Species Extinction

• This article examines important statistics regarding the current mass extinction event, the role humans play in this mass extinction, and what the consequences will be if the mass extinction isn't stopped.
• Students will learn that the current rate of species extinctions is many times higher than the normal rate, with habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and overharvesting causing a global decline in biodiversity.

Positives

• This article provides some quick facts at the top for reference and perspective.
  
• This article has excellent photos of animals.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• If you scroll down to the section titled "Act Now to #slowtherise" you'll find resources on how to fight against the Holocene extinction.
• If you click the bracketed numbers within the article you'll be taken to the credible sources of this article's information.
  

Differentiation

• This article could support a lesson on how the destruction of ecosystems negatively affects human populations.
• This article could augment a lesson on previous mass extinctions that have occurred in Earth's history and how this event is different.
• This article could enhance a classroom discussion on the political and economic systems that contribute to environmental degradation.
• With middle school students, it may be useful to define some words before they dive into the reading.
• The article makes a reference to biodiversity being like a game of Jenga, with each species in an ecosystem being a block. Have students get in groups to play a game of Jenga and see how many blocks they can pull out before it comes crashing down, asking students to hypothesize why some "ecosystems" may crumble far sooner than others.
  

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