Learning From the News – Endangered Species KS2
Use this lesson plan and activities with the video lesson starter
Lesson Plan
– Endangered Species: KS2 Science p.01
Further Activities – Endangered Species: KS2 Science p.02
Using the video in Geography p.02
Lesson Plan: Endangered Species – KS2 Science
Lesson overview: At the end of this lesson, pupils will understand the reasons why some animals become endangered and die out
Year 5 : Unit 5b, Section 8: Life cycles: What is reproduction for?
Objectives
Pupils should learn:
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that if living things did not reproduce they would eventually die out (Unit
5b, Section 8)
Outcomes
Pupils should be able to:
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identify one or two species facing extinction and describe a programme eg breeding in captivity which tries to overcome the problem
Resources
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Video lesson starter: http://www.teachers.tv/videos/learning-from-the-newsendangered-species-ajang-rhino-calf
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Whiteboard/ screen to watch the video
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Make a list of 10 species: some extinct, some endangered some common. See the link for suggestions: http://www.50birds.com/extan/gextanimals1.htm
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Scissors for each pair
Starter
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Show the video: http://www.teachers.tv/videos/learning-from-the-news-endangeredspecies-ajang-rhino-calf
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Group discussion: Talk about what would happen to the human race if everyone decided to stop having children. The pupils will have heard the word extinction on the video, and should already know what it means. If not, explain. Can they think of any animals that are already extinct? What about ones that are under threat of extinction?
What terms can they think of to describe animals that are almost extinct? (Endangered, threatened, rare)
Main activity 1
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Pair work: Get the pupils to list reasons why animals become extinct (answers should include: lack of food, habitat destruction, over hunting)
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Pair work: Give each pair a print out of pictures of the animals. Ask them to cut out the animal species and put them into three piles: extinct, endangered and common
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Pair work: Discuss in their pairs: What can we do to try and stop the endangered species from becoming extinct?
Plenary
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Get the pupils to feed back to the class
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Endangered Species KS2: Further Activities
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Group work: Split the class into three groups. Ask the first group to research endangered animals and plants using the Internet or the school library; ask the second group to research animals or plants that are already extinct; and the third group to research reasons why extinction happens and what humans can do to prevent it. At the end of this lesson, get each group to report back what they have found
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Group work: Get the same groups formed above to make a display about what we can do to help endangered species
Using Endangered Species Video in other areas
Geography, Key Stage 2, Year 2
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Starter activity: Show the video: http://www.teachers.tv/videos/learning-fromthe-news-endangered-species-ajang-rhino-calf
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Main activity: The one-horned rhino is from Nepal. Using maps and globes, ask pupils to identify the UK and Nepal. Can they trace a route from the UK to
Nepal? How might they travel there and how long do they think it would take?
Ask the pupils to write down what they think Nepal would be like if they were to go there (Unit 22, section 1)
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Plenary: Discuss their findings
Related Teachers TV Videos
 http://www.teachers.tv/videos/living-world
 http://www.teachers.tv/series/great-primary-lesson-ideas
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