Positives

• This article is informative and has many opportunities for cross-curricular implementation.
• This resource would fit well in a text set provided for student learning or research.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should be fluent readers of non-fiction.
• Students should understand the importance of biodiversity to an ecosystem.

Differentiation

• Cross-curricular connections can be made in language arts classes working on non-fiction reading strategies or social studies classes discussing the civic responsibilities of governments and individuals.
• After reading, have students identify three key concepts from the article and discuss their thinking around them with a group or as a class.
• As an extension, consider having students research other ecosystems that have been impacted by human activity and what can be done to help them.
• Teachers can allow students time to look at images of any species they are unfamiliar with or research organizations they haven't heard of.
• Other resources related to these topics include this video about human impact on biodiversity, this interactive map on global biodiversity hotspots, and this video about protecting species and various efforts to conserve biodiversity.