ARKIVE GEOGRAPHIC: EXPLORING THE WORLD’S BIODIVERSITY
Teachers’ Notes
Who is it for?
11-14 year olds
How long will it take? Two one-hour lessons with homework
Learning outcomes: Students learn the definitions of biodiversity, species, habitat and ecosystem
and become a ‘species expert’ for a species of their choice. Students explore
these concepts by cross-referencing a map of the world’s continents with a
variety of species fact cards. Students combine critical thinking skills and
comprehension strategies to present a case for the conservation of their
chosen species.
What do you need?
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ARKive Geographic’s seven continents
ARKive Geographic World Map designating placement of continents
ARKive Geographic species fact cards
ARKive Geographic PowerPoint presentation
Summary
In this series of interactive lessons, students of 11-14 years of age learn about the variety of species
around the world using the ARKive Geographic map of the world’s continents and species fact cards.
By learning the definitions of biodiversity, species, habitat and ecosystem, students understand the
importance of each concept and draw relationships between them.
Engaging in a series of steps, students become ‘species experts’ for one of the species featured in
the activity. Students choose a species from the fact cards and learn preliminary facts listed on the
back of each card. Students share this information in small groups and populate the large ARKive
Geographic World Map with species from around the globe.
To understand how biodiversity, species, habitats and ecosystems relate to each other, students are
presented with the following scenario:
“A conservation organization is providing a $1 million grant to help restore a species back to historical,
healthy populations in the wild, with the hope of removing them from the endangered species list. The
student who presents the best case for his or her species to be saved from the brink of extinction will
win the grant.”
Using the ARKive website (www.arkive.org) as a resource, students research all aspects of their
chosen species including habitat type and range, biology, food sources, predators the major threats
the species face and what action is needed to conserve them. As part of a homework activity,
students create a one page essay presenting the reasons why their species should win the
conservation grant, using the original four definitions: biodiversity, species, habitat, ecosystem.
Students also prepare a 2-3 minute presentation on their species, to present to the class in the next
session. Students who most effectively and succinctly draw connections between their species and its
vital role, using all four definitions, stand the best chance of winning the grant. The winner can be
either chosen by the teacher or voted on by the class.
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Preparation guidelines:
1. Read through the instructions to become familiar with the activities and resources.
2. Print and cut out each of the ARKive Geographic seven continents: considering the size of the
room to be used for the activity, the continents can be printed in small to large-scale versions.
3. Print the ARKive Geographic World Map.
4. Print and cut out the ARKive Geographic species fact cards. For best results, print them
double-sided so that the species facts match up with the corresponding species image.
5. Arrange the classroom so each continent is in a different spot around the room with a large,
open space available to assemble the world map at the end of the first activity.
6. Divide and stack the species fact cards next to each continent where the species lives.
How to run the session:
1. Begin with the ARKive Geographic: Exploring the World’s Biodiversity PowerPoint
presentation:
a. Introduce the four, overarching definitions of biodiversity, species, habitat and
ecosystem on slides 4-7.
b. Discuss the relationships between these four definitions on slide 8.
c. Summarize the activities the class will be participating in using slides 9-13
2.
Divide the class into six small groups with each group sitting around one continent: Africa,
Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. The continent of Antarctica has
two threatened species associated with it and serves as an example for the teacher to
demonstrate how the activity works.
3.
Discuss the definition of a ‘species expert’: an individual demonstrating extensive and
authoritative knowledge of a specific species. Each student chooses a species from their
continent that they are interested in becoming a ‘species expert’ for. They should then read
the facts on the back of the species card to become familiar with what it looks like and its
conservation status.
4.
Students take turns holding up their card to the group and asking the group to guess answers
to the following questions:
a. What is this species’ adult size?
b. What is the main food source for this species?
c. What are the threats to the species?
Answers to these questions are provided on the back of the cards.
5. Each group selects a leader who works with the other group leaders to assemble the ARKive
Geographic continents on the floor, checking accuracy with the ARKive Geographic World
Map.
6. Each student places his or her species where it lives on the continent according to the small
map with an “X” on the back of each species fact card. Place any additional species fact
cards.
7. Referencing the map, students share which species they found most interesting and explain
why; something they didn’t know about a species until today; or, point out a species they
never knew existed.
8. Introduce students to the homework assignment: “An international conservation organization
is granting $1 million to a ‘species expert’ to bring their species back from the brink of
extinction. The ‘species expert’, who presents the best case, will win the grant.”
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9. As part of the homework assignment, students write a one page essay and prepare a 2-3
minute case to present to their fellow classmates in the next class. Each student should
research their own species using ARKive for the information necessary to complete the tasks.
10. In the second class, each student hands in the one page essay. Then, the students take turns
presenting their case to the class.
11. After all the presentations have been heard, students vote anonymously to choose the winner
or the teacher can decide which student presented the best case.
Suggestions for extension activities:
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Students could present their case for conserving their species by creating a short rap, song or
poem.
Alternatively, students create a video or PowerPoint including photos and images of his or her
species from ARKive.
Additional notes:
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This activity was created in 2011. Note that the conservation status of the endangered
species in this activity may change with yearly IUCN Red List updates.
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