Endangered Species: 6 Stories of Success

• In this article, students read about six once-endangered species whose populations have rebounded thanks to the United States Endangered Species Act and actions from various groups.
• The animals included in this article are the bald eagle, the Florida panther, the gray wolf, the grizzly bear, the peregrine falcon, and the red-cockaded woodpecker.

Positives

• Students will feel hopeful and inspired by these stories of success.
• Students can get involved using the links at the bottom of the page to sign a petition or attend a nearby event.
• Teachers can use this resource for Endangered Species Day, the third Friday in May each year.

Additional Prerequisites

• There are a few broken links in the article: "below 250 individuals" in the Florida panther section, "more than 700 bears" in the grizzly bear section, and "about 3,000 breeding pairs" in the peregrine falcon section.
• It may benefit students to know the terms endangered and extinct and how species qualify as one or the other.

Differentiation

• For younger students, consider reading the text as a class or assigning sections to small groups.
• Older students can use the links throughout the article to learn more about the different species and how they are protected.
• This resource connects with life science topics, such as endangered species, biodiversity, breeding, and conservation efforts.
• This resource connects with Earth science topics, such as climate change, deforestation, land-use changes, and pollution.
• Social studies or civics classes can use this resource to learn about the successes of the U.S. Endangered Species Act and other ways the U.S. government has protected wildlife through policies, bans, and compensation.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.