Teachers and students are encouraged to participate in the 16th annual Endangered Species Day on Friday, May 21st, 2021. First celebrated in 2006, Endangered Species Day offers biology, ecology, oceanography, general science and other teachers an ideal opportunity to educate students about the importance of protecting threatened and endangered plant and animal species.  

There are many ways for teachers and students to participate in Endangered Species Day. Activities can range from short projects to multi-day or multi-week actions. The list below contains just a few ideas for celebrating Endangered Species Day with your students. Some may need to be adapted or may not be appropriate for virtual schooling. 

• Read an article or book about an endangered species; discuss why it is endangered and ideas for how to help protect the species.
• Schedule a guest speaker from a conservation organization to talk about local endangered species. 
• Go on a nature walk and discuss how animals, including endangered species, rely on a healthy environment to survive.
• Host a class party to celebrate species that are no longer endangered, such as American bald eagles, peregrine falcons, American alligators, wolves, or grizzly bears. 
• Have students write a newspaper column about endangered species and submit it to the local paper or news station.
• Make and display bird feeders and birdhouses to help increase bird populations.
• Plant a pollinator garden for bees, butterflies or other pollinators. 

In past years, thousands of nonprofit organizations, government agencies, teachers, students, and individuals have participated in Endangered Species Day, helping raise awareness of the importance of protecting wildlife and motivating people to act. We look forward to seeing who participates this year! 

For more information, visit the Educator's Toolkit on the website of the Endangered Species Coalition