Introduction | Task | Process | Letter setup | Conclusion |Rubric|Return to Planet Earth

Introduction

The Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood are classic children's fairy tales, but the tale of the Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf is real.  Wolves are predators, and in 1914, the United States Congress approved the funding to destroy the wolves.  Government bounty hunters helped ranchers protect their livestock by killing the wolves.  Sixty years later the Gray Wolf was listed as endangered.   In 1973, Congress enacted the Endangered Species Act, and the Wolf Recovery Program was started to reintroduce the Gray Wolf to its natural habitat.   In 1995, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Now, over 1,300 wolves are thriving in the area. That is a lot more than what biologists had hoped and expected! Now, our government is discussing if the wolves should be taken off the endangered species list.

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Performance Task

Your task will be to analyze the Yellowstone Wolf program, and draw your own conclusion to the following question.  

Remember that there is no right or wrong answer. The wolf issue is complex.  You will be assessed on how you support your conclusion, communicate effectively, and collaborate with your peers.  Your final activity will be to make your ideas known by writing an editorial. [Grading Rubric]   Government, environmental, and agricultural leaders can't seem to make a decision.  Maybe they need to see it through the eyes of a student.

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The Process

You will be called on to explore several Web pages.  You will be the expert and will be expected to to provide a clear explanation of your portion of the following information.  Your job will be to:

1. Research the Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction Program.
2. Define and analyze the current problem from different perspectives.
3. Develop a solution.
4. Report your solution to the world.

The Yellowstone Wolf Conflict is a real problem.  Your opinion is important, and your solution will give adult leaders insight. 

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Step 1  - Yellowstone Reintroduction Background Information

Watch the videos below.  Concentrate on not reaching any conclusion about the wolf reintroduction program.  Just the facts!

• Yellowstone Wolf Controversy
• Wondering about Wolves
• The New Wolf Hunters
• Battle over Wolves in Yellowstone National Park

Now add your facts to a mind map in Kidspiration. Remember, try not to take sides!  Just the facts!

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Step 2 - What Seems to be the Problem?

Identifying the problem is frequently the most difficult part of a good solution.  Instead of identifying the true problem, people tend to focus on obstacles to the problem.  This is because people have deep feelings about their side of the issue.  Read the articles from both sides of the issue.

Resources

• Wolf May Lose Endangered Species Listing by Matthew Brown for AP
• New Predator in Yellowstone Reshapes Park's Entire Ecosystem by Guy Gugliotta for Washington Post

Review both articles, and for each article, be ready to identify what the author believes is the real issue behind the wolf reintroduction program.  Remember that you are reading articles written by real people with a passion for their side of the issue, so you may need to get help from your teacher or parent to pull out the information.

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Step 3 - Time to Take a Stand: Your Solution

Can man and wolf live together peacefully?  Does a rancher have the right to protect his/her livestock from wolf attack?  If the wolves are removed from the Endangered Species List, what will the impact be on other animals in the park?

Should the Wolves be removed from the Endangered Species List? Use the information that you have gathered to support your decision and try to persuade your class to share your opinion.  How would you solve this problem? What can be done to make the ranchers and the wolves happy?

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Step 4 - Write your individual editorials

The conclusion to this project is real.  You will be writing a letter to a person that has deep feelings about the wolf issue.  Your letter needs to be polite and well written.  Most importantly, you need to be sure that your facts are straight, and your solution is realistic.  [Grading Rubric] Use the Pre-Write activity to construct your letter. You will be writing to one of the following four people:[A note to both teachers and students.]

•  Defenders of Wildlife
  1130 17th St., NW
  Washington, DC 20030
  E-Mail Address for General Information: info@defenders.org
   
• The American Farm Bureau
  Attn: Bob Stallman, President
  600 Maryland Ave. SW
  Washington, DC 20024
   
• Western Livestock Journal
  Steven Vetter, Editor
  650 South Lipan
  Denver, CO 80223
   
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  Montana Ecological Services Field Office
  Attn: Ed Bangs, Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator
  100 N. Park, Suite 320
  Helena, Montana 59601
   
• United States Dept. of the Interior
  Attn: Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior
  1849 C Street, NW
  Washington, DC 20240

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Conclusion

The Yellowstone Wolf Conflict is a real problem.  The people involved are passionate about their side of the issue.  Your solution will not be taken lightly.  It's time to take a stand, and do your best work.

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