The students in our 11th grade Biology class are working on a multi-week project to investigate their study species, their specific habitat, and how we can protect them into the future. Much of the work they will be doing will be through online research from major conservation networks, authentic estimations based on contextual evidence, and practice in meta-analysis as they read various scientific papers and studies.

Each student was randomly assigned a species that is experiencing population decline, habitat degradation, or both. The first portion of the project was centered on getting to know their species and one specific habitat that was chosen by the student. They are also responsible for participating in online Khan Academy courses that will help them understand the concepts and terminology that is used in the study of Ecology.

As each student progresses through the project, they will create individualized, authentic proposals on how we can best manage and protect their species and habitat. Before that is possible, it is crucial to understand how their community functions and what legislation, if any, is already in place to preserve their ecosystem. This will require an interdisciplinary approach as they take into account ecosystem function and equitable, enforceable policies that aim to benefit all organisms.

Nearing the conclusion of the project, students will read a real SSP produced and managed by the San Diego Zoo and be tasked with constructively critiquing each others SSP's using a collaboratively produced rubric. As a class, we will discuss the implications of SSP's and the role and motivations of different organizations in the protection of nature. The project conclusion was originally intended to include a public exhibition, however due to COVID-19 we are still talking about how we can present our hard work to the public.