Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Endangered Species Diorama”

In this activity, students will research and create a diorama of an endangered species and the environmental factors that contribute to the endangered species’ wellbeing based on details from the novel and/or outside investigation.

Throughout the novel, Nick learns the value of the environment and the connection it has to the plants and animals in it. Select an endangered animal and research the environmental factors that contributed to the animal’s endangerment. Then create a diorama that includes the animal with all the environmental factors that promote its wellbeing. Compare your endangered animal to the Florida panther and the efforts made by the characters in the novel to protect it. Follow the steps below to complete this activity:

• Select and research an endangered species.
• Explain why the species is considered endangered.
• Explore the environmental factors that are needed for the animal to thrive.
• Create a diorama with a representation of the animal and a healthy environment for the animal.
• Compare the efforts to save your endangered species with the efforts of the characters in the novel in an associated visual aid that accompanies your diorama.