What Caused the Tiger Salamanders to Disappear

This unit focuses on the disappearance of tiger salamanders from a vernal pool (where salamanders breed). Throughout the unit, students are presented with five potential reasons for the disappearance of Tiger Salamanders. After investigating each reason, students write a formal letter to a local ecologist explaining the disappearance. This curriculum, originally adapted for EL learners at a 5th grade reading level, has nine weeks of life science curriculum material. The curriculum was developed by the NYU SAIL research lab, who was awarded a design badge by the Next Generation Science Standards for high quality curricula. It has activities that are designed to cultivate scientific literacy skills alongside building content.