Endangered Animal ProjectEndangered Animal ProjectThird Grade at CNCSThird Grade at CNCS20122012

Third grade decided that they wanted to study animals. Upon further discussion, they were most concerned

about the animals that might not be around very much longer.

Students determined what they would need to know about an animal to deem them an expert on that

animal. Each student chose an endangered, threatened, or critically endangered animal to research.

They became experts on those animals.

Students used the circle of view points thinking strategy to determine all the people who would be involved with

their particular animal. These people included poachers, poachers’ families, fashion designers, the public,

conservationists, researchers, photographers, zoologists, et. Al. Students discuss these people’s points of view and

wrote poems from their perspectives.

Students also researched and became experts on the habitats. They created dioramas to show

others what their animal’s habitat would look like.

Students used realistic

materials to create an image of a

habitat.

Students studied their animal’s physical appearance. They became familiar with the profile and structure of the face. They also

studied the color scheme of their animal. They began working with color matching.

Using newspaper forms and paper mache, students

also created animal puppets so

that they could become their

animal when they shared

information about it.

Students became so involved and concerned about their animals that they began to wonder what they could do to help. After some research, they learned that they could

adopt an animal through the World Wildlife Fund to assist with their conservation efforts. As a class they decided

to adopt an emperor penguin chick.

Third graders organized a bake sale and shrinky dink jewelry sale to raise money for the emperor penguin chick. The students created

penguin jewelry that might appeal to the public. Upon further discussion, they also decided to plan an endangered animal

evening for their families. They wanted their families to be as informed as possible. Altogether, the third graders raised enough

to adopt three emperor penguin chicks!