Endangered Species Project
Concepts:endangered species, threaten species, habitat, taxonomy, laws and regulations, human impact
Due Date:The project is due . You will be given your grade sheet on and you are expected to grade your project before then. Your project will be graded by your peers (two others). The instructor will grade the paper if the other grades don’t agree or if it is believed that the projects are not being graded correctly. No late assignments will be accepted on this project.
Purpose:To identify threatened or endangered species in the United States and throughout the world.
Procedure:Students are to identify 10 threatened or endangered species from the United States and 10 from the world. Some animals are found in the United States and migrate around the world, in this case, where does the animal spend a majority of its time or is it considered an American species or a world species. Two from each group must be plants. Students need to obtain a picture of the species, its scientific and common names, its range, habitat, “why it is threatened or endangered?” and “what is being done?”
Picture: obtain a picture of the species; be sure to include the reference.
Scientific Name: provide the scientific name and be sure it is in the correct format.
Common Name: provide the name most people call the species.
Range: this is the geographical location for the species, be as specific as possible. Be careful of marine species, many of them range the entire ocean, thus they are world species. If they spend a majority of their time in US waters, you can place them in the US, example – Florida Manatee.
Habitat: This is the biome(s) they live in. List a description of the habitat. The name of the habitat is not enough.
Why is threatened or endangered?: describe the reason the species is either threatened or endangered. If it is due to man, include the reasons.
What is being done?: describe what if anything is being done to preserve the species, if nothing is being done, you need to state that for the points.
Websites:below is a list of websites to get you started. These are just a start; you need to use additional websites. Please include all the websites accessed for each species.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
This is a government website
EndangeredSpecies.com
This site looks at different aspects of endangered species; there is information on individual species, causes and laws.
Endangered Species
This is one of the best sites for endangered species and a great source of information for species worldwide. The site provides a list of extinct species and the possible effect these losses have on the environment. The site also provides a list of organizations that help with issues regarding endangered species.
Species Points:
Each endangered species is worth 10 points. The points are as followed: Picture – 1 point, Common Name – 1 point, Scientific Name – 1 point (must be in italics and the first letter in the name capitalized – example: Gymnogyps californianus),Range – 1 point, Habitat – 2 points, “Why the species is endangered or threatened?” – 2 points and “What is being done to protect the species?” – 2 points.
Organizational Points:
Table of Contents: 0 points no list, 5 points list but no page numbers, 10 points listed with page numbers. Reference List: 5 points all references listed, 10 points all references are listed in alphabetical order. This is in addition to the references being listed with each species. You can sort a list using sort under the table pull-down menu on Microsoft Word, sort by paragraph. Book Format: 0 points, with one staple in the corner, 4 points if stapled to look like a book, 7 points if in a folder but not bond, 10 points if in a three ring binder or some other type of folder that binds the pages. Overall Appearance: Neatness, organized, give the points as you look at the whole project, up to 20 points(this includes neatness, completeness, and more).
The total project is worth 250 points as followed:
Species:20 x 10 = 200
Organization:50
TOTAL250
Grading:You will be given your grade sheet and you are expected to grade your project by the next day. Your project will be graded by two of your peers. The student’s grade is based on the average of the three. The teacher reserves the right to re-grade any project.
Examples: (Please Note, you may not use my examples)
Animal Example
Common Name: California Condor
Scientific Name:Gymnogyps californianus
Range:historical to present
Current: the California Condor’s current range includes the LosPadresNational Forest (above Fillmore, CA), Big Sur and around the Grand Canyon area of Arizona. There are also small populations in three zoos and a wildlife station.
Habitat:Ten thousand years ago, California condors lived on both coasts of North America, from British Columbia to Baja California in the West, and New York to Florida in the East.
“Why the species is endangered or threatened?”
The California Condor is an ancient bird date predates the last ice age. As the earth left the last ice age, the California Condor was unable to adapt to the changing environment and its population began to decline. By about 1900, the condor population plummeted and was limited to southern California, due to many factors including loss of habitat, a low reproductive rate, poisoning, and shooting.
“What is being done to protect the species?”
Today, designated refuges and captive breeding programs help protect and restore the species. In 1987, the last remaining California Condors in the wild were captured and an extensive breeding program was intensified to reestablish the wild condor population. Later the birds were released in two sites in Arizona and California, today there are four such sites. From a population of 22 birds in 1987, to over 250 birds today.
References
Plant Example
Common Name:San Fernando Spineflower
Scientific Name:Chorizantheparryi S. Wats. var. fernandina
Range:San Fernando Valley to Orange and San Diego Co.
Habitat:Dry sandy places to 2500 feet
“Why the species is endangered or threatened?”
The San Fernando Valley Spineflower was presumed to be extinct by botanists. In June 1999 botanist Rick Reifner found it at a previously unreported locale on Laskey Mesa in the Simi Hills of VenturaCounty, just north of Calabasas. It has also bee found at several locations on Newhall Ranch near Valencia/Castaic just east of the VenturaCounty line on the foothills of the SantaSusanaMountains. This variety of spineflower was thought to be extinct, having not been seen since 1929 until it was rediscovered accidentally on the Ahmanson Ranch development site in southeastern VenturaCounty. The plant once covered much of the San Fernando Valley and could be found in other areas of southern California. As a result of habitat lost due to development, the plant disappeared and was last seen in 1929 until its rediscovery in 1999.
“What is being done to protect the species?”
The San Fernando Spineflower was listed as an endangered species in 2001. In October 2003, the area called Ahmanson Ranch was purchased by the state to preserve the land as a park. The land was owned by Washington Mutual Bank and had been slated to be developed into housing, schools, parks, golf courses and more. The project was stopped in part because of the Spineflower and the red-legged frog, another endangered species. Below is a map showing where Ahmanson Ranch is located.
References
Name:Period:
Each Student grades three Endangered Species Projects. You will grade you own project and two other projects. Your grade will be an average of your score and the other two scores on your project. Grades that are far apart may be graded a 4th time and compared to the other grades.
Your Score for your Project:
United States: At least 2 plants1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10
Type: Animal/ Plant (A or P)
Picture (1 point)
Common Name (1)
Scientific Name (1)
Range (1)
Habitat (2)
Why Threatened/ Endangered? (2)
What is being done? (2)
Total Points
Grand Total for United States
World: At least 2 plants
11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20
Type: Animal/ Plant (A or P)
Picture (1 point)
Common Name (1)
Scientific Name (1)
Range (1)
Habitat (2)
Why Threatened/ Endangered? (2)
What is being done? (2)
Total Points
Grand Total for World
Organizational Points:
Table of Contents: 0 points no list, 5 points list but no page numbers, 10 points listed with page numbers.
Reference List: 5 points all references listed, 10 points all references are listed in alphabetical order.
Book Format: 0 points, with one staple in the corner, 4 points if stapled to look like a book, 7 points if in a folder but not bond, 10 points if in a three ring binder or some other type of folder that binds the pages.
Overall Appearance: Neatness, organized, give the points as you look at the whole project, up to 20 points.
Grand Total PointsPossibleEarned
US Total 100
World Total 100
Table of Contents 10
Reference List 10
Book Format 10
Overall Appearance 20
Grand Total 300
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