Endangered Species Lesson Plan

Global Goal:
•Children will develop an understanding of extinction and of the many endangered species on the planet.
•Children will also increase their awareness of how our actions, such as pollution and conservation, can affect others in both positive and negative ways.

I. Rationale:
•Students will receive an introduction to animals to help better understand the subject at hand.
•Students will look at the concept of extinction. In particular, how the dinosaurs were unable to escape from it and how the bald eagle has made a comeback from the brink of it.
•Students will examine the endangered species of our world.
•Along with these animals, ideas, such as conservation, will be discussed.
•This lesson was chosen because of the importance of this issue today. Without our help, many of these species will disappear off the face of the planet.
•Children need to realize, at a young age, that they can make a difference in the fate of these creatures. Their pollution or conservation effects can help or hinder our efforts to protect these animals.

II. Goals and Objectives:
•Children will be able to define the concept of extinction and explain what an endangered species is.
•Children will also be able to give an example of an extinct animal and an endangered animal.
•Students will be able to show their understanding of the subject matter by successfully complete a worksheet on the issue and communication their understanding orally.
•Students will successfully complete a diorama.
•Each student will also begin to understand that their actions can help or hurt the efforts to save these animals.

III. Standards: The following Rhode Island Beginning Teaching Standards will be addressed by the teacher:
•Use a broad knowledge base to create interdisciplinary learning experiences (1.2
•Model a commitment to lifelong learning students (1.3
•Select instructional materials and resources based on their comprehensiveness, accuracy, ideas and concepts (2.3).
•Design instruction that meets the current cognitive, social and personal needs of their students (3.2).
•Design instruction that accommodates individual differences (4.1).
•Use their understanding of students to create connections between the subject matter and student experiences (4.2).
•Make appropriate accommodations for students who have learning differences (4.4)
•Design lessons that extend beyond factual recall and challenge students to develop higher cognitive skills (5.1
•Use tasks that engage students in exploration, discovery and hands-on activities (5.5).
•Create learning groups in which students learn to work collaboratively and independently (6.6)
•Communicate clear expectations for achievement that allow students to take responsibility for their own learning (6.7).
•Use a variety of modes of communication to promote learning (8.2
•Emphasize oral and written communication though the instructional use of discussion, listening and responding to the ideas of others and group interaction (8.4).

IV. Learner Factors: This lesson will be accommodating to different types of learners. The subject matter will be discussed orally for those who leave from interpersonal and social methods. The diorama will be hands on for those who do best with bodily and kinesthetic learning. The diorama will also give those that do best introspectively a chance to express themselves using the creation of their art. Worksheets will be provided for those children that feel they better express themselves on paper or those who are verbal and linguistic learners. Pictures and picture books of some animals will be provided for the visual and naturalistic learners.
Students will be able to relate the concepts of animals to their own experiences in the world and in nature as well as whatever animals they may have at home.
This project will also do well for different levels of learners. Adequate time and attention will be given with the project and discussion. Help will be offered, at any time, to any students requiring it.

V. Environmental Factors: Students will be working together in the discussion portion of this lesson. When working on the diorama, they each are expected to create their own, but may look to other students or the teacher for assistance. Worksheets need to be completed without help from other students, so they may be effectively assessed.

VI. Materials and Resources:
•"Growing" capsules
•Boxes
•Ribbon, to hang the finished product
•Markers and/or crayons, other decorating supplies
•Stapler, to fix the ribbon to the box
•Construction paper
•Newspaper, to protect tables
•Bowl, with water (needed for capsules to expand)
•Pictures of endangered animals
•Word search
•Paper, with various questions, to assess the students learning of the subject matter

VII. Instructional Sequence:
1. Motivation: We are employing the direct instruction model. In order to successfully complete this lesson, you need to discuss what animals are and give examples. One way to motivate the children is have them relate to animals. One way that this can be done is by talking about the animals the children see everyday, such as their pets.
Since students will wonder what they should know, the teacher should explain that by the end of the lesson, they are expected to know the concepts of extinction and endangered species. An example of each should also be known.
After this is complete, the teacher will address the concept of extinction. Extinction, or to "extiningush", will be addressed by the most well known extinct animals, the dinosaurs. The children will know that dinosaurs no longer exist and that there are animals in this world, that without our help, will soon meet the same fate.
In the conversation comes the concept of "endangered" species. These species, if not helped, will soon no longer be on our planet. We will briefly discuss some animals on this list such as the manatee and the butterfly. We will look at some animals that, because of what people have done for them, have recovered from endangered status. An example of this is the bald eagle. By showing successes in this field, this will allow children to see that it is possible to save these animals and that they can make a difference.
Children will then express some ways they could help. Conservation and recycling will be talked about briefly. It is expected that the teacher will reiterate the concepts during every following lesson to strengthen understanding.
1. Desrcibe, compare and search for patterns: Students will examine the backboard presented to them. The backboard will contain the familiar handouts about each animal studied in lessons, as well as a chart that compares and contrasts each species. The chart focuses on such things as where each animal is from and how many are now present in the world today.
2. Explain similarities and differences: Students will be able to visually see the differences and similarities within the species studied. The chart lists the major comparisions, but the informational section on each animal will allow the students to further develop others. One of the major differences is that dinosaurs are already extinct, while other species we have looked at are still alive. Some of the questions could include, "Compare and contrast the diets of the animals we studied."
3. Hypothesize outcomes ofr different conditions: On the backboard, there is information about the amount of garbage a person disposes of in a day. Using this infomartion, students will be asked to hypothesize "What if less garbage was disposed of each day?" and "What if more garbage was disposed of each day?". Other questions, such as "How is the life cycle of the butterfly like our own?" will be addressed as they were in previous lessons to strengthen students understanding. The answers to the questions will have some background information on the board, but not the whole answer.
4. Generalize to form broad relationships: When questions are asked, students will be given appropriate time to think about their response. The teacher will able to probe students with further information about how to correctly answer the question.

VIII. Assessment Plan:
•Children will be able to define the concept of extinction and explain what an endangered species is.
•Children will also be able to give an example of an extinct animal and an endangered animal.
•Students will be able to show their understanding of the subject matter by successfully completing a worksheet on the issue and communication their understanding orally.
•Students will successfully complete a diorama.
•Each student will also begin to understand that their actions can help or hurt the efforts to save these animals. This will be assessed within their written and oral evaluation at the end of the lesson.

IX. Reflection:
The lesson went well and I met most of my objectives. The children in the group were able to define what extinction and extinct animals were and gave examples. Each child also successfully completed the diorama, which addressed Use tasks that engage students in exploration, discovery and hands-on activities (RIBTS 5.5).
I used a variety of modes of communication to promote learning (RIBTS 8.2) while emphasizing oral and written communication though the instructional use of discussion, listening and responding to the ideas of others and group interaction (RIBTS 8.4). The group interaction was wonderful. Children helped each other and talked during their work. Communication orally also went well, while only a few children completed the written evaluation successfully. I believe some of my questions were worded too hard for some children. The children discussed with me, as well as the group, what they can do to help our environment.
The lesson was developmentally appropriate and I had enough work to last the whole time. I even had a crossword which I never used and will save for a future lesson!
I also made appropriate accommodations for students who have learning differences ( RIBTS 4.4) There is a child who needed more time to complete the evaluation. She was working hard, so we both agreed that she would take it home and work on it. It will be returned next week and looked at.
This evaluation asked questions beyond factual recall (RIBTS 5.1), such as "What could you do to help the planet? Support your answers with what we talked about in the group discussion". Kids were allowed to use whatever they came up with that could help our environment.
An example that needs to be adjusted is seating arrangement. There are two children in this particular group, as I was told, that are not usually allowed in the same group for any reason. These two girls were shocked that the principal put them in the same group. They are best friends, but even one of their grandfathers told me that they are a handful when they are together. Obviously, I learned this during the course of the lesson. These girls were more occupied with each other than myself, and numerous times did I have to ask them to stop what they were doing (ex. throwing stuff at each other) and pay attention. Next week, they will be separated to prevent further incidents and distractions for the other students.
The four themes of the conceptual framework were incorporated in this lesson. I had knowledge of the context of this lesson and how it applies to the world around us. As someone who has worked with this age level before, I also had some prior information about where they are at in their development. To the children, I explained that animals are different to each other as we are all different to each other. This is a good example of the diversity portion of the conceptual framework. Children need to know that everyone is different and unique, and that is a good thing. I also have shown professionalism, by collaborating with my class about my lesson, showing standards in my lesson, and demonstrating to the children how lifelong learning of this subject is beneficial to their lives. Conservation is crucial to the survival of these species, and in turn, our own survival. Pedgogically, I have learned how to teach from my peers, professors and experience with this age group and in this area.
I have learned much from this lesson and I know it will make my future lessons more successful. My students have varying personalities and abilities, but I was happy to see they all enjoyed our project and time together.