The Diversity of Marine Life Leslie B. Amado & Melissa S. Harris Ed 200 Curriculum Project Spring ‘06 Trinity College

Introduction

This project is designed for a third-grade classroom Students will be working in small groups of about 4-5 children

Objectivesand Justifications

Students will learn to utilize the Internet for research purposes –We want students to realize that the computer holds endless possibilities

Students will develop an interpersonal intelligence through social learning through work in small groups –Working in groups allows children to teach each other while solidifying their own knowledge

Students will develop and foster their linguistic, naturalist, and spatial intelligences through an interdisciplinary approach to the topic of marine life –This will allow students to apply these intelligences through the final activity

Students will analyze marine life and understand the concepts of hierarchy and interdependence through the organization and management of their acquired knowledge –We want the students to be able to bring everything they learned together and make real life-connections

Activities MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday We will open the unit with a story. The book “Find Demi’s Sea Creatures” will introduce the students to the unit of marine life. The teacher will read the book to the class. After the book, compose a KLW chart to see what students already know and what interests them most Today, the children will work in the computer lab. By this time, the teacher will have split up the content into five parts: mammals, fish, coral reefs, plants and human impact. The teacher will provide the students with a worksheet to fill out based on the learning objectives Today, the students will visit a local aquarium and have the chance to speak with the experts here and ask questions from a list that the teacher provides. The students will use this as additional information to what they have already found on the internet Today the students will have all of the information necessary and they will create a pamphlet based on their research worksheet and additional information found on the Internet and at the aquarium. Today the students will present their pamphlets, and each group will have the opportunity to present their pamphlets. Each sub- group will present one or two things that they found most interesting. After each presentation, there will be a wrap-up discussion on how everything relates with each other

Wednesday’s Activity A trip to a local aquarium will allow the students to learn more about the animal or plant that they are researching by using the experts as resources.

Evaluation Worksheets: a complete worksheet will earn the students more points Participation at the aquarium: students are expected to ask at least three questions Pamphlets and presentations: all of the knowledge learned from worksheets and aquarium

The End