Learning Unit

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Describe the ocean animals introduced each day and the ocean activities that the class participated in.

Daily Logs

Days 1-7 :Students will maintain a daily log of ocean animals and activities, in a written log.

Observe, describe, sort and create a graph of favorite ocean animals.

Teacher made submarine

Day 5 :After viewing ocean animals on a bulletin board, from inside a teacher-made "submarine", the children will choose a favorite ocean animal to make and add to the class graph. Lead class to summarize the graphing results.

Design, write and publish a page/slide for a class book/slide show.

Computer program, Kid Pix

Days 8-9 :Using the Kid Pix program, children will design, illustrate and write text to accompany their illustration. Students will read and record their text on the computer.

Kindergarten students will write/dictate/record at least 2 sentences describing their picture.

1st grade students will write and record 3 sentences describing their picture.

2nd grade students will write and record a paragraph describing their picture.

Observe, compare, contrast, and sort sea shells

Teacher-lead discussion of the similarities and differences of shells.

Teacher modeling of sorting.

Students will practice sorting in small groups.

Day 5 :Teacher will lead class to discover attributes of shells-(size, color, shapes, textures).Teacher will demonstrate sorting techniques. Then in small groups students will sort their own shells. Use magnifying glasses. After the students have sorted, the class will summarize the results.

Observe, record the results of salt water experiment

Engage in an experiment comparing and contrasting salt water, and fresh water.

Day 10 :Teacher will pose the question, "What does ocean water taste like?" Each student will receive 2 plastic cups to label with their name. Then the students will fill each cup with hot tap water. (1/2 cup). In one cup labelled salt water, the student will dissolve a 1/2 tsp. of salt. Taste water in both cups by dipping a Q-tip into the water. Summarize that salt water (ocean water) and tap water (fresh water) have similiarities and differences.

Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

The effects of pollution in the ocean.

Comparing

Classifying

Deductive Reasoning

Error Analysis

Analyzing Perspectives

Constructing Support

Abstracting

Other:

Pour water into a tub. Have students help plastic ocean animals "swim" in the water. Remove plastic ocean animals from the tub. Add food coloring into oil. Pour oil into the water. Have students take turns mixing the oil and water together. Lead class to observe that oil and water do not mix. Oil floats on top of the water. Re-introduce the plastic ocean animals into the tub. Teacher(wearing plastic gloves) will demonstrate what happens to the ocean animals as they come to the surface for a breath of air. Help the class deduce what effects oil will have on real ocean animals and plant life.

Title of task: Submarine Seasearch

Recommended Grade Levels: K-2

Curriculum areas: Science and Math

Approximate time frame: 40 minutes

Developed by/Adapted from: Curtis and Whitley

Resources/materials: Flashlights, swim masks, teacher made submarine, mural of sea life, activity sheets for graphing.

Kdg-Students will identify and graph a favorite sea animal.

MST 7: Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

Student will participate in graphing activity.

1^st and 2^nd grade - Students will count and graph the variety of sea animals observed.

MST 7: Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

Student will participate in graphing activity.

Description of the task using a prompt format (FAT –P-form, audience, topic, purpose)

The audience is K-2 students. The topic is sea animals. The purpose of this experience is to be able to identify sea animals and to use this information to complete a grade appropriate graph. The children will wear their masks and enter the submarine to "dive" under the ocean. They will use their flashlights to shine onto the mural of sea animals. They will observe, discuss, identify and count the animals. They will use this information to complete the graphing activity.

K - Students will color and cut out their favorite sea animal. A graph will be produced by the whole class

K- Students will use their animals to complete a graph, "Our Favorite Animals".

1st and 2nd grade-Students will complete a graphing activity sheet.

1st and 2nd grade - Students will count and record the variety of sea animals from the mural.

Criteria for evaluating student products/performances