I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Preservation

Essential Question:

Why is it important to preserve endangered species and how can we help?

Bridge:

Cause and Effect

Content:

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: Students will discover that a relationship exists between native and alien species. This relationship has caused many native species to become endangered.
Activity: Students and teacher will participate in a simulation. Students line up on one side of a basketball court or other marked off rectangular area. This side will be designated as side A. The teacher hands out one card to each student. Some students receive a picture of a kahuli (snail), other students a picture of aniiwi (bird), and some students a picture of a sila (seal). One student is chosen to be man and stands on the opposite side of the court. The side of man is designated as Side B.

Round One: When the teacher says go, the snails, birds, and seals run around within the boundaries of half of the court. The student representing man runs to the opposite side of the court and tags only one other student. The teacher blows a whistle and all of the students freeze. The student who was tagged out goes back to the starting point with man. The student reveals whether he was a snail, bird, or seal. The teacher records the information. The teacher explains that the student who was tagged out now represents a rat.
Round Two: The remaining snails, birds and seals line up on Side A. The teacher collects the cards and redistributes the cards, but does not change the number of each animal that was left at the end of round one. Man and Rat line up on Side B of the court. When the teacher says go, the snails, birds, and seals run around within the boundaries of half of the court. Man and Rat run to the opposite side of the court and they each tag only one other student. The teacher blows a whistle and all the students freeze. The students tagged out reveal whether they were a snail, bird, or seal. If the student tagged by Man was a snail, bird, or seal, he/she must go to side B with Man. However, Rat can only take a snail or bird back with him/her to Side B. Rat can not take back a seal. If rat tagged a seal, the seal is let go and goes back to Side A. The teacher records the information. The third student out represents a Fishing Net. The fourth student out represents a Cannibal Snail.
Round Three: The remaining snails, birds, and seals line up on side A. The teacher collects the cards and redistributes the cards, but does not change the number of each animal that was left at the end of round two. Man, Rat, Fishing Net, and Cannibal Snail line up on Side B of the court. When the teacher says go, the snails, birds, and seals run around within the boundaries of half of the court. Man, Rat, Fishing Net, and Cannibal Snail run to the opposite side of the court and each one tags only one other student. The teacher blows a whistle and all the students freeze.
Rules for this and all remaining rounds:
1. Man can get out a snail, bird, or seal. If any of these are tagged out, they go to Side B and become Man.
2. Rat can get out a snail or a bird. If either of these are tagged out, they go to Side B and become a Rat. If a seal is tagged by a Rat, seal is let go to go back to Side A.
3. Cannibal Snail can only get out a snail. If a bird or seal is tagged, they are let go t and go back to Side A.
4. Fishing Net can only get out a seal. If a snail or bird is tagged, they are let go and go back to Side A.
The students who are out reveal whether they were a snail, bird, or seal. After each round the teacher records the information (what and how many animals got out and who got them out).
Note: The amount of students in the class will determine how many rounds you go. You should stop when almost all of the snails, birds, and seals are gone. You should have at least one of each remaining by the last round.
Assessment: Students are engaged in the activity.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: Students will make meaning of the simulation.
Activity: Teacher will prepare graphs ahead of time with the data that was recorded from each round of the simulation. Two graphs should be prepared. The first graph should show the decrease in the number of snails, the decrease in the number of birds, and the decrease in the number of seals. The second graph should show the increase in the number of people, an increase in the number of rats, an increase in the number of cannibal snails and an increase in the number of fishing nets. Show the graphs to the students. Break the students up into small groups. Each small group will analyze and interpret the meaning of the graphs. Students discuss and record their ideas on chart paper.
If students have a difficult time, here are some helpful questions:
1. Which animals were native?
2. Which animals were introduced to the native environment?
3. Make this simulation relevant to a live situation. Why did one group of animals keep decreasing while the other group kept increasing?
4. What is the relationship between native and alien species?
Assessment: Students are able to make connections to real life situations?

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: Students will be able to conceptualize the meaning of cause and effect.
Activity: Watch the video, “Listen to the Forest”. This video shows examples of native species that can be found in the Hawaiian rain forest. Some examples are animals and insects that most people in Hawaii have only seen in pictures or videos and are currently on the endangered list. After watching the video, the teacher has the students image that all these endangered species of Hawaii have now become extinct. The students write a metaphor… “If Hawaii lost its native species, it would be like __________ because ____________.” Students share their metaphor with the class.
Assessment: Students demonstrate in their metaphors that they understand the conceptualization of cause and effect.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: Students more clearly define the ideas of native species, alien species, and endangered species.
Activity:
1) The teacher reads a book entitled, “Beyond Ohi’a Valley” to the students. The teacher and students focus on the story plot (Native vs. Alien Species in the native forest). The teacher focuses on the scientific information at the back on the book (The effect that alien species has had on the native species of Hawaii).
2) The teacher introduces other resource material that contains information about endangered species of Hawaii.
3) The class chooses one endangered animal of Hawaii to conduct research on. The teacher shows where and demonstrates how to conduct research on that specific animal. Teacher and students discuss good research skills. Both teacher and students together complete research on the animal that was chosen. Research should include information from books, videos, news reports, newspaper and magazine articles, the internet, interviews of knowledgeable people on the subject, etc.
Assessment: Students contribute research information on the animal that was chosen and help construct a model for the compiled research. The model will be used in quadrant three, left mode.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: Through research skills, and compare and contrast skills, students will be able to formulate a generalization about the concept of cause and effect relative to endangered species.
Activity: Each student is given a specific animal to research using the Science Research Box, the Science Fact Card Box, books, and other resources. Include information from newspapers, magazines, videos, TV news and programs, etc. Students collect data such as:
1) name of animal
2) type of animal
3) what islands it can be found on
4) what kind of environment it can be found in
5) what kind of foods it eats
6) distinguishing features
7) interesting facts
8) what are its predators
9) why is it endangered
Once students have collected their data, they put their information up on a wall matrix. Students make comparisons between the data found on each animal. Students formulate a generalization about the concept of cause and effect relative to endangered species.
Assessment: Students are able to write a logical generalization about the concept of cause and effect relative to endangered species.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: Students come to understand the part that they have in preserving our endangered species.
Activity: Invite someone from the office of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to come in and speak on the topic of endangered species and what can be done to preserve these creatures. Another option would be to go on a field trip to Hawaii Volcano National Park. Rangers can speak on the subject of endangered species and what measures can be made to preserve the species in danger. The ranger can guide students on a path into the rain forest and look for some of the rare species. After activity, students discuss what they learned from those who work first hand with endangered species. They write and draw what they learned in their journals and answer the essential question, “Why is it important to preserve endangered species and how can we help?”

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: Students evaluate the role that they have in preserving our endangered species.
Activity: Each student chooses one way to demonstrate their understanding of concept preservation. They can write an article for the local newspaper, make a TV advertisement, make a brochure on the computer, or make a poster with the objective of educating the community in ways they can help preserve our endangered animals.
Assessment: Student completes product and gives an oral and visual presentation.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: Students educate the community on the effects of alien species in native environments and what steps can be taken to preserve our endangered species.
Activity: Students share their projects with the community. Some examples are displaying posters in the local library, sending articles to the local newspapers or magazines, calling the local news station and making reports on the news, etc.
Assessment: Students fine at least one way to share their personal project with the community. They report back to the class on how they shared their project and what kind of effect and impact it had on the audience.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: