Prospect
Park Zoo: Elementary Grades
Zoos:
an answer to wildlife conservation and protection.
Grade Level: Life science, fourth grade, elementary school.
Learning Standard(s):
Performance Standards : Demonstrate
understanding of organisms and environments. Demonstrates understanding of
change over time. Demonstrates understanding of life cycle of organisms.
Scientific Tools and Technology: Acquires information from multiple sources.
New York City Performance Standards:
Student produces evidence that demonstrates understanding of characteristics
of organisms, such as survival and environmental support; the relationship
between structure and function; variation in behavior. The student produces
evidence that demonstrates understanding of organisms and environments, such
as interdependence of animals and plants in an ecosystem; and populations
and their effect on the environment.
Time Requirements:
Prep time: two weeks prior to attending
the zoo.
Time at the zoo: Three hours.
Topics covered by this lesson:
This lesson will cover the following topics on wildlife conservation and protection.
1. Endangered species
2. Natural and unnatural causes of vulnerability, endangerment and extinction
of various species.
3. Purpose of zoos.
4. How zoos create environments similar to the animals most suitable habitat
in order for it to survive.
Previsit:(what we would have
covered prior to going to the exhibit)
Purpose : To explore various
animals that are at risk of becoming endangered. Students will be given
the opportunity to gather data on these various animals and explore the use
of zoos to sustain the species chosen.
Objective
To have students understand the uses of zoos as a means of wildlife conservation
since various species of animals are endangered. Students learn what animals
need to survive and their interdependency with the environment. Students will
use the concepts we have identified and defined in class while learning how
zoos use these concepts. Students
will observe various endangered animals at the zoo and gather information
that will help them develop solutions of their own.
Materials
Writing instrument and their journals.
Learning Prerequisites
Basic understanding of vocabulary discussed. Students will be expected to
apply their acquired information while at the zoo.
Visit:
While at the zoo students will
be separated into groups . Students will be required to visit two animals
at the zoo that are endangered (Cotton-Top Tamarin and Red Panda). Students
will be required to write the animal's name and draw the animal and label
observations they make on aspects of the zoo's simulated environment. Students
will be
responsible for using the information provided to discover why the animals
are endangered.
Post visit:
Students will share information
gathered from the zoo to develop a children's workbook on various solutions
that they can develop as a means of saving endangered species, identifying
specific endangered species of their choice and what caused their endangerment.
MSTEP
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