Endangered Species' Life Spans

Grade Levels: 3 - 6

Overview

Students apply their knowledge of addition to determine the expected life spans of various endangered species in a zoo.

Objectives

• Students will review and practice the concept of adding numbers when there is carrying involved.
• Students will practice the addition process using data from a website.
• Students will use an online chart to gather data.

Materials

• Copies of Endangered Species' Life Spans Worksheet
• Index cards (three for each student)

Procedure

1. Review the following vocabulary words: endangered, extinct, species, conservation, captivity.

2. Ask students to imagine an animal species that you'll call a wuggle. Draw a picture of a wuggle on the board (make a unique animal). Inform students that this particular wuggle was born in the year 1972, and is expected to live for 33 years. Call on a volunteer to figure out the year in which the wuggle might die.

3. Write several addition problems on the board and review how to carry the digit from the tens position to the top of the next left-hand column when adding.

4. Working in groups of three, direct the students to the Oregon Zoo (http://www.oregonzoo.com/).

5. Discuss with students this zoo's participation in the Species Survival Plans, which concentrates on breeding 21 animal species that are in grave danger of becoming extinct. Have students click on the word "Conservation" in the left margin, and then "Species Survival Plans" on the next screen. Then direct them to scroll down to the animal list.

6. Inform students that today they are zoo personnel. They need to figure out how long some of the animals in the zoo might live. Students should look at the chart on the worksheet to find the year a specific animal was born. Then they should click on the animal species' name on the website list and find its estimated life span. If a range of life span is given, direct students to choose any number between the two given (example: for 15-20 years, students can use 16, 17, 18, or 19). Have them add the year an animal was born to its estimated life span in order to figure out, year in which it is expected to die. (Note that for some species, both LifeSpan in the Wild and Lifespan in Captivity are listed. Direct students to use LifeSpan in Captivity .) Students should work through the first five examples given.

Assessment

• Have students solve a random addition-with-carrying problem independently in their seats. Ask them to write the answer conspicuously on an index card. Direct them to hold the card up facing the front of the room. Walk around and assess answers. Repeat this two more times.
• Endangered Species' Life Spans Answer Key

Extensions

• Explore the Animal theme on TeacherVision^® to find lessons and activites for all grade levels.
• Have students complete the remainder of the handout.
• Have students create a wall chart depicting the animals' life spans, from longest to shortest lived.
• Practice subtraction by having the students figure out how old each animal is presently.
• Additional Web resources: Endangered Species 2000 (http://library.thinkquest.org/25014/english.index.shtml).

• Understands and applies basic and advanced concepts of statistics and data analysis
• Understands how species depend on one another and on the environment for survival