Synergy: Endangered Insects

When people think of endangered species, insects are often overlooked. From bees and butterflies to beetles, many species of insects are becoming endangered or extinct. The disappearance of species can have a serious impact on ecosystems.

Read the recently published middle grade book on this topic, then learn more at the website:

BUGS IN DANGER by Mark Kurlansky is a work of nonfiction that examines vanishing bees, butterflies, and beetles. This fascinating middle grade book focuses on the decline of species in recent years. The book concludes with a bibliography and index.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lists dozens of insect species that are endangered. Readers can read about specific beetles, butterflies, damselflies, dragonflies, flies, moths, skippers, stoneflies, and bees.

Visit the Environmental Conservation Online System at https://bit.ly/3c7UWnm.

ARC courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Synergy: Endangered Animals

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 provides for the conservation of endangered and threatened fish, wildlife, and plants. Endangered animals are in danger of extinction, while those listed as threatened are likely to become endangered species in the near future.

WHO AM I? by Tim Flach is a peek-through picture book introducing the concept of endangered animals to young readers. Each two-page spread contains a photograph representing the animal’s habitat, a clue about the animal, and a peek at a part of the animal’s body. In some cases, no habitat is provided but additional visual clues are provided instead.

A second two-page spread reveals the the animal and its name. Children will identify some creatures immediately and others that will be a challenge. The book concludes with information about what makes each animal special and why it’s endangered. Use this book as a fun way to jumpstart an exploration of endangered animals.

ENDANGERED.ORG is the website of a group that strives to stop human-caused extinction of at-risk species. The blog contains up-to-date information of species currently in danger. The campaign focuses on key events such as the Endangered Species Day celebrated in May each year. The endangered species section features pages for key animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, plants, and invertebrates. Information and an infographic details the specifics of the Endangered Species Act.

Endangered Species Coalition https://www.endangered.org/

ARC courtesy of Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Website Review: Species in Pieces

SPECIES IN PIECES is an interactive exhibition featuring thirty of the world’s most interesting, but endangered species.

This database allows users to browse through the animals or select a specific creature to examine. Rather than showing photographs, the project uses CSS polygons to visualize each animal. For each creature, users can read basic facts, explore statistics, watch a video, and explore a conservation website.

Librarians will find this exhibition to be an engaging way to start an investigation of endangered animals. Ask students to explore the exhibit, then select one of the animals to examine in-depth. Help learners use subscription databases, books, and other resources to gather the latest information about their creature.

The CSS polygons found on this website will fascinate students and teachers alike. Use this website to jumpstart a coding activity where students create their own animal images.

To explore the website, go to http://species-in-pieces.com.