Environmental Science: Endangered Species and Conservation
Learning how people can help protect plants and animals
Environmental Science: Endangered Species and Conservation
Learning how people can help protect plants and animals
Environmental Science - Grade 4-5
- 1
An endangered species is a living thing that is in danger of disappearing forever. In your own words, explain what it means for an animal or plant to be endangered.
Think about what could happen if a species has too few living members.
An endangered animal or plant is one that has very few members left and could become extinct if people do not help protect it. - 2
A forest is cut down to build new roads and houses. Name one way this could hurt animals that live there.
Cutting down the forest could hurt animals by destroying their homes, removing their food sources, or making it harder for them to find shelter. - 3
Circle the action that helps conserve wildlife: throwing trash in a river, planting native flowers, or leaving plastic bags on a beach. Explain your choice.
Look for the choice that improves a habitat instead of harming it.
Planting native flowers helps conserve wildlife because native plants can provide food and shelter for local insects, birds, and other animals. - 4
Sea turtles can be harmed by plastic bags because the bags may look like jellyfish, which turtles eat. What is one thing people can do to help sea turtles?
People can help sea turtles by using reusable bags, picking up litter, and keeping plastic trash out of oceans and beaches. - 5
A conservation group counts 42 frogs in a wetland one year and 28 frogs the next year. Did the frog population increase or decrease? By how many frogs?
Subtract the second number from the first number.
The frog population decreased by 14 frogs because 42 minus 28 equals 14. - 6
Some animals become endangered when they are hunted too much. Explain why rules about hunting can help protect endangered animals.
Rules about hunting can help protect endangered animals by limiting or stopping hunting so the animals have time to reproduce and increase their population. - 7
Look at this food chain: grass, rabbit, fox. If many rabbits disappear, what might happen to the foxes? Explain why.
Think about what the fox eats in the food chain.
Some foxes might have less food and their population could decrease because rabbits are an important food source for foxes. - 8
A national park protects land where endangered animals live. Give two reasons why protected areas can help endangered species.
Protected areas can help endangered species by saving their habitats and reducing dangers such as building, logging, and hunting. - 9
Pollution can make water unsafe for fish, frogs, and birds. Write one example of water pollution and one way to prevent it.
Think about what should not be dumped into rivers, lakes, or oceans.
One example of water pollution is trash or chemicals entering a stream. People can help prevent it by disposing of waste properly and keeping litter out of waterways. - 10
A zoo has a breeding program for an endangered bird. The program helps the birds have chicks safely. How could this help the species?
A breeding program can help the species by increasing the number of birds and keeping the population from getting too small. - 11
Choose the best definition of habitat: the place where an organism lives, the color of an organism, or the sound an organism makes. Explain your answer.
A habitat is connected to an organism's needs for survival.
A habitat is the place where an organism lives because it provides the food, water, shelter, and space the organism needs. - 12
A wetland has insects, fish, frogs, birds, and plants. Why is biodiversity important in this habitat?
Biodiversity is important because many different living things support one another and help keep the habitat healthy and balanced. - 13
Some people buy products made from endangered animals, such as shells, skins, or horns. Explain why avoiding these products can help conservation.
If fewer people buy harmful products, fewer animals may be taken from the wild.
Avoiding products made from endangered animals can help conservation because it lowers the demand for harming or capturing those animals. - 14
A class wants to help monarch butterflies. They plan to plant milkweed and other native flowers at school. Why is this a good conservation action?
This is a good conservation action because monarch caterpillars need milkweed, and native flowers can provide nectar for adult butterflies. - 15
Write a short conservation plan for one endangered species. Include the species name, one threat it faces, and one action people can take to help.
Use a clear plan such as: species, threat, action.
A complete plan should name an endangered species, describe a real threat such as habitat loss or pollution, and explain a helpful action such as protecting habitat, reducing trash, or following wildlife laws.