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2021-22 - Classification of Endangered Species: Opening Activity

Overview

2022 Classification of Endangered Species - Final Project 

According to the IUCN Red List website, "biodiversity is declining. Currently, there are more than 142,500 species on The IUCN Red List, with more than 40,000 species threatened with extinction, including 41% of amphibians, 37% of sharks and rays, 34% of conifers, 33% of reef building corals, 26% of mammals and 13% of birds." 

 

For this project, you will select an endangered species, characterized as "vulnerable" or worse by the IUCN Red List, research, and learn about your selected species in order to answer the following essential questions

  • Why is this organism ecologically important? To successfully answer this question, you will need to justify why the organism needs to be protected. 
  • What can we do to conserve this organism and its biome? To successfully answer this question, you will need to justify what needs to be done to protect the organism. 

Opening Activity

What is the IUCN Red List and why should we care? 

  1. As a class, watch the video linked to the right.  
  2. Visit the IUCN Red List Background & History page of the website.  
  3. Discuss as a class: 
    • What are your takeaways from the video? What details stand out in your mind? 
    • What questions do you have about the information in the video? What do you want to know? 
    • So what? Why is this information important? 

The IUCN Red List: Guiding Conservation for 50 years