North Cascades
Threatened and Endangered Species 		NPS Logo

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE RUN OUT?
ACTIVITY #2

Background
Nature reserves, wilderness areas, and national parks like North Cascades are protected from development. In many areas where ecosystems are not protected, habitats are destroyed or altered by humans. Harvesting of timber and the development of those lands subsequent to harvests, development of agricultural lands, destruction of wetlands, and other factors influence the population of mammals and birds that use North Cascades National Park Service Complex. As these areas are changed, danger of extinction increases for the threatened, endangered, and candidate species of the Greater North Cascades Ecosystem. As more land around parks and wilderness areas become habitat for humans, there is less room for wildlife. These protected areas become increasingly important, not only for wildlife, but for us -- as living classrooms and laboratories, as recreation areas, and as sanctuaries from our own busy surroundings.

Some threatened, endangered, and candidate species migrate or travel in order to locate enough food, water, shelter, and space to survive. When wildlife wander beyond the boundaries of protected land, they lose their protection too. Outside of North Cascades National Park Service Complex, many species are more vulnerable to the dangers presented by people.

Refer to preceding Web pages for reference on the threatened, endangered, and candidate mammals and birds that use North Cascades National Park Service Complex.

Method
The students will play a game which displays how animal populations are reduced by human interference.

Procedure
The instructor must have enough food, water, and shelter bingo or poker chips to satisfy the following guidelines: The chip colors for the three elements of habitat (food, water, shelter) need to be different. There are four rounds of this game. For the first round, have enough of each color chip for each student to get one. For each of the next three rounds, the number of chips needed decreases by six. For example, if you start with 30 of each color for Round One, have 24 of each color for Round Two, 18 for Round Three, and 12 for Round Four, giving a total of 84 chips for each color.

Before going outside, have each student choose an animal that lives in the North Cascades Ecosystem that they would like to represent. The animal the student chooses does not have to be one of the threatened, endangered, or candidate species. Duplication of species is okay. Have each student write the name of the animal on a name tag and tape it to the student.
SUBJECTS
Science, Social studies

OBJECTIVES

  • The students will be able to describe the consequences of shrinking habitat and to describe the role of parks in preserving habitat.
  • The students will be able to describe at least three ways they can help preserve wildlife habitat.

VOCABULARY

Threatened species, Endangered species, Candidate species, Extinction, Migration, Biodiversity, Habitat, Population

MATERIALS

  • One name tag for each student
  • Three different colors of bingo chips. For each one of these colors you will need approximately 2-1/2 times the number of students who will participate in this activity
  • Masking tape
  • At least 15 yards of rope
  • A bucket or box for collecting bingo chips after each round

SIZE / SETTING / DURATION

  • Whole class
  • Large open area or playing field
  • 1 hour: 1/2 hour for activity and at least 1/2 hour for discussions; can separate into two class sessions
Round One
  1. Spread the rope in a circle on the ground. Explain to the students that the roped in area defines the students'/species space and that, unless instructed, during the activity they cannot roam outside this space. Have the students stand inside the rope. Explain to them that they are animals, constantly searching for food, water and shelter for survival. Life is good, though, and they have plenty of space in which to wander and find what they need.
  2. Randomly scatter the Round One chips in the space and tell the students they need to gather at least one of each color chip in order to survive. Make sure they know they must walk, not run, and that pushing is not allowed. You might ask them to close their eyes as you scatter their chips so they have to do a little searching.
  3. After the students have gathered up all the chips, find out who has enough chips and who does not. Those who did gather at least one chip that represents water, one chip that represents food, and one that represents shelter are considered survivors. Have those who did not survive become spectators. Remind the students that every animal needs to work to find its food, water, and shelter and must compete with other animals to find enough to survive. (Note: although theoretically, there are enough chips for each student to obtain one of each habitat requirement/color, some students may have gathered more than one of a certain habitat requirement, therefore, not each student may get one chip of each requirement and will have to step out for future rounds.)
Round Two

The students who did not survive Round One are now spectators. The students who survived Round One should stand inside the rope circle. Scatter the Round Two chips within the rope circle and repeat Round One's procedure. During the discussion, use the students' name tags to point out the animals that no longer live in the ecosystem. Be certain to mention that as habitat decreases, the availability of food, water, and shelter also decreases, making survival more of a challenge.

Round Three

Tighten the rope circle now, making the "habitat area" smaller, barely large enough for the remaining students to stand in. Repeat the procedure, using the Round Three set of chips. Again, point out that as the habitat area decreases, so does the number of animals and the variety of animals.

Round Four

Make the rope circle even smaller, too small for all the remaining students to fit. Using the Round Four set of chips, play the game once more.

Discussion
In the final discussion, point out that animals need habitat to survive. If there is not enough land to supply food, water, and shelter for animals, their numbers will decline or disappear. And as illustrated in Round Four, habitat can be reduced to a point where there is not even enough space for wildlife. National parks and wilderness areas are set aside as habitat preserves for wildlife. As development expands along park boundaries, the remaining habitat within parks become more and more valuable.

Scientists are now beginning to understand that the habitat areas protected within parks may not be enough for wildlife to survive.

Write the words "threatened," "endangered," "candidate," and "extinct" on the chalkboard or on another surface for all to see. Tell the students that their populations became threatened, endangered or candidate (and thus, unstable) when they became small in number. An endangered species is any organism (plant, bird or animal species) that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A threatened species is one that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Extinction means that organism is gone from Earth forever.

Let the students know that there is are official federal and state lists of threatened and endangered mammal and bird species and take time to talk about these species. ("Biodiversity" would do well to be introduced here.) What do they think about the fact that the lists of threatened and endangered species are growing? Please discuss the term "extinction" and the connotations of this term. How does protected land help the species discussed in this activity?

Evaluation
Ask the students to think of ways they can help preserve wildlife habitat outside of North Cascades National Park. Some answers might include not littering, picking up litter when they find it, not pouring toxic substances down their house drains and street drains, protecting wildlife habitat in their neighborhood by being careful around streams and in forest groves, and by teaching others about the importance of habitat protection.

(Adapted from The Living Classroom and used with permission of Olympic National Park.)


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Last Updated: 10-Nov-2016