Save the ___ Story Board

Teaching Theme of the Week

from Education World®

Students play "webmaster" and design a site that will help to save an endangered species.

Subjects: Language Arts, Science, Visual Arts, Educational Technology

Grade Levels: 6-8, 9-12

Objectives
Students will:

• select an endangered species;
• research statistics, characteristics, and information about the species;
• outline on paper the design for a Web site that will explain the species' plight; and,
• consider ways to draw attention to and support the effort to save a species.

Keywords
Endangered species, animal, Web, Web site

Materials Needed

• copies of the Save the _____ Story Board work sheet
• Internet or library access for research

Procedure
Students are naturally creative and enjoy exploring new media. In this activity, they have the opportunity to use their creative talents to organize research material in a fun way and seek to make a difference for an endangered species.

If Internet access is readily available, visit ThinkQuest's Endangered Species of the Next Millennium Web site as an introduction to this activity. Invite students to explore the site for a few minutes and then discuss what they have learned, how the material is presented, and what makes this site "work."

Ask students to share some examples of endangered species that they are familiar with or have encountered through the Web site. Next, have them imagine that they have the opportunity to design a Web site for one kind of endangered species. What information should it contain? Discuss the students' ideas.

Distribute copies of the Save the _____ Story Board work sheet. Review the sheet with students. The sheet provides spaces in which students can plan -- or story board -- the content for their Web site. The story board sheet provides spaces in which students can detail:

• a home page that introduces the species and three interesting topics about that species;
• pages for each of those three topics of interest introduced on the home page; and
• pages that allow the webmaster to create one or two additional pages that explore those topics in more detail.

In groups or independently, have students choose an endangered species and outline the index and three main pages that would make up a Web site about this plant or animal. Have them use the small boxes at the bottom of the page to share additional directions that the site might take or information it could contain. All sites should offer facts and information, history about the species and its environment, what has caused its decline, and what caring citizens can do to help to save it.

Assessment
Collect work sheets. All boxes should be legibly and logically filled according to the assignment guidelines. If time permits, have the students briefly present their ideas to the rest of the class.

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