Going, going, gone… In Endangered Animals, the pupils will explore how animals can become endangered or extinct due to threats such as hunting and habitat destruction. The problems that animals face are introduced alongside examples of positive things that people can do to help. Many of the animal skins and other objects from the natural world used in this session are on loan from H.M. Revenue and Customs - they are from real animals hunted in the wild.
Age group: Years 3-6 (KS2, Ages 7-11)
Duration: 45 minutes
Capacity: 35 pupils
Learning Space: Rainforest Life
National Curriculum links:
KS2 Science
Year 4 programme of study (2014)
Living things and their habitats
Pupils should be taught to:
- recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things
Intended learning outcomes:
Pupils will be able to:
- Gain an understanding of the word ‘endangered’ and identify some of the animals which are endangered
- Identify some of the threats that animals face
- Recognise how people can damage/improve the environment and the things that live in it
For this session
Before your visit:
- Ask students to plan a route to take around the Zoo that allows them to see the animals and exhibits that they would like to focus on- find out how many of these animals are endangered and why.
While at the Zoo:
- Look at the information signs at each animal exhibit- these will tell you if the animal you are looking at is endangered.
- Attend the Tigers Live talk (at Tiger Territory) to find out about some of the threats affecting tigers and what we can do to help.
- Visit the Partula snail exhibit in B.U.G.S. These snails are extinct in the wild- find out why and what is being done to help them.
After your visit:
- Ask students to choose an endangered animal that they saw at the zoo and make a colourful poster to help to save that animal from becoming extinct. Students should explain why this animal is endangered, why we should save it and how we can help.
