Endangered animals

Endangered animals

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
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Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
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Further Resources
This task is about endangered and extinct animals.

Question 1Change answer

Many animals and plants in the world are finding that their homes are disappearing. 
In New Zealand there are many birds and some animals, 
e.g., reptiles, insects which are either rare, endangered, or extinct.  
 a)  Explain the meaning of these words:    
 
i)  Endangered
 
ii)  Extinct
 

Question 1Change answer

b)  The numbers of any one type of animal can decrease for many reasons. 
     Name two animals and explain why their numbers have decreased.
     An example has been done for you.
Animal Why these Animal numbers have decreased
Southern Right Whale Hunted by humans for oil and meat.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pen and paper or online (with NO auto marking).
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Living World
Keywords: 
ecology, endangered species, extinction, vocabulary
Description of task: 
Students explain the terms endangered and extinct. Students give two examples of animals that are endangered and give reasons for why these animal numbers have declined.
Making Better Sense: 
Generic
Answers/responses: 
 

Y7 (04/1998)
a) i)

ii)

 Plant or animal species whose numbers are so few that it is at risk of becoming extinct.
No individuals left of a species.		 easy

easy
b)   Any 2 of:
A wide variety of answers possible, even the one given for the Southern Right Whale could have others, e.g., meat meal for cattle, bone meal and guano for fertiliser or ambergris from sperm whales.

Typical examples:

  • Moa – hunted for food
  • Elephants – hunted for ivory (tusks)
  • Snow Leopard – hunted for fur/pelt
  • Seals – hunted for fur/pelt
  • Kakapo – vulnerable to predators.
 2 correct –
moderate

1 correct –
easy
Diagnostic and formative information: 
Analysis of Responses
145 responses were analysed, these mentioned 51 different animals. Below is a list of the animals used most often as examples and the % which correctly explained why the animal was endangered.
Elephant – used 21 times, 90% explained correctly.
Tiger – 13 (92%), Kiwi – 12 (92%), Kakapo – 6 (100%), Shark – 6 (50%), Panda – 5 (100%), Rhino – 4 (100%), Seal – 4 (75%), Black Robin – 4 (100%), Lion – 4 (0%), Tuatara – 4 (25%), Humpback whale – 4 (100%), Leopard – 4 (100%), Rabbit – 4 (0%), Pig – 4 (0%).