Download Your task is to choose one endangered species found in

PERFORMANCE TASK: Field and Wildlife Biologist
BIG IDEA:
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Living things depend on their habitat to meet their basic needs.
The survival of living things is dependent upon adaptations and ability to
respond to natural and human-induced environmental changes.
Human actions modify the physical environment.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
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What are the complex interactions within an ecosystem that keep its numbers and types of
organisms relatively constant over time?
What happens to an ecosystem when a moderate disturbance occurs? Extreme fluctuations?
How can human activity in the environment disrupt and ecosystem and threaten the survival of
some species?
OVERVIEW:
Human population growth continues on planet Earth. The planet has limited resources. The areas of
the Earth that humans choose to populate are having natural resources continually used. As these
resources are used up, humans continue to move further and further from their community borders to
find new resources. As this happens, animals are losing habitat to humans. Humans pollute and
exploit resources and the environment. Additionally, humans are killing animals for a variety of
reasons, many which do not involve providing food.
GOAL:
You have been hired by an international conservation group to provide scientific and ecological
expertise to a marketing campaign (PSA) targeting the citizens of Maryland. This campaign is meant
to highlight the impact humans have on endangered species.
ROLE:
As a field and wildlife biologist, you have an important understanding of animals and their habitat.
This knowledge will be critical as you design a PSA based upon the influence humans have on
animals and where they live.
AUDIENCE:
Your audience will be the leaders of a national conservation group interested to see how you educate
the public regarding the connections between humans and endangered animals.
SITUATION:
Your task is to choose one endangered species found in Maryland and create a public service
announcement (PSA) based upon the interaction between humans and this animal. PSAs have the
ability to positively impact situations. In this case, your PSA will inform the public about your
endangered species, its plight, and ways humans can help this organism in its fight for survival in a
changing world.
The following may help you develop your plan to market information (PSA) related to the endangered
animal you have selected.
 The Ad Council
 World Wildlife Fund
PRODUCT:
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Photostory Public Service Announcement
Create a visual product that shows the animal in its habitat and how the habitat has been
influenced by human interaction. Demonstrate the various aspects of the habitat that are
critical to the animal’s survival and how these aspects have been disrupted by human
involvement in the habitat.
You must include the following information in your Photostory:
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Name of the species
Classification
Range
Life span
Important role (niche) this organism has in its environment
Demonstrate the various aspects and interactions of the habitat that are critical to the
animal’s survival (abiotic and biotic factors/relationships) and explain how these aspects
have been disrupted by human involvement in the habitat
Explanation of why the organism is endangered or threatened
Evaluate programs in place to protect the species and what individual citizens can do to
help the species survive. Design a program to help the organism or provide suggestions
to refine current programs. Be sure to consider benefit vs. trade-off considerations.
Be sure to include charts, graphs, and diagrams as necessary to demonstrate how the
animal’s habitat has changed over the years due to human influences.
Sources cited
See the attached rubric for grading expectations.