Why Do We Need to Protect the Environment?

Do you know what the Amur leopard, mountain gorilla, Javan rhino and vaquita have in common? They are all critically endangered and need our help to survive!

Earth is home to millions of unique plant and animal species. Each one contributes to our planet’s biodiversity and plays an important role in the ecosystem in which it is found. Unfortunately, many of these species are in danger of extinction. The good news is that technology and human innovation are providing new ways to monitor, protect and restore nature.

Explore How Technology Is Protecting Our Planet

The theme for National Science Week 2024 is “Species Survival – More Than Just Sustainability”. To help your students engage with this theme, the expert team at Teach Starter have created this comprehensive slide deck to explore the ways in which technology is being used to monitor and protect the state of plants, animals and their habitats. It uses age-appropriate language (while still using subject-specific vocabulary) and attractive images to teach your students what they need to know about the incredible technological advances that are helping to preserve our planet for future generations.

The slide deck addresses the following content:

• Satellite Imaging and Remote Sensing
• GPS Tracking and Telemetry
• Camera Traps
• Acoustic Monitoring
• DNA Analysis and Genetic Research
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Mobile Apps and Citizen Science
• Conservation Drones and Robotics

To keep your students engaged throughout, various discussion slides have been scattered throughout the slide deck.

We have also created a note-taking worksheet that students can use to jot down interesting information as they engage with the slide deck. This worksheet can be accessed via the dropdown menu on the download button.

Download for National Science Week 2024

This teaching slide deck downloads as a Google Slides file or a Microsoft PowerPoint file. The note-taking worksheet downloads as a black-and-white PDF. All three files can be accessed via the Download button.

Project the resource onto your screen and work through the slides to learn about how technology is being used to save our vulnerable plants, animals and environments!

This resource was created by Kaylyn Chupp, a Teach Starter collaborator.

More Resources for National Science Week 2024

If you’re loving the look of this resource, then we have good news for you… we have plenty more! Click below to browse more teacher-created, curriculum-aligned resources to use in your classroom during National Science Week 2024!

teaching resource

Australian Habitat Preservation – Inquiry-Based Project

Use this habitat preservation project to teach your students about how to help conserve a threatened Australian environment for future generations.

teaching resource

Environmental Impact Science Experiments

Use these simple science experiments to teach your students about environmental issues such as oil and water pollution, soil quality and climate change.

teaching resource

Species Survival Scenario Task Cards

Explore how to save endangered species during National Science Week 2024 with this set of 16 species survival scenario cards.