Extinct and Endangered Species
Background Information & Activities

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When children learn about extinct and endangered species, they learn about different plants and animals and explore how living things have adaptations to survive in their habitats. They also learn how living things rely on each other to survive and understand how human actions can impact other living things and ecosystems. This movie will explore different extinct and endangered species of plants and animals and investigate different causes, including habitat destruction, hunting, and pollution.

Review with your children that when a living thing is extinct, it is no longer living and none of its kind is alive today. Dinosaurs are the classic example of an extinct species. Remind your children that dinosaurs lived over two hundred millions years ago, long before people. Today, there are no dinosaurs left on Earth. We study their fossils to learn about them. Many scientists believe that the dinosaurs became extinct after a meteorite crashed into our planet and caused big changes.

Dodo birds are another example of an extinct species. They used to live on the island of Mauritius, off the African continent. Dodo birds could not fly and had no natural predators. In the 1600s, people landed on the island, bringing cats, rats, and other foreign predators who hunted the dodos and destroyed their nests. The dodos were also hunted and suffered from habitat loss as people settled the area. Another example of an extinct species is the Tecopa pupfish, which once lived in hot springs in California. People settled the area and began building canals and buildings. In the 1970s, the Tecopa pupfish died out. Today, habitat destruction is one of the main causes of extinction.

Remind your children that endangered species are living things that are close to becoming extinct. The Javan rhinoceros used to live in different parts of Asia, but they were hunted for their horns. Today there are less than one hundred left in the wild. The Indian leopard used to inhabit different parts of Asia and India. They were hunted for their fur and killed because they posed danger to valuable livestock. But, they have become endangered mostly due to habitat loss and destruction.

Plants can also become endangered and extinct. The green pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant that grows in different parts of the United States. It grows mostly in wetlands and marshes, which are being destroyed to make room for buildings. Furthermore, pesticides sprayed on weeds and crops are destroying the plant. As a result, the plant is endangered. The rafflesia is a rare parasitic rainforest plant that grows the largest flower in the world – some can grow to a diameter of three feet. It also smells like a dead animal! The plant is close to extinction due to habitat destruction.

Experts estimate that over two-thirds of the world’s plant and animal species live in rainforests, and millions more species are yet to be discovered. But due to habitat destruction, many rainforest species are becoming endangered or extinct at an astonishing rate. Many species of plants and animals can disappear without ever having been discovered or studied.

Living things depend on each other to survive. Create a food web or food chain of different plants and animals. What might happen if a plant or animal became endangered or extinct? People are working together to help protect endangered animals. Some governments have created reserves and set aside land that cannot be developed in order to provide a safe habitat and prevent species from going extinct. Some zoologists and other scientists help breed endangered species and release them back into the wild. Some specially trained people harvest seeds from rare plants and grow them and then plant them in the wild. Many countries have laws that protect endangered species. The Endangered Species Act is a set of laws that help protect plants and animals from extinction. Each state has a list of endangered species and local governments work to protect them.

Urge your children to do their part to protect endangered species. They can conserve natural resources, including water and energy, and keep the environment clean by reducing, reusing, and recycling. They can learn more about endangered and extinct species and educate others. They can talk to government leaders to make their voices heard and even adopt an endangered species by raising money and awareness to save them. Help your children become active global citizens and find ways to get involved.

Extinct and Endangered Species Teacher Activities – Click Here!

Extinct and Endangered Species Family Activities – Click Here!

Extinct and Endangered Species Teacher Activities

© 1999-2010 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Adopt an Endangered Species

Together with the class, choose an endangered species to adopt. You can look on websites of the Nature Conservancy or the World Wildlife Fund or even visit your local zoo to learn about different endangered plants and animals. You can also look at your states' endangered plants and animals list to find out what you can do to help protect species close to home. Track the progress of the plant or animal and find ways to raise awareness in the whole school or community, such as a poster campaign or a fundraiser.

Clean-Up Day

Remind your children that living things need safe, clean places in order to live. If possible, organize a clean-up day at a park, beach, or piece of public land. Many communities organize an annual day to improve neighborhoods. Participate in a local event and help children understand the importance of maintaining a safe and clean environment for all living things.

Extinct and Endangered Species Family Activities

© 1999-2010 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Zoo Visit

If possible, visit your local zoo or aquarium. Explore different animals and discuss a few, pointing out adaptations and behavioral characteristics. Pose questions about human impact. How might ocean animals be affected by fishing nets or water pollution? Many zoos offer tours or sessions that focus on endangered species or conservation efforts. Talk to your child about what he or she can do to protect endangered species.

Backyard Conservation

Find out what species of plant and animal are endangered in your community or state. Research together and learn how you can protect them. Write letters to your representative or other government leader to urge them to set aside land for reserves, support conservation legislation, and develop ways to promote initiatives to help endangered species.