Activity Name: Recovery of the California Condor
Submitting Organization: San Diego Zoo Global
Grade Levels: 6th, 7th, 8th
Subject Area: Science
Standards Alignment: Next Generation Science Standards
Description of the Activity:
This lesson introduces students to the critically endangered California condor, factors for decline, and one technique for determining gender in sexually monomorphic bird species (karyotyping). Students analyze California condor chromosomes in order to determine gender, just like scientists do to inform captive breeding efforts.
- How do the sex chromosomes of birds differ from those of mammals?
- What is the role of zoos in conservation?
- Why is it important to determine gender in critically endangered bird species?
- Printer/copy machine
- Glue or tape
- Scrap paper
Link to further resources: