Develop a mind map of students’ current knowledge about endangered animals.
Gather a list of questions from the students of things they would like to find out about the topic, for example:
- why are pandas endangered today?
- display these on a Wonder Wall in the classroom.
Expose students to a variety of texts about endangered animals during shared, guided and independent reading lessons. Here are some examples:
Picture books:
- A-Z of Endangered Animals by Jennifer Cossins
- Australia’s Endangered Animals by Natalie Parker and Luisa Adam.
- Hunwick’s Egg by Mem Fox
- Our Class Tiger by Aleesah Darlison
- The Last Tree by Mark Wilson
- Tears in the Jungle by Daniel and William Clarke
Websites:
This range of texts could be used to target a number of different specific teaching focuses including:
- identifying the purpose of each text
- finding main ideas, summarising sections of text
- highlighting new scientific vocabulary
- learning about the features of non-fiction texts (contents page, subheadings glossary, index and online texts (hyperlinks, main menu, search functions)
- identifying author’s point of view (is there a conservation message?).
Invite and interview a guest speaker as an expert in the field. Students could write a letter or email inviting the expert into the classroom and prepare some questions to ask.
Visit Melbourne Zoo. Participate in one of their education programs related to endangered species, for example,
Local Legends.
Build a word wall about the topic, where scientific vocabulary can be displayed along with word definitions and illustrations where possible.
Use the texts to introduce elements of grammar that are especially relevant to writing persuasive texts. For example, authors often use evaluative language when presenting a particular point of view. These words could be recorded and sorted according to either positive or negative evaluation (protection vs destruction) or degree of intensity (very vs extremely dangerous).
Record and organise information collected from different sources (books, websites, interviews) on an
inquiry chart. Students could complete this in small groups or pairs or as a whole class group (use an enlarged chart) with new information added as another text is read or viewed.
Use
Glogster to create informative multimedia posters about individual endangered animals. Share presentations with others.
Create a class A-Z big book of endangered animals including both written and visual texts.