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Course, Subject

Biology/Living Environment, Math, Science & Technology, Science (NYS P-12)

Materials

Click here to access the videos for this lesson
Student Handout for Lesson 2

Click on this link for Sample Graphs

Content Provider

PBS

Duration

2-3 Forty minute class periods

Objectives

• Students will understand that human activities are leading to the extinction of record numbers of species.
• Students will determine methods that humans can use to slow the current rate of extinction.
• Students will predict the result of reintroducing a native predator species to a local ecosystem.
• Students will plot graphs of animal populations to understand the concepts of carrying capacity, population explosion, limiting factors, and biotic potential.
• Students will analyze data to correlate the population dynamics between a predator and a prey species.
• Students will challenge their assumptions regarding the impact of reintroducing a predator species.
• Students will learn how non-native species can lead to the extinction of natives.
• Students will consider the value of native species reintroduction.
• Using knowledge about population growth, students will predict the future of the Bighorn Sheep population.

Description

During this learning experience, students will learn about species that have been driven out of their habitats by human activities. In an attempt to prevent these species from going extinct, some places are reintroducing species back into their native habitats. Such activities often have unforeseen effects, thus illustrating the complexity of ecosystems. This learning experience encourages students to think about the issues involved in native species restoration.

This learning experience is most effective when integrated with an ecology unit in a Living Environment or Life Science course. The unit includes videos and worksheets.

Website(s)

PBS: American Field Guide- Native Species Restoration and Its Impact on Local Populations

Procedure

Day 1: 20 Minutes

1. Go to the PBS website: Native Species Restoration and its Impact on Local Populations to access the videos.
2. Ask students to take out a sheet of paper or their journals.
3. Students will watch the video Protecting the San Pedro River Watershed.
4. After the video, the students will answer the following questions:
• What human activities are leading to the extinction of such record numbers of species?
• What are some actions that humans might take to slow the current rate of extinction?
5. While students are answering these questions, prepare the next video for viewing.
6. When students have completed the first writing assignment, they will watch the video Return of the Wolf.
7. After this part of the video is complete, the students will answer the following question:
• According to the video, the reintroduction of the Grey Wolf in Idaho is causing problems in ranching communities. What affect do you think it might have on native populations such as deer?


Day 2: 40 minute activity


8. The students will relate the issue of species restoration to the real world by completing the activities in the Student Handout .
9. Students should read over scenarios and answer the questions that correspond with each scenario.
10. Students can work with a partner on the student worksheet and while they are graphing their data.
11. Answers to the Student Handout can be viewed on the website .


Day 3: 15-20 minutes.


12. Students will watch the video about Reestablishing Bighorn Sheep in Oregon.
13. At the end of the video, students will answer the following questions:
• How did the actions of humans lead to the local extinction of the big horn sheep?
• Why do you think people will go to this much effort to reintroduce native species? Do you think it's worth it?
• Why do you think the relocation effort has been so successful in this area? What would happen if the sheep were released in Florida?
• Originally 20 Bighorn Sheep were reintroduced to this area. Now there are nearly 2000. These numbers are similar to the numbers of reintroduced deer before the population crashed. Do you think the bighorn sheep are due for a population crash soon? Why or why not?
• Do you think that the reintroduction of Bighorn Sheep will have an impact on local domestic sheep populations? Why or why not?

Assessment

For this unit, you can collect the materials from each of the three lessons. Students should keep their materials until the final day. They should then be graded based on the completeness of the assignment.

Related Academic Standards

New York State

S.MS.LS.2.1 Students who demonstrate understanding can analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

S.MS.LS.2.3 Students who demonstrate understanding can develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

S.MS.LS.2.4 Students who demonstrate understanding can construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

MST4.I.LE.3.2 Students describe factors responsible for competition within species and the significance of that competition.

MST4.I.LE.6.1 Students describe the flow of energy and matter through food chains and food webs.

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