Ecosystems: Biodiversity & Endangerment

Name: ____________________________________________ Date: _____________________

Science Final Project: Persuasive Research Letter & Conservation Poster Period: ________


Final Research Project:
Persuasive Letter &
Conservation Poster

Rationale & Overview: Throughout this interdisciplinary unit,
weve looked at a variety persuasive texts the Time Safari Inc.
advertisement, Public Service Announcements for endangered
species, Joy Williamss environmental essay, etc. and analyzed
their visual and linguistic persuasive techniques. In addition,
persuasive writing assignments and mini-lessons cropped up in
both subject areas, like the Invasive Species Characterization
Debate for Joy Williamss The Girls, and the Pesky Petroleum:
Cleaning Up an Oil Spill Lab Conclusion: Dear Shell. Equipped
with teacher feedback from those activities and extensive
practice with the during-reading note-taking and paraphrasing
strategy, CHoMP, you are now challenged to perform
independent research and advocate for a self-selected
endangered species through the lens of the three key
interdisciplinary unit themes: interconnectedness, accountability,
and individual worth.

DUE DATE: __________________________

1. IN-CLASS: Persuasive Research Letter
As the main component of this final project, you will write a persuasive research letter to the general human threat
(i.e. fishermen, polluters, industrialists, poachers, foresters, etc.) of your chosen endangered species. In the cross-
curricular letter, you will use BOTH your literary knowledge of the English class texts and research articles you gather
and read independently to persuade your audience that your species matters and that they should discontinue their
harmful environmental actions. There are several general requirements:

Use APA citations for research articles (you need parenthetical, in-text citations and a reference list)
Adhere to a standard letter format (salutation, closing, signature, date, block form: aligned to left margin)
You must use AT LEAST four (4) online popular science/research articles. One (1) must be from a database. A
hard copy of each with your CHoMP marginalia must be submitted on the due date.
If you dont choose one of the sixteen (16) species from the World Wildlife Funds Together series
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCkjfC5se7c&list=PL0WSjIIFKH_jtsKOBdOtry7IoL4T8CsNs), you must have
your species approved by the teacher.


Ecosystems: Biodiversity & Endangerment


Due to its cross-curricular nature, there are two parts to the persuasive letter:

LITERARY COMPONENT: English Class

In the introductory two paragraphs of your letter, you will use the fictional texts weve read in English class
during this interdisciplinary unit and discuss what they say about the key unit themes interconnectedness, individual
worth, and accountability - to support why it is important to advocate for the conservation of your chosen species.
Through text-to-text connections, develop a thesis or a common idea that the texts support. You must ground your
discussion of the texts in literary elements. Be sure to cite the page numbers (for the short stories) and/or line numbers
(for the poetry) when appropriate. Some possible ways in which the literature can be used to support animal
conservation:
How do the texts show that we need accountability?
How do the texts suggest that interconnectedness is bad when we dont respect one another?
How do the texts support the existence of individual value?

Required:
Ray Bradburys A Sound of Thunder
Joy Williamss The Girls
Choose one (1):
Ezra Pounds Portrait deune Femme
Allen Ginsbergs Sunflower Sutra


SCIENCE RESEARCH COMPONENT: Science Class

In the remaining portion of the letter, you will formulate an argument about why your species matters and why
your target audience should discontinue their harmful practices (i.e. deforestation, oil drilling, overfishing, hunting, etc.).
To support your ideas, you will use AT LEAST four (4) research/popular science articles. One (1) must be from a
database. A list of recommended websites and databases are provided below. PRINT OUT THE ARTICLES YOU FIND AND
WANT TO USE. You must apply CHoMP to each article you use, so marginalia is required on every hard copy. Form an
argument about why your target audience should change *their+ ways and be held accountable. Support your ideas by
integrating research on (1) how human behavior is negatively affecting your species and (2) why your species matters.

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES: Three (3) of your four (4) articles must be from popular science news websites.
Cool Green Science: http://blog.nature.org/science/
Discovery Channel: http://www.discovery.com/
Greenpeace The Environmentalist: http://greenpeaceblogs.org/
National Geographic: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/
Student Science: https://student.societyforscience.org/sciencenews-students
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: http://www.seashepherd.org/
World Wildlife Fund: http://www.worldwildlife.org/
The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/us
The Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/

RECOMMENDED DATBASES: One (1) of your articles must be from a database.
ProQuest: http://www.proquest.com/ Science Direct: http://www.sciencedirect.com/
Ecosystems: Biodiversity & Endangerment


2. OUTSIDE-OF-CLASS: Conservation Poster

As a creative supplement to your research paper, you will
design a conservation poster related to your chosen species in one
of two ways: a Wanted Poster or a Public Service Announcement.
Throughout this interdisciplinary unit, we've analyzed the visual
and verbal persuasive techniques of Public Service Announcements,
which have ranged from humanization to juxtaposition.
One of the primary differences between the two options
involves the conservation lens: the Wanted Poster focuses on the
negative impact of a man-made threat on the species and the Public
Service Announcement focuses on the positive role and attributes
of the species. The specific requirements for each option are
explained and outlined below. Do you want to demonize or glorify
to advocate for your species?




















OPTION I:
Wanted Poster




Create a Wanted Poster for the human threat that is
forcing your species into endangerment. To set a
reward, think about a unique product of your species
that will disappear if they were to go extinct. Instead of
laying out a monetary reward ($), swap in that unique
product that would become extremely rare - and thus
valuable - in the event of the species's disappearance.
For example, Bethany Wiggins's Stung placed honey in
high demand after its fictional bee extinction.
Keep in the mind that, through this Wanted Poster,
you are persuading your audience (i.e. society) that the
human threat is extremely detrimental and needs to be
held accountable by highlighting the negative effect it
has on your chosen species.
Be sure to include the following information on
your poster (the following information can be
represented either visually or verbally):
Where the perpetrator was last seen
Physical description of perpetrator
Overview of perpetrator's crime (negative
impact on species)
Reward




OPTION II:
Public Service
Announcement


Create a Public Service Announcement that urges for
the conservation of your chosen species. Spotlight your
species from a variety of angles or just one, it's your
choice. However, consider which side of your audience
- their emotional/compassionate or their selfish side -
you wish to appeal. Choose one and run with it, since a
clear, distinct vision will make your approach stronger.
Keep in mind that, through this Public Service
Announcement, you are persuading your audience (i.e.
society) that your endangered species matters by
highlighting its beneficial uniqueness and its positive
effect on the environment.
Be sure to include the following information on
your poster (the following information can be
represented either visually or verbally):
Logo of conservation organization
Species's positive effect on environment
Unique attributes of species
Illustration of species

Ecosystems: Biodiversity & Endangerment


3. IN-CLASS: We Are Not Just Any Expendable Species! Bulletin Board
As the cross-curricular portion of the English classrooms We Are Just Any
Expendable Students! bulletin board, the display will be outlined with a student-
created border, entitled We Are Just Any Expendable Species!
In Ray Bradburys A Sound of Thunder, Travis claimed when explaining
chaos theory that the caveman who starves from the trickle-down effect of a
dead mouse is not just any expendable man, no! In English class, we created I
Matter Because cards for Eckelss squashed butterfly to summarize its individual
value as presented by the story.
To prepare for this small component of the final project, we also created I
Matter Because cards for sharks and bees, the two species you looked at in
depth in your science class. An example is provided to the left. As part of your final
project, for your chosen species, you will create a one-sentence I Matter
Because card for your chosen species that summarizes your research about why
it should be saved from endangerment.