Success stories in animal preservation are not very common. Since 1973 when the Endangered Species Act was passed, only 16 species of over 1,350 have been delisted. The whooping crane is not one of them, although its numbers have increased from 21 in 1941 to over 350 today. On February 22, 2009, the NYTimes.com published an extended story, Rescue Flight, centered on a unique group of hearty souls whose goal is to increase the whooping crane population.

The story is divided into six sections, toggling between (a) the group’s activities in a given day of whooping crane migration coaching, and (b) the history, ecology and biology of the bird. The story is filled with direct quotes from volunteers and biologists that create a comprehensive perspective on what saving a species entails.

Two powerful themes emerge. The first is: humans have drastically and permanently changed the landscape of the earth in irreversible ways. We cannot assume we have the ability to “undo” the situation we have created. There is a need to recognize that fact and to work for satisfactory alternatives that will enable survival of as many species and habitats as possible. The second theme follows from the first; that is, we may need to modify our concept of what it means to preserve a species.

For example, the story recounts how whooping cranes learn to migrate from other birds. So humans have engineered ways to act as bird facsimiles, which young whooping cranes emulate. However, after several years, the population has failed to become self-sufficient. Whooping cranes are completely reliant on human intervention for continued survival. One person is quoted in the story as suggesting that perhaps this is the greatest level of species conservation we can now hope for, given what humans have done to natural habitats around the world.

How to Turn This News Event into an Inquiry-Based, Standards-Related Science Lesson

Investigation of the Endangered Species Act opens a multitude of learning pathways aligned with the standards, from general to specific. The unit can focus on science and society, methods and technology in science (radio tracking, how to coach birds in migration), ecology and systems, or bird biology specifically.

Ask students what a whooping crane is. Consider cutting out a life-sized, five feet tall, paper silhouette by projecting this image from the appropriate distance: http://www.clker.com/cliparts/f/a/b/8/11954413771618148892molumen_whooping_crane_1.svg.hi.png. More images are available at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/

Explain that the bird has been on the endangered species list since the act passed in 1973, and that there are approximately 350 of them today living in Wisconsin and migrating to Florida in the winter. Is that a high number or low number? Why do they think so?

Consider putting students in six groups and giving each group one section of the story to read and highlight. Point out they don’t have the whole story, only a part. It is expected they will have some questions after reading their section. Have students articulate two to three questions they have about the whooping cranes as a result of reading their section.

Jigsaw the groups into new groups, so that each new group has at least one representative from each of the article’s sections. Students should then go around the group, each person sharing one of his or her questions. Groups should follow this with a sharing of a synopsis of their section, in order, 1-6, which should contribute to answering some of the questions.

At this point, you may want to have a large-group, guided discussion in which you articulate specific objectives and assist students in acquiring the relevant information and concepts. A few ideas for objectives are:

• Describe the efforts made and methods used to save the whooping crane from extinction.
• Convey the recent history of the species and its current status.
• Identify the flyway of the whooping crane and any potential obstacles along the way.
• Describe one behavior of the whooping crane that biologists are unable to explain at this point.
• Explain how species become endangered and whether this trend is reversible.

Finally, you should conduct some kind of assessment, either formal or informal, and give students an opportunity to reflect on what they have learned. You could ask them: “Which parts of the story/lesson are directly connected to you? Indirectly? Explain.”

The following are some related resources from the National Science Digital Library Middle School Portal: Populations and Ecosystems; One in Three Amphibian Species at Risk of Extinction; Polar Bear Central; and Extinction.

We Need Your Help

We want and need your ideas, suggestions, and observations. What would you like to know more about? What questions have your students asked? Do you have a favorite activity that you would like to share? We invite you to share with us and other readers by posting your comments. Please check back each week for our newest post or download the RSS feed for this blog. You can also request email notification when new content is posted (see right navigation bar).

Let us know what you think and tell us how we can serve you better. We want your feedback on all of the NSDL Middle School Portal science publications. Email us at msp@msteacher.org.