The Gurney's Pitta

ENDANGERED
Any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.


In grade three we are introducing the concept of ecosystems and habitats. However, grade seven in the curriculum, in Cluster 1: Interactions Within Ecosystems, there is an STSE learning outcome that states:

7-1-05 Identify and describe positive and negative examples of human interventions that have an impact on the ecological succession or the make-up of ecosystems.

This can easily be adapted for grade threes. One can have a discussion of how humans have positive impacts on ecosystems (protection and management, for example) and negative ones (overhunting, introduction of new species).

Along with the Asian elephant and the rhinoceros, the Gurney's Pitta, a bird native to Thailand (pictured above), is one of the most endangered animals on Earth, according to the grade three science textbook. This fact can be tied in to the discussion mentioned above, then lead on to this STSE learning outcome:

7-1-07 Propose a course of action to protect the habitat of a particular organism within an ecosystem.

The discussion can lead into ways of protecting endangered animals, and here in Thailand, also discuss about the roles of national parks such as Khao Kitchakut or exotic places like the Tiger's Temple in Kanchanaburi or Monkey Mountain in Hua Hin (see photos below) to see if their treatment of animals there are humane or substandard.



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"We no longer eat each other's brains to aquire wisdom; are we still primitive enough to wear animal's skins to achieve beauty?"

- Joanna Lumley