Can Polar Bears be saved from Extinction?
Marine Biology 9th Grade
Mrs Mary Evans
INTRODUCTION
What comes to mind when you think of the polar bear? Do you think of a cute white stuffed animal or do you envision a single polar bear floating on the last piece of ice in the arctic? Global warming and climate change are the main causes of Polar bear habitat loss which can lead to the extinction of this very precious animal. Scientists predict that the polar bear species will go extinct by the end of the century if we do not act to help them in their changing environment. If we let this happen, how will this affect humans and every other living organism on earth? Let’s watch this video When Will Polar Bear Populations Collapse? The Answer is Up to Us.
TASK
You may be asking yourself “Why are polar bears important and how does climate change affect the polar bears”? Through various activities, we will be learning about the polar bears and how climate change is affecting their existence. You will determine if it is worth saving the polar bears from extinction by creating a Canva brochure to inform other Rachel Carson high school students about polar bear extinction and conservation. Task
PROCESS/RESOURCES
Day 1 Defining the problem
How is climate change affecting the polar bears?
Day 2-6 Gathering evidence
a. Polar Bear True False and Polar Bear Adaptations and activity
c. On Thin Ice Part I and Part II
d. Evidence Supporting Polar Bears being able to survive.
e. Evidence Refuting Polar Bear survival.
Day 7 Identifying the causes
a. What is global warming and climate change? https://archive.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/basics/index.html
Day 8 Evaluating an existing policy
a. What is the government doing to protect polar bears?https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/us-government-releases-a-new-plan-to-protect-polar-bears
b. Laws https://www.nps.gov/subjects/rareandendangered/laws-policies.htm
Day 9 Developing solutions
1. Solutions to climate change
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/10-solutions-for-climate-change/
2. Solutions to conservation https://polarbearsinternational.org/news-media/articles/climate-change-solutions-polar-bears
Day 10 Pick the best solution
Using all the information learned for Polar Bear Conservation, what is the best solution to protect these keystone species?
Why do you think your solution will work??
Day 11 Create your final project
Create a brochure using CANVA task
EVALUATION
Rubric for Project created by Rubistar
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Student Name: ________________________________________ |
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CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
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Writing - Organization |
Each section in the brochure has a clear beginning, middle, and end. |
Almost all sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end. |
Most sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end. |
Less than half of the sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end. |
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Content - Accuracy |
All facts in the brochure are accurate. |
99-90% of the facts in the brochure are accurate. |
89-80% of the facts in the brochure are accurate. |
Fewer than 80% of the facts in the brochure are accurate. |
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Knowledge Gained |
All students in the group can accurately answer all questions related to facts in the brochure and to technical processes used to create the brochure. |
All students in the group can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the brochure and to technical processes used to create the brochure. |
Most students in the group can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the brochure and to technical processes used to create the brochure. |
Several students in the group appear to have little knowledge about the facts or technical processes used in the brochure. |
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Attractiveness & Organization |
The brochure has exceptionally attractive formatting and well-organized information. |
The brochure has attractive formatting and well-organized information. |
The brochure has well-organized information. |
The brochure\'s formatting and organization of material are confusing to the reader. |
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Writing - Mechanics |
Capitalization and punctuation are correct throughout the brochure. |
Capitalization and punctuation are correct throughout the brochure after feedback from an adult. |
There are 1-2 capitalization and/or punctuation errors in the brochure even after feedback from an adult. |
There are several capitalization or punctuation errors in the brochure even after feedback from an adult. |
CONCLUSION
In this unit, students learned about how climate change is affecting the polar bears habitat and existence. They learned the importance of animal conservation and how each organism on earth plays a critical role in its habitat Students researched possible causes to the near polar bear extinction and how they could help conserve this species. They determined the best ways they could help stop climate change and preserve endangered species. Extend your learning using the PPA steps to solve your own social problem:
4. Evaluate an Existing Policy
STANDARDS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.2
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.9
Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.7
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.9
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS:
Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. (HS-ETS1-3)
Design a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. (HS-ETS1-2)