Student

Task Description

Your Task:
Your have been asked by the Discovery Channel to be a part of an expert reporting group. They would
like you to research an endangered species and present it to their online viewers. They want you to
"Illuminate the Endangered".

Instructions:

1. Choose an Endangered Species

Each student will choose one of the following endangered species to investigate:
o Giant Pandas
o Sea Turtles
o Tigers
o Polar Bears
o Elephants
o Rhinos
o Gorillas
o Whales
2. Research
Each student will be responsible for researching the following information:
o The niche of the species
o What is happening to this species?
o What environmental factors are causing it to be endangered?
o What local and global strategies are in place to help save this species?
o Evaluate whether they are effective or not, and defend your position

Please keep in mind that you will be assessed on your research, so keep a detailed list of your
references (the websites and books that you use) and an organized set of research notes.

You may work with a partner to research your species, however your research notes and project
must be your own.

3. Checkpoint #1
Discovery Channel has appointed your teacher as their delegate. They would like you to present
your information to your teacher in order to make sure all of the criteria (listed above) have been
researched.
4. Plan
Each student will plan on how he or she will present the information to the online viewers of
Discovery Channel. You may either plan to create a video, research report, or poster. If you have
another idea of how to present your information, please discuss it with your teacher.
5. Prepare & Present
Prepare your information to present to your teacher and Discovery Channel.

Helpful Websites:
Here are a few websites to get you started. Please ensure that you use a variety of resources (i.e. more
than one website) for your research.
- Textbook (Science Focus 9)
- Online Resources
o http://www.worldwildlife.org/
o http://cwf-fcf.org/en/discover-wildlife/?gclid=CNGr6NHWvMECFSgLMgodN2kAAg
o http://www.fws.gov/endangered/
o http://www.arkive.org/
- Google

Schedule:

This is the schedule we will be following for this task. Suggestions are provided to show what stage you
should be at for each date.
- Class work time:
o Period 1
Research and collect information
Fill in handout
o Period 2
Research and collect information
o Period 3
Finish collecting research
Checkpoint #1
Begin working on presenting your information
o Period 4
Continue putting information together to present
- Outside of class time:
o Finish presentation of task (filming a video, creating a poster, etc)

Due Date:

October 28, 2014 at the beginning of class.

Student Handout

Name:





Research Partner:
__________________________________
__________________________________


This handout has been provided to guide you through the process of researching your chosen
endangered species, and in planning how you will present your information.

Choice of Species:__________________________________

What is its niche?

What is happening to this species? What environmental factors are causing it to be

endangered?

What local and global strategies are in place to help save this species?

Evaluate whether the local and global strategies are effective or not, and defend your
position.

Teacher Initials: _________

Presentation Planning:
Use this space to plan your presentation.


Type of Presentation:__________________________________


Introduction:
(What will get your viewers excited to keep reading or watching?)
- Some examples:
o An interesting fact
o A definition
o (Make sure it is related to your species!)











Body:
(What do you want your viewers to know? What order will you explain things in?)
- Think about what would be best to know first (what you need to know so that you are able to
understand the rest of the presentation)
- Hint: Look at your research note handout that was provided what order is the information in
on that sheet?

Conclusion:
(How will you end your presentation?)
- This is where you want to wrap-up what you have talked about
- Do not present any new information in this section
- Relate all the information together

Self-Assessment

Name: _________________________________

Level
Criteria


Identify Niches
Outcome: K1.1
(Stem 1 Understands & makes
connections between concepts)

4
Excellent

3
Good

2
Basic

1
Not
Meeting

Provides a subtle
and thorough
description of the
species niche.

Provides an in-
depth and well-
developed
description of the
species niche.

Provides a
simplistic
description of
the species
niche.

Provides an
limited and
insufficient
description of
the species
niche.

Limited and
insufficient
description of
ongoing
changes in
biological
diversity
through
extinction and
extirpation of
native species.
Limited and
insufficient
investigation of
the role of
environmental
factors in
causing these
changes.

Describe
changes in
biodiversity

Thorough
description of
ongoing changes
in biological
diversity through
extinction and
extirpation of
native species.

In-depth
description of
ongoing changes
in biological
diversity through
extinction and
extirpation of
native species.

Simplistic
description of
ongoing changes
in biological
diversity
through
extinction and
extirpation of
native species.

Investigate the
role of
environmental
factors in
changing
biodiversity

Thorough
investigation of
the role of
environmental
factors in causing
these changes to
biodiversity.

In-depth
investigation of
the role of
environmental
factors in causing
these changes to
biodiversity.

Simplistic
investigation of
the role of
environmental
factors in
causing these
changes.

Evaluate local and global strategies

for minimizing loss of diversity
Outcome: K4.3
(Stem 4 Explores scientific events
and issues in society and the
environment)

Thorough
evaluation of local
and global
strategies for
minimizing loss of
diversity.

In-depth
evaluation of local
and global
strategies for
minimizing loss of
diversity.

Simplistic
evaluation of
local and global
strategies for
minimizing loss
of diversity.

Limited and
insufficient
evaluation of
local and global
strategies for
minimizing loss
of diversity.

Research
Outcome: S2.3
(Stem 3 Develops skills for inquiry
and communication)

Gathers
knowledge of
complex ideas.

Gathers
knowledge of a
variety of ideas.

Gathers
knowledge of
common ideas.

Struggles to
gather
knowledge of
common ideas.

Defense of position
Outcome: S4.3
(Stem 2 Analyzes and solves
problems through scientific
reasoning)

Provides a subtle
and thorough
defense of
position.

Provides an in-
depth and well-
developed
defense of
position.

Provides an
adequate or
simplistic
defense of
position.

Provides a
limited and
insufficient
defense of
position.

Changes in
Biodiversity
(x2)
Outcome: K4.2
(Stem 4
Explores
scientific events
and issues in
society and the
environment)