Time Two class periods. One period to view selected Ngorongoro video clips, introduce cheetahs and talk about big cats in general. One class period to stage The Cheetah Chase Challenge a mathematical predator vs. prey race. Lesson Objectives Students learn the scientific classification for cats, family Felidae within the order Carnivora, meaning meat-eating mammals.
Students learn general cat physical attributes and hunting behavior.
Students learn how the cheetah's physiology differs from the other big cats. Students learn how the cheetah's body is adapted for running fast. Students learn about the cheetah's hunting behavior and style of killing prey. Students learn about interactions within cheetah society. Students learn why cheetahs are threatened with extinction.