CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Life Science: Mass Extinctions
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] An organism goes extinct when all of the members of a species die out and no more members remain. Extinctions are part of natural selection. Species often go extinct...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Biology: Human Actions and the Sixth Mass Extinction
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how human actions are resulting in a sixth mass extinction.
Other
Hvpm: Mass Extinctions
An overview of the mass extinctions throughout earth history. Each mass extinction has a link to its own page with a list of its possible causes and the species that were most affected.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Biology: Human Actions and the Sixth Mass Extinction
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how human actions are resulting in a sixth mass extinction.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Life Science: Human Causes of Extinction
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] In addition to habitat destruction, other human-caused problems are also threatening many species. These include issues associated with climate change, pollution,...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Extinction and Radiation of Life
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how species die out, and how new ones evolve to fill the vacant niches.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Learning the Causes of Extinction
There are five major causes of extinction: habitat loss, an introduced species, pollution, population growth, and overconsumption. Through this activity, students will create a list of reasons why animals can become extinct.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Extinction and Radiation of Life
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how species die out and how new ones evolve to fill the vacant niches.
University of Florida
Florida Museum of Natural History: History of the Endangered Species Act
The Florida Museum of Natural History offers a review of the rationale for and basic components of the law. There are sections about how one can become involved with the protection and restoration of endangered species.
Read Works
Read Works: Endangered Animals at a Glance
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read about endangered animals and a zoo that is working to try to help them. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in cause and effect.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Ap Environmental Science: Biodiversity
Through an interactive learning module, students investigate the importance of species richness and biological diversity.
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California Santa Barbara
Kids Do Ecology: Endangered Species and Conservation Biology
Find out about conservation biology as it relates to endangered and threatened species. Learn about the factors contributing to the loss of species and what efforts have helped bring some animals back form the brink of extinction.
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Action Bioscience: How Will the Sixth Extinction Affect Evolution of Species?
Explanation of what might happen in the next mass extinction event on Earth.
Bagheera
Bagheera: Endangered Species
Bagheera provides an education site devoted to educating people about vanishing and extinct animals and their impact on the environment.
Other
Australian Government: Threatened Species and Ecological Communities
Read about the program that effects animals from becoming extinct. There are links to other organizations that work with the program.
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Action Bioscience: Species, Speciation and the Environment
The American Institute of Biological Sciences offers this article by Niles Eldredge, evolutionary theorist and curator at the American Museum of Natural History. Eldredge begins with Darwin's theories and summarizes subsequent thought,...
Unite for Literacy
Unite for Literacy: Saving Animals From Extinction: Where Is the Vaquita?
Learn some facts about the vaquita, a type of porpoise that is endangered. Book includes audio narration in English and Spanish with text in English.
Museums Victoria
Museum Victoria: Wild: Thylacine (Thylacinus Cynocephalus)
Information about Thylacines, also known as Tasmanian Tigers. They became extinct after 100 years of Europeans settling in Tasmania.
Bagheera
Bagheera.com: Extinct in the Wild Passenger Pigeon
The passenger pigeon was once "the most abundant bird species on earth" but is now extinct. This article investigates the causes for extinction and then has several thought provoking questions to consider at the end.
Bagheera
Bagheera.com: Extinct in the Wild Caribbean Monk Seal
Though short, this article brings up some important points about extinct animals and how related species may go the same way. Be sure to read the "Questions for Thought" at the end.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Modern Extinctions on Mainland North America
Since 1850 North America has lost three bird species--the Labrador Duck, Passenger Pigeon, and Carolina Parakeet--and the continued existence of another three is unlikely, namely the Eskimo Curlew, Ivory-billed Woodpecker, and Bachman's...
Ducksters
Ducksters: Endangered Animals for Kids: How They Become Extinct
How do endangered species and animals become extinct? Hunting, pollution, loss of habitat, and introduced species all play a part and are discussed on this site.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Endangered Animals
Kids: What is an endangered animal? Many species are in danger of becoming extinct. How can we help?
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Endangered Species
The topic of endangered species is one that needs to be addressed with every student. As more and more plants and animals become extinct, students, as inhabitants of this ecosystem, need to be aware that human actions affect the planet....