Introduction
In 1973, President Richard Nixon signed into law the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Over the past 40 years, many plants and animals have been added to the Endangered Species list and as a result, have not gone extinct. Although the Act has allowed for the success and recovery of various plants and animals, some could not be saved and have gone extinct.
There are those that believe the ESA is still working as it was originally intended and should continue to be enforced, while some groups and organizations feel that the ESA needs to be revamped in order to continue to be successful. However, some people seem to think that the ESA could use a complete overhaul and needs to be rewritten from the ground up.
It will be your job, throughout this quest, to determine the facts and then take a stand. Does the ESA need a fresh start and be rewritten, is it effective in its' current state, or does it needs to be altered somewhat so taht is can continue to be effective?
Task
In this activity, you will work in groups and individually in order to make a decision about the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act.
Part 1: History of the Endangered Species Act
a. When was the Endangered Species Act signed and by whom?
b. What is the goal/purpose of Endangered Species Act?
c. Who enforces the Endangered Species Act?
Part 2: Endangered Species Act Effectiveness
a. How many organisms have been placed on the Endangered Species List since 1967 in the U.S.?
b. How many organisms have met or exceeded their recovery plan protocol?
c. Are there organisms that have been delisted? What are 3 examples of organisms that have been successfully removed from the Endangered Species list? What were the reasons why these organisms became delisted?
d. Explain how the enforces of the ESA helps to protect habitats of endangered species.
Part 3: Endangered Species Act Ineffectiveness
a. Where does funding come from to enforce the ESA? Are funds allotted equally for all organisms?
b. The ESA impacts both public and private landowners. What are the monetary consequences for landowners if they ignore the Act?
c. How many organisms have gone extinct since the Endangered Species Act became law?
Part 4: Making a decision
a. Review the information that has been gathered and decide the position you will take regarding the effectiveness of the ESA.
Process
Part 1: History of the ESA
Using the sites provided, gather information about the Endangered Species Act. Gather your information individually and then you will share the infomation with your group. At this point you can add to your notes.
http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Endangered-Species-Ac…
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/laws-policies/
http://www.fws.gov/Endangered/about/index.html
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/text.htm
In groups of four, you will conduct the next two parts of the quest.
Parts 2 and 3: How effective is the ESA?
Two people in the group will research Part 2 and two people will research Part 3. Use the organizer provided to guide you in your note taking. Upon completion of your part, you and your partner will share your information with the rest of the group.
Effective -
http://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Protect-Wildlife/Endangered-Species/Endangered-Species-Act.aspx
http://www.rff.org/Events/Pages/Species-Conservation-under-the-Endangered-Species-Act.aspx
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/esa_works/
Ineffective -
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_esa/reg_reform.html
Part 4: Making a decision about effectiveness
Discuss with your group members your decision about how effective you feel the ESA has been in past 40 years. You may choose to complete this portion individually or in a group of up to 3 members.
Once you have decided which position you have chosen, you need to persuade your audience what should be done about the Act in the next election. You must create some type of adverstisement in the form of a brochure, commercial, or poster.
Evaluation
Please refer to the website for the PARCC rubric which will be used to score the final product.
http://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/Grade%206-11%20July%2029%2…
Conclusion
This assignment was designed to help students conduct in depth research and make a choice. Students have been asked to not only inform but also persuade an audience as to the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act. The information that they are being asked to gather is higher level and to then have to take a side can be a challenge for middle school students.
The product allows students another opportunity to make a choice which is the direction that BCPS is moving towards; a learner centered environment.