International year of biodiversity
People all over the world are being encouraged to take action to reduce biodiversity loss in 2010 for the International Year of Biodiversity.
Organised by the United Nations, the year is a celebration of life on Earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives.
As part of this unique event, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has launched the IUCN Red List `Species of the Day'. Every day in 2010, a different species is being profiled on the IUCN Red List website, in order to raise awareness of threatened species around the world. Each profile includes information on the species status in the wild, the threats facing it, and the measures being taken to protect it. The great white shark, the Asian elephant, and the Chinese giant salamander are among the 365 species to be celebrated.
To coincide with the events, RSPCA Education has a number of biodiversity resources for KS4, in both the English and Welsh language, that can be used for science lessons. Our lesson resources include:
All at sea - students examine how different marine animals are adapted to where they live, and the effects of human activity on their habitats.
No whale of a time - students examine the issues and reasons why animals become endangered or extinct. As a focus, the students will also consider whaling and the effects of hunting whales on whale population numbers.
Second chances encourages students to think about the reasons why animals become endangered or extinct and to consider the advantages and disadvantages of reintroducing species back into the environment.
In Survival of the squirrels students will examine how introduced species can affect native species. The session also identifies some important reasons why animals become endangered and analyses some of the measures used to conserve species.
Also, why not check out our new secondary science interactive resource Science, ethics and animals. The interactive site is a free National Curriculum-linked teaching resource for GCSE science in England and Wales. Using intriguing games, quizzes, news stories and polls, it challenges young people - and indeed anyone - to look at how we each use and value animals, both individually and as a society.
