Usr Local SRC Education - Com Files Static Lesson-Plans Endangered-Species-Exploration Endangered-Species-Exploration

Endangered Species Exploration
Fourth Grade Reading
Teach your students the importance of text features with informational readings about endangered species
around the world. This lesson on wildlife doubles as a great way for young learners to hone their reading
comprehension skills.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to identify the main features of a text. They will also be able to compare and contrast two
different animals using a Venn diagram.
Materials and preparation Key terms
World map or globe endangered

Crayons species
Endangered Species worksheets attachment
How the Sumatran rhino became critically
endangered video clip
Captive breeding of Sumatran rhinos poses
challenges video clip
Text Features sheet
Endangered Species worksheets
Graphic Organizer Template: Venn Diagram
Attachments
Endangered Species (PDF)

Text Features (PDF)
Graphic Organizer Template: Venn Diagram (PDF)
Introduction (20 minutes)
Tell students that they will be learning about a few endangered species around the world.
Write the word species on the board, and ask for a few volunteers to define the word.
Discuss and write the definition of species on the board: a category of living things identified by a two-
part scientific name. Give an example, e.g. homo sapiens.
Write the word endangered on the board, and ask for a few volunteers to define the word.
Discuss and write the definition of endangered on the board: threatened by extinction.
As a class, create a definition for the phrase "endangered species," and write it on the board.
Explain to students that they are going to watch two short video clips about an endangered species
called the Sumatran Rhinoceros. Then play the videos How the Sumatran rhino became critically
endangered and Captive breeding of Sumatran rhinos poses challenges .
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)
Hand out the Endangered Species: Sumatran Rhinoceros worksheet and Text Features sheet to each
student.
Display the Sumatran Rhinoceros worksheet for the class to see. Read the instructions aloud.
Display the Text Features sheet for the class to see.
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Model each direction on your own Rhinoceros worksheet and have students complete each direction after
you have modeled it.
Guided Practice (10 minutes)
Have students keep the Text Feature sheet on their desk and set the Sumatran Rhinoceros worksheet
aside.
Have the other Endangered Species worksheets laid out on a table or easily accessed area in the room.
Tell the students to independently read and complete another Endangered Species worksheet using the
Text Features worksheet directions.
Show the students where in the room the other worksheets are, and dismiss them to pick up other sheets
of their choice.
Independent working time (10 minutes)
Have students work independently on their Endangered Species worksheets while monitoring and helping
as needed.
Differentiation
Enrichment: Have advanced students write a few paragraphs about the animals they chose on the back
of their Venn diagram sheets.
Support: Allow struggling students to work in pairs during Guided Practice.
Assessment (5 minutes)
Collect students' work at the end of the lesson. Review their responses later as an informal assessment of
whether the lesson objectives were met.
Review and closing (15 minutes)
Have students complete a Venn diagram (at least two items per section) to compare and contrast the
Sumatran rhino with a species they completed a worksheet for on their own.

13 Endangered
Species You Should
Know About
Why are some animals in danger of extinction while others are not? Learn
about 13 unique and endangered species with these coloring worksheets.

Table of Contents
Endangered Species: Sumatran Rhinoceros
Endangered Species: Spectacled Bear
Endangered Species: Red-Shanked Douc Langur
Endangered Species: Red Wolf
Endangered Species: Pygmy Hippo
Endangered Species: Prz ewalski's Horse
Endangered Species: Okapi
Endangered Species: Komodo Dragon
Endangered Species: Iranian Jerboa
Endangered Species: Forest Owlet
Endangered Species: Black-Footed Ferret
Endangered Species: Baird's Tapir
Endangered Species: Amur Leopard

Northern Borneo
Endangered Species Island
Sumatran Rhinoceros
Sumatrensis harrissoni
The Sumatran Rhinoceros has only six populations, distributed

throughout three islands near Indonesia, including Borneo,
Sumatra and the Maylay Peninsula. They have long, shaggy hair
that is reddish-brown. There are only an estimated 275 animals
left in the wild. They are threatened mainly by deforestation,
and by poachers, who can sell the horns for high prices.
Copyright C 2011-2012 by Education.com More worksheets at www.education.com/worksheets
South American
Endangered Species Andies
Spectacled Bear
Tremarctos Ornatus
The spectacled bear, or the Andean bear,

is a “vulnerable” endangered species,
and it is illegal to kill them. They still have
about 20,000 living in the wild, primarily in the Andes of South
America. The species is threatened by locals who hunt and kill
them, in fear that the bears will eat all the livestock. But in
reality, the bears do not consume large amounts of meat.
Their territory is also threatened by
mass farming and deforestation.

Viet Nam & Laos
Endangered Species
Red-Shanked Douc Langur
Pygathrix nemaeus
The red-shanked douc is a

brightly colored animal. It
has red legs from its toes to
its hip and a body of gray, with a
yellow face and a long white tail.
The douc langur lives
in a very tiny area between
Vietnam and Los. This animal
spends its whole life in trees.
Deforestation is a huge
reason why they are en-
dangered. Locals also hunt
these monkeys and
sometimes sell them
illegally.

Southern
Endangered Species United States
Red Wolf
Canis rufus
The red wolf was once common in the U.S.,

but in the 1960’s was killed off largely by
“predator control programs” and by loss of
habitat. In 1980 the red wolf became extinct in the wild. The
species is being brought back through major
efforts in captive breeding. As of now. there
are just about 100 in the wild, and 200 in
captivity.

Liberia & West Africa
Endangered Species
Pygmy Hippopotamus
Hexaprotodon liberiensis
The pygmy hippopotamus is about 1/3

the size of its larger cousin, the common
hippopotamus. It is a nocturnal animal and lives in the forest.
Its habitat is shrinking due to forests being turned into
farmland. There are only an estimated 3,000 left in the wild.

Mongolia
Endangered Species
Przewalski’s Horse
Equus ferus przewalskii
Przewalski’s horse is very unique and

truly wild horse that has never been
domesticated. The very last surviving
horses are out on the plains of Mongolia,
north of China. About 50 years ago the population dwindled
to less than 15 animals. With captive breeding programs, they
have released nearly 1,500 horses back into the wild. Even so,
this species is still considered to be critically endangered.

Democratic Republic
Endangered Species of the
Congo
Okapi
Okapia johnstoni
The okapi is very unique animal. It has stripes

that resemble a zebra’s stripes, but in fact,
it is more closely related to the giraffe.
The species is considered to be
“threatened”, not endangered.
The okapi population is quite
stable, at 10,000-20,000 in
the wild. Their biggest
threats include poach-
ing and the destruct-
ion of their habitat.
Fun Fact:
The okapi’s
tounge is so
long that it
can clean its
eyes and ears!
Indonesian
Endangered Species Island
Komodo Dragon
Varanus komodoensis
The Komodo dragon is

native to the island
of Komodo in
Indonesia.
Although the
population is
considered
“stable” with
about 5,000 living
in the wild, they are
endangered due to
their limited dis-
tribution, and the
fact that there are
only 350 breed-
ing females.

Southern Iran
Endangered Species
Iranian Jerboa
Allactaga firouzi
The jerboa is a very small rodent that resembles

a mouse. It has large feet, which allow it
to bounce around like kangaroo. This
species has a small population,
so very little is known about them.
Only a few were found living on
a mountain steppe
in southern Iran
in 2005.

Central India
Endangered Species
Forest Owlet
Heteroglaux blewitti
The Forest Owlet is

considered to be
critically endangered.
In the early 1870’s
the owl was thought
to be extinct. But then
Almost 100 years later
a few birds were found
by researchers. This
species of owl lives
only in central India.
They are threatened
most by India’s huge
population, which
causes deforestation.
It is thought that
there are only about
250 owls left
in the wild.
North America
Endangered Species
Black-Footed Ferret
Mustela nigripes
The Black-footed Ferret is directly
the prairie dog. Many

prairie dogs are
poisoned by farmers
because of the
damage they do to
farm land. In 1987,
the Black-footed Ferret was
considered extinct in the
wild. The U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service led a captive
breeing program, and over
time they were able to
introduce the species back
into the wild. Today, there are over 1,000
Black-footed Ferrets living in the
western U.S. and in Mexico.

Central & South
Endangered Species America
Baird’s Tapir
Tapirus bairdii
The tapir
is threatened
primarily by habitat
destruction and localized
hunting. Tapirs only have
one baby at a time. The
young offspring will usually spend
up to two years with its mother.
Russia Far East
Endangered Species &
Northern China
Amur Leopard
Panthera pardus orientalis
There are only about

20-30 Amur
leopards left in
the wild, in a
tiny area that
connects China
and Russia. At this
time they are listed as
critically endangered.
The species is threat-
ened by excessive
poaching, and their
habitat is in danger
due to high
levels of con-
struction. Their
numbers are
increasing
in captivity.

Text Features
Directions: Using an Endangered Species worksheet

and your crayons, complete the directions below.
1. Read the title and paragraph on the Endangered

Species worksheet.
2. Highlight the scientific name of the animal in
GREEN.
3. Highlight the main idea in RED.
4. Highlight two supporting details in BLUE.
5. Locate the map in the upper right corner on the
worksheet.
6. On the map, color the area where the animal lives
in BROWN.
7. Color the picture of the animal according to the
supporting details in the text.

Name: Date:
Venn Diagram


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Endangered Species Exploration

Fourth Grade Reading

Materials and preparation Key terms

World map or globe endangered

Endangered Species (PDF)

Introduction (20 minutes)

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Independent working time (10 minutes)

Review and closing (15 minutes)

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

The Sumatran Rhinoceros has only six populations, distributed

Endangered Species Andies

The spectacled bear, or the Andean bear,

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

The red-shanked douc is a

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Endangered Species United States

The red wolf was once common in the U.S.,

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

The pygmy hippopotamus is about 1/3

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Przewalski’s horse is very unique and

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

The okapi is very unique animal. It has stripes

The Komodo dragon is

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

The jerboa is a very small rodent that resembles

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

The Forest Owlet is

The Black-footed Ferret is directly

the prairie dog. Many

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

There are only about

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Directions: Using an Endangered Species worksheet

1. Read the title and paragraph on the Endangered

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

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