Lesson Plan - Should We Bring Back Extinct Animals?

Watch a Video: Animals of the Ice Age
Ask: What traits helped Ice Age creatures survive in their harsh environment?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• cells
• biodiversity

Set a Purpose for Reading
Point out the “As You Read” question. Have students look for evidence in the article that bringing back extinct animals could help or hurt other creatures.

1. How would de-extinction of the woolly mammoth work, according to the article? 
De-extinction involves taking the DNA from a frozen mammoth, then copying it into the cells of the mammoth’s closest living relative, the Asian elephant. 
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2. What does Eriona Hysolli of Colossal mean when she says “We have to think outside the box”? 
Hysolli means that people should look for nontraditional ways to help animals on the brink of extinction. She believes that bringing back already extinct animals is an idea that should be explored.
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3. Why do opponents of de-extinction say it would be cruel to the new animals? 
Opponents say that new animals could suffer from health problems and be subject to a lot of testing.
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FEATURED SKILL: Opinion Writing
Use “Seeing Both Sides” to have students identify arguments on both sides of the debate, then take a stand.
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