Endangered Species—Can They Be Saved?
Objective:
 Students will be able to research and interpret data.
 Students will be able to draw conclusions and make predictions.
 Students will be able to create graphs, tables, or charts.
Situation: It has been estimated that plants
and animals are becoming extinct around
the world at the rate of one species each
hour. For this project, your group is to
select an endangered species, research why
it is in danger of becoming extinct, and
research what is being done to save it.
Based upon the information you find, you
are to predict its chances for long-term
survival. You and your group will present
your project to the rest of the class.
Possible Strategies:
1. Review a list of endangered species and decide which animal your group would like to
research. To narrow your choices, do some preliminary research on several species.
2. Divide the tasks for this project among group members. You’ll need to be concerned with
research, analysis of the facts, drawing conclusions, creating materials to support
conclusions, and finalizing your report or poster.
To Be Submitted:
 A power point of your findings (This should include your prediction about the survival of
the species as well as a minimum of 5 graphs, tables, or charts.)
 Notes and sources
1
Adapted from:
Muschla, Gary, & Judith Muschla. Hands-On Math Projects with Real-Life Applications. New York: The Center for Applied
Research in Education, 1996.
Special Considerations:
 In researching your species, concentrate your efforts on questions such as the following:
o Why is it in danger of becoming extinct?
o Where is its habitat?
o Who or what is responsible for it being in danger?
o When have the greatest numbers of the species’ population been lost?
o What is being done to save the species?
o What is the cost of the preservation efforts?
o Who is involved in trying to save the species?
o What are the changes of the species’ long-term survival?
 Maintain an accurate list of your sources. Use a standard bibliographic format.
 After gathering your information, analyze your facts and draw conclusions from it.
Include a prediction of the species’ long-term chances for survival. Be sure to back up
your predictions with facts.
 Support your conclusions with materials such as graphs, charts, and tables. For example,
some graphs you may create include:
o Stem-and-leaf plots
o Pictographs
o Bar graphs
o Line graphs
o Circle (or pie) graphs
2
Adapted from:
Muschla, Gary, & Judith Muschla. Hands-On Math Projects with Real-Life Applications. New York: The Center for Applied
Research in Education, 1996.
Examples of Endangered Animals:
The following animals have been identified as being endangered. This means they are
perilously close to extinction. Note that this is only a partial list.
Endangered Animal
Primary Habitat
American Manatee
Coastal waters of the Atlantic from Florida to
South America
Black-Footed Ferret
Western Canada to Texas
Blue Whale
Oceans around the world
California Condor
California
Cheetah
African, eastern Iran, India
Chimpanzee
Africa
Gorilla
Central and western Africa
Gray Wolf
Eastern Europe, Russia, Canada, U.S., Mexico
Humpback Whale
Oceans around the world
Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
Southeastern U.S., Cuba
Jaguar
Southwestern U.S., northern Mexico, Central
and South America
Ocelot
Southwestern U.S., Mexico, Central and South
America
Peregrine Falcon
Central Alaska, northcentral Canada to central
Mexico
Whooping Crane
North America
3
Adapted from:
Muschla, Gary, & Judith Muschla. Hands-On Math Projects with Real-Life Applications. New York: The Center for Applied
Research in Education, 1996.
Some Facts about Endangered Species:
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Endangered species are animals and plants that are in danger of dying out very soon unless they are
protected.
Passed in 1973, the United States Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to hunt, buy, or sell
endangered species and their body parts or products. Another purpose of the Act is to save ecosystems
on which endangered plants and animals depend.
In 1970, the rate of extinction was estimated to be one species per day. By 1990, the rate of extinction
around the world was estimated to be one per hour.
In the United States, close to 500 plants and animals are listed as threatened or endangered.
There are many natural causes of extinction, including floods, fires, diseases, volcanic eruptions,
changes in climate, a loss of habitat or food required by the species, and calamities such as the
catastrophic meteor hit that is believed to have caused the destruction of dinosaurs.
Humans are the major cause of extinctions today through overhunting, overfishing, destruction of
habitats, the overuse of pesticides, and the releasing of pollutants into the environment.
Up to 20 million acres of rain forest are cleared each year for farming. Such destruction of habitats
threatens countless plants and animals.
By the year 2025, if present trends continue, it has been estimated that at least 2 million species will
become extinct because of rain forest destruction.
The project is due Friday, May 24, 2013.
Each day late is -10 points, no exceptions. If you know you will not be in school to turn the assignment in on
time, send it with someone else or turn it in early.
4
Adapted from:
Muschla, Gary, & Judith Muschla. Hands-On Math Projects with Real-Life Applications. New York: The Center for Applied
Research in Education, 1996.
Endangered Species—Can They Be Saved?
Rubric
Names_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Overall Presentation
Are there graphs included?
Is the data complete?
Is there a prediction for the given data?
_____/75
Organization
Is the information presented in an organized manner?
_____/25
Documentation
Is the proper documentation attached?
_____/25
Accuracy
Is the data accurate and timely?
_____/25
Creativity
Is the presentation original and creative?
_____/25
Notes Included
Are the notes included?
_____/25
Late (-10/day)
_____
Oral Presentation (Bonus: 60 points)
Did all group members participate?
Were all questions answered?
Did students discuss their prediction?
_____
Total_____/200
5
Adapted from:
Muschla, Gary, & Judith Muschla. Hands-On Math Projects with Real-Life Applications. New York: The Center for Applied
Research in Education, 1996.