Extinct and Endangered: Insects in Peril

• This video addresses the important ecological role that insects play around the world, the way art is used to generate interest, action, and curiosity about insects, and the urgent need to protect natural habitats to preserve dwindling insect populations.
• Students will learn how field biologists and entomologists are working to protect biodiversity as they attempt to understand the decline in insect populations.

Positives

• The video features informing and engaging footage and interviews with photographers, scientists, and curators.
• This video features footage of field work, interviews within the museum, and video clips of insects in their habitats.

Additional Prerequisites

• This resource includes a complete transcript of the video.
• Students should have prior knowledge of the concept of biodiversity.

Differentiation

• Provide students with a note-taking guide to use while viewing the video, focusing on the evolution of insects, the roles that insects play in ecosystems, the threats faced by insect populations, and the role that humans play in insect population decline.
• Give students time to read the transcript after watching this short video in order to add details to their notes, which will allow visual learners to more fully comprehend the concepts.
• Students who require more background knowledge on the importance of biodiversity can watch this video about humans and biodiversity or watch this animated video about why biodiversity is so important.
• Extension activities may include further research into mass extinction and its impacts using resources such as this video about species extinctions or this resource about biodiversity and extinction. 
• Consider giving students time to explore the link to the exhibition and the artist's website, and then putting students into groups to research a particular endangered insect from the exhibit.
• Art classes could discuss how the photographer in this project is using artistic expression to address insect population decline and biodiversity loss.

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