Lesson Plan

• Describe the main conservation approaches (in‑situ, ex‑situ, community‑based, ecosystem‑based).
• Explain key strategies for sustainable management and how they are applied.
• Evaluate conservation initiatives using ecological, social, economic and governance criteria.
• Analyse real‑world examples (global, UK, local) to identify successes, challenges and future directions.

• Projector and screen
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed handouts of the approaches and strategy tables
• Case‑study worksheets (Thames catchment)
• Internet access for short video clips
• UK conservation sites map
• Evaluation rubric cards

Begin with a striking image of a degraded habitat to highlight biodiversity loss. Ask students what they already know about protected areas and why they matter. Explain that by the end of the lesson they will be able to identify conservation approaches, match strategies to real examples, and assess their effectiveness.

1. Do‑now (5') – Quick quiz on types of protected areas (multiple choice on board).
2. Mini‑lecture (10') – Present the four conservation approaches using slides and the provided table.
3. Group case‑study analysis (15') – Students work in small groups on the Thames catchment worksheet, identifying actions and stakeholders.
4. Strategy carousel (10') – Four stations, each covering a sustainable‑management strategy; groups rotate, noting key actions on sticky notes.
5. Whole‑class synthesis (10') – Discuss evaluation criteria and apply them to a global example (Yellowstone National Park).
6. Exit ticket (5') – Each student writes one conservation approach and one strategy they could implement locally.

Recap the four approaches and the suite of strategies, emphasizing how they interlink in real‑world examples. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding and assign homework: research a local conservation initiative and prepare a brief report outlining its approach, strategy and potential evaluation criteria.