Brief Description

In this activity, students will learn about three threats to the health of the ocean: pollution, over-fishing, and global warming.  Students will use Internet resources to learn more about these threats.  Students will evaluate the resources and decide which threat is the greatest, based on the evidence presented.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 5T-E1. Locate information from electronic resources
• 5T-E2. Evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness and bias of electronic information sources

Academic Standards

• 3SC-E3. Identify a specific need and propose a solution or product that addresses this need, taking into consideration various factors

Academic

• Students will be able to identify three threats to the health of the ocean.
• Students will evaluate these threats to the health of the ocean.

 

• Students will use technology to access and gather information

• Students will need to be able to navigate a web page using hyperlinks.

Computer lab or classroom computer

Internet access and browser

Copies of the handout for students

• Special Education Students: Special education students could be required to verbally discuss their choices with the teacher or represent them in a non-verbal way, depending on the needs of the student.  Students could also pair up with another student while gathering information for extra support.  The teacher could also supply the same content at a lower reading level for those students who need it.
• English Language Learners: Students not proficient in English could also be given the same content at a lower reading level or paired with other students for additional support.  The product could also be modified so that the students do not need to write as much or are allowed verbally discuss their choices with the teacher.
• Gifted and Talented Students: Students needing an extra challenge can be encouraged to further research one of the topics, or find out about other threats to the health of the ocean.  They could be encouraged to write a report, create a poster, or create a multimedia presentation to share their findings with the class.  These students could also be encouraged to write a letter to members of Congress or industry to make their feelings known.

 

1. Using a computer lab or the classroom computer, students will visit the website for the Internet activity: http://www.amphi.com/~lmitchel/oceanmodule
2. After clicking on the “Students” link on the first page, students will be presented with the essential question for the activity: “Which is the greatest threat to the health of the ocean: pollution, over-fishing, or global warming?” This is the question that students will be answering at the end of the activity.
3. Students will then be presented with three different websites to visit, one on each topic. Students will read these websites, gathering information about each particular threat.  Click here for a copy of a handout students can use to help organize the information.
4. Once students have gathered the information, they will need to make a decision about which threat they feel is the greatest.
5. Students will write a paragraph discussing their choice and why they chose it.  Students will need to include evidence from the activity to support their choice.
6. As a class, discuss the activity with the students and let students make their case in front of their classmates.  Discuss with the students if there is a right or wrong answer to the question.  Also discuss with them if the three threats they investigated are the only threats to the health of the ocean.  This could be a great start to an interesting lesson on environmental issues and ethics.

Students will be assessed based on their paragraphs they have written at the end of the activity. Assessment will be based on:
· A topic sentence that states which is the greatest threat.
· At least four supporting sentences that tell why this is the greatest threat.
· Evidence from the web page that led the student to his or her decision.

Click here for rubric.
 
 

Teacher Name: Liesl Mitchell
Site: Coronado
Date Submitted: April 28, 2004