Endangered Species Project

7th Grade Science

Project Requirements Name and period on the back of your poster

Rubric attached to back or handed in with project

Name of species on the front of the poster

Picture of species on the front of the poster

Must be neat and organized

All of the information must be organized with correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Sections must be clearly distinguished from each other

This should be something you are proud of!

Careful, colorful, and detailed work is expected

Information is correct

Sentences must be hand written

Project is interesting to look at

Student has taken their time

Shows knowledge of their species

All sources must be cited. Information must be from the teacher suggested websites, or any .org, .gov or .edu. No wikipedia!

Some computer printed pictures may be used, but there should be an equal number of student drawn pictures or more

Basic Information Section

Scientific name of species

Type of species Reptile, mammal, angiosperm, gymnosperm, etc.

Ecosystem/Biome/Community that the species lives in

What environmental adaptations does your species have?

Locations within Florida where the species can be found

What are your species’ main predators? Is your species a predator of any other species? If so, what is their prey?

Do they have any parasitic, commensal, or mutualistic relationships with another species? If so, what other species do they have this relationship with? Explain the relationship.

Are they producers, consumers, or decomposers? If they are consumers, are they omnivores, carnivores, or herbivores?

What does their diet mostly consist of?

Food Web Section

Must include at least 15 species in your food web

Producers, consumers, and decomposers must be represented in your food web

Every organism in the food web must be able to be traced back to a producer

Biotic Limiting Factors Section

Which of the biotic limiting factors affects your species and how?

Biotic limiting factors:

Food

Disease

Parasitism

Predation

Nesting sites

Other animals

Abiotic Limiting Factors Section

Which of the abiotic limiting factors affects your species and how?

Abiotic limiting factors:

Shelter

Space

Water

Light

Temperature

Atmosphere

Soil

Human Impact Section

What have people done to the species or its ecosystem that has made it endangered?

What has happened to it since? What is its history?

How are people working to fix the problem now?

What else can be done?

How might a decline in your species population affect other populations, and in turn, affect humans?

International impact – in what countries is your species considered endangered? What other countries are trying to help this species?

KOALA

Basic Information• Scientific Name: Phascolarctos

cinereus• Type of species: Mammal

(marsupial)• Ecosystem: Eucalyptus forests,

coastal islands, and low woodlands• Biome: Woodland biome• Community: • Environmental adaptations: Extra

thick fur to help protect from bad weather, opposable thumbs and toes for better grip, and rough pads on hands and feet for traction when climbing, cheek pouches store food while moving to safer locations, do not need to drink water because they get water from the leaves they eat

• Locations in Florida: Zoos• Koalas have a commensal relationship

with eucalyptus trees. They eat the tree’s leaves and the trees are neither harmed nor helped.

• They are consumers (herbivores) whose diet consists of feeding on eucalyptus trees

Food Web

Biotic Limiting Factors• Food – loss of food due to

urbanization. Also causes increased competition for food

• Disease – chlamydiaceae bacteria, koala retrovirus, and certain cancers

• Predation – humans for fur and meat. They have no other real predators

• Nesting sites – loss of habitat by urbanization and brush fires

• Other animals – no real predators, babies sometimes eaten by owls, eagles, snakes, etc.Abiotic Limiting Factors

• Shelter – destroyed by urbanization agriculture, and brushfires

• Space• Water – drought • Light• Temperature – intense heat

from brushfires• Atmosphere • Soil• Traffic death by motor vehicles

Human Impacts• What have people done: cut down the

woodlands these animals live in to build houses, farms, and roads(koalas are protected but their homes and food are not)

• What has happened since: decrease in population by 90%

• What is being done now to fix it: protection sanctuaries are being built and koalas are being relocated to these areas

• What else can be done:

Rubric  0

Missing

1-2There But Incorrect

3-7Partially

Done

8-10Well Done

My project was turned in on time. (This will either be 0 or 10 points!)      

I followed the directions given to me by my teacher on the project requirements slide.      

Basic information section meets all of the requirements set by teacher.      

Food web section has at least 15 organisms and includes producers, consumers and decomposers      

Biotic limiting factors section complete with all limiting factors listed and explained if needed

Abiotic limiting factors section complete with all limiting factors listed and explained if needed

Human impact section complete with all questions answered.

My project is interesting to look at. I used creative materials. Neat. Organized. Creative. Colorful.      

My project shows accurate knowledge of my animal.      

I took my time, and this is a project I am proud of.      

**A printable version of this rubric will be put on my website. It must be printed and turned in with your project or attached to the back of your project for me to grade

it.**

Helpful Websites

World Wildlife Foundation

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&sort=extinction_status

USDA

For Plants http://plants.usda.gov/threat.html

Florida Museum of Natural History

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/ichthyology/Education/bioprofile.htm

National Park Service

http://www.nps.gov/ever/naturescience/techecklist.htm

US Fish and Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/map/state/fl.html

NOAA

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/

Animal Planet

http://animal.discovery.com/animals/

BBC Nature Wildlife

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/

National Geographic Kids

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature

Endangered Species International

Endangeredspeciesinternational.org

Endangered Species ListChoose one of the following to research: Gulf sturgeon

Honey bee

Smalltooth sawfish

Reticulated flatwood salamander

Loggerhead sea turtle

Sandplain gerardia

Lange’s metalmark butterfly

Mississippi gopher frog

Bachman’s wood warbler

Cape sable seaside sparrow

Everglade snail kite

Mexican Long nosed bat

Atlantic bluefin tuna Polar bear Florida panther Gray wolf White river spinedace Key deer West Indian manatee San Joaquin kit fox Quiver tree Longleaf pine Acropora cervicornis coral North Atlantic cod Schaus swallowtail