Topic: Extinction of plants

Target group

High school / technical school student

Core curriculum

General requirements

V. Reasoning and applying the acquired knowledge to solving biological problems. Student:

1. interprets information and explains causal relationships between processes and phenomena, formulates conclusions.

Specific requirements

XI. Biodiversity, its threats and protection. Student:

3. shows the influence of human activity (intensification of agriculture, urbanization, industrialization, development of communication and tourism) on biodiversity;

4. shows the impact of human activity on biological diversity;

General aim of education

Students discuss the main reasons for the extinction of plant species in modern times.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• exchange and describe the main causes of plant extinction;

• give examples of plants that are extinct and threatened with extinction.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers;

• multimedia atlases of plants and animals.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

• Volunteers prepare papers dedicated to issues included in the abstract.

Introduction

• The teacher gives the topic, the goals of the lesson in a language understandable for the student, and the criteria of success.

• Volunteers present their papers. If necessary, the teacher completes the student's statements.

Realization

• The lecturer asks the students to list the most important causes of plant extinction on the board. Students analyze each of the above‑mentioned causes and determine whether it results from human activity or from natural processes occurring in nature.

• The lecturer presents and discusses an interactive map showing the occurrence of selected plant species in Poland. He then divides the students into groups. The task of each team is an in‑depth analysis of the causes of the decrease in the size of the selected species. The analysis should be made on the basis of a map and information about the plant, its habitat and requirements contained in the abstract and atlas or plant encyclopedia and internet resources.

• The groups successively present the results of joint work on the class forum. At the end of this lesson, students compare the cases discussed and make conclusions about the reasons for the extinction of plant species in Poland.

• Students, working individually or in pairs, carry out interactive exercises to check and consolidate knowledge learned during the lesson. Selected people discuss the correct solutions for interactive exercises. The teacher completes or corrects the statements of the proteges.

Summary

• The teacher briefly presents the most important issues discussed in class. He answers the additional questions of the proteges and explains all their doubts. Students complete notes.

Homework

• Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

• Complete tasks 2.1 and 2.2 from the abstract.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Extinction of plants

It is estimated that currently over 9 thousand plant species globally are at risk of extinction. They constitute approx. 3% of all described taxons. The most important causes for plant extinction are as follows: vanishing or transforming of natural habitats, environmental pollution, excessive utilisation of plants by humans, intentional elimination of species (e.g. destroying weeds), extinction mutualistic species, displacing by invasive species, and crossbreeding of rare species with common species.

Over last 100–150 years, 44 species of vascular plants became extinct in Poland. Some of them are not irretrievable. Some of them can be found in natural habitats abroad, while the others, such as pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris), are cultivated only in gardens.

It happens sometimes that species considered to be completely extinct are found in natural sites. These species are for example: strawberryleaf cinquefoil (Potentilla sterilis), found in 2008 in two sites in Lower Silesia, Veronica bellidioides, the appearance of which was reported in 2009 in Karkonosze, and Isolepis supina which was found in several sites in Lublin area in 2010.

There are quite a lot of vascular plants in Poland which at risk of becoming extinct: 506 species, which constitutes approx. 20% of the native flora. 74 species are considered to be critically endangered, which means that the size of their populations is extremely small. Usually, they are endemic species and relicts occurring in single sites.

• The main causes of plant extinction are as follows: vanishing of natural habitats, excessive acquiring of plants from the environment by humans, destroying plants considered to be undesirable, crossbreeding of close species, and changes in relationships between species in ecosystems.