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LESSON PLAN FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES

(NOTE: This lesson is an interactive one for "set-piece" teaching of organized youth groups. With discussion, it runs an hour.)

MAIN THEME: "Many types of plants and animals are in danger of being wiped out before we even know how important they might be to our own health and prosperity."

MAJOR POINTS: As a planned presentation, this should normally be given in the following order. You may modify as needed, either in advance to meet specific requirements or on the spot to respond to audience involvement. However, be alert to adjust transitions, as the order presented here leads through the subject matter in a logical sequence. Main points are given as questions: be ready to lead the audience to an answer or to give it if need be.

(1) DO YOU KNOW WHAT "ENDANGERED SPECIES" MEANS? A word-play that might help some kids remember is "SPECIal plants and animals IN DANGER." If they have trouble grasping the extinction concept, say that we all know sometimes a pet fish or dog dies. If all the fish or doggies in the world died, that would be extinction. You may want to explain that, when people say "endangered species," they usually mean species officially listed as endangered by such organizations as the IUCN, U.S. Government, State of Texas, etc. But there are other categories of listing, such as "threatened," and there certainly are animals that are in danger in the long run, even if they aren't currently listed. Finally, a lot of kids will say species are endangered when there aren't many of the animal: tell them this is often true, but there can be other reasons for listing, too. Even a numerous species may be in danger, if it lives in a small area (e.g., Komodo Dragon) or some people are making a concerted effort to kill it off (e.g., African elephant).

(2) CAN YOU NAME ANY ENDANGERED SPECIES? This is rarely a problem, though you will get some wrong answers. Try to lead from the wrong answers, which are often close to right, to the correct ones. (Careful: sometimes the wrong answers are right after all!) Stress that endangered species include plants as well as animals.

(3) CAN YOU NAME ANY TEXAS ENDANGERED SPECIES? This is harder: be prepared to give examples. Again cite plants.

(4) WHY DO ANIMALS BECOME ENDANGERED OR EVEN EXTINCT? Stress that while this sometimes happens naturally, humans are the main cause of current extinctions. (Normal background rate: 1 species per year. Current rate: 50-150 species per day. That is 18,000 to 55,000 times the normal rate. By 2050, over two-thirds of species that were on Earth in 1950 could be gone.) Kids will give good specific answers and often will use the following key words...if not, summarize their answers for them in these three terms:

(a) Habitat loss. People destroy animals' homes, food, breeding places, etc., when we expand our own cities, farms, etc. We can see this happen in San Antonio.

(b) Pollution. Examples: global die-off of frogs and frogs with extra legs may be due to direct contact with chemicals or to ozone depletion (caused by pollution or a fungus that is more virulent due to pollution and climate change). On Hudson Bay, polar bear weights and cub survival rates are down, perhaps due to the pesticides in seal bodies (picked up from fish that get them from run-off into sea) or global warming that melts ice shelves the bears use to reach seals (global warming is due to pollution).

(c) Hunting. Examples: poaching of elephants and rhinos for profit, hunting of bushmeat for food (even chimpanzees and bats), overfishing of many seafood species, persecution of predators such as wolves and cheetahs due to exaggerated fears of their effects on livestock, persecution of other creatures (bats, aye-ayes, etc.) due to false disease fears and superstitions, and capturing of animals (monkeys, parrots, reptiles) for pet trade.

(5) WHY DO WE CARE IF SPECIES BECOME EXTINCT? This is harder. Be alert for "close" answers you can expand on. If kids don't hit on the following three key words, make sure you do:

(a) Usefulness to people. This means things humans can DO with animals or plants. Endangered species may hold food, medi-cine or industrial products (e.g., wild plant genes to fortify crops against disease, rosy periwinkle from Madagascar that yielded cancer drug for Hodgkins disease and some leukemias with 98 percent remission rate, African clawed frog that yielded new antibiotic class, rubber plants and newly discovered plants that may make good building materials or provide fuel). Ask if they have seen "The Medicine Man"? Many have. For those who haven't, briefly summarize: Sean Connery plays scientist racing against time to find a cancer cure in a small patch of jungle, while the smoke columns of thye roadbuilders get closer every day.

(b) Balance of nature. This means beneficial things that animals and plants do naturally, if humans just leave them alone. A species that goes extinct may play a role we don't even know about and cause a chain-reaction catastrophe. Quote Chief Seattle on all things being connected (NOTE: he didn’t say it, but the quotation is wonderful). Examples: hunters wiped out fishers in Northwest U.S.; then lumber industry almost collapsed because exploding porcupine population girdled trees; had to import fishers from Canada to regain control over porcupines. Coyotes eat rats that would otherwise eat grass seed, depriving livestock of feed...so coyote is really rancher/farmer's friend! Bats eat bugs...Bracken Cave bats alone estimated to save Texas farmers $100 million a year in crop losses and pesticide costs. Each toad is worth $20 a year to farmers (in 1956 dollars!). Vanilla beans now cost $8 apiece because insect that pollinated vanilla plants went extinct and people must now hand-pollinate. Many bat and bird species pollinate plants (including wild versions of key human fruit crops) or spread seeds. Finally, plants make oxygen and clean air/water.

(c) Spiritual values. This doesn't take long, but stress that it may the most important reason of all. The world would be colder, lonelier and uglier without a variety of life. Who wants to live in a world where the only birds are grackles and pigeons? Humans need the beauty of biodiversity as much as they need food.

(6) HOW CAN YOU HELP? All these ideas are important. If kids don't offer them all, you get them across before session ends. As appropriate, remind them to get their parent's permission or to wait till they're older to do certain things:

(a) Learn. Ask your parents and teachers questions and ask them where to get information. Read books and magazines: go to the library. There are excellent television nature shows on PBS, Discovery and Animal channels and often on others. "Kratz' Kreatures" is especially good for kids. Borrow tapes from the library. For kids with computers, there are excellent nature-related CD-ROMs and interactive games. Start a backyard lab at home or ask your teachers to start one at school. Teachers can get help from many organizations, such as Bexar Audubon Society, Natural Initiatives, Texas Parks and Wildlife, etc. Visit the zoo, of course, but don't just glance at the animals...really watch them, read the signs, talk to docents and keepers, and then go home and read or watch videos about the animals you saw.

(b) Teach. Pass what you learn on to parents, teachers, friends and neighbors. Most grown-ups will listen when kids know what they're talking about and can say where they learned it.

(c) Join organizations. Many school, local and national organizations focus on nature. Just being in the groups helps, because large membership lists impress politicians who want to sway voters. (They don't know who can vote.) With most groups, part of the dues goes directly for research, lobbying for animal protection or to help animals. Almost all send our excellent magazines or newsletters. Many will tell you how to help (most ask for extra money, of course, but many also tell you how you can help, such as writing letters to politicians. Never under-estimate the impact of a heartfelt child's letter.

(d) Conserve resources and keep the environment clean. In daily life, do all you can to save resources. Don't waste water or electricity. Recycle whenever you can. Tell cashiers you don't need bags if you only buy one or two items. Dispose of trash pro-perly because trash (especially plastic bags and 6-pack rings) is dangerous to animals, who often choke on them. Cut 6-pack rings and dispose of all plastics in sealed containers (if you cannot recycle). Participate in volunteer clean-up days.

(e) Never harm or catch a wild animal. Wild animals don't make good pets, and every one taken from the wild is one less to keep the wild population healthy. Some Texas wildlife you see may be endangered or at least rare, so it's important to have as many in the wild as possible. If you see an injured animal or one that seems to be orphaned, don't grab it or disturb it. Keep pets and other humans away, while you ask an adult to call a responsible non-profit wildlife rescue-organization for advice. They will tell you how to help and send a trained rescuer if necessary.

(f) Control dogs and cats. If you want a pet, adopt a lonely dog or cat from an animal shelter. Spay/neuter your dogs and cats, so that there won't be more homeless animals. Never let dogs and cats run loose. (Ask them if they know why, before pointing out that stray and abandoned pets kill billions of wild animals a year...it's not the dogs' or cats' fault: they're just behaving naturally...it's humans' job to prevent this damage.)

(g) Raise money for nature. There are many ways young people can raise money for nature and wildlife, by donating to responsible organizations, "adopting" zoo animals, etc. It is easiest and best to do this through school/youth organizations, but individuals can help. If every child raised $1 a year, that would be tens of millions for habitat and species protection.

(h) Create habitat for creatures. Many birds, insects and small creatures can thrive in your backyard or school. You can create good homes for them by building wildlife-friendly gardens, with parents' or teachers' approval. Texas Parks and Wildlife, Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners can provide information.

(i) Promise never to forget you love animals. Sometimes when people grow up, they get busy making money and they forget how they used to care about animals. Make a promise to yourself and to nature that you won't forget.

(j) Consider an environmental career. There are lots of wonderful jobs for people who want to protect and foster nature. You can be a scientist, environmental lawyer, organizer, wildlife rehabilitator, zookeeper, biology teacher, forester, nature writer, nature film-maker, pollution-control chemist, or any one of dozens of other jobs. You won't get rich in most of these jobs, but you can have the greatest reward of all -- the beauty of nature and satisfaction of knowing you helped to save it.

(7) DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IS? You usually won't have time for this and, unless your audience is older, you may not want to tackle it anyway. It is politically sensitive. Nevertheless, it may come up and docents should be prepared to correct misperceptions. It's important to know that ESA is only one of several laws that protect plants and animals, including the Wetlands Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is also important to know what the ESA is not. Without attacking anyone, one can say that many people fear the ESA because they misunderstand it: they wrongly think it stops economic activity and destroys jobs. In fact, the ESA affects only a tiny percentage of projects, almost all involving federal money or permits, and almost all of which are only delayed, not blocked. The ESA actually protects jobs by protecting the environment that the economy depends on. What happens to fishermen if we kill all the fish? The ESA does not keep people from using their land, though some owners may need to be more careful how they use it. If anyone thinks these are bad laws, they should read more to find out what they really say. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife can provided information. Above all, stress that these laws work: the alligator, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, whooping crane, brown pelican, osprey, river otter, gray whale and several kinds of fish and sea turtles have come back from near-extinction due to protection. But they aren't totally safe yet and many other species are still in peril. One source says 250 species of animals and plants have become extinct in the U.S. since 1980. So laws are still needed.

EDUCATIONAL AIDS: Docents are encouraged to suggest additional items that will help tell the rainforest story.

(1) Live animals: properly trained and permitted groups and individuals can use live animals to capture kids’ interest and help them understand. The animals used need not be endangered themselves but can be used to illustrate endangered relatives. WARNING: most birds are protected regardless of endangerment status and taking of some other species is also regulated for various reasons. Check with Texas Parks and Wildlife or U.S. Fish and Wildlife publications/officials before possessing or using non-domesticated animal parts in education.

(2) Biofacts or specimens: groups and individuals with permits to own animal parts can show skins, feathers/eggs, turtle/tortoise shells, tusks and horns from endangered species. Specimens from non-endangered species can in some cases be legally possessed and used by anyone. WARNING: most birds are protected regardless of endangerment status and taking of some other species is also regulated for various reasons. Check with Texas Parks and Wildlife or U.S. Fish and Wildlife publications/officials before possessing or using non-domesticated animal parts in education.

(3) Display cards summarizing endangered-species issues.

(4) Posters on endangered species. (Hide from kids at beginning, because these give away answers to early questions.)

(5) Handout pamphlets/coloring books with key facts.

ABBREVIATED VERSION

FOR REFERENCE DURING PRESENTATION

MAIN THEME: "Many types of plants and animals are in danger of being wiped out before we even know how important they might be to our own health and prosperity."

(1) DO YOU KNOW WHAT "ENDANGERED SPECIES" MEANS? "SPECIal plants and animals IN DANGER"...sometimes a dog dies: if all die, that's extinction... not just numbers game, as numerous animals can be in danger if hunted or in small area).

(2) CAN YOU NAME ANY ENDANGERED SPECIES? Plants as well as animals.

(3) CAN YOU NAME ANY TEXAS ENDANGERED SPECIES? Plants as well as animals.

(4) WHY DO SPECIES BECOME ENDANGERED OR EXTINCT?

Humans main cause (background 1 species/year...current 50-150 species/day...18,000 to 55,000 times normal...by 2050, over two-thirds of species on Earth in 1950 could be gone.)

Habitat loss. Pollution (frogs, polar bears). Hunting (poaching, persecution, pet trade).

(5) WHY DO WE CARE IN SPECIES BECOME EXTINCT?

Usefulness (food, medicine, industrial products...wild genes to fortify crops vs. disease, rosy periwinkle, African clawed frog antibiotic, rubber and fuel plants).

Balance of nature (roles we don't know could cause a chain-reaction...Chief Seattle... fishers, porcupines and lumber in Northwest...coyotes, rats, grass seed and livestock...bats and toads eating bugs...Bracken Cave bats $100 million a year...toads $20 a year each in 1956 dollars!...bats and birds pollinating and spreading seeds...vanilla beans $8 each because insect extinct... plants make oxygen and clean air/water).

Spiritual values (lonelier, uglier world).

(6) HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Learn (backyard lab at home or school...help from BAS, Natural Initiatives, TPW, etc...zoo but really watch aninmals, read signs, talk to staff, then read or watch videos).

Teach.

Join organizations (school, local, national...big membership lists awe politicians...dues help research, lobbying, rescue...magazines or newsletters...advice on how to help).

Conserve resources, keep environment clean (save water, electricity... recycle...don't take unneeded bags...dispose of plastic bags and 6-pack rings right...volunteer clean-ups).

Never harm or catch wild animals (bad pets...some rare so needed to breed in wild...don't disturb injured/orphaned animal ...keep pets/people away...have adult call WRR for advice/help).

Control dogs/cats (get pets from shelters...spay/neuter...never let run loose...know why?).

Raise money for nature (donate to organizations..."adopt" zoo animals, etc., through school/youth groups or as individuals. If every child raised $1 a year...).

Create habitat for creatures (TPW, Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners).

Promise never to forget you love animals.

Environmental careers (scientist, environmental lawyer, organizer, rehabilitator, zookeeper, biology teacher, forester, nature writer, nature film-maker, pollution-control chemist, etc. Not rich, but beauty of nature and satisfaction of saving it.)

(7) DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IS?

Not only law (Wetlands Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act).

Fear of ESA wrong (does not kill jobs, block land use... affects few federally-related projects, most only delayed...may need to use land more carefully...protects jobs by protecting environment: fishermen need fish. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and TPW can provide info).

Laws work (alligator, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, whooping crane, brown pelican, osprey, river otter, gray whale, several kinds of fish and sea turtles).

Still needed (250 species extinct in U.S. since 1980).