Lesson 1:
What
is the Ocean Biome?
Lesson 2:
What
is sand?
Lesson 3:
What
are characteristics of the shore?
Lesson 4:
What are tides?
Lesson 5:
What are
ocean currents?
Lesson 6:
What are
the kinds of marine animal life?
Lesson 7:
What is a coral
reef?
OVERVIEW: This is a set of lessons developed on the ocean as one of the many biomes that exist on Earth. Students will travel from the shore, to the coral reefs, to the deepest parts of the ocean and become familiar with the marine animals and plants that make their home there. They will learn what causes ocean currents and what effects currents have on the land. They will learn what causes the daily tides. The technology part of each lesson gives the children many pictures of the ocean biome, and is integral to the teaching of this unit. Additional biome units can be found at http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnet-lab/ps101/bglasgold/rainforestintro.html
STUDENT LEVEL: Grades 3-5
MAJOR
GOALS and INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will become familiar with what the ocean biome is. (Cognitive).
2. Students will locate the four oceans on earth. (Cognitive).
3. Students will become familiar with the different parts of the
ocean biome. (Cognitive).
4. Students will become familiar with the vocabulary associated with
the ocean biome. (Cognitive).
5. Students will be able to give an example of an ocean food chain
and food web. (Cognitive).
6. Students will become familiar with the flora and fauna of the
ocean. (Cognitive).
7. Students will do hands-on experiments to illustrate water currents,
tides, and the creation of sand. (Psychomotor).
8. Students will use technology to enhance their research, create
maps, fill-in data sheets, import pictures, and create
original illustrations and stories about the ocean biome. (Cognitive and
Psychomotor).
9. Students will appreciate the fragility and the balance of nature
of the ocean ecosystem. (Affective).
TIMELINE: 8 classroom periods.
SETTING: Science classroom, homeroom classroom, computer lab, optional field trips to the New York Aquarium, and the Museum of Natural History, and the home computer.
ASSESSMENTS:
1. Vocabulary data sheet.
2. Ocean maps.
3. Zones of the shoreline map.
4. Experiments on ocean currents, tides, and how to create sand.
5. Research on the marine flora and fauna.
6. Original stories and myths about the ocean habitat.
7. Teacher made tests.
STANDARDS:
1. Students demonstrate understandings of organisms and their environments.
2. Students demonstrate understanding of change over time.
3. Students demonstrate understanding of physical positions on earth.
4. Students demonstrate understanding of earth's diversity.
5. Students will write a report of information.
6. Students will use scientific notation for writing of experiments.
BOOKS/MAGAZINES:
For Students:
Troll Book Company: OUR PLANET: OCEANS by Cally Oldershaw
What's Down There? Questions and Answers About the Ocean, by Dinah Moche Scholastic, Inc.
Let's Find Out About the Ocean, by David C. Knight, Franklin Watts, Inc. 1970
You and the Oceans, by Diane Sherman, Children's Press, Chicago
Oceanography: A Golden Exploring Earth Book, by Marion B. Carr
National Geographic Magazine shows the ocean on a regular basis.
For Teachers:
The Down by the Sea, an Activity Book, by Karen Aspinwall, The Cattail Co.
The Ocean- Consider the Connections... Center for Environmental Education
The Ocean Book- Aquarium and Seaside Activities and Ideas For All Ages, Center for Marine Conservation
Ocean Life- Hotlinks, Page McDonald and Julie Brodie, Classroom Connect, 1998
Oceanography- Duplicating Masters and Teacher's Guide, Milliken Publishing Co.
Video: "Ocean" by Eyewitness Video DK Publishing, Inc. N.Y. http://dk.com
Ocean visits the alien world of the deep- a habitat that contains 99% of the living space on the planet. Running time 35 minutes, suitable for all ages.
WEB SITES:
This site allows the student to navigate easily through the links. Topics include coral reefs, currents, waves, and tides; sandy and rocky shores, plants and algae, and the water cycle.
This site is from the Marine Mammal Center. This link contains amazing facts about seals, sea lions, and whales.
http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/ocean_planet.html
This site is the Smithsonian's traveling ocean exhibit, Ocean Planet. Ocean Science link can be used to explore the deep sea.
This site is an online extension of Encarta Encyclopedia. The student can research the ocean and its inhabitants.
http://richmond.edu/~ed344/webunits/biomes/ocean.html
This site is an excellent one for it is on an elementary school reading level. From this site, the student can link to various other sites about the ocean.
This site is an excellent site for young students. The pictures and presentation are beautiful. There are also games and puzzles to use for culmination exercises.
http://web.mit.edu/corrina/tpool/tidezones.html
This site
gives information on the layers of the shore. It tells what plants
and animals live on each layer.