The calculating extinction challenge encourages children to think about human’s impact on the planet and the issue of species extinction over their lifetimes.
‘The sixth mass extinction is already underway’ the Guardian reports. ‘We only have 20 years to halt it’ the Telegraph adds. A new study by the University of Lund, Sweden, and the University of British Columbia, Canada has advised that the best ways to reverse the impact we are having on the planet is to stop using air travel, to give up the car, have fewer children and switch to a vegetarian or plant-based diet. Trading tumble dryers for hanging clothes out to dry and switching off lights are also factors that we can contribute, to do our bit.
It’s great when these stories come back around and remind us to think about our impact on the planet, but to me, nothing says it better than the incredible documentary; Racing Extinction. Now that the initial hype of a documentary release has died down, I found myself wondering about the impact of the school resources that I worked on whilst at my previous job at Discovery Education. Do they still have the same momentum without the film release? Because they need it!
Educating children is the key to improving the condition of the planet for future generations. Giving them the chance to see the mistakes of the generations before them, and empowering them to not only avoid those mistakes, but improve upon them, is an incredibly powerful tool.
Calculating extinction maths challenge
For this reason, when I was approached through my job at National Geographic Kids to suggest a challenge for gifted children, as part of Potential Plus UK‘s 50th anniversary, I felt it was a good opportunity to think about what the last 50 years that the programme has been in existence have meant for natural history.
Creating a Maths challenge, I suggested a method for estimating the amount of species decline, which included researching the rapidly increasing rate of extinction — and looking ahead over the next 50 years to estimate how many more species we are likely to lose if things don’t change.
The challenge was included in the ’50 Challenges for 50 Years’ Book, which was launched on the organisation’s Family Challenge Day and given to the gifted and talented children to try at home with their family.
Check out the challenge on Potential Plus UK’s website, and give it a go yourself. As well as testing your maths skills, I’m hoping it serves as a humbling opportunity to see the need to protect species — and the consequences we may face if we don’t.
More about my work with Nat Geo Kids
Want to know what happened when I met Dr Jane Goodall on behalf of Nat Geo Kids?
- Read about the time I got to present a Roots and Shoots photography Award
- Read about our discussion about the Roots and Shoots programme
- Listen to our conversation about Jane’s career as a primatologist
Want to know more about Nat Geo Kids inspiring natural history learning?
- Discover the Secrets of the Spotted Eagle Ray
- Read about one six-year old’s efforts raise awareness of the rhino horn trade
- Discover how Nat Geo Kids inspired my study of jaguars
- Calling for a Natural History GCSE
Discover my work in conservation education with Discovery
