Evaluating the Strength of Scientific Evidence: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker

A happy discovery occurred in Arkansas in 2004: a woodpecker, believed to be extinct since the 1940s, reappeared! Or did it? Middle to high school ecologists examine scientific evidence and use critical-thinking skills to determine whether or not it is true. The handouts referenced in the lesson plan are not included, but there is enough material, plus many resource links, to make this exciting topic come alive in your environmental science class!