary, keep the following things in mind:
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You have access to a flip camera which you can use to video your portion.
Be creative. MovieMaker will allow you to insert video or pictures. You can also create
PowerPoint slides and save them as .jpgs which you then can put into your MovieMaker
presentation.
Each team member will narrate and present his/her portion of the job.
Follow your rubric closely for the best possible video.
The Cinematographer will make sure that a title frame and a credits frame naming the members
of your team are included.
5. After your team has planned the documentary, you may go to the group’s assigned computer(s) and
begin creating the documentary. You may use the MovieMaker Quick Tips to help you make your
documentary.
6. One member on your team will upload the final product to the High School Science Organization in
Blackboard by using the following steps: Log into Blackboard and select High School Science under the
Organization module. Select the IMPACT 2012-2013 navigation button and click on Learning Center
Projects. Select Create Thread. In the subject area, put your group’s card number (ace, two three,
etc.), in addition to the type of final product (i.e. two_movie). Attach your final product and Submit.
Evaluation:
See rubric attached.
Reflective Question or Constructive Response:
Upon completion of this learning center, you should have learned more about endangered species and various
threats to their survival.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Describe four ways that species are being threatened with extinction globally.
Define and give examples of endangered species and threatened species.
List areas of the Earth that have high levels of biodiversity and many threats to species.
Compare the amount of biodiversity in the United States to that of the rest of the world.
POST YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR TEACHER THROUGH BLACK BOARD.
Adapted from resources found at the following website
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/templates/lesson-template1.htm
Based on a template from The WebQuest Page