Teaching program— Chapter 9: Endangered species
Unit 1
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
8.1 Why is
diversity
important?
Geography:
1 What is extinction?
2 What are some species that
have become extinct become
endangered or thought to be
extinct?
3 What are some of the reasons
that species become
endangered?
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 260263
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Explain the interaction of human
activities and natural environments
2 Demonstrate an understanding of
environmental issues
3 Collect, analyse, evaluate and
present geographic information
from a range of sources and forms
Thinking:
1 Use information from a range of
sources to investigate an issue
2 Use geographic techniques
such as research and surveying
to investigate endangered
species
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Worksheet 9.1 ‘The Red
List’ at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Use correct geographic language
and techniques
2 Use a range of creative thinking
strategies appropriately
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 – WHAT DO ‘ENDANGERED’ AND ‘EXTINCT’ MEAN?
1
Brainstorm a list of the endangered animals from around the world. Use this list to discuss why animals
become endangered and what can be done about this.
2
Answer the questions on pages 258 and 259. Answers for these and other activities are available on the
website.
3
Before reading on in the chapter, write these terms on the board in random order and ask students to place
them in the correct order from most concern to least concern: vulnerable, near threatened, extinct in the
wild, endangered, least concern, extinct and critically endangered. When finished check your answers with
the list on page 261.
4
Complete worksheet 9.1 ‘The Red List” from the website. This involves students exploring the IUCN
website. This is an invaluable resource when studying endangered species and students should refer to
this again when completing subsequent activities.
5
Read pages 260 and 262. There is additional information about the southern cassowary at
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/cassowary.html and the wollemi pine
website is http://www.wollemipine.com/index.php There is a section of this website called ‘Kid’s Corner’
which has a quiz about the tree and some additional information about the tree. It is also possible to order
a teacher’s kit from this website which includes a Wollemi pine seedling.
6
The Lord Howe Island stick insect (phasmid) has become a bit of a rock star since the text book was
written as the captive breeding programme at the Melbourne Zoo has been such a success that the zoo is
planning to reintroduce them back to Lord Howe Island in 2011. There is a programme currently under way
to eradicate the black rat from the island. There is an ABC news report about these efforts at
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2008/12/09/2441418.htm
7
Complete the big ideas activities on page 263. Suggested answers and an assessment rubric are available
on the website.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 9: Endangered species
Unit 2
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
8.2 Where are the
threats to
diversity?
Geography:
1 Global distribution of
endangered species and the
identification of countries with
high numbers of endangered
species and environments
2 Endangered animals in the
Asia-Pacific region
3 Key Australian environments
and endangered species within
each
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 264269
Thinking:
1 Use information from a range of
sources to investigate an issue
2 Use appropriate geographic
techniques such as research
and mapping to investigate
endangered species
Worksheet on ‘Gorillas
in the Mist’ at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of the characteristics
of regions within Australia and the
Asia-Pacific region
2 Explain the impact of human
activities on natural environments
and native species
3 Demonstrate an understanding of
endangered species and
environments
4 Collect information from a wide
range of sources and analyse,
evaluate and present it in a range of
forms.
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Use correct geographic language
and techniques
2 Use a range of creative thinking
strategies appropriately
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 – GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES
1
Rank the six inhabited continents in order according to the numbers of endangered species within each
continent. Which continent did you put first and why? Where do you believe Australia ranks in comparison to
the other continents?
2
Examine the map on page 265 and describe the distribution of endangered animals using the PQE method
described on page 233. Compare your suggested rankings with the pattern shown on this map.
3
Attempt to explain the four hotspots. Why do these countries have such high rates of animal endangerment?
What do they have in common? Is there something that links them or are they each unique?
4
Complete activities 1 and 4 from page 269.
5
Download, print and distribute the worksheet from the website on the film ‘Gorillas in the Mist’. This is a list of
questions that students can focus on while viewing this film. The mountain gorilla is a superb case study of
an endangered species as it was nearly the first large mammal discovered and made extinct in the same
century! The fact that it wasn’t made extinct is due largely to the conservation efforts of a few local people
and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. This species therefore shows students the threats faced by
many endangered animals but also leaves them with a feeling of hope and the idea that one committed
person can make a difference.
6
Use the website at http://www.informatics.org/gorilla/index.html to examine the ways in which modern
mapping and satellite tracking techniques are helping to save the mountain gorilla.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program— Chapter 9: Endangered species
LESSON 2— ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION AND AUSTRALIA
1
The global pattern shown in source 9.14 leads into a study of the situation regarding endangered species in
the Asia-Pacific. Some iconic species are described in detail and students could use the red list website to
examine the current situation regarding these and other species. The giant panda makes a particularly good
case study as there are vigorous efforts underway to protect this species, focusing on captive breeding
programmes.
2
Read pages 266 and 267 and complete the activities on page 267. Suggested answers are available on the
website.
3
The islands of Borneo, Sumatra and Java are particularly interesting when studying endangered species as
the natural environments in these locations have undergone rapid changes in recent times and these
continue. There is additional information about deforestation in these regions in Humanities 2 in the Big
Ideas series of texts. Satellite images showing rates of deforestation are available at
http://www.mongabay.com/images/external/2005/12-11_nasa.jpg and http://redapes.org/wpcontent/uploads/2007/11/deforestation_borneo_410.jpg
4
Australia has one of the highest rates of animal extinction in the world. Brainstorm the possible reasons for
this and look for clues in the earlier section on changes to Australian environments on pages 212-221. There
is additional information about Australia’s environmental hot spots on page 59 of the Oxford Atlas Project 3.
5
Complete the activities on page 268. Suggested answers are available on the website.
6
Complete the Big Ideas activities on page 269. An assessment rubric and suggested answers are available
on the website.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 9: Endangered species
Unit 3
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
8.3 What are the
threats to
diversity?
Geography:
1 Habitat destruction as the main
threat to threat to endangered
species.
2 The underlying causes of
habitat destruction.
3 Case studies of the
endangered orang-utan,
peregrine falcon and southern
corroboree frog
4 The impact of introduced
species on native animals
5 Animal trade as a threat to
diversity.
6 Case studies of endangered
bear species
Thinking:
1 Using a range of thinking skills
to investigate the underlying
causes of animal species
becoming endangered.
2 Applying geographic
techniques such as choropleth
map interpretation, research
skills and sketch mapping to a
range of activities.
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 270277
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of regions of
Australia and Asia.
2 Use examples to explain the impact
of human activities on natural
environments.
3 Demonstrate an understanding of
environmental issues such as
habitat destruction and introduced
pest species of plants and animals.
4 Collect geographical information
from photographs, news articles,
maps and research and evaluate,
analyse and present it in a range of
forms.
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Use correct geographic language
and techniques
2 Use a range of creative thinking
strategies appropriately
3 Use a range of question types, and
locate and select relevant
information from varied sources
when undertaking investigations
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 – HABITAT DESTRUCTION AS THE LEADING CAISE OF ANIMALS BECOMING ENDANGERED.
1
Encourage students to think about what the word ‘habitat’ means: ‘ the natural home of a plant or animal.’
Think about an animal that they know well such as lions of Africa or even the sparrows in the schoolyard.
What aspects of the environment in which these animals live are necessary for the animal to survive?
2
Brainstorm all the ways in ways in which habitat can and is being destroyed around the world. Complete this
as a think-pair-share activity.
3
Read pages 270 and 271 which introduces the main underlying causes of habitat destruction and then
focuses on the orang-utan as a species at great risk from this threat. There is a great deal of information
about this species on the internet and in other places. The novel Saving Abbie by Allan Baillie tells the story
of one boy’s encounter with an orang-utan and his efforts to return her to the wild. This novel could be
incorporated into the English programme perhaps as a literature circle text as students make the links
between the text and the topic of endangered species easily. The website http://www.orangutan.org/ is one
of the best for learning more about orang-utans. The rate and scale of rainforest destruction on Borneo can
be graphically seen at http://maps.grida.no/library/files/web_orangutan-distribution-on-borneo-indonesiamalaysia.jpg
4
Complete the activity at the top of page 272 that requires students to interpret a choropleth map and read
about the plight of the peregrine falcon on the same page. Use the red list to check on the current status of
the orang-utan and the peregrine falcon. Complete the activities ‘what do you know about habitat destruction’
on page 272. Suggested answers are available on the website.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
5
The case of the disappearing frog on page 273 is an interesting case study of species whose numbers
suddenly declined rapidly. Complete the suggested activity on this page. In groups of three students
research each of the given clues and then, as a group, present their hypothesis to the class. A good place to
start is the red list website. There is a worksheet on using the red list on the website which you should
download, print and distribute to students. There is also an assessment rubric for the fresh ideas feature on
the website.
6
An interesting background to the reduction in numbers of the southern corroboree frog is that many frog
species around the world are becoming endangered. Many researchers around the world link this to climate
change and the subsequent spread of the deadly chytrid fungus. There is a hot debate (no pun intended) in
the scientific community about this link. A good place to start if you would like to research this further is to
read the article in the Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/01/11/AR2006011102121.html
7
Complete the activities on page 268. Suggested answers are available on the website.
LESSON 2 – OTHER THREATS FACED BY ENDANGERED SPECIES
1
An interesting way to begin is to have students complete the research activity at
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/g912/africathreats.html in which they must assess
two threats faced by animals in Africa and decide which one they would deal with first.
2
Examine the impact of introduced species on native plants and animals. Read this section on page 274 and
research one of the introduced species that have changed the Australian environment such as rabbits,
camels, cane toads, mimosa plant, prickly pear, cats, pigs and goats. Compare the impact of these species
with that of the fox. Which is greater and why?
3
Read the case study of the endangered kiwi on page 267 and in the Oxford Atlas Project 3, page 116. Which
introduced species impacted on the numbers of the brown kiwi. New Zealand birds are an interesting case
study of the impacts of introduced species because a number of them, such as the kiwi, are flightless.
4
Read about the animal trade on page 274. While students will readily identify with animal parts being used
for medicine or live animals being taken as pets they may be less inclined to consider that one of the
greatest threats faced by many endangered species is that they are a source of food. In Africa, this food
source is called bushmeat and is a thriving trade. There is a gallery of graphic images of this trade at
http://www.karlammann.com/gallery-bushmeat.php Make sure that you look at this website yourself before
showing students as some of the images are quite graphic.
5
Read about the threats to the world’s bears on pages 275-276 and complete the activities on page 276.
There is further information about the threats faced by bears at http://www.savethebears.co.uk/bearprofiles.shtml
6
Complete the Big Ideas activities on page 277. An assessment rubric and suggested answers are available
on the website.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program— Chapter 9: Endangered species
Unit 4
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
8.4 How can we
preserve
diversity?
Geography:
1 The importance of fieldwork in
managing endangered species
2 Habitat protection with case
studies of bilbies and
Tasmanian devils
3 The illegal wildlife trade both for
the pet trade and in
complementary medicine and
methods of controlling this.
4 Captive breeding programmes
and forming an opinion about
this.
5 Raising public awareness as a
step in managing endangered
species
Civics and Citizenship
1 Assess current practices
designed to manage
endangered species
2 Formulate a plan and policy to
protect an endangered animal.
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 278287
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Students explain the interaction of
human activities and endangered
species
2 Explain different attitudes to
endangered species and ways in
which to manage them
3 Propose ways of managing
endangered species, ensuring their
sustainability
4 Collect geographic information from
a range of media and analyse,
evaluate and present it in a range of
forms.
5 Identify and gather information from
fieldwork and present it in a range
of forms.
Civic and Citizenship, Level 5
6 Present points of view on the
management of endangered
species
7 Explain different perspectives on
community issues
8 Propose possible solutions to the
management of endangered
species
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Worksheet on ‘Zoo
fieldwork’ at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 – PROTECTING ENDANGERED SPECIES THROUGH HABITAT PROTECTION AND CONTROLLING THE ILLEGAL
W ILDLIFE TRADE
1
The first section is designed to show the link between fieldwork techniques used by geographers and
fieldwork surveys carried out by wildlife protection individuals and groups. Before reading the section on
pages 278 and 279, ask students how they would go about getting accurate numbers of small animals such
as the corroboree frog (page 273) and Lord Howe Island stick insect (page 262) or aquatic animals such as
the Yangtze dolphin (page 258) and Great White shark (page 263).
2
The information on grey nurse sharks can be complemented with the story on tracking a great white shark on
page 182. There is additional information about the tagging of the grey nurse sharks at
http://www.cmar.csiro.au/tagging/greynurse/index.htm including a video of a scientist tagging a shark.
3
Complete the activities on page 279. There are suggested answers available on the website.
4
The information about the plight facing the Tasmanian devil provides an interesting case study of an animal
facing an unusual threat and the efforts underway to save them. Complete the activities on page 280,
including the geospatial skills feature on ‘spatial change over time.’ Encourage students to research this
issue further and to develop a public awareness campaign perhaps utilising ICT such as PowerPoint,
Publisher and web page construction programmes.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
5
There is an interesting case study on the impact of coltan mining on gorillas in central Africa. Students could
research this mineral, find out what it is used for (they have probably got some in their pockets), find out how
it is mined and how this has contributed to the reduction in gorilla habitat and gorilla numbers.
6
Read the information on the illegal wildlife trade and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species on page 282. Encourage discussion regarding the importance of international cooperation on this
issue rather than individual countries being responsible for this issue within their own country. Television
programmes such as ‘Border Patrol’ have bought the role of customs officers into greater public awareness.
Look for examples on this programme of officers finding illegal foods and animal products. Note the
importance of border protection in controlling the movement of disease across international borders that may
impact on endangered species as well as the movement of animal parts as depicted in the news article on
page 283.
7
Students could act out an episode of a programme such as ‘Border Patrol’ when the egg smuggler shown on
page 282 was detected. The programme could also include an interview with the customs officer in source
9.54.
8
Complete the activities on page 283. There are suggested answers available on the website.
LESSON 2— ZOOS AND CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGARMMES
1
The issue of captive breeding in zoos is an interesting one as some see zoos as the last opportunity for
some endangered species and others see them as cruel and barbaric. Encourage students to consider the
different opinions that people have about wildlife and the underlying reasons for these differences. Focus on
cultural and economic reasons. Some examples in the text are differences in opinions about sloth bears
(page 276), bears and tigers (pages 274 and 275) and orangutans (pages 270-271).
2
Reread the case study of the Lord Howe Island stick insect on page 262 and focus on the role played by
Melbourne Zoo. There is an update to this story on the Melbourne Zoo website at
http://www.zoo.org.au/News/Jurassic_Insects
3
Read the section on captive breeding and the debate surrounding the Trail of the Elephants at the
Melbourne Zoo. This is an ongoing story as it was recently reported (December 2008) that Melbourne Zoo
were considering moving the elephants to the open range zoo at Werribee. The purpose of this and other
similar case studies is for students to critically assess the value of zoos in protecting the diversity of life.
4
Consider a fieldtrip to Melbourne Zoo. There are excellent education units at all three Melbourne Zoos and
students thoroughly enjoy a visit to the zoo. Download the worksheet ‘Zoo fieldwork’ from the Big Ideas
website and use this as a framework for your visit. The Melbourne Zoo student trail ‘All But Lost’
supplements this well as does a lesson on endangered animals from an education officer.
5
When you return from the zoo and students have completed their AVDs from the worksheet encourage a
discussion and debate on the value of zoos. Do they serve the needs of the animals in the exhibits or do
they serve the needs of the people who come to see them. Is it possible to do both?
6
Complete the activities on page 286 and the Big Ideas activities on page 287. There are suggested answers
an an assessment rubric available on the website
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 9: Endangered species
Transferring Ideas: Polar Bears
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
Polar Bears : Why
is diversity under
threat?
Geography:
1 The natural environment and
habitat of polar bears
2 The threats facing this
endangered species,
particularly a reduction in sea
ice due to global warming.
3 Measures currently being used
to preserve this species and
future possibilities
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 288289
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Describe the differences between
the ways in which people view polar
bears and the threats they face.
2 Understand the environmental
issues linked to polar bears
3 Propose ways of protecting
biodiversity
4 Collect, analyse, evaluate and
present geographic information
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking:
1 Applying learnt information to a
new situation and case study
2 Using a range of geographic
techniques to learn about the
threats facing polar bears.
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Use correct geographic language
and techniques
2 Use a range of creative thinking
strategies appropriately
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 – WHAT DO ‘ENDANGERED’ AND ‘EXTINCT’ MEAN?
1
Complete the Transferring Ideas spread in class as an assessable item. Rubric and suggested answers are
available on the website. The intention of this spread is encourage students to transfer their learning about
endangered species in general to a particular species – the polar bear. There is additional information about
climate change, including a case study on changes in the Arctic region, in the Big Ideas text for Level 6.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia