As McHenry County continues to change and develop, students are shown how other species are impacted by progress and growth. This lesson stresses the importance of biodiversity, showing how all species are essential to the continued health of our planet. The vital concepts of biodiversity and endangered species are presented through a video and an original matching activity. Students identify habitats and endangered species to gain an understanding of the circumstances that are threatening their survival. The lesson concludes with a number of steps fifth graders can take to help protect biodiversity. 

Big Idea:

Factors have contributed to endangering Biodiversity around the world.

Essential Questions:

Why is Biodiversity important?  What can you do to support Biodiversity?

Students will be able to:   

• Distinguish various sounds of animals and activities in an ecosystem.
• Cycles of matter and interdependent relationships in Ecosystems - Play the role of various organisms in food chains to create a food web and experiment with factors that might affect the food wed balance in an ecosystem. Learn how energy in animals’ food originates with the sun and how matter moves among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
• Define biodiversity and reason why it is important to the health of each ecosystem on the Earth.
• Identify what all living things need to live.
• Describe the impact removing wolves had on the ecosystem of Yellowstone Park and how reintroducing the wolves became a success story.
• Identify other success stories in McHenry County
• Identify the problem and cause of losing biodiversity (HIPPO- Habitat Loss, Invasive Species, Pollution, Population, and Overconsumption).
• Determine actions students can take to support biodiversity in McHenry County 

Vocabulary:

• Biodiversity – the variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat
• Species – a population of living things composed of related individuals that resemble each other and are able to breed among themselves
• Habitat – an area that provides an animal or plant with adequate food, water, shelter and living space
• Over Consumption – using up too much of the earth’s resources
• Endangered Species categories:
  • Threatened/Vulnerable – Conditions in the species’ habitat, and/or human interference, is compromising their ability to survive
  • Endangered – Due to these conditions, species are struggling to survive and their numbers are decreasing
  • Extinct in the Wild – Known only to survive in captivity
  • Extinct – No individuals known to exist
• Invasive Species – A species that does not naturally occur in a specific area
  

 NGSS Standards met by this lesson:

5-LS2-1 Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment (food chain activity)

PS3.D Energy release from food was once energy for the sun.

 LS1.C: Organization of Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms- food provides animals with the materials they need for body repair and growth.

LS2A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystem

LS2B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems – matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals and microbes as these organisms live and die.

5-ESS3-1 and Ess3C: - Human Impacts on Earth’s systems: human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space.  But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments.

SL.5.5 Include multimedia components

IL. Learning standards met by this lesson:

12.B.2a, 13.B.2e, 13.B.2f, 17.C.2c

Frontload Materials

Youtube - How Wolves Change A River - reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q

Follow-up Activities and Extended Learning

Visit our lending kits related to biodiversity, and Animals and People of Illinois Past

Letter to Parents - teachers please share via print, email or web with your students' families after our presentation

2 up on a letter page word document

5th grade Lesson - letter to parents