Most students are taught that the Europeans colonized North America for political and religious freedom, but natural resources were another major reason. Sure they were in search of gold, cod, whales, and even lumber for shipping, but the resource that tempted explorers across the ocean was one the largest rodents in North America, the beaver. This mammal has had a great influence on our history as well as Canada’s.

From about 1550 until 1850, felt hats were in high demand as they were quite fashionable in much of Europe.  The felt hat industry became the driving force behind the fur trade. By the late 1500's, the beaver was extinct in Western Europe. The North American fur trade became a new source and kept the fashion going for another 200 years.

The Task:

You have been commissioned to make a flyer on beaver facts, (include why they were so valuable to trading) and on the dangers of over hunting the beaver. You need to explain how the extinction of the beaver may affect other wildlife that shares the same habitat, but on the other side, if you have an over population of beaver, they become pesky.
 

Go to this website to learn more before making your advertisement:

http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw/watch/rabb_relat.html

The Process:
Requirements to be included in your flyer or brochure (a flyer is a brief but concise paper on important information to be distributed to a large audience; it is NOT a research paper!)The brochure is flyer-type, but usually involves folding and a bit more information in a more organized fashion.)
Target Audience – Who are to trying to advertise to?
If the audience doesn’t identify with the flyer right away, then it will end up in the trash!

What does the target audience currently think about beaver trapping?
What messages do you want the flyer to communicate?
What do we want the target audience to do from seeing the flyer?
You want the audience to understand that there needs to be a balance of nature.

Considerations

Check you have met the following criteria:
• Does it communication the main messages? Are these clear?
• Will the flyer stand out so the target audience remembers it?
• Will it make people want to consider your viewpoint?

Your flyer will be evaluated on the following rubric (60 pts):

____/15 Includes at least 5 facts on the beaver

____/15 Use of graphics in your flyer (at least 3 graphics—pictures, charts, graphs, etc.) – 5 graphics if you are doing a brochure.

____/10 Brief history of fur trading

____/10 Food chain and habitat is included

____/5   Ability to convince your target audience why your viewpoint is important

____/5   Appearance/Neatness of flyer

Beaver Resources:

The Beaver Fur Trade by Ken Mitchell

http://www.bell.lib.umn.edu/Products/beaver.html

The Beaver, Foundation of the Fur Trade
http://www.runningdeerslonghouse.com/webdoc210.htm

The Beaver Fur Hat

http://www.whiteoak.org/learning/furhat.htm

Beaver in Ohio's History The Rush for "Soft Gold"

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Hunting/beaver/heritage.htm