Teacher Notes
Resources About Endangered Birds (45 minutes) > Print/View All Notes
If students are confused about the difference between the federal and state lists of endangered species, explain to them that to be listed as a federally endangered species, an animal has to be in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. To be listed as endangered at the state level, an animal has to be in danger of disappearing from that state. Even animals that are not in imminent danger of becoming extinct across the entire country are worth protecting in individual states.
For teachers who are differentiating for reading levels, the first link on the Resources page (from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources) is a much higher reading level than the other two.
After students have completed the activity, lead a discussion about how to protect endangered birds from extinction. You can do this as an entire class or in small groups. As students brainstorm, consider asking them to keep track of their ideas with this brainstorming tool:
https://bubbl.us
As a part of this discussion, encourage the class to evaluate the ideas for protecting birds and identify which are most practical. Your students may discuss creating a new habitat as a way to help endangered birds. Habitat restoration is possible, but it is an enormous undertaking. Encourage your students to think about more feasible solutions. If you ask them about which of the birds' needs are going unmet in their current habitats, you may be able to lead them to the practical solution of building nest boxes to replace nesting sites that have been lost. Let your students know that there are scientists and conservationists involved in real-world projects to build nest boxes for endangered birds across the country.
