Schenectady City
  School District

108 Education Drive
Schenectady, NY  12303
518.370.8100

 

   Ocean Institute of California                    Feb. 2002
Intertidal Zone
Target Grade Levels:  5 & 6

Life Science  Students learn about vertebrates and invertebrates, ecosystems, food webs, and biomes.  The lesson on intertidal zones will help reinforce what they have learned and show the interrelationship of ecosystems.

Language arts  Students research and read for information.  They will be using a variety of sources to find information about ocean life, and they will write about what they have learned.

Main Index

Other Ocean Institute Plans

Other Grade 5 Projects
Other Grade 6 Projects

Ocean Institute Website

VIEW Museum Directory

This integration plan was used by  a Grade 5 Teacher as well as a Grade 6 Teacher at St. Anthony School.
Technology  Students use the Internet for information.  They also learn to present information using a multi-media program.  In addition, students will create a model tide pool as a follow-up to what they have learned.

Social Studies - - Geography - - Students learn to read and interpret maps.  They will learn the locations of the intertidal zones and find them on maps.

Students need to be able to read for information and communicate their findings with other both orally and in writing.  They need to know how to use the Internet and other resources to locate information.  They need to be able to work and plan cooperatively to carry out a project.

Standard Areas
Math Science and Technology  Standards  2, 4, 6
English Language Arts Standard  1
Social Studies Standard 3
Arts Standard 1

Procedure
Students will read and research about the ocean, concentrating on intertidal zones.

Students will use the Internet and print media for information on the assigned components of the intertidal zones.

Students will create a model of a tide pool for a "hands on" learning experience.

Students will create a PowerPoint presentation demonstrating their knowledge.

Students will video conference with an expert from the Ocean Institute in California.

Students will share their information with others in a learning fair.

Environmental Modifications
Peer groups will aid individuals who may have difficulty with PowerPoint presentations or with reading/research aspects of the unit.

Cooperative groups will work together to achieve their goals.

A variety of materials, on different levels for reading ability, will be provided to aid in the research phase.

Time Required
Planning - Approximately 5 hours

Implementation - Approximately 15 hours (Four 45-minute classes per week for five weeks)

Assessment - Approximately 2 hours for the final projects, with on-going assessment as students work on the research and writing.

Logistical Planning
We will need to establish appropriate work space for the students and provide ample time for each group to have access to the computers.

As a school, we will need to set aside a time for the learning fair.  We will need to gather supplies necessary for students to succeed, eg., books, magazines, art materials.  We will need to do some preliminary Internet searches to give students a starting point for their own research.

Resources Needed
Computer with camera for video conferencing
PowerPoint program for computers
Books and Magazine about intertidal zones
Videos about the topic
Art Supplies:  clay, glue, scissors, boxes for displays, markers/crayons/paint

Assessment Plan
Students will be evaluated based on their class discussions, research written work, displays, and PowerPoint presentations.

Teachers will create rubrics for evaluating written work and student projects.  They will observe student participation in group work and will create a checklist to help students monitor their own progress.

Students will use a checklist to be sure they are accomplishing their goals.

In addition to the teacher assessment, peers will evaluate the presentations at the completion of the unit.  Students will complete a survey, at he end of the unit, to evaluate their own experience:  what they liked, what they did not like, what worked well, what could have been done better.