Lesson Plan
Grades 9-12
The Sixth Extinction
This lesson plan must be purchased as part of a lesson packet or as part of a full curriculum that is available in our store.
See Purchase OptionsResource Overview
Students read and discuss an article about the current mass extinction of species, then calculate extinction rates and analyze data to compare modern rates to the background extinction rate.
Students will be able to:
- Read and respond to questions from an article and chart on mass extinction.
- Describe the geologic history of extinction and past causes.
- Calculate the current extinction rate using observed extinction data, and interpret plot and line graphs displaying observed extinction statistics.
- Compare current extinction levels to background extinction levels and use the information to discuss the validity of a modern sixth extinction.
Features of This Resource
- Great lesson plan for APES Biodiversity unit
- Students read and respond to questions from excerpts of Elizabeth Kolbert’s Sixth Extinction
- Students interpret plot and line graphs displaying observed extinction statistics
- Students use data to discuss the validity of a modern sixth extinction
How Do I Get This Lesson Plan?
This lesson plan must be purchased as part of a lesson packet or as part of a full curriculum that is available in our store.
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