This article details the history and impacts of the Endangered Species Act, which protects the habitat of species in the United States that are near extinction.
Students will learn about how the act came to be, what other legislation came before, how species are identified, and how the protections can help endangered species survive.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This resource includes a thorough explanation of the history behind the Endangered Species Act for students.
The images and related information are engaging and helpful for visual learners.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should have some background knowledge of what a species is and what it means to go extinct.
Differentiation
This article would work as a resource in a science class discussing ecosystem conservation, habitats, or species.
Social studies classes could use this resource when working on U.S. history or important environmental legislation.
Language arts classes could use this resource when practicing non-fiction reading skills.
This article would be a great introductory activity as a whole class read-aloud and discussion starter. Afterward, have students explore the Endangered Species List and choose one animal to research and create a presentation about. Students can present their findings to their peers.
Scientist Notes
This brief article describes the history of the Endangered Species Act and the impact it has contributed to accelerating conservation efforts. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
MS-ESS3-4 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
MS-LS2-4 Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: History
D2.His.1.6-8 Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Reading: Informational Text (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
