In this Activity, students will learn about the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFHBA) and how the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is charged with managing and protecting OUR nation's wild horses and burros.  Students will also learn that the BLM has a mandated responsibility to "achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance on the public lands," protect wildlife habitat, and prevent range deterioration (NRC, 2013, p.1).  
 
Contents in order of use: 
1. Activity 3 Pre-assessment
2. Activity 3 Background information 
3. Activity 3 Background information Template Book 
4. Activity 3 Post-assessment
5. Activity 3 Rating 
 
Subject domains: 
Reading (Informational Text): Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; and integrate information presented in different media of formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.  
Writing (Production and Distribution of Writing): Use technology, including the internet, to produce an publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others; and conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.  
Speaking and Listening (Comprehension and Collaboration): Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6-8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.  
Science (Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits): Variations of inherited traits between parent and offspring arise from genetic differences that result from the subset of chromosomes (and therefore genes) inherited (MS-LS3-2).  
 
Skills: 
Students fully understand what AMLs (Appropriate Management Levels) mean and how the BLM assigns AMLs to each of the 10 Western states (which contain Herd Management Areas) in addition to each HMA.  In other words, each of the 10 Western states has an assigned AML from BLM, and each HMA within each state has its own AML.  
For example, BLM calcutates Total AMLs for each state, and AML average for each HMA.  
Students will learn how to calculate the percentage of wild horses and burros in each of the 10 Western states in addition to some selected HMAs.  
They will come to realize that their calculations are revealing a pattern of 0.1-0.2% wild horse/burro population in each of the 10 Western states which have wild horses and burros, in addition to selected HMAs (as shown in the Activity demonstration).   
Students will learn that the BLM has set AMLs below 1000, which is the number needed to maintain genetic variability.  
Students will learn what genetic variability means and how crucial it is for maintaining a healthy and thriving herd population.  
Students will learn about the background information of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.  
They will learn that when the Act was passed in 1971, there were only 27,000 wild horses and burros left, hence the reason why the Act was passed, i.e., to conserve and protect this incredibly low population back in 1971.  
Surprisingly, BLM wants the wild horse and burro population below the population in 1971, i.e., down to 25,997! 
Students will begin to ask questions about BLM's role in managing and protecting OUR nation's wild horses and burros?  
For example, they will begin asking, "Since BLM is charged with the task of protecting and managing wild horses and burros on OUR nation's public lands, why do they want their population so low?"