Mass Extinction
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8Earth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Green Ninja
What it is
- This video briefly examines mass extinctions throughout Earth's history and what is pushing the world towards another mass extinction.
- Students will learn about the Ice Age and Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction, what percentage of life on Earth was lost during these extinction events, and how human activity is leading the planet towards another mass extinction.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Some students may enjoy this video's sense of humor.
- This video ends with a positive call for action.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should understand how human greenhouse gas emissions contribute to climate change.
- Some students may need the terms nutrients, algae, methane, asteroid, and irreversible defined before watching the video.
- Students with anxiety may become distressed after watching the video. For these students, focus on the action message and solutions to slow climate change.
Differentiation
- This video can help students formulate an argument for how human activity impacts the earth's systems.
- For a language arts course, students can interpret the information in this video alongside other forms of media that deal with similar topics.
- After watching the video, the teacher can lead a classroom discussion on what humans can do to stop climate change.
- ELL students whose primary language is Spanish will benefit from the Spanish subtitles.
From the scientist review
This video centers around a group of friends, along with the carbon ninja, discussing mass extinction events. This video is an engaging addition to a classroom discussing the current climate crisis and how action is needed now to stop another mass extinction event.
How we review resourcesReady to use it?
Hosted on greenninja.org
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.

