After an overview of our independent, cross-curricular final project - an persuasive research letter about an endangered species written to the human threat driving it to extinction and a conservation poster - the teacher modeled how to select a species (i.e. World Wildlife's "Together" video series) and how to navigate the list of recommended websites and databases to find research/popular science articles. We used the endangered monarch butterfly as the exemplar species (as a cross-curricular nod to Eckels's butterfly in Bradury's "A Sound of Thunder"). In the remaining time, we logged on to in-class laptops and everyone selected the species they wished to research.
IN-CLASS: English and Science Class Persuasive Research Letter Throughout this interdisciplinary unit, we’ve looked at a variety persuasive texts – the Time Safari Inc. advertisement, Public Service Announcements for endangered species, Joy Williams’s environmental essay, etc. – and analyzed their visual and linguistic persuasive techniques. In addition, persuasive writing assignments and mini-lessons cropped up in both subject areas, like the Invasive Species Characterization Debate for Joy Williams’s “The Girls,” and the “Pesky Petroleum: Cleaning Up an Oil Spill” Lab Conclusion: “Dear Shell…”. Equipped with teacher feedback from those activities and extensive practice with the during-reading note-taking and paraphrasing strategy, CHoMP, you are now challenged to perform independent research and advocate for a self-selected endangered species through the lens of the three key interdisciplinary unit themes: interconnectedness, accountability, and individual worth. DUE DATE: Monday, Day 16 Remember that you are not just writing to the human threat (i.e. pollutors, hunters, foresters, industrialists, etc.), you are writing on behalf of someone, as well: your endangered species. Due to its cross-curricular nature, there are two parts to the letter: ENGLISH: In the introductory
two paragraphs of your letter, you will use the fictional texts we’ve read in English
class during this interdisciplinary unit and discuss what they say about the
key unit themes – interconnectedness, individual worth, and accountability - to
support why it is important to advocate for the conservation of your chosen species.
Through text-to-text connections, develop a thesis – or a common idea that the
texts support. You must ground your discussion of the texts in literary
elements. Be sure to cite the page numbers (for the short stories) and/or line
numbers (for the poetry) when appropriate. You are required to use both short stories - "A Sound of Thunder" and "The Girls." You must chose one of the poems - "Portrait de'une Femme" and "Sunflower Sutra."
Some possible ways in which the literature can be used to support animal conservation: ·
SCIENCE: In the remaining portion of the letter, you will formulate an argument about why your species matters and why your target audience should discontinue their harmful practices (i.e. deforestation, oil drilling, overfishing, hunting, etc.). To support your ideas, you will use AT LEAST four (4) research/popular science articles. One (1) must be from a database. A list of recommended websites and databases are provided below. PRINT OUT THE ARTICLES YOU FIND AND WANT TO USE. You must apply CHoMP to each article you use, so marginalia is required on every hard copy. Form an argument about why your target audience should “change [their] ways” and be held accountable. Support your ideas by integrating research on (1) how human behavior is negatively affecting your species and (2) why your species matters and (3) current conservation efforts for your species.
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Student Choice:
How to Select Your Species The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) provides a succinct and convenient video series: "Together." Each of the 16 videos highlights a high-profile endangered species. You are not limited to their list, but you may wish to use it as a starting point. Each WWF video cycles through small, but unique facts about the species and offers a reason or two for their decline. Therefore, despite how the videos last under a minute, they hold a lot of information that can guide your online database and popular science news research (i.e. cause of endangerment, reasons why they "matter"). The list includes several species we looked at in class, If you wanted to use this project to go more in-depth with one of them (i.e. elephant, whales, etc). A YouTube playlist compiles all of the "Together" videos, so that link is provided below. As aforementioned, you are highly encouraged to stray from the WWF list. However, if you choose a species not highlighted by the video series, you must receive teacher approval. Bear in the mind that WWF's series spotlights high-profile endangered animals - the species who most receive conservation efforts. With our unit in mind, you may wish to seek a lower-profile species and highlight their plight and value. |
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Online Research Process To write your persuasive research letter, you must find and use at least four (4) research articles. One (1) should be derived from an online database. The other three (3) can be from popular science news sites, like National Geographic and Science Daily. You will receive a science class period in the computer lab to research and another to read through your articles using CHoMP. You will submit the hard copies of your articles (since they will have your CHoMP marginalia on them) with your entire project on the due date. |
IN-CLASS: English Class
"We Are Not Just Any Expendable Species! Bulletin Board Border As the creative cross-curricular portion of this final project, you will design an "I Matter Because..." card for your chosen endangered species. You will add it to the English classroom’s “We Are Just Any Expendable Students!” bulletin board because the display will be outlined with a student-created border, entitled “We Are Just Any Expendable Species!” To scaffold you to this component of the final project, we designed "I Matter Because..." cards for the two keystone species case studies: sharks and bees. Draw from that experience to create a card that provides a one-sentence summary of your research about your chosen species. |
OUTSIDE-OF-CLASS: Creative Component
Conservation Poster As a creative supplement to your research paper, you will design a conservation poster related to your chosen species in one of two ways: a Wanted Poster or a Public Service Announcement. Throughout this interdisciplinary unit, we've analyzed the visual and verbal persuasive techniques of Public Service Announcements, which have ranged from humanization to juxtaposition. If you choose the first option - the Wanted Poster - refer back to the "Wanted" aquatic invaders and the daffodil yellow "Reward" sign in Bethany Wiggins's Stung. If you choose the second option - the Public Service Announcement - remember you've received not only extensive in-class exposure to the poster type, but you've also received practice with its creation through the New York Times elephant PSA and teacher feedback that can guide you. One of the primary differences between the two options involves the conservation lens: the Wanted Poster focuses on the negative impact of a man-made threat on the species and the Public Service Announcement focuses on the positive role and attributes of the species. Decide whether you want to demonize or glorify to advocate for your species. The specific requirements for each option are explained and outlined below. |
Option I:
Wanted Poster Create a Wanted Poster for the human threat that is forcing your species into endangerment. To set a reward, think about a unique product of your species that will disappear if they were to go extinct. Instead of laying out a monetary reward ($), swap in that unique product that would become extremely rare - and thus valuable - in the event of the species's disappearance. For example, Bethany Wiggins's Stung placed honey in high demand after its fictional bee extinction. Keep in the mind that, through this Wanted Poster, you are persuading your audience (i.e. society) that the human threat is extremely detrimental and needs to be held accountable by highlighting the negative effect it has on your chosen species. Be sure to include the following information on your poster (the following information can be represented either visually or verbally):
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Option II:
Public Service Announcement Create a Public Service Announcement that urges for the conservation of your chosen species. Spotlight your species from a variety of angles or just one, it's your choice. However, consider which side of your audience - their emotional/compassionate or their selfish side - you wish to appeal. Choose one and run with it, since a clear, distinct vision will make your approach stronger.
Keep in mind that, through this Public Service Announcement, you are persuading your audience (i.e. society) that your endangered species matters by highlighting its beneficial uniqueness and its positive effect on the environment. Be sure to include the following information on your poster (the following information can be represented either visually or verbally):
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Final Project: Online Research
Teacher Modeling To model how to find and skim articles to assess their credibility and trustworthiness, the teacher performed a general Google search, refined that search by adding ",edu"/".gov" to it (and discussed the consequences with the class), and searched some of the recommended websites on the Final Project Requirement Sheet, taking requests from students on which to search. Modeling "search terms" as well, the teacher explained the use of quotation marks to join two or more words and imputed different keywords in databases to show how each yields different results of varying relevancy. Before you receive the class period to research tomorrow, a short video will supplement this teacher modeling on how to decipher reliable and unreliable sources. |
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