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Endangered Species for Primary Grades

Each year, Esther Perlman's second graders learn about endangered animals. Over the past decade, her students have studied the brown bear, panda, mountain gorilla, tigers, rhinoceros, elephants, bald eagle, and whales. In 1997, her class studied alligators.

Perlman's endangered species unit includes student research, zoo visits, and culminates with whole class and individual writing and art projects. Her students also become teachers by presenting what they have learned to their families.

This exciting project gets the whole school community involved, including the Art teacher and class parents. Most significant, is the opportunity for Perlman's students to reach out to the larger community by presenting their model to the zoo, the NFL Eagles, and a homeless shelter.

Projects like these stay with your students long after they have moved on from your classroom. They require careful planning and coordination, and Esther Perlman has provided the "Sequence of Events" for her unit of study and "Construction Aspects" to help you get started.

Get your class involved in learning about endangered species in your region, and provide your students the opportunity to share their understanding with the community. Build your own model animals, create bulletin board displays and presentations. Then, as a class present your animals to the school, community center, public library, senior center, shelter, or local zoo or aquarium. Be sure to share your work with The Wild Ones.

Alligator Endangered Species Project

1. Class brainstorms the project. A list of endangered species was generated. Through a vote, the species to be studied was chosen; in 1997, it was the alligator.
2. After the decision was made to study the alligator, research began using computers, the library, magazines and videotapes.
3. The children met in cooperative learning groups of five to develop questions to be answered about the alligator.
4. The answers were compiled into a "Fact Sheet", a copy of which was given to each child.
5. After a brief exposition on teaching by the classroom teacher, each child received a teaching certificate.
6. At home, the student assumed the role of a teacher and instructed their family and friends as to the material covered by the "Fact Sheet".
7. The children informally tested each other and parents on the data covered by the Fact Sheet.
8. The students evaluated their own teaching, each filling out a self-evaluation form.
9. A trip to the Philadelphia Zoo was planned and carried out. During the visit, the class observed the reptiles and met with the reptile keeper.
10. After this, each child researched and wrote an illustrated essay describing the alligators they saw.
11. Each member of the class wrote an individual thank you note to the reptile keeper.
12. A framework of the alligator was fabricated with the help of Morton H. Perlman, MD.
13. The class reviewed the plans of the model and the methods and materials to be used.
14. The framework was covered with chicken wire and stuffed with newspaper. The children used plaster gauze to cover the body following which they inserted the eyes and teeth. After drying and curing occurred, the alligator skin was textured and painted with the assistance of the art teacher, Mr. Montgomery.
15. The children participated in a seminar concerning the attributes of animals. The seminar discussed the differences in the eyes which distinguished predator from prey.
16. After appointment of a nominating committee by the class president, the class voted the name Alex Alligator was most fitting.
17. The children painted pictures of alligators onto tee-shirts which they wore to the zoo. They also each made an alligator pillow with the help of the homeroom mothers.
18. The children participated in a ceremony at which the alligator was dedicated to the Philadelphia Zoo. Each child gave a speech and a presentation to the President of the Zoo, Pete Hoskins.
19. The children wrote releases for use in their classroom newspaper and for submission to the school

This was a departure from the prior practice of making a skeleton of two plywood cutouts, covering it with loose chicken wire and stuffing this with newspaper to achieve the necessary contours. Plaster gauze was the applied over the chicken wire.

Goals & Objectives

Cognitive G&Os

• Learn elements in the classification of animals, definitions and characteristics of reptiles, the nature of crocodilians.
• Learn specifics about alligators such as their physical characteristics, behavior, diet, demographics.
• Establish what is stressing the existence of the crocodilians: skin value, loss of habitat.
• Ascertain the problem of the endangered species, what is happening to them and why.
• Recognize the role of the zoo and park in the protection from extinction of endangered animals and the role of the zoo in breeding animals in captivity.

Skill G&Os

• Develop skill in the use of maps Ñ demography of the alligator
• Expand organizational skills Ñ teaching parents, formulating lists
• Enhance writing skills through reports, thank-you notes, lists, news releases.
• Enhance research skills and use of the computer and the Internet.
• Develop critical thinking on preparing for parent teaching, the predator workshop, self evaluation.

Behavioral G&Os

• Enhance group approach to some aspects of problem-solving.
• Participate in democratic selection processes.
• Appreciate the importance of wildlife conservation
• To recognize what each human being can do to help secure the world and it's wildlife for future generations.
• Impart love of the earth and it's animals.
• Teach children why protection of wildlife is very important and ways they can help.

Submit your own curriculum plans or resource suggestions to The Wild Ones for publication.

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